Sunday 29th May 2022 could signify the lowest point in Notts County’s history. It is the day that could signify the biggest gap in divisions between Forest and Notts. This is potentially the day after the biggest gap between Mansfield and Notts was also confirmed.
On top of this, we have had our lowest ever finish (when considering the earlier playoff defeat compared to last season). We currently have no manager going into an incredibly crucial period of the season (pre-season) and presumably a squad of players with very low morale.
Anyone care to cheer me up? Haha
I realise this won't have cheered you up much...
I'm only interested in Notts. It's the best thing for my mental wellbeing.
I feel far more positive about the future of the club than at most other times in the past 20 or so years - we have owners who have a vision built on sustainability rather than the reckless pursuit of success like some of their predecessors; our fan base is bigger - and younger - than when we were in League 1; we are trying to develop an identity as a side that makes us attractive to football fans; and we're very much part of the local community (as seen during the pandemic).
Sure, we're in the National League, but I've seen us in all five divisions and can definitely remember far worse times when it felt like the club was dying a slow death (two words: Jamie Fullarton). I no longer feel that.
I really don't care what league Forest or Mansfield are going to be in next season. Football is cyclical, and all we can do is be the best we can be and keep trying to improve all of the time. Do that, and maybe we can be the next Luton - and without the boom or bust model that has always scuppered our hopes for long-term growth.
One thing I've learned over the past few years is never to say this is the lowest point in our club's history.
It is the lowest point SO FAR.
Yep, I remember walking down London Road after the Bury game in 2006 when we survived the drop to non-league on the final day thinking that was our Burnley moment, our all time low, that I'd seen it all now and that it would only get bet better from there on.
Notts by default at this level will always have a chance of going up but I feel we are gong to have to have a really bad season (mid table) to force us into switching gear, whatever form that may take, and going up with real purpose, rather than getting lucky having finished 5th 6th,7th.
If we'd gone up this season I wouldn't have been overly confident that we wouldn't do a Grimsby and drop back down again in a few years.