Yates and Grant for £100k - says AH

[LaxtonLad]

I'm having a hard time trying to imagine how it would have worked out any better if we'd gone up. The adulation for Hardy would have inflated his ego to a whole new dimension, we'd have likely spent a lot more money on players to try and compete at that level and ended up suffering a similar scenario to the Scardino/Storrie era. The best you can say is that we might have avoided non-league by imploding in tier 3 rather than tier 4 but if points deductions had come into play I'm not so sure.

I we had gone up it would have meant Hardy had got it right, would it not? Apart from using hindsight there is no reason to think we could not have had a successful campaign in L1. Nolan would have done his job proper, the players would have proved themselves capable and all would have been jolly. Roses strewn in our path on our way to Hardy's promise of Championship footy within his stated aim of five years...if only...

[laddo]

I'm having a hard time trying to imagine how it would have worked out any better if we'd gone up. The adulation for Hardy would have inflated his ego to a whole new dimension, we'd have likely spent a lot more money on players to try and compete at that level and ended up suffering a similar scenario to the Scardino/Storrie era. The best you can say is that we might have avoided non-league by imploding in tier 3 rather than tier 4 but if points deductions had come into play I'm not so sure.

That's my view as well. The sudden and dramatic fall from grace was a matter of when not if. Regardless of whether we had gone up that season via the playoffs or not that season and even if we had done well the following season(s) the collapse was sadly inevitable. Reckless unsustainable spending is bound to catch up with you regardless what division you are in. As Bolton, Wigan, Bury and many many others have shown.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

I we had gone up it would have meant Hardy had got it right, would it not? Apart from using hindsight there is no reason to think we could not have had a successful campaign in L1. Nolan would have done his job proper, the players would have proved themselves capable and all would have been jolly. Roses strewn in our path on our way to Hardy's promise of Championship footy within his stated aim of five years...if only...

But it wasn't Notts that was the problem (well it was as we weren't self sufficient) but going up would have seen us in the same financial mess as Paragon went under that was funding Notts.

His ego would still have led to similar if not more expensive signings that led to a wholly unbalanced squad that led to our downfall. I still maintain had we just signed Michael O'Connor, we would have been fine, we only needed a couple more points to have stayed up, with O'Connor, the midfield wouldn't have collapsed that led to the weird stuffing by Yeovil at home even though we should have slaughtered them. His ego wouldn't let him relent and sign up the player we actually needed

[upthemaggies]

The only way it might have worked out for Hardy is if we'd found a player who'd flown under everybody else's radar who turned out to be the best player seen at Notts since Don Masson with a resulting bidding war between two top clubs determined to land his signature.

Hardy's own plan was apparently to get us high enough to attract a buyer who could not only make him a profit but also manage whatever debts he'd incurred and sustain the ascent, for which Hardy would take most of the credit, or at least credit for turning us around.
It would seem however that people looking for a football club to buy tend not to be interested in those that are going to cost a lot of money with a high chance that they aren't going to be able to improve the club's position, at least in the short term, with the risk of incurring the wrath of fans over a perceived stalling of progress. It's easier to pick one up that's at rock bottom for next to nothing where the fanbase is going to welcome you as saviours with the likelihood that you can build momentum without throwing everything you've got at it in one go.

[SwalePie]

.... It's easier to pick one up that's at rock bottom for next to nothing where the fanbase is going to welcome you as saviours with the likelihood that you can build momentum without throwing everything you've got at it in one go.

I'm really, really, really hoping that's the very process that we're currently undergoing with the Bros. Reedtz.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

But it wasn't Notts that was the problem (well it was as we weren't self sufficient) but going up would have seen us in the same financial mess as Paragon went under that was funding Notts.

His ego would still have led to similar if not more expensive signings that led to a wholly unbalanced squad that led to our downfall. I still maintain had we just signed Michael O'Connor, we would have been fine, we only needed a couple more points to have stayed up, with O'Connor, the midfield wouldn't have collapsed that led to the weird stuffing by Yeovil at home even though we should have slaughtered them. His ego wouldn't let him relent and sign up the player we actually needed

For me the crux of the problem was not that Paragon fed Notts, but that Hardy may have been more focused on Notts than Paragon? In my opinion his biggest mistake was to appoint a CEO of Paragon and become the Chairman of Notts. It can only be speculated that there may have been a better outcome if he had continued to build Paragon as he had done and employed someone in the role he undertook at Notts who had more experience. I do think he had good intentions and wanted the best for the club.

I completely agree it was a mistake to let Michael O'Connor go to Lincoln. Also as I've mentioned on here in the past I'd add into that Adam Colin going to Carlisle and Curtis Thompson going to Wycombe. All three were good enough, capable and experienced at that level to stay at the club and help mount another promotion campaign. Although Thompson was not getting much game time under Nolan so maybe that's what's prompted his move?

We should also have pulled out all the stops to replace Shola Ameobi with John Akindi from Barnet who were relegated that season to the National League. He was a perfect replacement for how we played at the time and was proven at that level. Although we did sign Hemmings and Dennis so it could be argued that they were capable.

However the biggest lost for me was not on the field but in the dressing room with Alan Smith, Mike Edwards and Shola Ameobi leaving. They were Nolans support network and eyes and ears and between them had vast amounts of knowledge, experience at the highest level of the game. We were lucky to have that.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

For me the crux of the problem was not that Paragon fed Notts, but that Hardy may have been more focused on Notts than Paragon? In my opinion his biggest mistake was to appoint a CEO of Paragon and become the Chairman of Notts. It can only be speculated that there may have been a better outcome if he had continued to build Paragon as he had done and employed someone in the role he undertook at Notts who had more experience. I do think he had good intentions and wanted the best for the club.

I completely agree it was a mistake to let Michael O'Connor go to Lincoln. Also as I've mentioned on here in the past I'd add into that Adam Colin going to Carlisle and Curtis Thompson going to Wycombe. All three were good enough, capable and experienced at that level to stay at the club and help mount another promotion campaign. Although Thompson was not getting much game time under Nolan so maybe that's what's prompted his move?

We should also have pulled out all the stops to replace Shola Ameobi with John Akindi from Barnet who were relegated that season to the National League. He was a perfect replacement for how we played at the time and was proven at that level. Although we did sign Hemmings and Dennis so it could be argued that they were capable.

However the biggest lost for me was not on the field but in the dressing room with Alan Smith, Mike Edwards and Shola Ameobi leaving. They were Nolans support network and eyes and ears and between them had vast amounts of knowledge, experience at the highest level of the game. We were lucky to have that.

You're right,we lost an awful lot of experience, if the rumours are to be believed, they all left because they couldn't stand Hardy and Nolan was wanting out as well. Allegedly he interviewed for the Shrewsbury job between seasons. With that in mind, the playing side was never going to be up for it

[upthemaggies]

Only fair to ask what would have happened had Hardy withdrawn his interest in Notts in January 2017. As much as it's hard to see how Hardy could have succeeded, it's just as difficult to imagine how we could have avoided non-league if he'd walked away.

All he did was delay the inevitable. Whether or not we'd be two years further on the road to recovery by now would depend on just how much more or less damaging things might have become with Trew still trying to offload the club into 2018.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Only fair to ask what would have happened had Hardy withdrawn his interest in Notts in January 2017. As much as it's hard to see how Hardy could have succeeded, it's just as difficult to imagine how we could have avoided non-league if he'd walked away.

All he did was delay the inevitable. Whether or not we'd be two years further on the road to recovery by now would depend on just how much more or less damaging things might have become with Trew still trying to offload the club into 2018.

Weren't some wealthy Danes interested in us when Trew had the club? He announced they were Billionaires or something then it all went quite. It makes me wonder if they were in to buy us before but were put off by the publicity. They don't seem to enjoy being brash and being centre of attention, it makes me wonder

[ncfcog]

Weren't some wealthy Danes interested in us when Trew had the club? He announced they were Billionaires or something then it all went quite. It makes me wonder if they were in to buy us before but were put off by the publicity. They don't seem to enjoy being brash and being centre of attention, it makes me wonder

I think the Danes link first came about when Sven was trying to find us a buyer prior to Trew, Ludo Mobile or something like that rings a bell. Can’t remember any mention of Danes after that but then my memory is not the best.