League Two Notts memories 2004-2009

[Elite_Pie]

I have some memories of the managers like McParland, Steve “998” Thompson and Gudjon. The 998 quote is infamous in the same way as Delroy Chasey faces the ball

I thought Colin's actual phrase was "Delroy Chasey on the face"! Regarding Steve Thompson's 998 quote, I was at that game. We were away to MK Dons and the ref was the biggest 'homer' I've ever seen. Every single decision went their way, we were 3-0 down and playing with 9 men after two red cards, but somehow got back to 3-2. Thommo said "if the ref was on fire I'd dial 998", I'd have poured some bloody petrol on!

Also belonging to that era was the lowest league attendance I've ever been part of at Meadow Lane. It was when the football was mind-numbingly boring under McParland, and just 2,886 fans saw Luton beat us 0-2 on March 10th 2009.

[Alexl0908]

Unfortunately they were all my memories with the exception of my first season when we went up under Allardyce until the Munto season unfolded.

Even when we had Allsopp, Stallard and Heffernan at our disposal we always seemed to struggle. We were in administration for what seemed like an eternity to a kid.

The only genuine good runs we went on pre-Munto were 'The Great Escape' which culminated against Huddersfield in the only time Meadow Lane had looked remotely full to me up until perhaps Coventry in the play-offs and a 10-11 game spell at the start of Gudjon Thordarson's reign.

Chelsea away in the League Cup shortly after Abramovich had taken over was another highlight. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored perhaps the best solo finish I've seen live.

Notable mentions for Brett Angel, Marcel Cas and the one that never was ... Noh Alam Shah.

Ah Danny Allsopp, don’t remember him playing for us but his Mrs was briefly a TA at my primary school

Didn’t do Chelsea in the cup but my dad and brothers did

[Alexl0908]

A player who I think would thrive now 3 in midfield is vogue but was lumped with Mackenzie as his midfield partner.

Perhaps - we bought in Ravenhill, Bishop and Jackson over that summer who were all significant upgrades.

Which has just bought back a game away at Port Vale when we had Weston and Hamshaw. We won 2-1 in that chocolate and blue kit sponsored by Marsden's and I'm not sure if it was like a starved child being given an average meal and it tastes fantastic but I'm sure I remember us playing some absolute silk that day.

That Port Vale game you mention was an early away day for me

[jackal2]

Steve Thompson was by no means the only poor manager we had during that period, but he was the biggest buffoon I've ever seen given the keys to the manager's office, and the fact that he was somehow given them TWICE is to the eternal shame of the people who made the second appointment, if not the first.

Thompson is the guy who, in his first spell in charge, managed to take us to the bottom of League One and relegation despite having players like Darren Ward, Steve Finnan, Peter Kennedy, Shaun Derry, Ian Baraclough, Shaun Farrell, Gary Jones, Phil Robinson and Shaun murphy at his disposal. And it's the guy who, in his second spell, pinned his hopes on Hector Sam getting him 20 goals in a season ... because Hector said he could!

[Alexl0908]

Steve Thompson was by no means the only poor manager we had during that period, but he was the biggest buffoon I've ever seen given the keys to the manager's office, and the fact that he was somehow given them TWICE is to the eternal shame of the people who made the second appointment, if not the first.

Thompson is the guy who, in his first spell in charge, managed to take us to the bottom of League One and relegation despite having players like Darren Ward, Steve Finnan, Peter Kennedy, Shaun Derry, Ian Baraclough, Shaun Farrell, Gary Jones, Phil Robinson and Shaun murphy at his disposal. And it's the guy who, in his second spell, pinned his hopes on Hector Sam getting him 20 goals in a season ... because Hector said he could!

Thompson did take us to a quarter final in the League Cup though, before we got knocked out by League Two Wycombe in a very Notts manner

I remember the cup game against Middlesbrough when Tony Scully scored a cracking lob in front of the Family Stand in the 1st minute

[slack_pie]

Definitely the most depressing period I've known as a Notts fan - more so than our non-league stint to be honest. Up until the Munto season, things just seemed to get worse and worse each year. It was like the club was slowly dying.

Amid all that crap there were a few standout games, which others have mentioned: Huddersfield and Bury at home, Chelsea away. We also had a fairly decent (by our standards) League Cup run under Thommo where we beat Southampton (with a young Gareth Bale playing) at home.

Some random memories:

Some of our fans getting into a verbal argument with Thommo despite us beating Accrington 2-3 away.

Andy White failing to score from about 1 yard out.

Tony Scully wondergoal against Blackpool at home.

The pitch always looking like a farmer's field.

Stall, Heffernan, and Allsopp - and still being rubbish.

[Old_pie]

Which has just bought back a game away at Port Vale when we had Weston and Hamshaw. We won 2-1 in that chocolate and blue kit sponsored by Marsden's and I'm not sure if it was like a starved child being given an average meal and it tastes fantastic but I'm sure I remember us playing some absolute silk that day.

My son-in-law lives just around the corner from Burslem and was a season ticket holder. He "treated" me to a ticket in the home stand and it took a lot to stay sat down when they scored and not to make too much noise when we did. First away win of the season building on the first home win the week before but it was all a false dawn.

Rodgers, for the Vale was quite impressive and we went on to sign him and of course then came the Munto farce.

[The_Pie_Man]

That entire era is summed up for me by the following memories:-

Ian (D)Ross, by the Jimmy Sirrel Stand touchline, lifting his head, making a meal of a simple five yard sideways pass, then falling over with nobody near him, drawing ironic cheers from the crowd.

Matt Gill's "salute" to the travelling fans at Rushden.

Steve "Coco" Thompson.

Losing 5-0 at home to Macclesfield, with that donkey Jon Parkin getting a hat-trick.

Mickaël Antoine-Curier being described in the programme notes by Gary Mills as "a very silly boy".

An utterly depressing and freezing 0-0 (and defeat on penalties) against Barnsley in the LDV Vans Trophy. One of those rare occasions you want both teams to lose so you can go home.

Though the game escapes me, shouting "Sam, Sam, Hector, Hector Sam" on repeat for at least half an hour with the other Z-Blockers in the vain hope he'd get a touch was far more entertaining than the game itself. We lost - and no, it's didn't work. He didn't come close to the ball.

And finally... Notts County 0-1 Havant and Waterlooville.

I can't go on

[thefulltenyards]

When I saw the title there was some dread clicking on it but instead it just warms the heart of where we are now as a club by comparison. Love hearing the memories including the bad one. I remember a lot of the games mentioned and never thought Jon Parkin was anything like a donkey as a player. Will never forget Tony Scullys goal. To be rubbish with Stall, Heffernan and Allsopp to choose from up front is comically bad and yes I was there for Matt Gill's appropriate salute at Rushden.

2004-2009 was very much a period of misery especially under Charlie and Coco, with intermittent dark comedy thrown in.

[upthemaggies]

It wasn't appreciated at the time, but under Steve Thompson we were in a play off position for most of the first half of the 2006/07 season, still 8th as late as mid-February and never then dropped below 13th. That was certainly not anything worth celebrating at the time, but in the context of what was to follow - immediate and long tern - he didn't do so bad.
We were only left with about half a dozen regulars from the previous season and at least 8 players made their Notts debut in the opening game of 06/07 at Lincoln, plus Andy Parkinson returning for a 2nd spell. That's not unlike the situation we were in when the current owners started 2019/20.

Oddly, we've had two players called Ian Ross on loan, the other being in 1976. We also had a player called Byron make a few appearances that 2006/07 season.