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Notts County Revolution Gathers Pace

Football fans by the River Trent have expectations of Premier League football in the coming years but surprisingly it’s not Nottingham Forest supporters.

Believe it or not Notts County of League 2 have lofty aspirations after a summer takeover and with several high profile arrivals at Meadow Lane, it appears there is a large wedge of money to back up those expectations.

It must have been a dream over the last few weeks for the fans of the oldest football league club in the world.

Many supporters may have been hopeful but sceptical of the takeover and unsure of how much money would back up the claims.

However after the sensational capture of Sven Goran Eriksson as director of football on a five year deal, there would have been no doubt that the Magpies were dealing in big money.

Manager Ian McParland added several solid citizens for League 2 football in strikers Lee Hughes, Karl Hawley and Luke Rodgers, midfielder Ben Davies and defender Graeme Lee.

The impact of Sven though has been immediate with Kasper Schmeichel signed from Premier League Manchester City for a club record transfer fee of a reported £1.5 million on a five year deal.

If County fans thought that was impressive, they must have been shell shocked by their latest signing, none other than ex-England international defender Sol Campbell.

With the trend for five year deals being replicated for 34-year-old Campbell, he will be playing up to his 40^th birthday if he sees out the contract.

On signing for the club Campbell said: “I am delighted to sign with Notts County today and I am genuinely excited by what the club is trying to achieve.

“I feel I still have a lot to offer as a footballer and hope to repay the confidence that Notts County has shown in me. “

The influence of Sven must be a worry for Ian McParland who with all due respect is unlikely to have had much of a say in the signings of Schmeichel and Campbell but would be foolish to turn down players of that calibre.

After an excellent start to the League 2 season, County find themselves sat at the top of the table and must surely be hot favourites for promotion to League 1.

The situation at Notts County is an intriguing one, with the financial backing and quality of squad being assembled at Meadow Lane their Premier League ambitions could become reality but will surely take longer to reach than the five year contracts of Messrs Eriksson, Campbell and Schmeichel.

I find it highly unlikely that all three of those will still be sat beside the banks of the Trent to complete County’s Premier League mission.

Richard Howard

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Balti Pies & Rochdale - A Taste of the Lower Leagues

Football was once described as a game that touched the hearts of people who witnessed the fluttering of its silken wings. The ‘beautiful game’ is perceived as the most elegant, perfect sport known to man. In other words, God has goalposts in his back garden.

However, it was with a note of self pity that I approached a modest urban ground called ‘Spotland’, home of Rochdale FC, on a biting Saturday morning. This wooden sprawl is no Santiago Bernabeu, but I had decided to get a taste of what the lower leagues had to offer in order to broaden my football repertoire. What I experienced would savagely contradict Pele’s famous words, forcing them into a corner and beating them into submission.

As I took a seat, my backside was greeted by a material that, if you sat on it for 90 minutes, would make plastic feel as enticing as cashmere. The waft of balti pies was tempting my concentration away from the opening few minutes of Rochdale’s highly anticipated clash against Chester City, until I realized that proceedings took the form of no ordinary bleak encounter expected of a League Two tie. It was a bloodbath out there.

Who said that the players similar in style to the madmen of ‘The Crazy Gang’ have been removed from the game by the modern ‘Peak-fitness’ footballer? Today, tough tackles far outweighed technique and leg-breakers were attempted more than long-balls. The players retreated, some without limbs, through the tunnel/hole in the wall at full time- bringing to an end a gruelling goalless encounter that was about as unglamorous as they come.

It is fair to say that the Premiership is light-years ahead of League Two. This is a league still susceptible to abuse from neighbours of the stadiums who complain about the crowd noise on Saturday afternoons. Would you see that happening at Old Trafford? No, you wouldn’t- and this gives the lower-leagues a unique twist. They may not necessarily be attractive, or well equipped by the F.A, but they’re sure to brighten your mood if you are driven insane by dramatically ascending ticket prices and the melodramatic tendencies of foreign imports into the higher leagues.

Bournemouth snap up Sturrock

Blair Sturrock has completed his loan move to League Two outfit Bournemouth.

The Swindon striker signed on a one-month deal after playing on trial for the Cherries’ reserves in their 4-1 victory over Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Bournemouth boss Jimmy Quinn has brought in Sturrock as cover for injured striker Alan Connell, who is expected to be sidelined for a further month following knee surgery.

Brentford sign Charlton winger

Charlton midfielder Josh Wright has joined Brentford on a month’s loan.

The 18-year-old has struggled to break into Alan Pardew’s side at The Valley but goes straight into the Bees squad for their home clash with Lincoln on Saturday.

Pardew told the club’s official website: “He’s way beyond the reserves but he’s just short of my team mainly because of experience, so I want him to go out and get some experience.”

“In the position he plays, just sitting in front of the back four, he plays a very important role in the team,” he added.

Struggling Grimsby axe Buckley

Grimsby have brought the reign of Alan Buckley to an end for the third time after The Mariners announced his depature following ‘an extended run of poor results’.

Grimsby have yet to record a win after six league games and Buckley, who first took over in 1988, has been told his time is up.

Paying tribute to Buckley, the club’s official website said: “Alan has been a fine ambassador to the football club and this difficult decision takes nothing away from his wonderful achievements which transpired in the club enjoying an extended stay in the Championship together with three wonderful trips to Wembley.

“We would like to express our sincere thanks to Alan and we are sure that everybody connected with the club will respect him for his magnificent achievements whilst manager.”

Assistant manager Stuart Watkiss will assume temporary charge of team affairs, the club also confirmed.

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