It's only been a week!

Last updated : 15 May 2006 By Rob Davies
David Pipe's statements in today's Nottingham Evening Post were the close of what has been a highly interesting week or two at Meadow Lane.

The appointment of Jeff Moore as the new Chairman of the Football Club is the most obviously important decision taken, though, it is obviously a case of wait and see as to whether the move to appoint the local businessman will be a success.

But the omens are good.

Another positive move that has come behind the scenes is the appointment of playing legend Les Bradd in corporate hospitality.

A busy man
Bradd's appointment came at the expense of Marketing Manager Charlotte Moore - who is being made reduntant as part of the club's financial re-structuring - but to have the club's all-time record goal-scorer back on the right side of the Trent has given everyone behind-the-scenes a boost.

While appointments off-the-pitch have shown promise, supporters debating whether to renew their season tickets are watching with keen interest as to how Gudjon Thordarson looks to alter his playing squad.

Though Thordarson's gruelling regime hasn't always won approval from his squad, he has already overcome a key battle by getting his star man - Pipe - on-side.

Pipe may only be 22 but he has firmly established himself as the main man at Meadow Lane and is a key influence within the dressing room. If he gives Thordarson his backing, others are sure to follow.

While the County boss looks to bring-in quality players - Sheffield Utd's Bruce Dyer is among them - to bolster his incredibly threadbare ranks, the outgoings have at least shown sides that he is looking to rectify some of his mistakes that led to the side's dreadful 21st-placed finish last term.

Brian O'Callaghan and Andy White never looked like worthwhile additions at this level and, with all respect to the two men, there were few tears shed from the supporters at their exits.

What these two signings said about this manager's thinking was that size matters and that is why there were few shocks about the departures of Matthew Williams and a devastated Stacy Long from Meadow Lane.

Size mattered for Long
Both are extremely talented footballers. Both are under 5'9'' and decidedly lightweight. In the end, that was the key for Thordarson.

Chibuzor Chilaka, Shaun Marshall and Noe Sissoko have also departed, as have loan trio Nathan Doyle, Eugene Dadi and Daniel Chillingworth.

This means that, of seven departures, only one of them - Williams - was a player not signed by Thordarson.

Many view this as a negative point against the manager. But, in fairness, it shows that he is a man who is prepared to admit to his mistakes. And one who carries no mis-guided loyalty's when it comes to picking a football team.

Backed by the extremely popular Mike Whitlow for this campaign, the Magpies now have the 'good cop, bad cop' management team that they have lacked in the past few years.

It may have only been 10 days since another awful campaign ended, but that fateful pre-season optimism is already in the air.

Key decisions are still to made - not only who will join Kevin Pilkington, Pipe, Dan Martin and freshly-signed Tommy Hannigan under contract for the next campaign, but who else is set for the exit door.

Emmet Friars, Rob Ullathorne, Chris Palmer, Lewis McMahon, Steve Scoffham and Jake Sheridan are still waiting on decisions on their futures.

At least two are expected not to be offered fresh deals.

While Lee Crooks, now a free agent after being released by Bradford, Liam Needham and Mike Edwards are still believed to be close to signing new deals, though Edwards is the furthest away of the three.

Captain Julien Baudet is widely-expected to confirm his exit in the next couple month, with a League One club his likely destination.



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