Review of the season... OCTOBER

Last updated : 13 May 2008 By Gary Moss and Paul Smith
Notts

Thompson was showed the door by recently appointed chairman John Armstrong-Holmes following a series of poor results and calls for his dismissal from the Meadow Lane faithful.

Former playing legend Ian McParland was given the chance to turn the clubs
Thompson... Dismissed in this month
fortunes around as he was installed just two days after Thompson's desk had been cleared, given just one day to work with the players before a critical local derby at Mansfield Town.

Upon his appointment, Armstrong-Holmes hailed the Scotsman as 'the new Jimmy Sirrell.'

The month started with a thrilling 3-2 home defeat to promotion chasing Hereford United.

The Bulls were impressive and raced into a 2-0 lead after just 26 minutes, but following a change of tactics and a triple substitution from Thompson, Notts made something of a fight of it.

One of the subs, Gary Silk, made it 2-1 with a deflected effort, but the visitors increased there lead just six minutes later. Another sub, Hector Sam, hit his first Notts goal to set up a tense finish but the Magpies couldn't force an equaliser.

Another defeat followed at Wycombe. The Chairboys were 3-1 victors, despite Richard Butcher hauling ten men Notts level with just 22 minutes left after Paul Mayo became the first Magpie sent off this season for his part in Wycombe's penalty opener.

It made the next game critical, as Notts welcomed fellow strugglers Bury to Nottingham, with fans desperate for a win. They were boosted by the midweek arrival of Peterborough hotshot Danny Crow on a month's loan, seen as Thompson's final throw of the Notts dice.

Crow began impressively, looking every inch the quality marksman before
MacKenzie... October heroics
picking up an injury after an hour that resulted in him being out for the rest of his loan deal.

Crow was injured in the process of winning Notts a penalty, dispatched by Neil MacKenzie to make it 1-1. But the Shakers went on to win 3-1, and a huge Thompson backlash ensued, with a 'Thommo Out' banner unfurled in front of him, and masses of fans screaming 'You don't know what you are doing.'

Armstrong-Holmes heeded the fans' comments and fired him two days later. In the crowd for the Bury game was a certain McParland, hired two days later, but he didn't have enough time to weave his magic as Notts crashed poorly in his first game at the Stags, a Michael Boulding double giving Town a 2-0 win.

The busy month ended on a good note however, with a crucial 2-1 win over relegation rivals Wrexham, as McParland's first full week in charge ended well.

Spencer Weir-Daley set Notts on their way but the Red Dragons hit back in the second half before stoppage time heroics from Neil MacKenzie who hit a stunning free-kick in the 92nd minute to earn a priceless win and making himself a contender for goal of the season.

He said: McParland on taking over. "I can't wait to get stuck into the task,
Dream team?
and to be honest I still have to pinch myself to believe it. I'm a little shell-shocked to be honest and everything is still sinking in to me. Clearly the ambition of every club is to get promoted, and I will be doing everything I can to make sure we climb the table."

Player of the month: Not only for his wonderful winner versus Wrexham, although that is a large part, but also for his impressive all-round displays, Neil MacKenzie was October's main man. One of few to come out of credit after the Mansfield debacle, and also netted against Bury. A good month from the playmaker.

Verdict: Thompson should never have been appointed in the first place and his relationship with the fans who condemned his arrival never really showed signs of getting better. They came to a head in this month, and the scenes that followed Bury's third goal were shocking to say he was the clubs manager, but for his poor tactics, signings and for failing to deliver, perhaps Thompson's arrogance deserved it. McParland's reign got off to an intriguing start...

League position: 18th.

League Two

County manager Thompson was not the only boss in the division to face the sack in the month of October.

Lincoln City's John Schofield also paid the price for a string of poor results at Sincil Bank. After a pointless Septemper, the Imps' fortunes failed to turn with back-to-back draws against Bury and Morecambe before the final nails in Schoey's coffin.

A 5-2 Johnstone Paint Trophy defeat at the hands of League One outfit Hartlepool United, inspired by a Joel Porter hat-tick, was followed by a televised 4-0 drubbing at MK Dons.

Schofield... Poor run led to sack
A Leon Knight double helped the league leaders to victory which resulted in the manager getting the chop the following day. City were left second-bottom, with still just Mansfield below them midway through the month.

The chairman's action did not pay immediate dividends as the Imps ended the month without a win, mustering just a home draw with Peterborough and losing away at Brentford, to sit bottom of the entire Football League.

City appointed former Huddersfield boss Peter Jackson to take the Sincil Bank reigns, with his first game to be in November.

Another team in trouble come the end of the month were Welsh side Wrexham.

Brian Carey's men slumped to four defeats in five, with just a solitary win over Accrington Stanley thanks to Neil Roberts' splendid brace. the Red Dragons occupied the other drop zone slot with nine points from 12 games.

John Coleman's Stanley may have lost to struggling Wrexham this month, but the League Two minnows were still showing great signs of maturing in just their second season in the Football League.

Ten points from a possible 15 on offer lifted Accrington to tenth spot, just three shy of a play-off place. Progress was being hailed.

Stanley may have been ticking along but it was Barnet who were again at the fore in November taking another 11 points as they rose into fifth in the league table.

Consecutive wins over Wycombe and Stockport with Adam Birchall, Jason Puncheon and Liam Hatch all in top form, had the Bees buzzing under an ambitious Paul Fairclough - how long could it last?

Defeat for Stockport against Barnet was just one of the Hatters' list of poor results. Just a single win from their month had a dismal start to the campaign stretching furher. Jim Gannon's side may have promised a promotion pushing term, but struggling down in 15th spot had the fans thinking otherwise.
Buckley... Came so close to the bullet
Stockport were in need of a lift.

An equally slow start for Bradford got worse into October too. The Bantams were winless and down to a depressing 20th spot.

The problems did not stop at Valley Parade for the League Two sides, Blundell Park was enduring equally turbulant times with Grimsby offering a massive lack of rhythm.

One point from 15 had Alan Buckley widely tipped as the next manager to lose his job - the Mariners were dangling dangerously, two points from the foot of the table.

Chester on the other hand were continuing their impressive start, flying high in second, three points behind leaders MK Dons. The Blues were unbeaten for the month and showing no signs of a let up, with winger Ritchie Partridge in particularly inspired form.

Darren Ferguson's Peterborough looked to have finally found thier feet in the season they were supposed to have dominated, three wins and two draws seeing them climb to seventh.

The division had taken shape but there were still plenty of twists still to come...