Name: David Pipe
Age: 22
Position: Right back // right-winger
No. of Appearances '04/05: 45(3)
Season Highlight: Captaining his native Wales at under-21 level throughout the season.
Season Lowlight: Being placed on the transfer list back in November.
After the miraculous coup of Pipe last season, much was expected of the young Welshman in his first full season with the club.
Following a hugely impressive three-month loan spell during the 2003/04 season, Pipe signed a two-year deal here and looked set to form the bedrock for then-boss Gary Mills’ renaissance strategy.
Pushed forward onto the right flank, however, Pipe’s season was a mixed one. With youngster Kelvin Wilson performing so well behind him at right-back, Pipe was forced up-field in Mills’ attempts to ‘bomb’ the league with the club’s wingers. A tactic we saw precious little return from, unfortunately.
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During the transition days of young Wilson, Pipe was often obligated to track-back more than perhaps he would have liked, something which became obvious in his sometimes reckless challenges, drawn more from frustration than anything else, during the early stages of the season.
Berthing younger full-backs into the side had had a definite effect on Pipe's own performances.
Later, as Wilson began to flourish in Pipe’s former position, Pipe set-about the task of fitting the mould of becoming a ‘bombing’ right-winger.
Pace, strength, determination and strong in the tackle, Pipe wasted little time in pencilling-in his name onto the team sheet, with his tireless commitment and his legendary step-overs making him a strong favourite amongst the Notts faithful.
Such performances were rewarded with numerous international call-ups, where he has become a regular cap for the Welsh under-21 outfit, becoming skipper of the side en-route.
After a bright start, however, Pipe’s fortunes began to waver, hitting rock-bottom in the club’s derby game with local rivals, Mansfield Town.
On a now rare appearance at right-back to accommodate Paul Bolland - of all people - on the right flank, Pipe was given the run around, as was the case with the whole of the Magpies’ team that day. Pipe, for once, looked out of his depth against League Two opposition.
After, undoubtedly, one of the worst performances of his Magpies’ career, Pipe made matters no easier on himself when rumours spread of a dressing room scuffle with manager Mills after the defeat.
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Weeks later, and it was Mills, not Pipe, who was to leave the club. Forced to step-down from his post as manager at the beginning of November, Mills left the club after just eleven disastrous months in charge, leaving a succession of his own crop, albeit rather disheartened now, in his wake. Pipe, of course, being one of that group of players.
Out-staying Mills’ reign at the club, Pipe was taken off the transfer list come the appointment of Ian Richardson, and the Welsh under-21 captain began to flourish.
His maturing into a fine young professional began to come easily for Notts' Welsh Dragon, and the Pipe of old was beginning to return, regardless of his position on the field.
Emerging as a surprisingly efficient utility man, notably when drawn on to play sweeper on one occasion during the season, Pipe became a bigger and bigger part of the squad as the season went on.
Despite the club taking steps backwards in placing Shane McFaul at right-back during an injury crisis for the club, Pipe – still trying to help berth young have-a-go full-backs into the side – began to steadily progress.
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The overall outlook for Pipe, however, will have a dark cloud cast over it when compaed with the 2003/04 campaign when, let it be said, Pipe was a far more explosive figure in the side.
Arriving in January ’04 before nearly clinching the club’s Player of the Season vote spoke volumes of Pipe’s performances, although setting such a high standard so early on meant that Pipe would have to live up to his own benchmark, or else.
And whilst his overall performances have not been of a particularly poor quality, it seems the failing to reach bar that Pipe raised so high the season prior has been Pipe’s greatest downfall this season.
In a season of mediocrity, however, progress was an uphill struggle for any player, and so we must not be too disheartened.
Season Rating (out of 10):
6.5For the continuation of NCM’s end of term reports, be sure to check back to Notts County MAD over the coming days, where player-manager Ian Richardson’s will be scrutinised.