Name: Stefan Oakes
Age: 26
Position: Midfield
No. of Appearances '04/05: 30 (5)
Season Highlight: A question we should perhaps put to Wycombe, Swindon, Yeovil and Grimsby (three times).
Season Lowlight: Missing the first six weeks of the season through injury. Being sent off against Lincoln will also not be remembered too fondly.
Signed the previous season from Walsall, the Magpies' fans knew exactly what Oakes was capable of before the season kicked off. Tumbling from grace since his Leicester days, it would be fair to say Oakes had not enjoyed the best of times since leaving Filbert Street.
It was widely thought, however, that Notts County was the club to finally change his fortunes.
In a capture that would hopefully provide the creative nucleus former boss Gary Mills needed to mould his new-look side upon, the midfielder’s class was always oh so obvious, even when his desire to battle for the cause was subject to stern disapproval.
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When the playmaker finally returned against West Ham, it seemed that his creative flair was all but lost on a side of complete hoofers.
His return to the side at Upton Park was hardly groundbreaking in itself, but the 3-2 defeat that saw Oakes’ homecoming to the side would mark a moment that, although not sparking an instant revival, was to introduce glimpses of genius through his individual flashes of brilliance.
Swindon were the first of the season to taste the bittersweet taste of Oakes’ left foot. Late on in a FA Cup second Round tie, Oakes wrapped his foot around the ball to level to game at the death. The goal was to deliver a timely financial windfall for the club, clinching a replay that the Magpies would go on to win at the ‘Lane.
A hundred-grand? Thank you very much, Mr. Oakes.
Grimsby would suffer the same fate just days later, as his swerving effort crashed emphatically home from 35-yards. Quickly becoming a one-man show in the side, as well as attracting the glare of Soccer AM, Oakes lapped up his fifteen of fame.
His excellent range of passing, sharp eye for goal and ‘cultured’ left foot made him an ideal play-maker, even hailed by manager Ian Richardson as one of the best players in the League, and a vital factor to the club’s slowly changing fortunes.
Whilst it was all good and well looking for the cross-field ball and the fancy flick, Oakes was soon to come under-fire even from his own manager.
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Oakes responded like the professional he always appeared; changing much of his game to cater for the needs of the team; rather than the individual. A task – for the stereotype playmaker type – that he adapted to admirably.
Whilst sometimes coming across as overly-enthusiastic in his change – for instance, being sent off for two bookable offences against Lincoln late in the season – his willingness to change was convincing, if sometimes not completely productive.
As the season drew to a close, however, I, for one, began to have major doubts as to Oakes’ loyalties, with his heart seeming elsewhere at times and his head hanging low, despite two brilliant free-kicks against Grimsby Town securing the Magpies an underserved point in April.
Seemingly low on confidence, Oakes left for Wycombe after having edged towards becoming a complete player for the club. It is, by all accounts, a shame now that the midfielder has left the club for pastures new.
And whilst it would have been all too easy to act bitter at the exit of Oakes, all we can now do is wish Stef well with his new club and hold no ill feelings for our now departed ‘wonder-boy’.
Season Rating (out of 10): 7
For the continuation of NCM’s Close season reports feature, be sure to check back to Notts County MAD for an analysis of Matty Gill’s somewhat mixed season.