Pre-Season - The Rebuild

Last updated : 07 August 2014 By Thomas Pritchard

When the players walk out onto the Deepdale pitch on Saturday, it will have been 14 weeks since Alan Sheehan’s second-half penalty and a late double from Bradford against Tranmere helped Notts complete the most unlikely of escapes.

It was after the 3-2 away defeat to Tranmere, I consigned us to relegation. A late wonder goal from Steve Jennings left Notts bottom of the league and 7 points from safety. Fast forward a fortnight and 3 games later and Notts had picked up a maximum of 9 points from relegation rivals Carlisle, Crewe and Colchester. Two partnerships key to the run-in were the striking pair of Ronan Murray and Jimmy Spencer and the two Hayd(e)ns at the back – Hollis and on-loan Mullins.

Mullins’ composure and Hollis’ no-nonsense approach to defending, the improved performances of Campbell-Ryce and Sheehan mixed with the ever-reliable Bialkowski and Liddle gave Notts a platform to escape relegation – in no small part down to winning the last 5 games at Meadow Lane whilst Spencer, Murray and Hollis helped themselves to 4 goals each in the run-in.

The jubilation was short-lived, Sheehan stating he and the boys who had helped Notts steer clear of the relegation zone would be after a pay increase. One which Sheehan, Campbell-Ryce and Liddle would ultimately find in Yorkshire with Sheffield United settling for just Campbell-Ryce after being linked with seemingly the entire squad and the tea-lady. Both Sheehan and Liddle made their way a little further north to the home of ‘the massive’ – Bradford. Bialkowski would later move to Ipswich for an undisclosed fee.

Former captain Dean Leacock, along with fellow centre-back Manny Smith were shown the door as their contracts with the club expired – as were midfielders Boucaud and Fotheringham and striker Showumni.  Development squad youngsters Melvin, Coombes, Lavelle-Moore and Nangle were also told their services weren’t required.

Unlike previous managerial regimes, it was obvious Derry and Abbott would have a plan going into pre-season and Derry would have more building work on his hands this summer than former manager Steve Thompson. Striking duo Murray and Spencer, as well as youngsters Dixon and Balmy signed contract extensions and joined Spiess, Dumbuya, Hollis, Tempest, Thompson, Waite and Haynes with youth graduates Harry Andrews and Brad McGowan completing the retained squad. However, with only 109 league starts for Notts County between the 13 players it was clear some experience was needed.

Derry quickly addressed this with the signings of Alan Smith, former Leeds and Manchester United player and Hayden Mullins who had been released from Birmingham following his loan spell at Notts – with the pair adding a combined total of 800 league starts. The midfield was further bolstered by the signings of Nicky Wroe and Liam Noble as well as left-back Blair Adams – a more than adequate replacement for Alan Sheehan with Keiron Keane arriving from Wolves as the understudy for the LB position. Also arriving from Wolves in the form of loans are Zeli Ismail and Jake Cassidy. Ismail, performed well on loan at Burton Albion last season – with this goal against Morecambe showcasing his capabilities (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYt7A78Rfxg).

Cassidy, performed better first time round at Tranmere where he netted in almost every other game scoring 16 in 33 starts. His 19 appearances last season only yielded 1 goal, although admittedly in a much poorer Tranmere side. Garry Thompson, experienced wide-man arrived from Bradford to add some width to the squad.

However it was late in pre-season, when Derry managed to capture the most surprising singing of the summer in the form of former Manchester United and Olympiakos goalkeeper Roy Carroll. The Northern-Irish international performed well between the sticks in his pre-season friendly appearances and was rewarded with a contract as our number 1 between the sticks.

Former Rochdale captain and notorious cue-ball head, Gary Jones, Elliot Whitehouse and youngster Taylor McKenzine (one from each of the Sheffield clubs) complete the squad. With Jones adding even more steely determination which Fotheringham and Labadie failed so miserably to do last season.

Notts have lost 7 of their best players from an already poor League One squad, with 4 moving to other clubs, 2 returning to their parents clubs, whilst key striker Jimmy Spencer is out for the season and Derry will have to ensure he carries on from where he left off last season in galvanising his players and maximising performance. One thing is for sure – this Notts County side will be a ‘different beast’ to the one Derry inherited after Kiwomya’s ill-fated reign in charge and although the team is fairly limited in terms of flair and attacking impetus  – I don’t foresee the club spending 40 out of 46 matches in the relegation zone.

Prediction – 14th.

 

Notts County Squad 2014/15.

GK: Carroll, Spiess, Pilkington, Andrews

DEF: Dumbuya, Dixon, Hollis, Mullins, McKenzine, McGowan, Adams, Keane

MID: Ismail, C. Thompson, Whitehouse, Smith (P/C), Derry (P/M), Noble, Wroe, Jones, Balmy, G. Thompson, Tempest

ST: Murray, Cassidy, Spencer*, Haynes, Waite

*Out for season.

 

 Look out for tomorrow's review of the pre-season friendlies.