Eleven days into his Magpies tenure and the decisions made thus far by manager Steve Thompson had been easy with the freedom of signing players having been taken full advantage of by the recently-appointed Notts boss.
Today, however, Thompson's first real test as Notts boss came, with the former Cambridge United manager today announcing the release of young trio Lewis McMahon, Steve Scoffham and Chris Palmer.
The three players were all regularly used by former boss Thordarson, although Thompson has today decided to wipe the slate almost totally clean with only six of Thompson's fifteen-man senior squad having been carried over from the Icelandic's one-year reign.
McMahon – the only one of the three originally signed by Thordarson – was a massive influence on last season's good early run of form, playing to rave reviews after completing his move from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer. After being sent off at
Striker Scoffham, when not lumbering on the sidelines with horrific injuries, was a firm-favourite amongst the Magpies' supporters, with his energy alone playing his way into the hearts of the County faithful.
His goal-scoring record was never all that flattering of his endeavours, however, having scored just seven times in his 52 appearances in a Magpies shirt.
Unlike the other two players released, winger Chris Palmer leaves having failed to agree terms on a new deal, with the former Derby trainee leaving behind him sweet memories of glorious strikes during his two years with the club.
"Sometimes in football you have to come in with a clean broom; we've made a conscious decision to bring in the players we wanted,” said the recently-appointed boss Steve Thompson, talking to the club's Official web-site earlier today.
"One of John Gannon and my first tasks has been to tell those players we are releasing them and looking to recruit our own players.
"As everyone will be aware we have a limited budget, to bring our players in we had to let them go to finance bringing other players in.
"We wish them well in their careers, but I think it is time to move on and start afresh. Unfortunately it is part of football you have to let players go, and like I said we wish them well," he concluded.
The trio make way for an influx of signings made by Thompson, many of whom will officially join the club come July 1st, with the threesome leaving, naturally, with NCM's best wishes for their futures.