Season Review: April & May

Last updated : 13 June 2005 By Rob Davies
Coming into the month of April after the surprising, but highly impressive, victory over top of the table Yeovil Town, optimism had again been re-generated at Meadow Lane after morale-sapping defeats at the hands of Kidderminster, Boston and Chester City prior to the shock win at Huish Park.

And the new-found optimism was to be extended for a further week, as Notts managed to see off another promotion-chasing team. This time, Lincoln City were the victims as Ian Richardson's men managed to see off the Imps' to all-but guarentee survival.

A penalty from stand-in captain Julien Baudet was enough to seal a 1-0 home win for the Magpies, though little were the home support to realise that it would be their team's last victory of the campaign.

Baudet: Le incredible hulk
With survival seemingly in the bag, all the talk both on the terraces and on the NCM messageboard was turning to the burning question as who would be the manager at Meadow Lane next season.

After being openly slated after the defeats to poor opposition in March, the results over Yeovil and Lincoln appeared to have changed the mind of many supporters, who were now demanding that Richardson be given the job beyond the end of the season.

One man who was continually mentioned in relation to the vacancy, non-executive director Howard Wilkinson, ruled himself out of the race shortly after the win over Lincoln.

Despite thoughts turning to events off-the-field already, there was still the little matter of league matches, not that you'd of guessed by watching the Magpies' succumb again to ordinary opposition, this time losing 2-1 at Oxford Utd.

Two penalties - one stonewall, one dubious - sealed a comeback for Oxford, who had fell behind to another goal from the impressive Baudet.

As well as the managerial race, players' contracts were also a chief talking point amongst the Magpies' support as the season meandered to a close.

Youngster Kelvin Wilson had been tipped for the exit door throughout the campaign but stated his wish to remain at the club, whilst soon-to-be out of contract stopper Saul Deeney was offered a two-year deal that, to this day, remains unsigned.

Another of those players to be out of contract, Stefan Oakes, proved his importance to the cause as he single-handedly gained the Magpies a point at home to Grimsby Town.

Trailing 2-0 after another awful home showing, Oakes provided TWO truly brilliant free-kicks to ensure that Notts were mathematically safe.

The big news, though, just two days after the draw was that Richardson (pictured right) would NOT be manager next season. The board released a statement via the official site thanking the 34-year-old for all his hard-work, but admitted they were looking for someone a little more experienced as of the following season.

Predictably, many supporters weren't happy and chief executive Patrick Nelson, in particular, came in for a lot of criticism on the ever fiery NCM messageboard. One month on, and everyone was happy. Ah, the nature of football fans.

Following the announcement though, Richardson's team showed exactly why he wasn't going to be offered the job, his men scraping a 1-1 draw at Shrewsbury Town thanks to a first ever senior goal from Shaun Harrad.

The managerial talk continued apace, with former F*rest boss Paul Hart frequently linked with the job in the local media, despite never having applied for the vacancy.

The last home match of the season proved to be a massive disappointment, with a pathetic 1-0 reverse against Bury. If ever there were a performance to sum-up a season, this were it.

With just one game left to play - that at already relegated Cambridge Utd - the awards for the season gone-by were dished out with Wilson deservedly scooping the Players' Player and, more surprisingly, Paul Bolland winning the Manager's Player.

Meanwhile, the re-structuring off-the-field was also continuing with life-time supporter and Trust Reprentative Steve Thompson being confirmed as acting chairman.

The Magpies ended their season with a 0-0 draw at the Abbey Stadium, with it looking likely that it was the last game in a Notts shirt for, amogst others, Deeney, Mark Stallard and Oakes.

With an awful season over - Notts finishing 19th - speculation was continuing to mount as to who would be the club's new manager, with Icelandic Gudjon Thordarson the latest name mentioned in relation to the vacancy.

Gudjon's here
Less then a week after the season's finale and it was looking increasingly certain that Thordarson was our man, with reports suggesting a deal was imminent.

And on Tuesday 17 May Notts County had yet another new manager, with Thordarson unveiled after signing a three-year deal.

The Iceman's appointment was well-received by supporters, who were wowed by his impressive record at, among others, Stoke City, Barnsley and the Icelandic National Squad.

While Gudjon bides his time in the transfer market, the only real news since his appointment came with the confirmation that playmaker Oakes would be plying his trade at Wycombe Wanderers next season.

The former Leicester midfielder signed a two-year deal at Adams Park, after turning down a pay-cut to remain at Meadow Lane.

After a miserable season, let's hope that Gudjon can deliver what Mills promised. If nothing else, it'll make next season's review a little more enjoyable.

Enjoy the summer.