Notts County transfer and pre-season roundup

With the new season looming, it feels like only yesterday that the Magpies secured their League One status with a truly ‘great escape’ on the final day of the season, prompting celebrations amongst the away fans. Notts have needed to recruit over summer, whilst also trimming the squad for financial purposes, to avoid a repeat of last year’s nightmare season. Derry and Abbott have done exactly that, with a plethora of comings and goings from the Nottingham club. The ‘pies have seen regular first-teamer Alan Sheehan leave on a free to Bradford City early on in pre-season which was a blow but one that was expected, with Sheehan’s wages a financial conundrum for the club. Further hampering the ‘pies was Jimmy Spencer’s season-long injury. On a positive note, Roy Carroll signed on a free from Olympiakos following an impressive trial period in pre-season, stringing a series of good performances together and impressing the manager. Carroll’s signing counters the exit of long-term Notts ‘keeper Barthosz Bialkowski who departed for Ipswich in the summer for an undisclosed fee. County have also secured the services of veterans Alan Smith and Hayden Mullins, the latter who played a part in the Magpies survival last season. Two of the youngsters from the academy, Brad McGowan and Harry Andrews have been rewarded central contracts and promoted to the first team which is a boost for the club’s academy. The full list of dealings are as follows:

Ins

Brad McGowan (Academy)
Harry Andrews (Academy)
Alan Smith (MK Dons)
Hayden Mullins (Birmingham City)
Liam Noble (Carlisle United)
Taylor McKenzie (Sheffield Wednesday)
Nicky Wroe (Preston North End)
Cieron Keane (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Zeli Ismail (On Loan From Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Garry Thompson (Bradford City)
Jake Cassidy (On Loan From Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Roy Carroll (Olympiakos)
Elliott Whitehouse (Sheffield United)

Outs

Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich Town)
Andre Boucard (Released)
Jamaal Cambell-Ryce (Sheffield United)
Adam Coombes (Released)
Mark Fotheringham (Released)
Andy Howarth (Cheltenham Town)
Joss Labadie (Torquay United)
Malachi Lavelle-Moore (Released)
Dean Leacock (Released)
Gary Liddle (Bradford City)
Romello Nangle (Released)
Gareth Roberts (Released)
Alan Sheehan (Bradford City)
Enoch Showumni (Loan Expired)
Manny Smith (Released)

 

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 Pre-season results

Notts 2 – 0 Osasuna
Notts 0 – 4 Birmingham City
FC Halifax Town 1 – 0 Notts
Carlton Town 0 – 4 Notts
Notts 1 – 3 Derby County
Rolls Royce Leisure 1 – 4 Notts
Mansfield Town 3 – 1 Notts

 

The Magpies’ curtain-raiser is away at Preston on August 9th. Further information  can be found at: http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/ticket-details-preston-north-end-v-notts-county-sky-bet-league-1-1759489.aspx

 

 

‘Write us off at your peril’ – Derry

The next week is season-defining for Notts County, and arguably the most important week in the club’s recent history, as the Magpies fight to avoid the drop. They play host to Carlisle at Meadow Lane this weekend, with Crewe and Colchester to follow on Tuesday and the following Saturday respectively.

Following the disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of Tranmere, with a wonder goal late on bagging the three points, Derry commented retrospectively saying ‘If you were a neutral and didn’t know where we were in the table, you would have said we were the better team. It was a tough defeat to swallow, but we come to Meadow Lane on Saturday and it’s a huge game for both teams.’ Carlisle stand seven points ahead of County, so three points for the Magpies would be an invaluable coup in the race against the drop. On whether Notts can avoid slipping into League 2, Derry added:

‘Write us off at your peril…I think the front four are going to be the difference. I know we are going to stay up. It comes from the heart and from within.’

Greg Abbott, of course, has a fraught history with Carlisle United, having been sacked earlier in the season and whilst the three points are the most important facet of the match, a win against his old club would no doubt be an added bonus. As well as that extra motivation, his knowledge of the club gives the Magpies a tactical advantage: ‘Greg knows them inside-out and I’ll be guided by him this weekend over the threats that they possess’.

Ronan Murray also spoke ahead of the game against Carlisle on Saturday, expressing his dejection at the loss at the weekend, but was in a positive state of mind, having come back from a three week suspension after his red card at Peterborough: ‘That was probably the hardest period of my career, having to sit and watch…I let the lads down massively and owe them a lot’. He repaid the fans and his fellow players with a positive performance against Tranmere, and despite the defeat, was upbeat about the opportunities against Carlisle and Crewe to put pressure on other teams. He added: ‘You are probably not going to see the prettiest game of football, but we need to win on Saturday, it doesn’t matter how we win. It’ll put pressure on other teams and we’ll be on a run.’

And with nine games to go, the next three matches in the space of seven days will ultimately define County’s credentials to stay in League One.