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The Road to 5,000: Notts County’s Historic Football League Journey

Five thousand, thanks.

It’s been a few years in the making, but this weekend Notts County finally play their 5,000th Football League match away to Gillingham. It will be our 888th fourth division match. We’ve spent the largest share of our Football League existence in the third division (1528 matches), with 1516 matches played in the second division (now the Championship) and 1068 in the top flight, albeit mostly before the war.

We are the eighth club to reach the landmark, after Preston, Burnley, Wolves, Derby, Bolton, West Brom and Blackburn. Blackburn played their 5000th league game last month, and we could overtake them and West Brom in terms of League games if either win promotion to the Premier League.

So how did things work out in our previous landmark games? Let’s have a trip back in time!

4000th game
10 January 1998: Rochdale 1-2 Notts County (Jones, Robinson); att. 2387

This was a sixth straight win on the way to winning the fourth division under Sam Allardyce, leaving us seven points clear at the top of the division. Shaun Derry started for Notts; he would leave the club a few weeks later. We were the first club to play 4000 league matches, with number 4000 originally scheduled to be played at home to Hull City and special match programmes printed. Unfortunately it was postponed, so we reached the landmark at Spotland instead.

Key figures: Darren Ward, Ian Hendon, Gary Jones

UK prime minister: Tony Blair (Lab)

UK number one: Various Artists – Perfect Day

3000th game
25 March 1975: Notts County 2-2 Nottingham Forest (Scanlon, Richardson (OG)9; att. 20,303

We played our nearest and dearest in the second division for our 3000th. Notts, managed by Jimmy Sirrel, were comfortably in mid-table at the time and might have had a stab at promotion but for a leaky defence. The visitors were perched precariously above the relegation zone and had just appointed a new manager called Brian. We eventually finished 14th, just a couple of places and points higher than Forest.

Key figures: David Needham, Bill Brindley, Ian Scanlon

UK prime minister: Harold Wilson (Lab)

UK number one: Bay City Rollers – Bye Bye Baby

2000th game
13 December 1952: Notts County 5-0 Blackburn Rovers (Ken McPherson (4), Edwards); att. 10,222

We celebrated our 2000th league game in style with this win in the second division. We started the game comfortably in mid-table while Blackburn were struggling, but over the course of the season Notts found wins hard to come by and eventually finished 19th, just three points clear of the relegation zone. In the early 1950s, the club’s envisaged march to the top flight had stalled, and Tommy Lawton had left the club the previous season. We had another five seasons in the second division, mostly fighting relegation, but by the end of the decade we had dropped into the fourth division for the first time.

Key figures: Leon Leuty, Cecil McCormack, Tommy Deans

UK prime minister: Winston Churchill (Con)

UK number one: Al Martino – Here in my Heart (this was the very first UK number one!)


1000th game

25 February 1922: West Ham United 2-1 Notts County (Cook); att. 20,000
Notts started this Division Two match perched handily behind the promotion places, but following this defeat we won only one more match all season and finished in a disappointing 13th, at the time our lowest ever league position. Better times were to come though: we finished top the following season, heralding a three-year stint in the top flight. Our goalkeeper at this time was one Albert Iremonger.

Key figures: Albert Iremonger, Billy Flint, Harold Hill

UK prime minister: David Lloyd George (Lib)

Thanks go to the brilliant Up The Maggies site; I wouldn’t have been able to work out our 1000th and 2000th games without it! Additionally, there's the EFL website featuring their exclusive "5000 club". Disclaimer: I’m rubbish at maths.

https://carouseldrivefootballs.on.drv.tw/utm/maggies00.html
https://www.efl.com/about-the-efl/the-5000-club/

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. The Pride of Nottingham very much values your time visiting our site and, we are very appreciated for being here to share the journey of Notts County with you!

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this is great @DangerousSausage, for younger fans this will be an eye opener in terms of the years of notts' history and historical landmark games. i am not bothered that this did not happen sooner, those 4 years in the national league have helped us to get to where we are now. hopefully, we can make a truly remarkable game for all the remember by bringing the points home.

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I’m pleased that the Reedtz are our owners during this time. They deserve a celebration, especially with such a significant milestone game coming up. Our 5000th game could be a real cause for celebration if we perform well and get the right result. Like @liampie, I’ve enjoyed reading this and the pop culture references from that era add a nice touch.

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Every milestone match holds a special place in the hearts of the fans and players alike. As we march towards our 5000th game, it's an emotional moment to revel in our history and look forward to our future. May the 5000th match be a crowning glory in our illustrious course.

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Wow, 5,000 is such a huge number! It's great to see that we're reaching this milestone considering the current state of the club. However, when Saturday comes, I really hope that Notts stays completely focused on the game itself. We can still celebrate regardless of the outcome, but by removing any doubt and staying focused, it shows a strong commitment. And of course, a positive result would make the achievement even more special, but winning isn't everything. Whenever I think about how Notts County almost didn't exist, it fills me with gratitude for what we have now.

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A walk down memory lane for sure! The 5000th Football League match is a testimony to Notts County’s relentless desire to never give up. Here's to another exciting chapter in our club's history!

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This piece certainly stirs up quite a few emotions. The journey of Notts County, right from the top division to its 888th fourth division match, is beautifully woven in the fabric of English football history. Each landmark game brings back vivid memories of different chapters and challenges the club faced. It gives all of us fans and followers a renewed sense of pride. Going into our upcoming match against Gillingham, we carry forward the legacy of legends who have marked numerous landmark games. So, as we head towards another milestone, let's rally behind Notts and make this 5000th Football League match another unforgettable instance of our glorious history.

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It's fascinating to see Notts County's journey through the Football League in such a tangible way. We're about to mark a historic milestone, our 5000th match, another feather in our already illustrious cap. Seeing our past landmark games brought back a lot of memories. Whatever happens in the Gillingham match, we're already a part of a historic tradition, and that’s something to be proud of.

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Growing up as a Notts County supporter, one thing that truly stirred my pride was our club's rich history. And now, to witness the 5000th EFL match, it just reaffirms that pride I feel. We're not just part of a club, we're a part of a storied legacy that has stood stoutly for decades. Regardless of the result in the match against Gillingham, the spirit of our legends reflected in our players will always be victorious!

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This highlights the 5,000th game and the major milestones that preceded it. I can only imagine the time it took to calculate some of these, but I believe the article is well worth reading. It’s a fantastic read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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Thanks for your feedback everyone! Personally I didn't go to any of these. I would have been at the 4000th game at home to Hull if it hadn't been postponed. I think the match programmes were sold in the club shop, I might have one knocking around.

Were any of you there in 1998, 1975 or even 1952?

7 minutes ago, Joshua said:

I can only imagine the time it took to calculate some of these

It took more than one attempt 😁

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Notts County is our beloved club, and though we've had our fair share of challenges, it holds a special place in our hearts. While there are several other teams out there, not many can boast the rich history and heritage that Notts possesses within the English Football League (EFL). It's a privilege to stand alongside other esteemed clubs with such a storied past. Here's hoping that, with optimism and perseverance, we can make our way back to the Championship in the future. Fingers crossed for success!

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Wow! That’s a great piece of writing and must have taken a lot of research well done @DangerousSausage.

I was around for the 2,000 game in 1952 but only six months old but I certainly remember the the 3,000 and 4,000 matches and if I don’t kick the bucket before Saturday I’ll still be here (fingers crossed), thank you for bring back all those memories

 

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20 minutes ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

I was around for the 2,000 game in 1952 but only six months old but I certainly remember the the 3,000 and 4,000 matches and if I don’t kick the bucket before Saturday I’ll still be here (fingers crossed), thank you for bring back all those memories

please dont say this, we have lost enough this year with @GrannyPie. :(

besides we could have a down pour of rain across the uk and gillingham call the game off, but dont mention that bucket please. we want you fit and healthy for many more years.

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34 minutes ago, liampie said:

please dont say this, we have lost enough this year with @GrannyPie. :(

besides we could have a down pour of rain across the uk and gillingham call the game off, but dont mention that bucket please. we want you fit and healthy for many more years.

Just my black humour @liampie the bucket will stay upright for many more years if I have anything to do with it. 👍

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It’s a great number of matches for any team, but being included in them is an honour. Notts are part of an exclusive group, as a founding member of the Football League we will always have this piece of history to show people that we are not a minor team. Let’s hope the 5,000th match brings a positive result so we can truly celebrate it.

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Encapsulating Notts County's journey through 5000 Football League matches evokes a palpable sense of pride for every supporter. Every landmark game recounts a different chapter of our history. As we gear up for the Gillingham match, it's a moment to admire how far we've come and anticipate the distances we'll go.

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Notts Country is a founding member of the Football League and now has 5000 league matches behind them.

What a fantastic achievement and what a legacy to have.

I'm so immensely proud of my club.

 

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