Alan Hardy expecting to have funds available for promotion tilt next season

Notts County owner Alan Hardy has claimed that the club's playing budget for next season is likely to be "top four".

In addition, he believes that, with the added funds, the Magpies can have a tilt at the top seven in 2017-18.

Hardy told the Nottingham Post: "We looked at our one to three-year plan earlier in the week and asked 'could we be more optimistic in terms of the crowd numbers?'.

"I think we can be. The more people we attract through the gates, the more money we generate and that means we give more to the manager.

"I have already decided to increase the playing budget for next season as a result because we are now just starting to plan ahead.

"Next season, I would think, we will be top four in terms of budgets so we will be pushing hard for the play-offs if not automatic promotion.

"The fans may ask whether we will rely on free transfer signings, but if there is a player the manager wants who is going to cost a fee then we will certainly consider it if he makes the team better and it makes sense in terms of the business."

To read the full column on the Nottingham Post, click here.

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