Alan Hardy: 'Kevin Nolan is Notts County's figurehead'

Alan Hardy has described manager Kevin Nolan as Notts County's "figurehead", similar to what Sir Alex Ferguson was at Manchester United.

The former Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and West Ham midfielder has just committed to the Meadow Lane hotseat by penning a new three-year deal.

Nolan helped the Magpies avoid relegation last season following his appointment in January, turning around a side that had lost 10 games on the trot.

This season, the 35-year-old overcame a 3-0 defeat at Coventry City on the opening day of the season to steer Notts to second in League Two, boasting an eight-game unbeaten run.

Notts owner Hardy acknowledges that Nolan is likely to move on to a Premier League club or even the role of England manager one day, but insists that, for the time being, he is on board for the journey.

“I know that Kevin is one of our future stars in the game. I acknowledge that one day he’s probably going to be a manager in the Premier League or maybe even manager of England," Hardy told the Nottingham Post.

“At some point he may move on so we need to embed the foundations for the next three years. He can take this club forward.

“I’ve got limited experience in football but people who have been around the game a long time like Darren Fletcher and the people he’s speaking to, also people like Les Bradd rate Kevin right up there with the best managers they've seen.

“We talk about being on a journey. That means the Championship. Internally we present this club like we want to be in the Championship next year.

"I know we have to go through League One, but the infrastructure we’re putting in place, the culture we’re building, it’s the start of the journey.

“Kevin can lead people. He’s a leader of men. He’s been captain of three Premier League clubs. He oozes confidence, character and passion to galvanise people.

“The club needed a leader and he’s the figurehead. Every club who has that, like Sir Alex (Ferguson), has done well.

“This was a club which was intensive care. It was 91st in the Football League. They had one foot in the National League.

“The word which was used was toxic in terms of the atmosphere. What an incredible turnaround it’s been."

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