Colin Slater: Players and Fans Will Break New Ground

Just four times this season Notts players and fans will head to away games for venues which will be new to all of us. In chronological order they are Morecambe’s Globe Arena; Wimbledon’s Kingsmeadow; Barnet’s Hive Stadium; and Newport’s Rodney Parade.

I write my first contribution to these pages shortly before driving to Morecambe for the match on August Bank Holiday Saturday. It isn’t going to be the first time that Notts have played there but the two previous visits were to Christie Park, before the move to the Globe Arena in 2010.

Who can ever forget the last visit, on 19 September 2009? Not because of the result, the Shrimps winning 2-1, but because it marked the one and only appearance in the famous Black and White of Sol Campbell who had won 73 caps – and been a rock in England’s defence – in a glittering career, chiefly with Arsenal and Spurs.

I wonder how many Notts fans can truly say “I was there”? I first met Campbell on the day he signed, interviewing him in the Meadow Lane boardroom but spending much longer enjoying a fascinating private conversation. After his 90 minutes at Morecambe I asked for a second interview.

The truth of the matter was that, though he’d used the time between signing and making his debut seeking to get fit, he by no means contributed an impressive debut display, which probably accounted for his reluctance to be interviewed. Eventually he agreed but seemed ill-at-ease and didn’t have much of interest to say.

Three days later Campbell walked out of Meadow Lane and before the end of September his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. And a few days later he returned to Arsenal. I’ve often wondered since whether I should have read more into his post-match demeanor – did it signify he’d already made his decision to pack his bags?

Campbell never made any secret about the fact that he’d largely been persuaded to sign by the Notts director of football, Sven-Goran Eriksson, the two of them having got close during their time together with England. Sven could never be drawn into discussing Campbell’s abrupt departure.

In the match, Morecambe scored either side of half time with Jim Bentley getting the first in 36 minutes and Paul Mullin the second on 52 minutes. Not until the 71st minute did Ben Davies reduce the arrears but Notts failed to find an equaliser.

It’s worth pointing out that the defeat put Notts eighth in League Two, with no hint they were going to storm to the title at the end of April with a brilliant 5-0 rout of Darlington at their Arena.

So it was by no stretch of imagination a wholly convincing start to the 2009-10 campaign, though expectations were high after a spate of summer signings.

Doesn’t that resonate with what’s happening right now, in the early days of 2015-16?

Between 2009 and now the wheel has turned full circle for Jim Bentley. Then he scored.

Now 39, he’s Morecambe’s manager, having been appointed in 2011.

This article was written By Colin Slater, BBC Radio Nottingham, Notts County Correspondent.

Colin Slater is our guest columnist on Pride of Nottingham, this is an exclusive piece. To discuss his article, visit the PON Forum by clicking here.