Connell Rawlinson: "My heart will always be with Notts County"

Connell Rawlinson has expressed his delight at signing a new two-year deal with Notts County and says he is ready to challenge for the League Two title next season.

The 31-year-old defender, who joined the Magpies in 2019, was a key part of the side that won promotion from the National League via the play-offs last month.

Rawlinson said he never had any doubts about staying at Meadow Lane and that he feels a strong connection with the club and its fans.

"I'm over the moon," he told Notts County. "It was a no-brainer for me – I was never looking to go anywhere else.

"I’m lucky to have played for such a great club over the last four years, and I’m so grateful and happy to have experienced its rise back into the English Football League.

"I feel a real sense of belonging to this club and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay.

"I’ve got a loyalty and dedication to Notts - and I like that. My heart will always be here."

Rawlinson admitted that winning promotion at Wembley was the highlight of his career and that he was overcome with emotion after Cedwyn Scott's decisive penalty.

"It felt like the weight of the world came off our shoulders when that ball crossed the line," he said. "The pressure was immense, both from the fans who travelled in amazing numbers and from loved ones in the stadium who were desperate for us to win.

"It was a dream come true. I could almost have retired there and then, that’s how big a moment it was. I don’t think anything will ever top it."

The former Port Vale man also praised manager Luke Williams for being the "final piece of the puzzle" in Notts' quest for promotion and said he believes the club is well-equipped to compete in League Two.

"In my opinion, the club is all set to go again next season," he said. "We’ve got a beautiful stadium, massive fanbase, great training facilities – it’s set up to be a League One club, if not Championship.

"I’ll be coming back in for pre-season with the mindset of challenging for the league title. When you look at what Stockport so nearly achieved in League Two this year, I think we have to be confident."

Rawlinson also revealed his personal ambition of reaching 200 appearances for Notts, having already made 156 since his arrival.

"In the modern game, I think if you can reach 200 appearances for a club it’s a really good achievement," he said.

"I’m not going to be around forever, and I like the idea of being able to stamp my family name into the history of such a big club. It’s something I’m going to really push for."

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