Jon Stead: 'Kevin Nolan changed my mind about leaving Notts County'

Jon Stead has revealed how close he was to leaving Notts County in the January transfer window because of how frustrating it was to be at Meadow Lane under the previous owners and manager.

Speculation had emerged linking the striker with a move to the United States as the Magpies were freefalling towards the bottom of League Two, John Sheridan in charge at the time.

However, Stead decided to stay put until at least the end of the season, when his contract expires, after Alan Hardy took over the club and Kevin Nolan was appointed manager.

"The way the season was progressing with the previous manager, he made it quite clear the players were all available to leave," Stead told the Nottingham Post.

"Things weren't going well and it was a frustrating place to be at, so I had to look at my future, given my contract is up at the end of the season.

"There's my age as well, which is something I don't like to talk about, but I will be 34 next month and I like to think I have a lot of football ahead of me.

"It would have been a big change because I've had 16-17 years of playing football in the UK.

"It's something that came up so I looked at it the same way as I would anything else.

"The appointment of Kevin changed my mind 100 percent. I spoke to him a couple of days after the Mansfield game and made him aware of the situation.

"We were in a transfer embargo at the time and he said he couldn't let me go. I understood the decision and the more I've seen of the gaffer and his staff, the more I like."

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