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Notts County retains key player Jim O’Brien for another season


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Jim O’Brien has agreed to a one-year contract with our club. The veteran midfielder is set to continue his journey with us for another season.

At 35 years old, O’Brien is our longest-serving player. He first joined us midway through the 2018-19 season and has been a key member of the squad ever since.

Despite making a strong impact that season, he was unable to prevent our relegation from League Two. However, his 29 appearances and five goals in the 2022-23 season saw him make a significant contribution to our return to the EFL.

The Notts County Board of Directors and head coach Luke Williams have released a joint statement: “Jim is an incredibly valued member of the squad, and we were eager to keep him on board.

“His quality, mentality and tenacity have been demonstrated time and time again, both last season and in previous campaigns.

“With nearly 550 career appearances under his belt, he has a wealth of experience to share with the group – a role he embraces wholeheartedly.

“Jim’s leadership on and off the pitch has been invaluable to the team. He has been a mentor to many of our younger players and his influence has been instrumental in their development.”

Furthermore, he has an incredible connection with our supporters. He has been with them through our relegation, the National League years and our eventual promotion.

“We are thrilled to see him represent us in the EFL once again.”

As Notts County prepares for its return to the English Football League, Jim O’Brien’s decision to extend his stay at the club for another year is a positive development. His experience, leadership and connection with the supporters will continue to be invaluable assets as the team looks forward to a successful season.

We encourage all fans to leave a comment in the Pride of Nottingham discussion about Jim O’Brien extending his stay for one more season.

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yes! i am over the moon that jim has decided to stay for another season. i am really happy with how he performed last season. i do feel he has earned it and still offers us a lot.

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I think Jim O’Brien is a superb veteran of the game. I know he mentioned that he dislikes the word ‘experienced’ because some fans use it as a throwaway comment. Yet, I don’t mean it in those terms. He’s a calm, focused midfielder who wants to defend and get forward. What he lacks in advanced years, he makes up for with the knowledge he’s picked up. His football mind is always switched on, and it’s incredible to see him think ahead of much younger players.

To have him remain as a firm squad player is just a good boost to the squad. With Ruben Rodrigues departing, it’s good to have someone like Jim who can crack a joke or offer support to the surrounding players.

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Every successful team needs a player who can be a leader without the armband. He’s such a good guy and works hard to maintain his place. He offers much more than just experience, which I think was shown towards the end of the season. His composure and ability to help influence the game make him a key squad member. I love watching him do his turns; how other players don’t catch onto it, I don’t know. But at 35 years of age, he has shown he can still feature as and when we need him. I am pleased he’s agreed to this new deal.

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I am delighted that Jim has stuck with us and given the club one more year. He has the experience to help influence the players and he still has the ability.

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I am very happy that Jim has signed a new one-year deal; it sounds about right. He can reflect on how he feels and his body at the end of the next campaign. For now, he is a useful squad member.

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Retaining Jim is good; he’s been great since signing for Notts and I also wanted to see him wear our shirts back in League Two. Under different circumstances, a few years later, but still he deserves to see our relegation undone. He was one of the few who tried to save us.

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Solid re-signing; Jim is always ever dependable and when he’s needed, he’s the experienced leg that goes that extra distance to help Notts get the result needed.

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I am pleased with the renewal; it’s good news. At one point, I felt that Jim might end up retiring, but after his interview at Wembley, I knew he would extend his stay. You could see it in his slight smile when he spoke those words.

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I think some would complain if it was longer than a year without knowing if Jim still has it in him. I do feel he could contribute longer than what we offered and I wouldn’t have minded the standard 2-year deal myself. As said before, it gives him time to choose. I would like to see the club retain him as a coach though.

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Seeing Jim extend his stay is a blessing; imagine if we lost both him and Ruben? While some might not be disappointed with the latter, he is by all means an important squad member.

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Yes, it’s good news regarding Jim extending his stay amongst the departure of Ruben Rodrigues. I think Jim will be a useful addition to the squad in League Two; he very rarely misses a beat.

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Fantastic news! I am pleased that we have managed to retain some experience from last season. We need Aaron Nemane and Kyle Cameron to extend now, but I do agree that Jim has been a workhorse for Notts.

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Pride of Nottingham is an independent fansite devoted to Notts County, the world’s oldest professional football club. Created in 2013, it has served as a source of Magpie news, features, match previews, reports, analysis and interviews for more than three years.

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