John Sheridan has been sacked from his position as manager of Notts County, the club have confirmed.

The 52-year-old took over the reins at Meadow Lane in May last year following the departure of Mark Cooper, signing a three-year deal.

Notts began brightly under his tenure and, by the end of October, were sixth in League Two after 15 games played.

However, things took a turn for the worse going into November as the club had to come from behind to scrape a 2-2 draw against non-league Boreham Wood in the FA Cup.

This preceded a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Blackpool and, from then on, Notts plunged down the table as they racked up nine consecutive defeats in the league, as well as missing out on a FA Cup third-round tie at Chelsea.

In addition, Sheridan was given a five-match touchline ban in December after being sent to the stands during their defeat by Wycombe Wanderers.

Notts released a statement saying: "Notts County FC can confirm that John Sheridan is to leave his position as manager with immediate effect. The club will be making no further statement at this time."

Sheridan, who won just six of his 24 league games, leaves with Notts 22nd in the table on 22 points, one above the bottom two.

The Magpies, who are in danger of dropping into non-league football for the first time in their history, are now looking for their 11th full-time manager since Steve Cotterill left after leading them them to the League Two title in May 2010.

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Alan Hardy has confirmed that he will be ordering a review of ticket prices at Notts County.

The Nottinghamshire businessman, who will take full control at Meadow Lane from Ray Trew on January 9, has also decided to cap ticket prices for the first game of his tenure, against Mansfield Town.

"It is vitally important that between now and the end of the season every man, woman and child firmly get behind the club," Hardy told the Nottingham Post.

"It is my intention to make following Notts County as affordable as possible for our next generation of supporters."

Hardy, who agreed a deal to buy the club from Trew just before Christmas, is hoping for a crowd of 10,000 for the derby clash.

He wrote on Twitter: "Ticket prices for Mansfield game will be £20 MAXIMUM anywhere in the ground for super Magpie supporters! All kids under 12 will be FREE!!!"

Hardy has been alarmed by falling home crowds at Meadow Lane, with attendances in the mid-3,000s over the last few months for the most part.

Just 2,736 fans saw the game against Cambridge United on home soil at the end of November.

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John Sheridan has urged any player unhappy at Notts County to "be honest" with him and ask to leave the club.

The Magpies boss admits that he is looking to bring in new blood at Meadow Lane, but insists that he cannot do so unless he moves players on.

"Something is not right and something needs to change," Sheridan, whose side is preparing to face Carlisle United at home on New Year's Eve, told the Nottingham Post.

"We just need a spark. One or two players coming in might be what we need.

"But if people aren't happy then move on. I just want them to be honest with me and I will try to be as helpful as I can and try to move them on.

"Moving players out will help me bring them in."

Notts are still under a transfer embargo enforced by a £350,000 tax debt to HMRC which needs to be cleared in order for Sheridan to make signings.

Sheridan continued: "There are still plenty of games left to play but there's a threat of being in the relegation mix, and a bit of fear we could get caught up in it.

"I'll try to stay positive while I am here and while I am manager, but when you look at the table, it's not good reading.

"I've got to try to freshen things up and I've got to try to get one or two results in from somewhere.

"I am hoping to be active in the window next month but we still have the embargo and I've still got to speak to the new owner (Alan Hardy).

"So I've just got to concentrate on the next game. I am wary that as manager I am not winning games. Seven defeats on the spin is not something I want, the people at the club or the supporters.

"I know it's not good enough. I am not stupid. I need to do a lot better and so do the group."

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New Notts County owner Alan Hardy has revealed that he is looking to complete his takeover of the Magpies in just over a week.

The deal, which sees the club change hands from Ray Trew to Hardy, is expected to reach its completion on January 9.

The Nottingham Post revealed that there had been a delay in the formalities due to the complexity and timing of the negotiations over the festive period.

Hardy confirmed the latest news on his takeover on Twitter, writing: "Contracts hopefully exchanged tomorrow and formally completed on Mon 9th Jan. Our 1st game will be Mansfield at home!! Hoping for 10,000!"

Trew put the club up for sale back in February and it was confirmed before Christmas that "a deal with Mr Hardy was the best option for all parties and will now work towards finalising the agreement and completing the transfer of ownership in due course."

Notts County are currently 21st in the League Two table.

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John Sheridan has admitted that his Notts County players may be suffering from 'fear' when they go out on the pitch, such is their poor confidence and form.

The Magpies are hovering just about the League Two relegation zone after falling to seven consecutive defeats, as well as missing out on a FA Cup third-round trip to Chelsea after losing to Peterborough United in their replay.

"They probably are playing with a bit of fear because we are losing," Sheridan told the Nottingham Post. "It's hard when you're on a run like this.

"But there's only one way you can get out of it, and that's working your socks off, be brave, be strong, take whatever's thrown at you and get on with it – that's what I say.

"It's all down to the players. You've got to be brave. We're in a very vulnerable position because we are losing a lot of games.

"Before we conceded (against Doncaster in Boxing Day's 1-0 defeat), we looked quite solid and they didn't really cause us too many problems.

"But once we conceded the goal, we got a bit shambolic and calamitous, and did the wrong things.

"We made ourselves vulnerable and they could have scored one or two more.

"We're in a very vulnerable position at this moment in time. That's what happens when you're not winning games – and we haven't won for the last seven on the spin, which is really poor.

"It's not something I thought I'd have as a manager, or thought that I'd be in this position.

"It's something new to me and something that I've got to work my socks off to try to get out of."

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John Sheridan says he "will not hide" from any criticism of his management as Notts County sit close to League Two's bottom two.

The Magpies have lost six league games on the bounce and are just one point above the fourth tier's relegation zone ahead of hosting Doncaster Rovers on Boxing Day.

Sheridan admits he expected to be in the promotion hunt when he arrived at Meadow Lane in the summer, but is prepared to stay strong as Notts battle to turn their fortunes around.

"I was confident I'd get us in the play-offs," Sheridan, who is currently serving a five-match touchline ban, told the Nottingham Post.

"I signed a three-year contract; I didn't expect everything to go really well for me in a matter of a few months.

"But I didn't think it'd be going this way. I was positive we'd be at the other end, where we were only four or five weeks ago.

"I don't think I'm a bad manager all of a sudden, but there's something not right. It might be the way I pick my team or the way we play.

"I've got to stay strong. And I will be strong. I won't be hiding.

"I'll accept the criticism. I'll accept we're having poor results. I'll accept the uncertainty going on around the place. But I'll be strong, I won't hide.

"I'll be right at the front. Unfortunately I'm sat in the bloomin stands at the moment, and that's not where I want to be, but I'll still be trying to get the best out of my players.

"I haven't got a magic wand. We're in a sticky position. I've got to stick to my beliefs. I'm confident I'll get us out of where we are."

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Notts County boss John Sheridan has told reporters that he knows who to keep and who to let go from his playing squad in January.

The 52-year-old has been vocal about his need to strengthen in the transfer window as he looks to usher the Magpies away from relegation trouble.

"I've got players in mind who I want to bring in and who to let go," he told the Nottingham Post.

"I find it very hard when I'm picking my team; I don't like leaving people out.

"That's one thing I am as a manager, I do care about individuals. They all want to play, they all want to be out on the pitch, and they've all got to look after their families.

"I find that hard. I'm just going to make decisions purely for the benefit of us as a club, not because I dislike anyone.

"I've got to make decisions, and I'll have to move people on to bring people in.

"I've had a chat with one or two players and told them. Likewise, I've made enquiries about players coming in because we need to do something."

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Notts County have revealed that academy manager Mick Halsall is leaving the club after two years at Meadow Lane.

The 55-year-old initially joined the Magpies in 2014 as head of academy coaching before stepping into his academy manager role last September.

Current head of academy coaching Dan Leivers will take interim charge of the academy while Halsall's position is advertised.

"We are all very sorry to be losing Mick, who has done an excellent job with our academy and is a fantastic character to have around," Notts chief executive Jason Turner said on the club's official website.

"On behalf of everyone at Notts County I would like to wish him every success in his future career."

Halsall has also had two separate spells in caretaker charge of the Magpies first team, stepping in when Shaun Derry and then Ricardo Moniz were sacked.

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Notts County boss John Sheridan has described his team as "a charity case" that keeps giving gifts away to the opposition.

The Magpies missed out on a bumper FA Cup third-round tie at Chelsea after losing 2-0 at Peterborough United in Tuesday's second-round replay.

Goals from Gwion Edwards and Paul Taylor in the first eight minutes of the game set Posh on their way to a comfortable victory at the ABAX Stadium.

"The way we started the game, it's a massive downer," the Notts boss told the Nottingham Post.

"I actually think we played well, but we've lost the game. The manner we conceded those goals, the game is over after 10 minutes.

"We've more or less thrown the game away after 10 minutes. To concede the two goals the way we did, again, we're a charity case at the moment. We keep giving gifts away.

"We just keep making silly errors and putting ourselves under so much pressure and it's cost us the game.

"When you give away the first goal, you're fighting an uphill battle. We had a go, but that's not good enough, is it?"

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Notts County manager John Sheridan has been handed a five-game touchline ban by the Football Association, starting this evening at Peterborough United.

The 52-year-old was dismissed by referee Eddie Ilderton during the League Two game against Wycombe Wanderers at Meadow Lane after remonstrating with officials.

Sheridan was unhappy that the ref allowed Scott Kashket's 55th-minute effort, from what looked to be an offside position, to stand.

"I'm disappointed in myself for being sent-off, but some of the decision making is atrocious," Sheridan told the Nottingham Post after the game.

"That's the way the game is and that's why I want ex-players to be referees."

Assistant manager Mark Crossley will be leading from the dugout as Notts try to secure a plum FA Cup third-round tie at Chelsea tonight.

Sheridan, meanwhile, will not be back on the bench until County's local derby against Mansfield Town on January 14.

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Notts County could find themselves in the Championship in the next five or six years if new owner Alan Hardy is able to take them forward, according to former captain John Thompson.

On Monday, it was confirmed that Hardy had agreed a deal with current owner Ray Trew regarding a takeover of the club.

The Magpies are currently languishing in the lower reaches of League Two, but Thompson is hopeful of Hardy taking the Meadow Lane outfit in an upward trajectory.

He told the Nottingham Post: "I'm not surprised there was interest in buying the club at all. It's a fantastic club. They've got great history, a great stadium and a big fan base.

"If Alan Hardy is able to take them forward then there is no reason they can't be in the Championship in five or six years. Of course that would take a lot of hard work though.

"The first thing he needs to do is get fans enthused again. Gates have been falling and there's a pretty miserable atmosphere around the club.

"When I was there, the year we won the league we were getting 9,000 or 10,000 gates. You wonder where those people have gone.

"If he can get them back then it would be huge. He needs to get Meadow Lane buzzing again."

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Notts County have released a statement confirming that Ray Trew has sold the club to Alan Hardy.

Trew put the club up for sale back in February and, on Monday, the official club website said "a deal with Mr Hardy was the best option for all parties and will now work towards finalising the agreement and completing the transfer of ownership in due course."

Hardy, the owner of Nottinghamshire Golf and Country Club and a Magpies supporter, said: "I am delighted to confirm that I have reached an agreement with Ray Trew to purchase Notts County Football Club.

"This follows a series of discussions over the weekend. As part of the agreement, I will be ensuring the club is able to settle a High Court hearing scheduled for Monday.

"There is still a considerable amount of work to be undertaken in the coming days and, together with my team, we will be working around the clock to conclude our agreement and make a more formal announcement in the near future.

"I wish to emphasise my passion, desire and commitment to all Notts County supporters to drive this club forward."

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John Sheridan has warned his Notts County players that they are free to leave the club if they don't like his style of management.

The Magpies fell to their sixth consecutive League Two defeat as Colchester United claimed a 2-1 win at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Notts now sit one point above the drop zone thanks to Saturday's loss, in which eight of Sheridan's summer signings were involved.

"I've brought a few players in here at the start of the season, and on paper they looked good signings and everyone thought they were the right decisions," Sheridan told the Nottingham Post.

"But now, I've got to question myself - have I brought the right players in, am I picking the right team?

"I've got two weeks before the transfer window opens, and I've got to work very hard to bring the right people in and hopefully I can do that.

"I'm not someone who picks on my players. Whatever I have to say, I say in the dressing room, I don't make it public.

"They know where they stand with me, but if some aren't happy and are not comfortable at the club and with me being manager, they can knock on my door and I'll try and get them out as quickly as I can."

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Notts County boss John Sheridan continues to have the backing of Ray Trew, according to assistant manager Mark Crossley.

The Magpies have lost five league games in a row and are 20th in League Two, just four points above the relegation zone.

Despite their awful form, Crossley insists that he and the gaffer have the confidence of the board.

The ex-goalkeeper told BBC Radio Nottingham: "If Notts County were without a manager and looking for someone to get them out of it, John would be an automatic choice.

"I know the chairman is really eager for us to do well. He has been brilliant with and he still thinks we are the right people to turn it around. We can ask no more from him. He is with us and by us.

"But we're realistic. We have lost five on the bounce and this is a results-based industry.

"We know what we have to do and as far as we are concerned we will do it. But we need more from the players.

"Things have to change. We realise that and they will change in January.

"There is only way to get through this and that is by everyone working hard every single day and eventually it will turn."

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John Sheridan has welcomed the impending arrival of the January transfer window with open arms, saying he is looking to clear out some players and get new ones in.

The Magpies are in the bottom reaches of League Two having lost five league games in a row, prompting fans to fear a relegation battle and the possibility of dropping out of the Football League.

Sheridan earmarked the defence as an area that he needs to improve, with County's 34 goals conceded in 20 games one of the worst "goals against" tallies in the division.

"It's not where I thought we'd be. I've got to get a grip of the players," the manager told the Nottingham Post.

"Luckily for me, January is coming. I'll have to make good decisions as we need to get out the position we're in. We can't carry on like this.

"I need players out before I can get any in. That's something I might have to work really hard to do, to reshuffle the back and build a team to win games.

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John Sheridan admits that he fears for his job as Notts County continue to freefall down the League Two table.

The Magpies lost their fifth consecutive league game as Wycombe Wanderers won 2-0 on Saturday in a controversial clash at Meadow Lane.

Although Sheridan was highly critical of referee Eddie Ilderton for his "atrocious" performance, he still acknowledges that his side is not playing well enough.

"I'm the manager and we're losing a lot more games than I thought we would. I'm not stupid," he told the Nottingham Post. "I worry about my position. I have to.

"I don't like losing matches. I don't like how we play sometimes.

"Things have gone against us in this game, but we were on a bad run before that.

"It's down to us. The first goal is a prime example. You've got two against one and their player gets a clean header on it."

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John Sheridan has let rip at referee Eddie Ilderton after his performance in Notts County's 2-0 defeat against Wycombe Wanderers, describing the official's decision-making as "atrocious".

The Magpies slipped to a fifth League Two defeat on the trot at Meadow Lane on Saturday as Adebayo Akinfenwa and Scott Kashket bagged the winning goals for the Chairboys.

Sheridan - who was sent to the stands for remonstrating - feels a number of decisions, such as a Jonathan Forte goal ruled out for offside, Michael O'Connor's first-half red card, and Wycombe's second goal, all went the wrong way.

"I'm disappointed in myself for being sent-off, but some of the decision making is atrocious," Sheridan told the Nottingham Post.

"Forte is onside for the goal that was given offside, O'Connor has won the ball cleanly and the second goal is a blatant foul on (Richard) Duffy.

"It's same linesmen for both incidents. It's a clear foul on Duffy.

"I can see it from 50 yards and he's 20 yards away. O'Connor has gone in competitively when it comes to the red.

"He (the ref's) gone on about him having two feet off the ground.

"He's got all of the ball though. Their lad is late and he's caught O'Connor.

"That's the way the game is and that's why I want ex-players to be referees."

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Jon Stead has claimed that beating Wycombe Wanderers could reinvigorate Notts County's season.

The Magpies have fallen to four League Two defeats in a row to slip into the bottom six, but an improved performance in their FA Cup second-round clash against Peterborough United stopped the rot.

"We are still looking upwards, rather than over our shoulders. This is the same group of players that were producing good performances earlier in the season and were in and around the play-off places," Stead, who is expected to make his first start, told the Nottingham Post.

"We were right in with a chance of doing something with the season and that has not changed. It has been in the space of five or six games that we have dropped off, but you can soon turn that around, in the same space of time.

"It is only a month or two since we were a few points away from second place. Many teams in the division have had good spells and bad spells. There are very few who have been consistent throughout the whole season and we still have the chance to get back in the mix.

"That is something we feel we can do if we can spark ourselves back into good form and get the one result we need, perhaps, to help us to do that. We need to end the bad run we have been on, then we believe we can start to climb the table again.

"If we can get a win, it would immediately change the mood. We were unlucky not to beat Peterborough in the end, but if we can build on that by getting a win over Wycombe, it will only help us to build that belief and confidence."

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Notts County boss John Sheridan wants his players to "prove" their credentials ahead of a tough run of games.

The Magpies face playoff-chasing Wycombe Wanderers at Meadow Lane on Saturday before travelling to Colchester United (in the league) and Peterborough United (in the FA Cup).

Boxing Day, meanwhile, sees table-topping Doncaster Rovers come to Meadow Lane and, on New Year's Eve, Keith Curle will return to his old club with second-placed Carlisle United.

"I'd like to see it as an opportunity for us, yes. Starting with Saturday, if we can get a good result, it is a chance for us to prove something," Sheridan told the Nottingham Post.

"When you look at the next four games they are all tough. We are playing three of the top seven and Colchester, who are in a false position.

"I like the look of the games. They will test us, but if we can get some good results against teams who are doing well, it will give us a little bit of confidence.

"I believe we can beat any team in the division. But our results do not show that. We have played teams who are up there and have been the better team in those games.

"It is just inconsistency. We are vulnerable when it comes to letting cheap goals in.

"In the last three or four weeks, the goals we have conceded have been very poor and the results have been very poor.

"When opposition teams look at our record, our home form is not good. Teams do come here thinking that we are a soft touch, that we let soft goals in and we will concede chances if they get at us.

"That is what teams think about, when they come here. So we need to rectify that. We need to address that and make life difficult for Wycombe. They are very good from set plays, so it will be a test.

"But if we play as we did for 70 minutes against Peterborough, we have a good chance of winning the game."

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Louis Laing has admitted that the Notts County dressing room was in higher spirits than it has been for the last few weeks after their 2-2 draw against League One side Peterborough United.

The Magpies are languishing in the bottom six of League Two after four consecutive league defeats, prompting manager John Sheridan to cancel their Christmas party and pledge to play first-teamers in the reserves.

However, Meadow Lane saw the hosts come from two goals down to salvage a draw against Posh in the FA Cup, which kept them in the hat for the third round - and the winner of the replay will get to play Chelsea.

"It's a much happier dressing room. The last month has been pretty tough on everyone," Laing told the Nottingham Post.

"That's football. Sometimes you go through these stages. There's lots we need to work on still.

"We've had a good result. It's nice after four losses on the trot, especially against a League One team.

"It's nice to get a goal for the fans. It's been a hard month for them.

"It's been a hard month for everyone at the club with all the losses we've had. It's nice they stuck with us.

"Sometimes I don't blame them if they don't. It's understandable given how we've been going.

"It's always good to have them behind you. Hopefully they saw a better side to Notts County on Sunday."

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John Sheridan has welcomed Jon Stead's return to action for Notts County and is eager to get his match fitness back up by playing him in reserve games.

The 33-year-old, whose absence has been sorely missed by the Magpies, came on as a substitute in the last 20 minutes of the 2-2 FA Cup draw against Peterborough United.

Sheridan said he wasn't happy about bringing Stead on so early after his recovery but confirmed that the striker will play a reserve game against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

"Ideally I wouldn't have wanted to use him so early," he told the Nottingham Post.

"He's not played much football. He's been out a while.

"He's trained for 10 days now. He's short on match practice.

"We've got a couple of reserve games coming up and he'll be involved in them.

"It's good to have him back. He's experienced and his presence gives the players a lift."

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John Sheridan wants an improved showing from Notts County as they welcome Peterborough United to Meadow Lane in Sunday's FA Cup second-round clash.

The Magpies will get a welcome distraction from their League Two troubles this weekend as they welcome League One Posh to NG2 in a bid to determine who goes into the hat for the fabled third-round draw.

Sheridan says that, as Notts have already taken big scalps this season, they can cause an upset against Peterborough, even if he is unsure about whether Jon Stead is fit enough to take part.

“Getting through against a team like Peterborough would give us a big confidence boost, and prove to us again that we can beat really good teams”, the 52-year-old explained.

“We’ve already taken something from games against some of the best League Two sides, like Portsmouth and Luton. When that pair came to our ground, we were better than them. So we’ve shown we can do it.

“I’m looking for the boys to show a bit of endeavour and a will to win. I’ll feel more positive about things if we give a good account of ourselves in this tie.

“Even now, I get excited about reaching the Third Round of the FA Cup. If you’re in the hat then there’s a real buzz about the chance of a big tie. That’s the magic of the cup.”

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