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Keep Calm and Count the Injuries: Staying Level-Headed with the Pies

By allardyces tash in Fan Perspectives and Reactions

· 1,038 views

Club Progress Amidst Injuries 7 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you believe the club is making progress despite the injuries?

    • Yes, the club is making great progress.
      2
    • Yes, but it's a slow and steady progress.
      4
    • Neutral, I’m not sure if there's any significant change.
      0
    • No, the progress is minimal.
      0
    • No, the injuries have severely hampered the progress.
      1
    • The club's performance has declined despite the injuries.
      0

Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Ah, the beautiful game. Except when it isn’t. Over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself sinking deeper into a pit of despair, not because of anything happening on the pitch, but because of the unique breed of hysteria emanating from certain corners of the Notts County fanbase. It’s as if some believe we’re entitled to waltz our way to the top of the league with the ease of a TikTok influencer making their morning matcha. Spoiler alert: we’re not.

This sense of entitlement, coupled with a knee-jerk dismissal of just how far the club has clawed its way back from the brink, is as exhausting as a wet Tuesday night away fixture.

Let’s rewind to the recent fans’ forum. A glimmer of hope! A rare oasis of satisfaction in a desert of misplaced rage. Those in attendance seemed genuinely optimistic about the club’s plans for January. But, as ever, it didn’t take long for the mood to nosedive. Almost immediately, the pitchforks were out for Stuart Maynard, with some fans sharpening their knives for a couple of players as well. Honestly, the venom is ridiculous.

Lest we forget, Notts County has never been a club known for champagne football or a stress-free existence. Supporting this team has always been more of a gritty soap opera than a glossy Netflix drama. Progress here isn’t measured in leaps and bounds, but in the tiny victories. Let’s be grateful we’re no longer teetering on the edge of oblivion like we were not so long ago.

And yet, despite six players being sidelined through injury, some fans are spinning conspiracy theories about Dan Crowley packing his bags for London. (Spoiler: he’s not. Put down the tin foil hat.) Where has the logic gone? Has it been benched too?

The reaction to our FA Cup second-round loss to Peterborough United was another highlight in this melodrama. Before the game, some fans wanted a weakened lineup. Post-game, those same people were clutching their pearls over the strong XI that Stuart Maynard fielded. You can’t win. (And apparently, neither can we, but let’s not dwell on that.)

It’s easy to dissect every decision with the smug clarity of hindsight, isn’t it? Did Maynard make substitutions to rest players or protect them? Who knows? He’s a football manager, not a psychic.

Now, about last night’s loss to Walsall. Predictably, it’s triggered another full-blown meltdown. Let’s recap: six players out injured, including key figures like Matty Platt, Jodi Jones, and (the apparently London-bound) Dan Crowley. This isn’t just bad luck; it’s like fate has us on speed dial for its next cruel prank.

Here’s the thing: clubs that are serious about progressing use moments like this to recalibrate and come back stronger. Despite everything, Notts County is in a better place this season than it has been in years. There’s actual promise here, and if we can just get through December with some dignity intact, January could be the start of something special.

Let’s not forget the bigger picture. Players are drawn to the club because they like how we play and believe in where we’re headed. That’s a huge selling point, and it counts for something. So, while it’s tempting to wallow in doom and gloom, how about we focus on what’s going right?

Football is a long, winding road, not a straight sprint to glory. So let’s all take a deep breath, stop yelling at Maynard, and remember why we love this maddening, beautiful, frustrating team. Come on you Pies!

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    6 Comments

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    liampie

    Members

    i think some fans are just worried we wont get promoted and might return to those years were we was average, but it is frustrating to see people question the desire and hunger of our owners. they deserve better than that, the reedtz are greatly responsible for putting us on the right path. we are signing far better players than we would have under previous regimes. this is a good blog, i found it very funny and i hope people dont take the hump.

    thanks for writing it @allardyces tash.

    • Like 1
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    Robbie

    +Supporters

    Nice article. @allardyces tash.

    The Club has made great progress since last season. Could you imagine how the team would have finished if six first team players in midfield and upfront would have become injured for an extended period? 

    It would have been a bit of a disaster to put it mildly. This season the squad is much stronger, and the players that have come in and replaced the injured have done a sterling job to keep Notts in the top six, & just a few points off second place.

    The reason for that is abundantly clear to me. Notts have a very good Head Coach & his staff have done wonders with the team, so that the remaining players available have been moulded into an effective unit to keep Notts in touch with the top while the injured players recover.

    There will always be a small number of noisy fans that will never be satisfied no matter how well the team are doing. Some would moan if Notts were ten points clear at the top. The sensible fan will know different.

    I'm confident that once the seven injured players return, we will see the Notts we saw at the beginning of the season, with a big difference. Those fringe players have tasted first team action and won't want to relinquish their place lightly. The players returning will know that there is going to be plenty of competition for places. That fact on its own will benefit Notts in the new year.

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    Fan of Big Tone

    Global Moderators

    Nice one @allardyces tash I like this blog. My suggestion is don’t read social media, the majority of people on there who voice these ridiculous opinions on the club, manager and players are just Negative Nellies with nothing better to do that spout their negativity to get a reaction.

    Personally I’d rather read comments on here where the fans are far more level headed and when necessary will give constructive criticism without the knee jerk reactions of social media.

    Without a doubt the injuries to the squad have hampered our progress but I still hope we can get promotion but if we don’t it won’t be the end of the world, I’ll still support them as I have through much worse times than these in my 60 odd years of being a fan.

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    CliftonMagpie

    Global Moderators

    I found it an entertaining read, very enjoyable. 

    Isn't it always the same with Notts? When times get tough, the negative comments fly and the players get unfairly criticised, as if they don't care or put the effort in. As for Stuart Maynard, some fans who dislike him will never accept him as our head coach and just wait for those moments to claim he's not good enough. 

    I try to focus on the positives, but unfortunately, a small vocal minority of our fans don't.

    • Love 4
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    Chris

    Administrators

    We do have to take into consideration the injuries, but we are only now starting to feel that burden - which is a shame because we had been told a lot were close to returning back when we played Carlisle United. Excluding Jodi Jones and Curtis Edwards, who immediately come to mind, there were others facing similar challenges, including Cedwyn Scott, who took a break for mental health reasons. It hasn't seen us nose dive in form like we did last year, when we lost Matt Palmer. I do think we have done well so far. I know David McGoldrick has got us out of jail at times (among others) but I consider the progress to be slow but steady.

    As for the blog, I see nothing wrong with it. A bit of light humour can be good, not that the moaners will agree, but I think it's harmless. It is a very good read, so I am sure most fans would agree.

    Thank you for writing this.

    • Love 3
    Veteran

    NiftyNick

    Members

    Excellent! It drives me crazy about some of our support. People want stability but aren't patient enough for success. It all goes out the window when we have it. Then, that togetherness, which is a special part of the Notts community, is ruined by petty moaning.

    • Like 1
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