samwatto2008

As we come up to the eight-month mark since Alan Hardy’s takeover I thought I’d shine a light on his achievements so far at Notts County and highlight some key parts of his ownership in the club. A bit of background on the main reason for the takeover. In February 2010 Ray Trew picked up the club with its priceless heritage and the Meadow Lane ground for £1 after Munto Finance, a firm that claimed to be backed by Middle East fortunes, turned out to be a complete pack full of lies. During his ownership he oversaw Notts winning the League Two title in the 2009-2010 under Steve Cotterill. After the celebrations from promotion, though, it all sort of went wrong for Trew in terms of management. Between 2009 and January 2017, Notts had gone through 13 managers. By 2016 I'm sure many other Notts fans would agree the situation at the club had become an absolute circus. Trew eventually cut his losses and agreed to sell the club to Hardy for a reported £3.5m. Along with the keys to Meadow Lane, Hardy also inherited a commitment to HMRC to pay off the accumulated debts. To put a long story short, finishing 17th in the league just a season before with relegation seemingly on the cards in 2017 and a bunch of outstanding cheques, Hardy had taken on an impossible task of retaining County's Football League status. So, with the club taken over successfully and fans in desperate need of a statement for survival, what was Hardy’s statement? His first step was to appoint a new manager as John Sheridan was shown the door for gross misconduct and verbal abuse of an official, bringing in Kevin Nolan, a quality midfielder for the likes of Bolton, West Ham and Newcastle but relatively untested as manager, save for a short spell at Leyton Orient. At a time where relegation was looking like a real possibility the communication between Nolan and Hardy had to be flawless with no complications. With the takeover and new appointment happening in the January transfer window it was important for Notts to give their squad a real boost for the second half of the season. Marc Bola, Jorge Grant, Josh Clackstone, Tahvon Campbell and Shola Ameobi were recruited, with all but Shola signing on loan. So Hardy was already being praised for the money he had put into the club and the statement him and Nolan had made with the signings by the fans but how did things start to pan out? Nolan managed to start off his Notts managerial career with a home draw against local rivals Mansfield Town. In 21 league games in charge he managed to secure 10 WINS, 4 DRAWS and 7 DEFEATS, for a side doomed for relegation that isn’t half bad. Nolan had turned a relegation battle into a mid-table team in 21 games and the fans were loving it. Attendances started to rise and rise. With Hardy doing constant offers to bring new fans and existing fans to believe and support in a new Notts team. Hardy continues to impress fans by constantly investing in the club and making the Notts County experience enjoyable for all. With the 2017-18 season looking promising we only have him to thank for his decision making and passion for this club. Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.