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Q&A with a Notts County fan
Q&A with a Notts County fan
Tuesday, 20th Apr 2010 06:05

We've grabbed a County fan to give us the lowdown on all things County.

1) Who are you and how long have you been supporting County?
My name is Elaine Brooks and I have been a County supporter from a distance since my son at the age of 8 decided County were the team for him in 1999. I don't actually get to the matches as I fund him to go (he's not missed a match home or away for 6 years) and as we know football isn't a cheap sport to follow. This season however, the goings on at the lane have absolutely grabbed me and it has become a full-time passion. I don't think this makes me a glory supporter does it??!

2) You must have felt it was dreamland last Summer, when the new owners arrived promising blank cheque books and a route to the Premiership?
I think we all did. But it was tempered a little.. The secrecy about our new owners worried many of us, and the fact the league were at first reluctant to ok the fit and proper person test, but I think the thing that made most of us fully believe was when Sven arrived.....and stayed. Much was made about us being the oldest league club and using this 'brand' to promote us around the world. I think it does prove the saying 'when thing's seem too good to be true they usually are'

3) At what point, did it become clear that things weren't all they seemed?
Well, when Sol left we tended to believe it was because he was a bit of a prima-donna but then there were rumblings in October or November about CCJ's and a winding up order...that one was paid, but it did rouse some suspicion within some of the members on our message board. No one was brought in, in the transfer window even though it seemed clear to most of us that certain positions needed strengthening. Then the club was put up for sale and bought by Trembling...and the hunt for massive investment with Sven started, leading to numerous rumours and an announcement before the Dag & Red game that investment had been secured in the tune of 25 mil..This of course, never materialised, and the date of the winding up petition got closer and closer...We very nearly did not have a club to support.

4) Tell us all about the new regime at County?
I believe we have fallen on our feet. OK, at first there wasn't much elation, we didn't have the multi-million pound investment and we had the threat of admin hanging over us. The debt discovered rose by the day, from the 2.5 million Trembling had stated, to a massive 6.9 million. , Mr Trew had decided to put us into admin, with the appointment of Steve Cotterill as manager as a bit of a sweetener. A late night discussion with his wife made him change his mind. She apparently said to him...if you buy something like a football club you have to get enjoyment from it, and what is the point of having money if you don't get to enjoy it... so we partly have her to thank that we haven't had a points deduction...since then we seem to have gone from strength to strength. Mr Trew has operated on a very open and honest basis, both he, and his wife post on our messageboard and his wife and children even sit in the Kop among the 'normal' fans. Gone are the pitch lights, the ex England players and managers and the promise of a top of the range video scoreboard, but in place of that is a real buzz around the Lane. A feeling that we are now going to be run in a sensible manner and that we are all pulling in the same direction.

5) As an outsider, it seems to be that the staunch defence of Trew isn't dissimilar to that staunch defence that Trembling enjoyed for so long. Is that fair?
I see your point, but no. Ray Trew has put his money where his mouth is and produced documentation to back it up. Under Trembling, we weren't at the time in full possession of the facts and after the Munto house of cards came crashing down, as I've said above, many of us were wary. Not putting us into admin and appointing SC has gone a long way to showing us that RT has the best interests of this club at heart. Everything he's promised to do he's done, and he's not making outrageous promises, but still aims for us to be competitive. I think most of us want to get back to concentrating on what's happening on the pitch, and so far we've been able to do that. We are now back within the 60 percent wage cap rule due to RT selling a business and ploughing the money into Notts. If that doesn't show proof of intention, I'm unsure what does.

6) Cotterill has made pretty close to the perfect start as manager. How has he made a difference?
I think he has exceptional man-management skills and is able to balance a degree of fun and humour with discipline. The players seem happy and focussed. The biggest difference on the pitch, is, I believe defensively. He has really tightened up our back four and made us fortress Meadow Lane! Obviously, we all hope he is with us next season in league 1.

7) What are you looking forward to in League One?
I'm looking forward to proving that the intention was never to take us into admin at the beginning of next season! That is something many fans of other teams seem convinced is what will happen. Also, the atmosphere at the lane should be tremendous with some of the larger followings teams will bring, and I believe, even with the team we have now, minus Kasper, we can be competitive in league one with a few new additions. It will be interesting to see who SC has in mind and who gets brought in, and how we perform against some of the bigger teams in league 1.

8) What will the priorities be for County now? Pushing further forward or just getting things stabilised off the pitch?
I think both. I don't believe they are mutually exclusive. Ray Trew has said that he will not gamble with the future of our club and we have seen nothing so far to dissuade us that this is not true. We all know the value a good manager has in searching out good players, who don't necessarily have to cost the earth and nurturing them to produce their best. It should be noted that the majority of our players now are sourced from lower league clubs so it is possible to be competitive without jeopardising the financial security of the club. I think you can take it as true that we won't be seeing the likes of Sol Campbell at our club again, or outrageous spending.

9) Aside from Dale and County, who has impressed you in League Two this season?
Having not been to the games I will answer this with the opinion from our messageboard. I think most fans will say Shrewsbury at home, and Bournemouth.

10) If you had the choice, would you rather have the title or the Munto Monorail?
<sob> we aren't going to get the monorail are we? Never mind, we'll settle for the title!

Photo: Action Images



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