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The 2008/09 Season
2008/09 proved to be yet another miserable campaign in which Notts achieved
their lowest points total since dropping into the 4th tier in 2004. Yet
County were never in any serious danger of relegation thanks to the massive
points deductions meated out to Rotherham United (-17), Bournemouth (-17)
and Luton Town (-30) at the start of the season. Until the final month,
Notts had not climbed higher than 11th nor slipped lower than 17th, a pair
of statistics which would partly account for County's 3rd lowest average
attendance since they moved to Meadow Lane in 1910, and with Mansfield
Town now in the Conference, County's best attendance of 6,686 v Rotherham
United was the lowest 'best home league crowd of the season' since 1966/67.
Only two other home fixtures attracted gates of over 6,000, both immediately
following the death of the club's greatest living icon Jimmy Sirrel at
the age of 86 (ironically against the two teams Sirrel had managed before
coming to Notts in 1969). Within 4 months of losing Sirrel, Notts said
goodbye to another great servant of the club, long time trainer Jack Wheeler
who died at the age of 89 in January. Early exits in the cup competitions
(including another embarrassing televised defeat to non-league opposition
in the FA Cup) did nothing to relieve the sense of sadness and frustration
which sunk to new depths of despair in the Spring as the Supporters Trust
degenerated into a very public civil war. A trust splinter group then attempted
to force the removal of Trust head and club chairman John Armstrong Holmes
in a period of turmoil which (co-incidentally or not) saw Notts embark
on their poorest run of the season and slump to 20th, but Armstrong-Holmes
survived the vote of no confidence and a surprise final day victory away
at promotion chasing Wycombe saw Notts finish 19th rather than 21st.
Twenty
Years Ago
Notts County v Huddersfield Town, 22nd April 1989. One week after the
Hillsborough tragedy, Tommy and Drapes lined up in the starting 11 together
for the first time. An extraordinary afternoon. Click on the programme
cover for the Evening Post match report.
April 2009
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