4th tier* League fixture
*Then known as League Two

Notts County 2     Bury 2
Martin 86                                               Mattis 41
Baudet (pen) 89                                     Youngs 81
 

Attendance :- 9,817
Referee:-  G Laws (Tyne & Wear)
 

Notts County
Colours:- Black & white striped shirts, White shorts, White socks
League Position:- before match 21st/24, after match 21st/24
Manager:- Gudjon Thordarson

Kevin Pilkington
Nathan Doyle
Mike Edwards
Julien Baudet
Rob Ullathorne
David Pipe
Liam Needham *
Dan Martin
Chris Palmer
Eugene Dadi +
Steve Scoffham ^

Sub: Lewis McMahon *59
Sub: Daniel Chillingworth +70
Sub: Stef Frost ^70

Subs not used: Shaun Marshall (GK) and Brian O'Callaghan.
 

Bury
Colours:- All sky blue
League Position:- before match 17th/24, after match 19th/24
Manager:- Chris Casper

Kasper Schmeichel
Chris Brass
David Challinor
John Fitzgerald
Colin Woodthorpe
Lewis Gobern
Brian Barry-Murphy
Dwayne Mattis +
Ian Ross ^
Jonathan Daly *
Matthew Tipton

Sub: Tom Youngs *64
Sub: Paul Scott +80
Sub: Thomas Kennedy ^84

Subs not used: Aaron Grundy (GK), Marc Pugh.
 

Video of the match:- Recorded for goals reports on ITV and Sky.
 

Up the Maggies note:
After an encouraging start to the season, County had badly lost their way and in February dropped to lower-mid table by which time the vast majority of the squad knew that they would be out of contract at the end of the season and wouldn't be offered a new deal. The players appeared to cease caring and - after a run of home draws and away defeats - they suddenly found themselves in an unlikely battle against relegation as the teams at the bottom picked up more points than would normally be anticipated. It turned out that any one of seven clubs could join Rushden & Diamonds in demotion to the Conference on the final day, Notts and their final fixture opponents Bury being two of them. Unthinkable as it seemed, Notts were one of the more likely candidates to go down - If Stockport County and Oxford United (both playing at home) were to win their final day of the season fixtures, Notts (who had only won once since January) would probably be relegated if they failed to beat Bury. If Notts were to actually lose whilst Oxford won and Stockport merely avoided defeat, then Notts would definitely go down. It had become a genuine horror movie (in that the threat of certain death had literally come out of nowhere whilst Notts had been proverbially relaxing on a Spring afternoon picnic). Prior to kick off, Jimmy Sirrel was brought out onto the pitch and handed a microphone to remind crowd of the part they had to play in ensuring that Notts won and survived, there were not as many supporters at the ground as there should have been but those that were, responded well. Sadly the same could not be said of the players, many of us in the crowd were left feeling literally sick as we watched an utterly hopeless team in black & white shirts tip-toe like foolish dare-devil children on the verge of an abyss that would terminate the club's football league lifespan of 118 years. When Notts shockingly fell 1-0 behind shortly before half-time, Stockport were still holding table toppers Carlisle 0-0 and Oxford were drawing 1-1 with automatic promotion chasing Leyton Orient. It was now becoming desperate and by the time Bury made it 2-0 with 9 minutes to go, Notts were seemingly just one goal away from doom (Another goal for Oxford at that stage would have placed County in the dreaded bottom two in the 'As it stands' table). But there was to be another twist, two late goals for Notts lifted them above Stockport on goal difference. With Notts still playing injury time, BBC Radio Five confirmed that Stockport 0 Carlisle 0 was now a result. When the final whistle blew at Meadow Lane, Notts were safe - regardless of whether or not Oxford could find a late winner. With news also coming through that Forest had blown their chance of reaching the 3rd tier play off's, I was dancing down the steps past many spectators who's faces suggested that they were either closet Forest fans or were yet unaware of the Stockport result (which both the new scoreboard and tannoy announcer failed to confirm). Even some of those who invaded the pitch didn't appear to know what was really going on, but when Leyton Orient scored a very late 3rd goal in the delayed 2nd half at Oxford, it gave the impression that we never really had anything to worry about. But those who were there that day will never forget it and will never EVER want to go through that experience again.
 

Nottingham Evening Post Report

OUTPOURING OF JOY AS MAGPIES STAY IN LEAGUE

WITH the pitch a sea of black and white, and everyone turning to salute the smiling Notts County players in the directors' box, you could have been forgiven for thinking this was a promotion party. It may have looked that way to somebody stumbling across Meadow Lane on Saturday. But far from it. It was an outpouring of pure relief from the Notts fans. It was the realisation that their club - for ten minutes at least - were one goal from dropping out of the Football League and into the Nationwide Conference. At 2-0 down, it appeared out of their hands and if Oxford had taken the lead against Leyton Orient, the Magpies would be down. But two late goals earned a draw for Notts and in the end, results elsewhere went for them. But people were in no doubt. At some point during that second half against Bury, Notts were staring non-league football in the face. And that is what triggered those scenes at the final whistle. It was joy that the unthinkable did become a reality.
Notts finished the season in 21st place with 52 points - the same as last season - and only one win in the final 16 games. But with five minutes remaining and Notts trailing by two goals, cries from the home fans had been "you're not fit to wear the shirt" and "there's only one Jimmy Sirrel." They came after the legendary manager had taken to the pitch minutes before kick-off and received a standing ovation from more than 8,500 fans. It lifted the roof before he took hold of the microphone, and addressed the home faithful, to remind them that this was the biggest game in the club's history. And he urged them to get behind the team.They did and the difference in atmosphere at having almost 10,000 fans in the ground was there for all to hear. It was electric. But despite their best efforts to stay behind the team, with the minutes ticking by their patience finally ran out. However, if anything, the players responded to that. They realised they could be the ones blamed for taking away the club's status as the oldest Football League club.
And with four minutes left, the ball dropped to Dan Martin inside the six-yard box and he kept his composure to fire past Kasper Schmeichel. Suddenly the ground erupted; the players sprinted back and were eager to restart. The 88th minute goal had coincided with manager Gudjon Thordarson throwing Julien Baudet up front as an extra striker. He was not going to wait for other results to save him: he wanted Notts to do it. And within a minute of the goal, Schmeichel spilled the ball and Chris Palmer nipped in and was brought down for a penalty. Palmer celebrated as if he had just clinched the World Cup for England, dancing wildly and jumping around behind the goal. But there was still the small matter of tucking away the penalty. Julien Baudet - who is still to sign his new deal and may leave in the summer - later admitted he was nervous as he placed the ball on the spot. But you could not tell as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way after the celebrations had died down. And the fans' reaction said it all. A mass pitch invasion followed as suddenly Stockport and Oxford both had to win and were drawing at the time with just over a minute remaining.
Before that Bury had gone 2-0 up in a story that mirrored the season. After Notts squandered chances, Dwayne Mattis headed in from a corner late in the first half. Notts conceded a second with just eight minutes left, substitute Tom Youngs getting in behind the defence and tucking it past Kevin Pilkington. However, this time there was no surrender. The stakes were too great. And the Magpies fought back like they had done many times in the first month of the season when they were top of the league.
Oxford then conceded a last-minute goal and Notts held on for the five minutes of injury time to leave them three points clear of the drop. It does not look that close when you view the table now but rest assured Notts almost dropped into the footballing wilderness. That is what sparked a second pitch invasion at the end. The relief. And with fans blocking the tunnel, the players made their way up to the directors' box to say thank you. They were cheered and mobbed as fans took their shirts and shorts as mementos. But as they made their way back down, you could see the relief in their faces. They knew how close it had been and that, over the season, they had not been good enough. But the fact is Notts have survived, and Thordarson can now build a new squad for next season. It will be his own squad as well. And with Notts now set to operate on money in, money out basis with no debts, they can achieve something next season.
The hope is that when they stand in the directors' box this time next year, the cheers will be for promotion or a play-off spot. Not avoiding the embarrassment of dropping out of the Football League by a whisker.

FRENCH SPOT-KICK ACE FELT THE NERVES
Julien Baudet admitted he felt the nerves before taking the penalty that earned Notts a draw. But despite the relief, he felt sorry for the Magpies fans that they had to watch their club scrapping for its life. He said: "It came down to the last game and down to the last minute. We went 2-0 down and put ourselves in a bad position. However, credit to the lads and fans because we dug deep and got the result in the end. But that was a nerve-racking penalty. I like taking penalties, was confident and knew where to put it. I am delighted for the team, staff and Notts County. At the start of the season we set the standard very high and I am delighted (to have stayed up), but I am gutted for the supporters because this tight situation should not be happening."
Kevin Pilkington said he never wanted to go through the turmoil of almost dropping out of the Football League ever again. The Notts goalkeeper, who signed a one-year extension to his contract before kick-off, said it was a nightmare afternoon. "That was tight. It was horrible and I don't want to do that again," he said.
 

Notts County Season 2005/06
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