Notts County may, incredibly, not have won the National League title, but they arrive with a set of stats that will have the rest of League Two taking a very deep breath.
In any other season, the Magpies would have been popping the bubbly at Easter and enjoying a lap of honour around Non-League’s top flight before returning to the EFL.
But with only two promotion spots from the National League — one automatic and one through the play-offs — the numbers didn’t add up.
For anyone living under a rock, their remarkable record-breaking season happened to fall in the same window as Hollywood-backed Wrexham’s.
The Red Dragons, owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, finished four points ahead of County — ending their 15-year stay in Non-League — and jetted off to Las Vegas to party.
Wrexham were a powerful force who would run teams over with their unrelenting striker Paul Mullin leading the line.
With Notts it was more death by football. Neal Ardley and Ian Burchnall laid the foundations following the club’s relegation from the League in 2019.
A hat-trick of play-off heartache followed - including losing to Harrogate in the final at an empty Wembley Stadium at the height of Covid – before Luke Williams arrived and elevated their game even more.
Denne historien er fra August 06, 2023-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
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Denne historien er fra August 06, 2023-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Mousinho revels in a happy return
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DUFF LAUDS COURAGE OF HIS TERRIERS
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HORNETS STING IS PAIN FOR CARRICK
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SALECH MAKES A POINT WITH HIS LATE LEVELLER
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Sargent takes Tigers by the tail again
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AFTER INJURY KO, ACE STEVENS JUST WANTS A DECENT SHOT AT LGE ONE
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Talented technician who stars in the pocket
LUKE Cundle spent his formative years at Wolves watching Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves strut their stuff.
PREM DREAM EXCITES JOHN
WHILE he enters a relegation battle, John Eustace has set his long-term sights on taking Derby County back to the Premier League.
IT'S JOY FOR JOSH, SAM AND GEORGE
JOSH Windass, Sam Smith and George Abbott have been rewarded for their stunning strikes with the Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month awards for January.
ADAMS HAILS HIS BATTLING SHRIMPS SIDE
DEREK Adams was full of praise for his Morecambe side after their vital derby-day victory over Accrington Stanley.
