GIVE US TIME AND WE CAN BE A DOMINANT LEAGUE TWO SIDE

NOTTS County belatedly notched up their 5,000th Football League game yesterday – and manager Luke Williams doesn’t plan on many more being in the EFL’s bottom tier

- John Lyons

Of course, if it hadn’t been for a four-year stint in Non-League following relegation from the EFL basement in 2019, the Magpies would already have sailed well past the landmark figure.

After the disastrous ownership of Alan Hardy, the time spent in the National League gave Notts time to start again under Danish businessmen Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz.

The brothers have proved to be a more than steady pair, or two pairs, of hands at the tiller. True, there were a hat-trick of play-off disappointments, including final despair against Harrogate at Wembley in 2020, but Notts made it fourth time lucky last term.

After a thrilling season-long battle with Wrexham, County had to settle for runners-up spot with a whopping 107 points. They then edged a couple of play-off classics against Boreham Wood (3-2 after extra-time) and Chesterfield (4-3 on pens after a 2-2 draw) to win back their coveted Football League berth.

And they’ve made a highly encouraging start to life back in the top 92, heading into the weekend in second place in League Two.

Former Swindon boss Williams has been a massive part of the success story. He led the Magpies to promotion in his first season in the job and gained major plaudits for County’s expansive and attractive playing style.

With 28 goals to their name pre-weekend (the third highest tally in the division behind Crewe, 30 and Swindon, 29), Notts have shown they know the way to goal again this season, though the fact they have conceded 25 is a cause for some concern.

So has anything about the step up to League Two surprised the manager?

“The football is probably not as different as I thought it might have been from the National League - the way teams approach games,” said the 43-year-old. “Tactically, it’s not too dissimilar at all.