Notts County have decided to part ways with manager Neal Ardley today after a disappointing run of results left The Magpies sitting sixth in the table.
Ardley has been in charge at Meadow Lane since November 2018 and stayed at the club when they were relegated to non-League at the end of the 2018-19 season.
A statement released by club owners, Chris and Alex Reedtz, said: “We wish to place on record the huge respect we have for Neal both as a manager and a man. He stuck by this club through some of its darkest hours and has played a leading role in stabilising us following a devastating relegation.”
Ardley lead the club to the play-off final at Wembley last year, where they fell agonisingly short of gaining promotion back to the football league at the first attempt, when they lost 3-1 to Harrogate.
“We consider many factors which far outweigh our results in the last few matches and these deliberations have ultimately led us to conclude that we can be better, and that a change is needed to take us to the next level,” the statement read.
The Reedtz brothers have high hopes for The Magpies and being in the National League is clearly not part of those plans, they want to see their club return to the football league as quickly as possible.
The question of who will fill the Meadow Lane hot-seat next will be on the lips of County’s large fan base. Leigh Curtis who covers Notts County for the Nottingham Post tweeted: “Expect a quick appointment given there are so many important games coming up.”
By Alex Brinton