| 2022–23 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Christoffer Reedtz | ||
| Manager | Luke Williams | ||
| National League | 2nd (promoted via play-offs) | ||
| FA Cup | Fourth qualifying round | ||
| FA Trophy | Fourth round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League:Macaulay Langstaff (42) All:Macaulay Langstaff (42) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 16,511 (vYeovil Town, 19 November 2022) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 2,040 (vChorley, 20 December 2022) | ||
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |||
During the2022–23 English football season,Notts County competed in theNational League, the fifth tier of theEnglish football league system; this was their fourth season at this level following theirrelegation fromEFL League Two in 2019. The team was involved in an intense race withWrexham for the league title and the solitary automaticpromotion place, with the two clubs dominating the2022–23 National League season, together surpassing previous divisional records for points, wins and goals scored. Though Notts earned 107 points over the campaign, Wrexham claimed the title by a four-point margin, requiring the former to enter a six-team play-off to determine the second promoted club. Here, the team overturned a 0–2 deficit to defeatBoreham Wood 3–2 in extra time in the semi-final. It then gained a place in theEnglish Football League (EFL) by beatingChesterfield 4–3 onpenalties in the2023 National League play-off final following a 2–2 draw atWembley Stadium. The team fared less well in cup competitions, losing toCoalville Town in thefourth qualifying round of theFA Cup and toMaidstone United on penalties in thefourth round of theFA Trophy.
Led by first-year head coachLuke Williams, Notts County played 51 competitive matches, winning 34, drawing 13, losing four, and breaking numerous club records.Macaulay Langstaff scored 42 goals during the campaign, setting new club and league records for the most goals scored by a player in a single season, whileMatt Palmer made the most appearances, featuring in all 51 games. The necessity of a team with such a high points tally having to win promotion via the play-offs prompted discussion about increasing the number of promotion and relegation places between the National League and EFL, while the team's rivalry with Wrexham featured in season two of the television programmeWelcome to Wrexham. The season was affected by the sudden death, on 30 March, of Jason Turner, the club's chief executive officer, at the age of 50.
A founding member of theEnglish Football League (EFL) in 1888,[1] Notts County (nicknamed the Magpies) wererelegated tonon-League football for the first time in 2019.[a][3] The 2022–23 season was the club's fourth consecutive season in theNational League, the fifth tier of theEnglish football league system, with each of their three previous campaigns ending in defeat in the play-offs. Under the management ofNeal Ardley, Notts had finished third in the2019–20 season,[4] losing the2020 National League play-off final 3–1 toHarrogate Town.[5] Ardley was dismissed during the2020–21 season and replaced as head coach byIan Burchnall.[6] The team finished fifth,[7] and reached the semi-finals of the play-offs, losing 4–2 in extra time atTorquay United.[8] In2021–22, Burchnall's only full season in charge, Notts again finished fifth.[9]Rúben Rodrigues gave the Magpies a 1–0 lead in their home play-off quarter-final againstGrimsby Town atMeadow Lane,Nottingham. However, Grimsby found an equalising goal in the final moments of normal time, and won the match 2–1 late in extra time.[10]
On 27 May, four days after the play-off defeat to Grimsby, Burchnall departed Notts to take the role of head coach atLeague One sideForest Green Rovers.[11] His assistantMichael Doyle followed four days later.[12] Several players also departed during the off-season:Dion Kelly-Evans,Alex Lacey and Tyreace Palmer were released,[13]Kyle Wootton made a free transfer toStockport County,[14] and Lewis Knight andCallum Roberts were sold for undisclosed fees toGateshead andAberdeen respectively.[15][16] The club also agreed to terminate the contract of forwardElisha Sam.[17] There was one additional departure during the season, with Notts agreeing to terminate the contract ofJoel Taylor on 13 March.[18]
Several Notts players, who would make first-team appearances for the club during 2022–23, were alsoloaned to other clubs during the season.Frank Vincent was loaned toAldershot Town in August, initially for one month,[19] but then until January.[20] In November, before his release, Taylor was loaned toDagenham & Redbridge, originally for two months,[21] and then for one month further.[22] Before making his senior debut for the Magpies atBromley in March,Tiernan Brooks spent time on loan atHednesford Town andBoston United,[23] whileKairo Mitchell was loaned toEastleigh for the remainder of the season in February having found his playing time at Notts increasingly limited.[24]Ed Francis was the final player to be loaned out, moving to Gateshead until the end of the season in March.[25]
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Burchnall was replaced as head coach by formerSwindon Town managerLuke Williams, withRyan Harley as his assistant.[26] Notts County's first player signings came before Williams's arrival, with wing-backTobi Adebayo-Rowling the first announced on 29 May.[27] The Magpies added two other players to their defensive ranks during the off-season, withAden Baldwin's signing announced on 23 June,[28] and that of fellow centre-backGeraldo Bajrami coming the following day.[29] Notts also made three attacking signings in the off-season, all of whom featured in theNational League North's 2021–22 team of the season.[30] Notts paid undisclosed fees for Gateshead duoMacaulay Langstaff andCedwyn Scott,[31][32] who had scored 28 and 24 league goals respectively in the 2021–22 season,[33][34] with Langstaff also winning the National League North's player of the year award.[30] Joining them fromKidderminster Harriers was wingerSam Austin.[29] Notts made two further permanent transfers as the 2022–23 season progressed:John Bostock, who joined the Magpies on 7 December having been without a club since departingDoncaster Rovers in the summer,[35][36] and forwardJunior Morias, who joined the Magpies on 15 March from Dagenham.[37]
Notts County brought in five players on loan during the 2022–23 season, starting withLeicester City goalkeeperBrad Young, who joined on 26 August. Intended as a season-long loan,[38] an injury forced his return to Leicester in January. In Young's place, the Magpies secured the loan ofArchie Mair fromNorwich City.[39] MidfielderQuevin Castro joined on a four-month loan fromWest Bromwich Albion in September.[40] Following Castro's departure, Notts secured the loan of wingerJodi Jones fromOxford United for the remainder of the season.[41] The club's final loan signing was midfielderConnor Lemonheigh-Evans, who joined on loan from Stockport in February. Though intended to be a loan until the end of the season,[42] Lemonheigh-Evans was recalled by Stockport on 24 March.[43]
Notts County played a series offriendlies to prepare for the new season, defeatingBasford United 5–1 in their first match.[44] The Magpies then played a behind-closed-doors match against Leicester City at the latter's training ground on 9 July, coming from behind to win 2–1.[45] After a 2–0 win atAlfreton Town on 12 July,[46] Notts played two 70-minute matches againstCambridge United atSt Neots Town's Rowley Park on 16 July. Notts lost the first match 2–0, but won the second 3–2 through a seven-minutehat-trick from Langstaff.[47] Following a 1–1 draw at Boston United on 20 July,[48] Notts County playedNottingham Forest in their only home game of pre-season. Forest, fielding a "youthful starting XI", took 1–0 and 2–1 leads, but Notts levelled twice, and the match finished 2–2.[49] In their final pre-season match, Notts played at fellow National League sideYork City, with the Magpies winning 1–0.[50]
Key
|
|
Results
| Date | Opponents | Result | Notts County goalscorers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 July 2022 | Basford United (A) | 5–1 | Langstaff,Scott,Rodrigues,Cameron, Tait (o.g.) | [44] |
| 9 July 2022 | Leicester City (A) | 2–1 | Mitchell,Baldwin | [45] |
| 12 July 2022 | Alfreton Town (A) | 2–0 | Roberts (pen.),Francis | [46] |
| 16 July 2022 | Cambridge United (A) | 0–2 3–2 | Langstaff (3) | [47] |
| 20 July 2022 | Boston United (A) | 1–1 | Cameron | [48] |
| 27 July 2022 | Nottingham Forest (H) | 2–2 | Langstaff,Austin | [49] |
| 30 July 2022 | York City (A) | 1–0 | O'Brien | [50] |
The2022–23 National League season saw 24 teams play 46 matches each: two against every other team, with one match at each club's ground. Three points were awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for defeats. At the end of the season, the top-ranked team wonpromotion toEFL League Two. Unlike the divisions of the EFL, where the runner-up was also guaranteed to win promotion,[51] the National League runner-up entered a six-team play-off, featuring the teams finishing between second and seventh place, to determine the second promoted club.[52]
Notts County hostedMaidenhead United on the opening day of the season; Langstaff scored two goals on his debut in a 3–0 win.[53] The first away game, a week later at Boreham Wood, ended 2–2,[54] and was the first of three consecutive draws. Following a 1–1 draw at Gateshead,[55] Notts hostedChesterfield in their second home match of the season. After falling 2–0 down in the 55th minute, Luke Williams made a double substitution in an effort to salvage something from the game, with Austin and Scott coming on in favour of Jim O'Brien and Mitchell.[56] The effects were immediate; Langstaff pulled a goal back in the 60th minute, and headed a second three minutes later from Austin's cross.[57] The match finished 2–2, but Notts fell to tenth place in the league.[56] The Magpies then won consecutive matches for the first time that season, with a 4–1 win atFC Halifax Town (which featured anotherbrace for Langstaff) and a 1–0 home win overSolihull Moors.[58][59] Notts County finished August in fifth place with twelve points from six matches.[60]
September began with a 5–0 away win at Dagenham in which Langstaff scored a hat-trick.[61] Notts were then due to play Bromley at home on 10 September,[62] but this match was postponed following thedeath of Queen Elizabeth II.[63] When football resumed on 13 September, the Magpies won a fourth consecutive match, this time defeating Aldershot 2–0.[64] The next game, played four days later atDorking Wanderers, saw Dorking's James McShane score a hat-trick, including goals in the 90th and 95th minute, as Notts County's unbeaten start to the season was ended with a 3–1 loss.[65] Notts were away again the following week, this time at York, with loanee Quevin Castro putting the Magpies 1–0 ahead after five minutes with a long-rangefree kick.[66] AlthoughFraser Kerr equalised for the home side, Langstaff restored Notts County's lead against his former club shortly before half-time, and scored a second in the second half to seal a 3–1 win.[67] September ended with Notts in third place, taking 21 points from 10 matches.[68]
On 10 October, Langstaff was announced as the National League's player of the month for September.[69] Having previously won the same award for the month of August,[70] Langstaff became the first player to win consecutive National League player of the month awards.[69] His prolific early-season form was receiving increasing media attention, including favourable comparisons toManchester City'sErling Haaland.[71][72][73] Langstaff joked that friends were sending him messages every week to remind him that Haaland was closing in on his goal tally.[71] He told Paul Taylor ofThe Athletic that comparisons with the City forward were a "massive, massive privilege" and that he hoped "to stay ahead of him", but continued "... it is about Notts; about winning promotion and nothing else. If you asked me whether I would rather get more goals than Haaland this season or, alternatively, win promotion – I would pick promotion without hesitation."[73]
In their first match of October, Notts County defeatedAltrincham 3–1 at home.[74] As a result of the previous league leaders Chesterfield's 2–1 defeat to Maidenhead the same day, Wrexham (nicknamed the Red Dragons) and Notts County moved into first and second place in the table,[75] beginning the intense race between the two teams for the league championship.[76] By coincidence, Notts hosted Wrexham in their first meeting of the season three days later. The match attracted 10,741 spectators, and was won 1–0 by the Magpies through a 13th-minute goal by Langstaff, who was able to finish a well-worked free kick routine. The victory put Notts top of the table,[77] a position they retained for the remainder of October after a 3–2 win atWoking,[78] a 3–0 home win overMaidstone United,[79] and a 6–1 win atWealdstone.[80] The latter was the first time Notts had scored six goals in an away league match since a 6–0 win atChelsea in February 1924.[81] In their final match of October, Notts stretched their winning run to seven with a 4–0 home win over Torquay,[82] ending the month in first place with 39 points from 16 matches.[83]
Notts County's seven-match winning run came to an end in their first match of November, a 1–1 draw at home to Bromley.[84] Notts drew again in their next game, played atSouthend United on 8 November; Langstaff and Scott gave Notts 1–0 and 2–1 leads, but Southend levelled twice to secure a 2–2 draw.[85] This result, combined with Wrexham's 3–1 win overScunthorpe United the following night,[86] saw the Magpies fall to second place.[87] It was the first of four consecutive rounds of fixtures where Notts County and Wrexham would exchange first position. Wrexham were held to a 0–0 draw at Wealdstone on 12 November, allowing Notts to regain top spot with a 2–0 win at Eastleigh.[88][89] The following week, Notts were held to a 0–0 draw at home toYeovil Town, a match notable for drawing a record National League crowd of 16,511, the result of a discounted ticket promotion.[90] On the same afternoon, Wrexham defeated Aldershot 2–0,[91] meaning November ended with Notts County in second place, with 45 points from 20 matches.[92]
Notts regained top spot on 3 December; that afternoon, they defeated Scunthorpe 4–1 atGlanford Park while Wrexham were held to a 1–1 draw at York.[93][94] Notts County's next match, played at Maidenhead on 10 December, was described by Oliver King of theNottingham Post as a "thrilling encounter".[95] First half goals from Rodrigues, Castro and Langstaff had given Notts a 3–1 lead, but the home side fought back in the second half to level the score at 3–3. In the 83rd minute, Langstaff scored his second when he steeredKyle Cameron's cross past the Maidenhead goalkeeper, and Notts won 4–3.[96][95] The Magpies finished December with two home matches, the first a 2–0 win over Gateshead in which leading goal scorer Langstaff sustained an injury, keeping him out the following match.[97][98] Notts fared well without their most prolific forward, defeatingOldham Athletic 4–1 on 26 December,[99] and ended 2022 in first place, taking 57 points from 24 matches.[100]
Notts faced Oldham again in the first match of 2023, played on New Year's Day at the latter'sBoundary Park. Langstaff returned from injury; he and Scott scored, but the game finished 2–2.[101] The Magpies won their next match 3–0 at Aldershot on 7 January,[102] but were then held to a 1–1 draw with Boreham Wood in their first home game of the year.[103] There then followed an 18-day break in league matches, caused firstly by Notts County's participation in theFA Trophy and then the postponement of their scheduled visits to Chesterfield and Solihull due to freezing weather conditions.[104][105] Wrexham won two league matches during this period,[106][107] allowing them to take a three-point lead at the top of the table.[108] With the Red Dragons involved in the FA Cup,[109] the Magpies drew level on points with a 1–0 home win over Halifax on 28 January.[110] They then retook top spot in the final game of January, a 2–1 win in their rearranged game at Solihull. Notts found themselves 1–0 down, but secured victory via two Rodriguespenalties,[111] meaning Notts ended January in first place, taking 68 points from 29 games.[112]
Notts County's first match in February was at Torquay, a 2–1 win for the Magpies despite playing the final 25 minutes with only ten men.[113] The following week, Notts travelled to Chesterfield for their rearranged game; Langstaff opened the scoring for the away team, controlling a long pass from goalkeeperSam Slocombe and beatingRoss Fitzsimons. Although Chesterfield equalised before half time, they were reduced to ten men in the second half, andAdam Chicksen's 71st minute goal secured a 2–1 away win.[114] Notts scored four goals in each of their next three matches, first beatingBarnet 4–1 at Meadow Lane and then beating Yeovil away by the same scoreline, Langstaff scoring a hat-trick in the latter.[115][116] A 4–0 home win over Southend was Notts County's 25th league match unbeaten,[117] a club record brought to an end on 25 February whenInih Effiong's 86th-minute goal gave Dagenham a 2–1 win at Meadow Lane.[118] On 28 February, Wrexham defeated Chesterfield 2–1 to move ahead of Notts;[119] as a result, the Magpies ended February in second place, with 83 points from 35 matches.[120]
Notts were held to a 1–1 draw at Bromley in their first game of March,[121] but then won back-to-back home games against Dorking and Eastleigh; in both matches, the Magpies won 3–1 having fallen 0–1 behind.[122][123] Notts were then held to another 1–1 draw at Barnet on 18 March, a result that led to the team falling three points behind Wrexham.[124] Notts followed this with a 4–0 home win over Scunthorpe on 25 March, with Langstaff scoring his 38th and 39th goals, equalling the club record for most goals scored in a single season by an individual player.[125] The record was broken in Notts County's final game of the month, played at Altrincham on 28 March, when Langstaff finished a quickly taken free kick from Bostock to put the Magpies 1–0 up. Archie Mair saved a first half penalty for the away team, and Rodrigues's second-half penalty made the final score 2–0 to Notts.[126] This match was brought forward from 1 April due to Altrincham's involvement in the FA Trophy,[127] allowing Notts to end March top of the table on goal difference, with 97 points from 41 matches.[128]
In their first game of April, Notts defeated Wealdstone 3–0, with Langstaff scoring to break the National League record for most goals in a season.[130] That same afternoon, Wrexham lost 3–1 at Halifax, meaning the Magpies and Red Dragons were tied on 100 points.[131] Having already beaten or expected to surpass previous divisional records for wins, points and goals scored,[132] the two teams met at Wrexham'sRacecourse Ground on 10 April. With only the champions certain to win promotion, and the runner-up at risk of not going up at all, there was significant interest in the match; it received international coverage fromThe New York Times,[133] and was characterised in the press as the biggest game in National League or non-League history.[132][134][135] Notts led 1–0 at half time through a Bostock free kick in added-on time, but Wrexham established a 3–2 lead during the second half. In the sixth minute of injury time, the Magpies were given the chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty for a handball, but Wrexham's goalkeeperBen Foster saved the subsequent attempt from Scott, and the Red Dragons held on to win,[136][137] taking a three-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand.[138]
Notts defeated Woking 3–0 at home in their next match, temporarily reducing the gap on Wrexham to one point following the latter's draw at Barnet.[139][140] However, Wrexham would defeat Yeovil on 18 April to win their game in hand and move four points clear, meaning a victory in either of their two remaining matches would clinch the title.[141] That victory duly came on 22 April, when the Red Dragons beat Boreham Wood.[142] That same day, Notts played their final away match of the season at Maidstone, a 5–2 win in which O'Brien scored a hat-trick.[143] In their final match of the regular season, Notts drew 1–1 with York at Meadow Lane, with Langstaff scoring his 42nd goal.[144] Notts ended the regular season in second place with 107 points from 46 matches, a points tally sufficient to have won any previous National League title.[145]
Key
|
|
Results
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wrexham | 46 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 116 | 43 | +73 | 111 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Notts County | 46 | 32 | 11 | 3 | 117 | 42 | +75 | 107 | Participated in play-offs, promoted |
| 3 | Chesterfield | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 85 | 52 | +33 | 84 | Participated in play-offs |
| 4 | Woking | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 71 | 48 | +23 | 82 | |
| 5 | Barnet | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 75 | 67 | +8 | 74 | |
| 6 | Boreham Wood | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 52 | 40 | +12 | 72 | |
| 7 | Bromley | 46 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 68 | 53 | +15 | 71 |
Under the National League's play-off format, second place Notts County and third place Chesterfield advanced directly to the semi-final stage; the pair's opponents were decided in two quarter-finals involving the teams finishing between fourth and seventh.[52] Notts ultimately faced Boreham Wood, the latter having beaten Barnet 2–1 in their quarter-final.[147] Although Boreham Wood had finished 35 points behind Notts in the league standings,[148] closer in points to the relegation places than to the Magpies,[145] Williams anticipated a close match. He told reporters "... on the day, we know that anything can happen and I don't think there is much difference between any of the teams that a fixture is a given".[149] Two days before the match, Boreham Wood signed Eastleigh goalkeeperJoe McDonnell on an emergency loan due to an injury sustained by first-choice goalkeeperNathan Ashmore in the quarter-final.[150] Notts named the same starting eleven as their final regular season match against York City.[144][151]
The semi-final, played at Meadow Lane on 7 May, was attended by 15,617 spectators. The Magpies missed a series of chances during the first half, and their wastefulness was punished in the 37th minute whenFemi Ilesanmi scored from close range to put Boreham Wood 1–0 up. Aden Baldwin then had two opportunities to equalise for Notts from long range, but Boreham Wood doubled their lead whenLee Ndlovu pounced on a loose pass from Bostock to Baldwin and found himself one-on-one with Slocombe. The away team led 2–0 at half time. Early in the second half, Baldwin's third long-range effort found the back of the net to reduce the deficit to 1–2. The Magpies then had the chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Rodrigues; Rodrigues took the penalty himself, but saw it saved by McDonnell. The match remained 1–2 until the sixth minute of injury time, when a powerful cross from substitute Jodi Jones met the head of Baldwin, who directed the ball into the net to make the score 2–2 in the final moments of normal time. Both sides had chances in extra time, but the scores remained tied until the final minute, when Jones's effort from the edge of the penalty area found its way past McDonnell, giving Notts a last-ditch 3–2 victory and sparking apitch invasion from jubilant supporters.[151][152][153]
Baldwin's two goals were the first of his professional career.[151] Speaking to reporters after the match about his equalising goal, Baldwin said "it is one of the best feelings I have ever felt – for Jodi to cut in and hit it as hard as he did, I just needed to connect with it, which I did, and I had that realisation that we could only go on to win the game from there."[154] Jones's goal was his first since October 2018; he had suffered from a series ofanterior cruciate ligament injuries which had prevented him from playing for much of the intervening period.[155] Discussing the immediate aftermath of his goal, Jones told Ben Fisher ofThe Guardian "I remember trying to pull my shirt off; I was just so excited I didn't know what to do. I saw all the bench coming towards me, the gaffer trying to chase me but he couldn't keep up."[156] The win meant that Notts County qualified for the play-off final, played atWembley Stadium on 13 May.[157]
Notts County faced Chesterfield (nicknamed the Spireites) in the final, the latter having beaten Bromley 3–2 in extra time in the semi-final.[158] Notts County had previously played at Wembley Stadium in the1990 Third Division play-off final,1991 Second Division play-off final,1994 Anglo-Italian Cup final,1995 Anglo-Italian Cup final,1996 Second Division play-off final and 2020 National League play-off final. Asked what a win would mean to the club after missing automatic promotion, Williams said "we would feel some sort of justification, a sense of confirmation, that all our hard work paid off". He anticipated "a real huge clash between two very good teams for the level".[159] Williams named an unchanged starting eleven from that which had begun the semi-final.[160]
Watched by 38,138 spectators, the Magpies had to defend an indirect free kick in their own penalty area in the opening minutes, after Slocombe inadvertently took two touches of the ball following a goal kick. Slocombe saved the subsequent attempt fromJeff King, but gave away a penalty for a foul onAndrew Dallas shortly after, and Dallas put Chesterfield 1–0 up; this remained the score at half time. Notts came close to equalising through Austin and Rawlinson during the second half, but the match remained 1–0 until the 87th minute. Awarded a free kick along the left-hand side, Bostock caught goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons out of position and equalised for the Magpies at the near post. The score was 1–1 at full time.[161][162]
Chesterfield regained their lead early in the first half of extra time throughArmando Dobra, who had time and space to place a shot past Slocombe. Langstaff and Rawlinson both had opportunities to equalise for the Magpies, but the Spireites led 2–1 at half time in extra time. Notts equalised early in the second half through Rodrigues, whose bouncing volley looped into the back of the net. There was no further scoring, and the match finished 2–2, meaning the second promoted club would be decided by apenalty shoot-out.[161][162] Late in extra time, Williams substituted Slocombe, who had not saved a penalty during the season, for Archie Mair, who had.[163] Mair saved two of Chesterfield's first four penalties, while Langstaff, Rodrigues and Jones all scored with Notts County's first three kicks. This gave Bostock the opportunity to win the match for the Magpies, but his attemptedpanenka hit the crossbar.Joe Quigley scored Chesterfield's fifth and final penalty, leaving Cedwyn Scott to seal promotion for his team with Notts County's final kick.[161][162]
Notts County won promotion despite leading their two play-off matches for a combined total of about one minute. In post-play-off final interviews, Williams paid tribute to his team, saying "I've learned that when these guys look like they are done, they are not – they have another roll of the dice".[164] Williams credited the Notts goalkeeping coach Tom Weal for his role in Bostock's equaliser, revealing that, in pre-match analysis, Weal had noticed the Chesterfield goalkeeper's tendency to leave "big, big gaps" when defending free kicks, and had put this "in the mind of the players".[165] Bostock was able to joke about his penalty miss: "I thought it wascrossbar challenge", he toldBT Sport.[166] Bostock's miss meant the promotion-winning penalty was taken by Scott, who admitted to being "a bit nervous" as he prepared to take his kick following "the affairs that happened at Wrexham" (the pivotal league match where he had seen his injury-time penalty to equalise saved). "That hit me hard" he said, but this time "gladly I put it away".[167]
Key
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|
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Notts County goalscorers | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 2023 | Semi-final | Boreham Wood (H) | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Baldwin (2),Jones | 15,617 | [151] |
| 13 May 2023 | Final | Chesterfield (N) | 2–2 (a.e.t.) 4–3 (pens.) | Bostock,Rodrigues | 38,138 | [161] |
Notts County entered the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage, where they were drawn at home toCoalville Town of theSouthern Football League's Premier Division Central.[168] After making eight changes from their previous league game, the Magpies found themselves 1–0 down almost immediately. Although Austin quickly equalised for Notts, Coalville restored their lead in the 23rd minute, and led 2–1 at half time. In the second half, Notts brought on two first-team regulars, Palmer and Rodrigues, and were level in the 66th minute through Austin's second goal of the game. Langstaff was brought on immediately afterwards in an effort to win the match, but Coalville retook the lead in the 86th minute through Luke Shaw, and held on to win 3–2 in a majorupset.[169]
Key
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|
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Notts County goalscorers | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 2022 | Fourth qualifying round | Coalville Town (H) | 2–3 | Austin (2) | 5,060 | [170] |
Notts County's FA Trophy campaign began in the third round at home toChorley of National League North. Notts made six changes from their previous league match, including bringing in Bostock for his first start for the club. Chorley took a 1–0 lead through Connor Hall, but Notts were soon level through Austin, who equalised in the 33rd minute. In first-half injury time, Scott Leather turned a cross from Nemane into his own net to give Notts the lead. With no further scoring, Notts won 2–1.[171]
In the fourth round, the Magpies were again drawn at home, this time against fellow National League club Maidstone United. Notts made six changes to their starting eleven from their previous league match, and also included youth team membersMadou Cisse and Charlie Gill on the bench; both made their debuts in this match.Regan Booty gave Maidstone a 1–0 lead with a first-half penalty, and the away side extended their lead whenRoarie Deacon fired into an empty net from 45 yards, after Notts were caught in possession. Chicksen reduced the deficit to 1–2 shortly afterwards, and Notts levelled the game late on when Austin was able to follow up on his own rebound. The match went to penalties, with the away team winning 6–5, Palmer seeing the decisive penalty saved by the Maidstone goalkeeper.[172][173]
Key
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|
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Notts County goalscorers | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 December 2022 | Third | Chorley (H) | 2–1 | Austin,Leather (o.g.) | 2,040 | [174] |
| 15 January 2023 | Fourth | Maidstone United (H) | 2–2 5–6 (pens.) | Chicksen,Austin | 2,405 | [173] |
Notts County played 51 matches in the 2022–23 season: 46 in the league, two in the play-offs, one in FA Cup qualifying and two in the FA Trophy. Matt Palmer was the only player to feature in every game, starting 48 times and being brought off the bench as a substitute in the other three matches. Across all competitions, Notts made use of 30 different players, four of whom were goalkeepers. A total of nineteen different players scored 128 goals between them across all competitions.
Pos = Playing position Nat. = Nationality Apps = Appearances | GK =Goalkeeper DF =Defender MF =Midfielder FW =Forward |
|
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances assubstitute.
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | National League | Play-offs | FA Cup | FA Trophy | Total | Discipline | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| DF |  ENG | Tobi Adebayo-Rowling | 6 (5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 (5) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Sam Austin | 20 (21) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 25 (21) | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| DF |  ALB | Geraldo Bajrami | 19 (12) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 (12) | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Aden Baldwin | 29 (1) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 (1) | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | John Bostock | 14 (9) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 (9) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Richard Brindley | 26 (3) | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 (5) | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| GK |  IRE | Tiernan Brooks | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF |  SCO | Kyle Cameron | 44 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| MF |  POR | Quevin Castro | 4 (10) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 (10) | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| DF |  ZIM | Adam Chicksen | 44 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Madou Cisse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Ed Francis | 6 (4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 8 (5) | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Charlie Gill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW |  MLT | Jodi Jones | 8 (8) | 0 | 0 (2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 (10) | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Macaulay Langstaff | 44 (1) | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 (2) | 42 | 2 | 0 |
| MF |  WAL | Connor Lemonheigh-Evans | 1 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Lucien Mahovo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GK | SCO | Archie Mair | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 (2) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW |  GRN | Kairo Mitchell | 1 (14) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 3 (16) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Junior Morias | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW |  FRA | Aaron Nemane | 35 (3) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 (3) | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | IRE | Jim O'Brien | 21 (6) | 5 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 (7) | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Matt Palmer | 44 (2) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 (3) | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| DF | WAL | Connell Rawlinson | 27 (1) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 (1) | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| FW | POR | Rúben Rodrigues | 43 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 (1) | 19 | 9 | 1 |
| FW | ENG | Cedwyn Scott | 21 (15) | 15 | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 (17) | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| GK | ENG | Sam Slocombe | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Joel Taylor | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Frank Vincent | 1 (8) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (8) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| GK | ENG | Brad Young | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Notts County's season was affected by the sudden death, on 30 March, of Jason Turner, the club's chief executive officer, at the age of 50.[179] Among those paying tribute to Turner were the club's owners, Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz;[180] head coach Luke Williams,[181] players from the club and officials from others.[179] The club's first match following Turner's death, the home game with Wealdstone on 7 April, was attended by his family, and preceded by a minute's applause, with the team and coaching staff wearing t-shirts bearing Turner's image.[182] Williams dedicated his team's 3–0 win to Turner: "I think that was fitting for Jason," he toldBBC Radio Nottingham.[183] Notts made a large banner featuring Turner in tribute to him;[184] this was taken to Wembley Stadium and displayed there during the play-off final. The players also included a framed photo of him in their celebrations after being presented with the play-off trophy.[185]
The team broke numerous club records during the 2022–23 season.[186] The1997–98 team had held Notts County's record for most points in a season (99)[187] and fewest league defeats (5).[188] Its 2022–23 counterparts bettered both of these records, accumulating 107 points and being beaten only 3 times. The 32 wins achieved during 2022–23 surpassed the previous record of 30 held by the1970–71 team.[188] Between 24 September 2022 and 25 February 2023, Notts County were unbeaten in 25 league matches. This exceeded the previous record of 19 league matches, achieved between 26 April 1930 and 17 December 1930,[188] encompassing the final game of the1929–30 season and first 18 of1930–31.[189] In the latter season,Tom Keetley scored 39 goals for the Magpies as they won promotion fromThird Division South.[190] This stood as the record for most goals scored for Notts County by an individual player in a single season until beaten by Macaulay Langstaff's 42 goals during 2022–23. Langstaff also broke the previous National League record for goals in a season, beatingRicky Miller's 40 goals forDover Athletic in2016–17.[191] In total, the team scored 117 league goals during the 2022–23 season, 10 more than its1959–60 counterparts and the previous record holder.[188]
A Notts County player was recognised as National League player of the month four times during the 2022–23 season. Three of these awards were won by Macaulay Langstaff, who was player of the month for August, September and March.[70][69][192] Kyle Cameron was named player of the month for December.[193] Langstaff was awarded National League player of the year, while he and Cameron were also named in the National League's team of the year, alongside their Notts County teammates Adam Chicksen, Matt Palmer and Rúben Rodrigues.[194] Luke Williams won manager of the month awards twice during the season, in October and March.[195][192]
Promotion meant Notts County regained their status as the oldest EFL club,[196] an important part of their identity before relegation in 2019.[197] Luke Williams described it as an "enormous ... massive moment in the history of the club. We have shut the door on the worst times the club has experienced since its beginning".[196] The team returned to Nottingham the day following the play-off final, greeted by hundreds of supporters at Meadow Lane.[198] There were no civic celebrations in the city'sOld Market Square to mark the team's achievement, withNottingham City Council, months away fromeffectively declaring bankruptcy,[199] initially announcing that none could take place due to pressure on the council's budget.[200] Following criticism, the council announced that it wanted to stage an event before the start of the following season,[201] though Notts County eventually declined this invitation.[202] Council leader David Mellen apologised for the initial decision, saying it had "not been the council's finest hour".[203]
The necessity of Notts County having to win promotion via the play-offs despite finishing the season with 107 points, a record for a team finishing second,[145] led to "increasing scrutiny" of the number of promotion and relegation places between the National League and EFL.[204] "We want to make it [more promotion places] happen," Mark Ives, the National League's general manager, said following the play-off final. "Everyone would think it is fair that the two teams with more than 100 points went up. We were at risk of that not happening. The issue for me is when and how it works."[205] His sentiments were echoed by other figures within the National League, including Chesterfield's managerPaul Cook, who described the league's solitary automatic promotion place as "an absolute sporting disgrace", continuing "Notts County should have gone up automatically without a doubt."[206] In February 2025, the 72 National League clubs wrote to the EFL to formally request an additional promotion and relegation place between the two leagues. Coverage of this referenced Notts County's experience, and Dagenham's managing director Steve Thompson cited it as a reason to support the change.[207]
Notts County's season-long rivalry with Wrexham was the focus of several episodes of season two ofWelcome to Wrexham, theFX show documenting actorsRyan Reynolds andRob McElhenney's takeover of the Red Dragons. Episode 2, titled "Nott Yet", focused on Notts County's 1–0 win over Wrexham in their first meeting of the season,[76] while episode 12, "Hand of Foz", documented Wrexham's 3–2 win in the second and pivotal match.[208] The final episode, "Up the Town?", featured interviews with Luke Williams, John Bostock, Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott, and the episode ended with footage of Scott's promotion-winning penalty at Wembley.[209] Scott described the latter as "a nice touch", drawing supportive comments from both McElhenney and Reynolds.[210]
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