FLEET WON’T GIVE IT UP JUST YET ARDLEY’S FAITH NOW RESTORED
County boss’ joy to be back in the mix
NOTTS COUNTY boss Neal Ardley admits he spent a full month ‘worrying where lower league football was going’ – but is delighted that National League hopefuls will now get their chance to win a place in the EFL.
Ardley, whose Magpies side are due to face the winners of the Yeovil versus Barnet eliminator at Meadow Lane in the play-off semi-final, backs the way the National League’s decision has resolved the season although he accepts “hard luck stories were inevitable”.
“I’m pleased to get the news confirmed but there were times during this crisis when I really didn’t think it was going to happen,” Ardley told The NLP.
“I went from being quite positive in the few weeks after the season was suspended to four or five weeks where I was worrying where lower league football was going. That and people losing their loved ones completely overrode finishing the season.
Fitness levels
“The process itself has been long drawn out but it needed to be. I’ve been about 75 per cent confident in recent weeks the playoffs would get the go-ahead. There was no perfect way of resolving things, but we’re pleased with the outcome.”
Ardley praised the work of Notts chief executive Jason Turner and other club officials for getting them as ‘prepared as possible’ for the resumption but admits some things are out of his hands.
“We have to hope we don’t lose players to positive coronavirus tests and injuries,” he said. “The next seven days will be crucial and tell us where our players are. They were tested on Wednesday and we’ll know a great deal more about their fitness levels during the week of non-contact training beginning on Monday.
“That won’t leave a lot of time to put problems right – but it’s the same for everyone.”
Ardley, who has overseen the country’s oldest Football League club being relegated and being on the brink of extinction before inspiring an on-field revival in a ‘rollercoaster’ 19 months in charge at Meadow Lane, says he feels for the club’s long suffering fans.
“After not having much to cheer these last 20 years, they were looking at possible visits to Wembley in both the play-offs and the FA Trophy – now they can’t come to the ground to back us.
“The team spirit was very high and we were on a very good run before the crisis. Now we’ve got to get that back if we can.
“The club is in a much better place that 12 months ago and we’d love to finish the season on a high after setting out mostly to stabilise.”
Ardley added: “Congratulations to Barrow on winning the title and I wish them all the best in the EFL. We always knew how hard it was for relegated teams to go straight back up and doing so now would be an achievement.
“The draw itself doesn’t matter too much. Both Yeovil and Barnet have beaten us this season, so we know it will be difficult whoever we play.”
Stabilise