County clueless, managerless and in peril

NOTTS COUNTY have not got as many points in their last six games as owner Alan Hardy landed for speeding this month.

They sit next to bottom of League Two and the world’s oldest professional team will be out of the Football League unless ownerchairman Hardy gets his third managerial appointment right.

County were a mess, well beaten by a Cheltenham team that had won just twice all season before this stroll that sent Meadow Lane into a rage.

They were so poor they made Luke Varney (right) look like Jamie Vardy as he scored twice and Tyrone Barnett got a third.

The win took Cheltenham out of the bottom two on goal difference and dumped County into it.

A year earlier to the day, the Magpies beat Cheltenham at Meadow Lane and were top League Two.

Kevin Nolan, who took them to the play-offs, was sacked by Hardy in September, his successor, Harry Kewell, went on Tuesday.

Both had gone six games without a win. Hardy, a 54-year-old businessman, does not mess about. He bought the club 22 months ago for £3.5million and saved it from going bust.

They might now not be financially bust, but they are a busted flush on the pitch.

Their only points since the first week of October are draws with Port Vale and Oldham.

Hardy’s six points came from driving at 77mph in a 40mph limit through road works.

Michael Appleton turned down an offer to replace Kewell, Paul Hurst is the favourite and under-23 boss Steve Chettle is the caretaker with a mess to clean up.

“We need to stand up and be counted as men,” says Chettle.

“If that means pointing a finger then do so. It needs sorting out of quickly because we’re in a bit of a predicament. You’ll have to give me a bit of grace because I’ve only been in the dressing room a week.

“I was under-23 manager last season so I don’t know how it’s come to this point.

“But this is a tough profession. We have to be men about it. There were 6,000 people here shouting and screaming because it wasn’t good enough and we have to accept that.” If Hurst, sacked by Ipswich, was not put off by what he has seen he is likely to be new manager this week.

Hardy said he cried when he sacked his friend Nolan. He has to be sure his next tears are not for a club’s death in the Football League.