Notts County are aiming to return to League One for the first time since 2015.
Magpies goalkeeper James Belshaw, a lifelong Notts supporter, has spoken about the club’s journey to the League Two play-off final and his pride at representing his boyhood team. He described the upcoming trip to Wembley as a “surreal honour” after joining in January.
Financial Struggles and Revival
Belshaw recalled worrying about the club’s future. “There were times when you didn’t know whether you would have a football club to follow because of financial difficulties, and previous things that are well documented within the history of this club,” Belshaw said.
Notts County faced numerous brushes with financial collapse under a succession of owners, dropping out of the English Football League in 2019. This followed two relegations in five seasons.
Belshaw reflected on the period following the promotion to League One and the “Munto finance thing”, describing the two relegations as a “tough time to be a Notts fan”.
New Ownership Brings Stability
Danish brothers Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz bought the club and delivered stability before bankrolling their return to League Two in 2023.
Belshaw highlighted the importance of the current ownership. “To now have an ownership group that cares about the club, that’s a stable club, that has a set way of running the football club in a way that has bought success can’t be overlooked.”
Pride in the Club’s Resilience
Belshaw, who played against Notts when Harrogate beat them in the National League promotion final in 2020, believes the time in the fifth tier helped to “flip” the narrative.
He acknowledged the historical significance of Notts County. As a founding member of the Football League in 1888, dropping to non-league level in 2019 was a blow.
Belshaw said many Notts fans believe the club should be playing at League One standard as a minimum. He added: “But to be on the right path to that, I think a lot of Notts fans would definitely take the years in the National League to be supporting a football club that they can be proud of that is ultimately still a football club, because that obviously was real danger.”
Belshaw’s arrival at Meadow Lane has added a fairytale aspect to Notts County’s promotion bid. He is a hometown player from a family of Magpies supporters.
Notts County are looking to win promotion at Wembley for the second time in four years.