Notts County: Cost stops promotion celebration

Notts County secured a return to League Two in a play-off final at Wembley on Saturday

Nottingham City Council has said it will not be putting on a celebratory event to mark Notts County's promotion.

The world's oldest football league club secured a return to League Two in a play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.

The council said it was "delighted" by the victory and displayed a banner on the Council House.

However, it said it would not be organising an event for the club in Old Market Square because of increased pressures on its finances.

A spokesperson for the Labour-run authority said: "We have worked extremely hard to identify the required budget but unfortunately going ahead with an event will not be possible.

"We will light up and display a banner on the Council House in honour of Notts County's achievement."

The move has been criticised by the Conservative MP for Bassetlaw, Brendan Clarke-Smith.

In response to a BBC post on Twitter he offered to pay for the celebration himself.

Former Notts County owner Alan Hardy described the situation as a "shambles".

He also offered to help pay for the event, partly as an apology for relegation to the National League under his leadership.

Mr Hardy told BBC Radio Nottingham: "I'll happily contribute a bit and let's face it, I feel a huge amount of guilt about what happened in the last three or four years.

"This will be my sorry and well done to all of the brilliant fans."

Fans enjoyed the match but the lack of official celebration has left a bitter taste for many

The fans themselves were also not slow to voice their anger.

Many felt Notts County's promotion has not been met with the same response from the council as Nottingham Forest's last year.

The Reds enjoyed a celebratory event when it was promoted into the Premier League.

Magpies fan John Tennyson said: "I am absolutely amazed and annoyed.

"We are Notts County. We are now officially the world's oldest football league club again.

"We are actually within the bounds of the city and they can't even be bothered to give us what we deserve."

'Extremely unfair'

Another supporter, Joseph Leivers, admitted it was hard not to draw comparisons with Forest's treatment.

"I think it shows a real lack of recognition of Notts County and a lack of value that Notts County has to the city," he said.

"We have been palmed off with a banner and a picture on a screen."

Lindsey Fitch said on Facebook: "We have two great clubs either side of the river. Should be able to be in that balcony like Forest was."

Simon Foster said: "As a Forest fan, I don't see how it was possible for us then and not the Magpies. Sounds extremely unfair."

Fans did get an opportunity to celebrate with the team when it returned to its Meadow Lane ground on Sunday.

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