Notts County: Alexander & Christoffer Reedtz complete takeover

Notts County were relegated from the English Football League for the first time in their history in May

Notts County have been taken over by Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz, the National League club have confirmed.

The sale should ensure the future of the 157-year-old Magpies, who have faced the prospect of being wound up over an unpaid tax bill.

Outgoing owner Alan Hardy first put the financially-troubled club, a founding member of the English Football League, up for sale in January.

Notts were relegated from the EFL for the first time in their history in May.

"We are delighted that the deal has been completed, and that the uncertainty about the club's future has come to an end," said Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz in a statement.

"We can now all shift our focus towards the exciting new football season which is just around the corner.

"As you may be aware, we run a football analysis company called Football Radar, which has its headquarters in London and further offices in Liverpool and Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

"Ever since we founded the company 10 years ago it has been our goal to own a professional football club, and we are thrilled that the day has come where we have fulfilled this ambition."

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Analysis

Natalie Jackson, BBC East Midlands Today sports editor

The announcement will come as a massive relief to Notts fans, who were fearing their club could be wound up.

It means they will not start the season in the National League 12 points down and will have owners who Hardy says are "very credible".

There has been endless uncertainty since Hardy put the club up for sale, with Notts being relegated and deals seemingly stalling at various stages.

He had great ambitions for the club. He is a local businessman who had the best intentions and was warmly welcomed when he first arrived. Notts almost won promotion from League Two in his first full season as owner.

But last season he sacked two managers and things could not have gone any worse on and off the field. Notts fans have had a truly terrible 12 months and will hope this is the start of a new era - albeit outside the Football League for the first time in their history.

A bad year for world's oldest professional club

Financial trouble at Meadow Lane - with owner Hardy having parts of his interior design company Paragon sold off by administrators - was compounded by the worst season in the club's history.

Neal Ardley was one of three managers to take charge of County during a tumultuous 2018-19 campaign, which ultimately saw them finish 23rd in League Two.

Former AFC Wimbledon boss Ardley took over in November after Harry Kewell's sacking, the ex-Liverpool midfielder having only replaced Kevin Nolan as manager 10 weeks earlier.

Ardley has remained in charge following their relegation to non-league and, like his players and the club's other staff, has not had his wages paid since May.

The Magpies, a club founded nine years before the FA Cup was first played in 1871 and who went on to win the competition for the only time in their history 125 years ago, have appeared in the High Court three times in the past four months over monies owned to HM Revenue & Customs.

The club will next appear in court on 31 July.