Ambitious Alan Hardy targets promotion to the Championship with Notts County in three years

Notts County owner and chairman, Alan Hardy said the decision to sell followed 'considerable soul-searching'.

New Notts County owner Alan Hardy says he aims to bring passion, desire and commitment back to Meadow Lane – and hopes the club will resolve the transfer embargo within the next fortnight.

Hardy said he felt “humbled” to takeover the football club he supports – and admitted the initial challenges he faces are to save the Magpies from relegation, and to stabilise the club financially, which he said is losing £1.6 million a year.

Mr Hardy yesterday announced he had officially taken over the club on Twitter.

The purchase from Ray Trew was expected to go through on Monday, but a dispute over who was to pay a £1.5 million loan to the Haydn Green estate delayed the takeover by 48 hours.

In his first official press conference, Hardy said he has met with the players and said he has a three to five year plan to take the club to the Championship.

Alan Hardy's first press conference as Notts County owner
Alan Hardy’s first press conference as Notts County owner

The first game of the Hardy era comes in the form of a local derby with Mansfield Town, with the Magpies languishing in 22nd place in the League Two table and a point above the relegation zone.

Hardy said 10,000 supporters are expected through the turnstiles and said he believes a new era is dawning for the club, adding he hopes to lower ticket prices in the future – even possibly allowing under 12s to attend Magpies games for free.

The club have lost their past ten league matches, the slump in form leading to former boss John Sheridan being sacked last week.

john-sheridan

The club are also the subject of a winding-up petition brought by HM Revenue & Customs and have until 6 February to settle any outstanding debts. Hardy described the debt as “complex” but hopes the issue will be resolved within two weeks.

Hardy also hopes to appoint a new academy director tomorrow – the chairman locked in talks with directors from Premier League outfits West Brom and Southampton – and is liaising with Nottngham City Council leader, Jon Collins, over the proposition of building a state-of-the-art, multi-million pound training ground.

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