Category Sports News

Notts County have sacked head coach Stuart Maynard after he failed to guide them to promotion from League Two.

The 44-year-old’s 16 months in charge of the Magpies have come to an end five days after the club were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by AFC Wimbledon.

After their second-leg defeat at Plough Lane, Maynard had said he was “confident” about keeping his job under mounting pressure.

Notts’ regular season had ended two weeks earlier to the sound of boos from supporters at Meadow Lane as the Magpies were beaten by League Two champions Doncaster Rovers.

It was a game the East Midlands club needed to win to have any chance of snatching an automatic promotion spot on the final day.

Notts owners Chris and Alex Reedtz said Maynard’s sacking came down to those final weeks of the failed campaign.

“After being unable to achieve our aim of winning promotion this season, we share the disappointment felt by everyone connected with the club,” the Danish brothers said in a statement.

Maynard took over at Meadow Lane in January 2024 from Notts’ National League promotion-winning boss Luke Williams, who left the club to take charge of Championship side Swansea City.

The job at Notts was Maynard’s first in full-time management, having worked part-time as Wealdstone boss while juggling his long-time career as a telecommunications engineer.

His first few months in the role produced 11 defeats and just five wins in 19 games as Notts ended up finishing 14th in the table last season.

By that time, sections of Notts supporters were already calling for him to leave with banners of ‘Maynard Out’ appearing in the crowd.

His first full season in charge brought about improvements, with Notts’ defence transformed from the worst in the division to among its best as they kept up their challenge for promotion to the very end despite their form stalling badly.

Four successive defeats at home, including a 1-0 semi-final first-leg loss to Wimbledon, were just one reason that former Notts striker Mark Stallard said the club had to make “a quick decision” about the future of a boss that “split the fan base”.

Notts County have sacked head coach Stuart Maynard after he failed to guide them to promotion from League Two.

The 44-year-old’s 16 months in charge of the Magpies have come to an end five days after the club were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by AFC Wimbledon.

After their second-leg defeat at Plough Lane, Maynard had said he was “confident” about keeping his job under mounting pressure.

Notts’ regular season had ended two weeks earlier to the sound of boos from supporters at Meadow Lane as the Magpies were beaten by League Two champions Doncaster Rovers.

It was a game the East Midlands club needed to win to have any chance of snatching an automatic promotion spot on the final day.

Notts owners Chris and Alex Reedtz said Maynard’s sacking came down to those final weeks of the failed campaign.

“After being unable to achieve our aim of winning promotion this season, we share the disappointment felt by everyone connected with the club,” the Danish brothers said in a statement.

Maynard took over at Meadow Lane in January 2024 from Notts’ National League promotion-winning boss Luke Williams, who left the club to take charge of Championship side Swansea City.

The job at Notts was Maynard’s first in full-time management, having worked part-time as Wealdstone boss while juggling his long-time career as a telecommunications engineer.

His first few months in the role produced 11 defeats and just five wins in 19 games as Notts ended up finishing 14th in the table last season.

By that time, sections of Notts supporters were already calling for him to leave with banners of ‘Maynard Out’ appearing in the crowd.

His first full season in charge brought about improvements, with Notts’ defence transformed from the worst in the division to among its best as they kept up their challenge for promotion to the very end despite their form stalling badly.

Four successive defeats at home, including a 1-0 semi-final first-leg loss to Wimbledon, were just one reason that former Notts striker Mark Stallard said the club had to make “a quick decision” about the future of a boss that “split the fan base”.

Broadcaster Jeff Stelling has resigned from his role as Hartlepool United’s president over the treatment of people trying to take over the club.

Stelling said in a statement on X that supporters had been left in an intolerable position by the actions of current owner Raj Singh.

It comes after Hartlepool board members asked the owner to commit to further funding, with a takeover of the National League club still in “limbo”.

Singh put the club up for sale in April 2023 following their relegation from the English Football League and resigned from his role as the club’s chairman in March this year, stating his decision came amid abuse from a section of the club’s fan base.

The club previously said it would not be sold before the end of the 2024-25 season as Singh promised to fund player and staff wages until the campaign concluded.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, Hartlepool said they were currently behind with critical planning for next season as a potential takeover drags on.

Stelling, well known for his support of Pools on both television and radio, accused Mr Singh of hypocrisy by stating that he wanted to stop funding the club, but was now “affronted” that others should want to take it over.

He also criticised the fact that despite being a shareholder, he has not been informed about any potential takeover.

A Hartlepool statement added the club would be asking season ticket holders to vote on if they would like Pools to take assistance from Singh going forward – a vote suggested by the owner himself.

“Mr Singh has made no formal commitment to step in as chairman or principal funder,” the statement said.

“He highlighted that he could do so only if supporters want him to assist, and he was very mindful of prior supporter requests for him to step down. He has suggested this should be a decision for supporters and not the board.”

Hartlepool recorded an 11th place finish in the National League this campaign, in their second season since relegation from the EFL.

“Without external funding support and a more stable environment to work under, the club will inevitably fall yet further behind with both on-field and off-field planning, which could ultimately threaten its very existence,” the statement added.

“The club is already running the risk of failing to prepare for next season which could become unrecoverable in a very short period of time. The club’s retained player list must be decided upon by Saturday and squad planning is well behind where it should be due to the current limbo position.

Hartlepool also revealed that a further revised deadline had been missed by a potential takeover party.

“This party had their original proposal and offer accepted by Mr Singh in the second week of March but have since missed deadlines to deposit agreed funds,” the club said.

“In the party’s original offer they identified a target exchange date in April which was missed and subsequently a second target exchange date in May which is now unrealistic given the inability to deposit funds.

“Like with most National League takeover propositions, a prominent consideration and due diligence item for any prospective owner is the level of funding required to sustain and progress the club next season, and indeed year on year beyond that.

Broadcaster Jeff Stelling has resigned from his role as Hartlepool United’s president over the treatment of people trying to take over the club.

Stelling said in a statement on X that supporters had been left in an intolerable position by the actions of current owner Raj Singh.

It comes after Hartlepool board members asked the owner to commit to further funding, with a takeover of the National League club still in “limbo”.

Singh put the club up for sale in April 2023 following their relegation from the English Football League and resigned from his role as the club’s chairman in March this year, stating his decision came amid abuse from a section of the club’s fan base.

The club previously said it would not be sold before the end of the 2024-25 season as Singh promised to fund player and staff wages until the campaign concluded.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, Hartlepool said they were currently behind with critical planning for next season as a potential takeover drags on.

Stelling, well known for his support of Pools on both television and radio, accused Mr Singh of hypocrisy by stating that he wanted to stop funding the club, but was now “affronted” that others should want to take it over.

He also criticised the fact that despite being a shareholder, he has not been informed about any potential takeover.

A Hartlepool statement added the club would be asking season ticket holders to vote on if they would like Pools to take assistance from Singh going forward – a vote suggested by the owner himself.

“Mr Singh has made no formal commitment to step in as chairman or principal funder,” the statement said.

“He highlighted that he could do so only if supporters want him to assist, and he was very mindful of prior supporter requests for him to step down. He has suggested this should be a decision for supporters and not the board.”

Hartlepool recorded an 11th place finish in the National League this campaign, in their second season since relegation from the EFL.

“Without external funding support and a more stable environment to work under, the club will inevitably fall yet further behind with both on-field and off-field planning, which could ultimately threaten its very existence,” the statement added.

“The club is already running the risk of failing to prepare for next season which could become unrecoverable in a very short period of time. The club’s retained player list must be decided upon by Saturday and squad planning is well behind where it should be due to the current limbo position.

Hartlepool also revealed that a further revised deadline had been missed by a potential takeover party.

“This party had their original proposal and offer accepted by Mr Singh in the second week of March but have since missed deadlines to deposit agreed funds,” the club said.

“In the party’s original offer they identified a target exchange date in April which was missed and subsequently a second target exchange date in May which is now unrealistic given the inability to deposit funds.

“Like with most National League takeover propositions, a prominent consideration and due diligence item for any prospective owner is the level of funding required to sustain and progress the club next season, and indeed year on year beyond that.

Captain Son Heung-min joked that he was a Tottenham “legend” after they won their first major trophy in 17 years.

Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday.

It was the first time 32-year-old Son, who joined Spurs in 2015, had won silverware at club or international level after losing three finals.

“Seventeen years – nobody has done it, so let’s say with amazing players, [I am] probably a legend of the club.

“This is what I’ve always dreamed for. Today is the day it happened. I am the happiest man in the world.”

In August Son told BBC Sport he could not be considered a legend until he won a trophy with Spurs.

Son, who has won 133 caps for South Korea, joined Spurs for a reported £22m after scoring 29 goals in 87 games for Bayer Leverkusen.

He came off the bench in the 67th minute against United, his 454th appearance for Spurs.

South Korea were beaten in the 2015 Asian Cup final, while Spurs lost in the 2019 Champions League final and the 2021 Carabao Cup final.

“I felt the pressure,” Son said.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was full of praise for the club’s longest serving player.

“We’ve had some unbelievable champion footballers at this club – Harry [Kane] is a prime example – and they haven’t had a day like this,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.

“I wanted a day like this for Sonny because he has done everything he can in the last 10 years to try and get this feeling and for some reason it hasn’t worked.”

Former Spurs captain Harry Kane won his first major trophy this month when Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.

“We had an unbelievable friendship and partnership so I was happy he won a first trophy,” Son said.

Captain Son Heung-min joked that he was a Tottenham “legend” after they won their first major trophy in 17 years.

Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday.

It was the first time 32-year-old Son, who joined Spurs in 2015, had won silverware at club or international level after losing three finals.

“Seventeen years – nobody has done it, so let’s say with amazing players, [I am] probably a legend of the club.

“This is what I’ve always dreamed for. Today is the day it happened. I am the happiest man in the world.”

In August Son told BBC Sport he could not be considered a legend until he won a trophy with Spurs.

Son, who has won 133 caps for South Korea, joined Spurs for a reported £22m after scoring 29 goals in 87 games for Bayer Leverkusen.

He came off the bench in the 67th minute against United, his 454th appearance for Spurs.

South Korea were beaten in the 2015 Asian Cup final, while Spurs lost in the 2019 Champions League final and the 2021 Carabao Cup final.

“I felt the pressure,” Son said.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was full of praise for the club’s longest serving player.

“We’ve had some unbelievable champion footballers at this club – Harry [Kane] is a prime example – and they haven’t had a day like this,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.

“I wanted a day like this for Sonny because he has done everything he can in the last 10 years to try and get this feeling and for some reason it hasn’t worked.”

Former Spurs captain Harry Kane won his first major trophy this month when Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.

“We had an unbelievable friendship and partnership so I was happy he won a first trophy,” Son said.