Notts County

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Notts County won the FA Cup in 1894. The club's highest league finishes were third in the top division in 1890–91 and 1900–01. In 1947, they signed England international Tommy Lawton, whose presence attracted large crowds, but the club fell into decline after his departure and were in the Fourth Division by the 1960s. Under Jimmy Sirrel's management, the club won three promotions in the 1970s and 1980s, to reach the First Division again in 1981. Notts County's most recent season in the top-flight was 1991–92 under Neil Warnock, who had overseen back-to-back promotions via the play-offs at Wembley Stadium. By the early part of 21st century, the club were affected by a series of serious off-field problems, culminating in relegation to non-League football in 2019. They spent four years as a non-League club before returning to the Football League in 2023.

In Their Own Story

From 2019 to 2023, Nottingham Forest claimed to be the oldest remaining club in the English Football League. In 2019, when Notts County were relegated from the league, Stoke City claimed to be the oldest remaining club, but football historian Mark Metcalf stated that Stoke was formed in 1868, rather than the 1863 date on the club's badge, and therefore Forest was the oldest club. The EFL also stated that Nottingham Forest was the oldest. In 1865 a group of shinty players met at the Clinton Arms (now renamed The Playwright) at the junction of Nottingham's Shakespeare Street and North Sherwood Street. J. S. Scrimshaw's proposal to play association football instead was agreed and Nottingham Forest Football Club was formed. It was agreed at the same meeting that the club would purchase twelve tasselled caps coloured 'Garibaldi Red' (named after the leader of the Italian 'Redshirts' fighters). Thus the club's official colours were established. Matches were originally played at Forest Racecourse, historically part of Sherwood Forest and the presumed source of the word 'Forest' in the team's name.

Reader's Guide

The team has played their home games at Meadow Lane since 1910, having earlier played at a number of venues including Trent Bridge. The club colours of black and white were first adopted in 1890, inspiring their nickname of the 'Magpies', and at the end of 1901, Notts lent their colours to Juventus. Notts County first played their neighbours Nottingham Forest in 1866, making the Nottingham derby one of football's oldest fixtures. The club's record appearance holder is goalkeeper Albert Iremonger, who played 601 games in a 22-year spell with the team, and their record goal scorer is Les Bradd with 137 goals.

Did You Know?

• Notts County are the oldest professional football club in the world, founded in 1862.
• They won the FA Cup in 1894 as a Second Division team, the first to do so.
• Harry Cursham's 49 FA Cup goals for Notts County remains the competition record.
• Tommy Lawton was signed in 1947 for a British record transfer fee of £20,000.
• The club's record attendance was 46,000 for a home match against Nottingham Forest in 1950.