Life was never dull playing for Notts County, recalls Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough.<\/p>\n
In a special 90 minute Magpie Circle podcast interview, Baraclough looks back with fond affection during his 250 appearances and two stints with the Magpies either side of the Millennium.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spent the best part of seven seasons at Notts and there was something always going on.\u201d said Baraclough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was either a Championship or promotion-winning season, or we were battling against relegation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere never seemed to be any middle ground – we were either flying, or really struggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was the PFA rep during the time of the club\u2019s record period under Administration too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had been sold a dream of the club recreating past glories but sadly it all went wrong very quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNotts, though, will always hold a special memory in my heart. It\u2019s a great club and I made many friendships there.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a strong Notts County connection with the current Northern Ireland set-up.<\/p>\n
As well as Baraclough, Magpies favourite Tommy Johnson is a coach, former Notts CEO Patrick Nelson is CEO at the Irish FA, and ex-Magpie Roy Carroll was recently appointed into the coaching set-up.<\/p>\n
Baraclough played under former England boss Sam Allardyce at Meadow Lane as he recalls.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could always tell that Sam was destined to go on become a very successful manager operating at the highest level.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou always knew where you stood with him and he was very direct.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember several meetings in his office where he would lean back in his big chair, put his feet on the table and smoke a cigar.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was certainly a larger than life character.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thursday 25th February 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n