13 May 2023 , 01:00
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Scrambling up a fixed ladder at the back of the stand, Howard Wilkinson would watch Notts County from his lofty perch on the TV gantry.
If he wanted to suggest a tactical amendment, he would scribble a note, wrap it round a pebble and lob it to his mentor Jimmy Sirrel on the touchline below. In his first assignment as a manager, Wilkinson's double act with Sirrel led the Magpies to the top flight 42 years ago – and his affection for them has never waned.
This weekend's National League play-off final against Chesterfield is arguably the biggest game in County's 161-year history, and certainly the most important since they slipped out of the 92-club mainstream four years ago.
Hollywood benefactors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have bankrolled Wrexham's crusade and pipped County to the golden ticket back into the League, have so much respect for their promotion rivals that they are flying in to cheer them on at Wembley.
Deadpool star Reynolds took his players to Las Vegas for a four-day party to celebrate promotion. County may have to settle for a couple of snifters at the Lincolnshire Poacher if they go up, but at least the beer's nicer on the Mansfield Road than that neon blot on a perfectly good desert in Nevada.
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Sergeant Wilko acknowledges it would be a travesty if Luke Williams' progressive side didn't go up after stockpiling 107 points and 117 goals in 46 games.
Still the last English manager to win the title – at Leeds United, 31 years ago – Wilkinson, now 79, said: “I've nothing but happy memories of my time at Notts County. Based on their record this year, in any normal season they would have been absolute certs to go up, but they have had to take the long way home. I'm still in contact with what goes on there, and fingers crossed for them.”
Notts County made it to Wembley in thrilling fashion, beating Boreham Wood in extra timeCounty's thrilling semi-final win against Boreham Wood last Sunday was even more heart-stopping than Wilkinson's mountaineering to reach his old vantage point on the rooftop gantry. Like John Bostock in Williams' free-scoring team now, Wilkinson's side was built around a midfield quarterback – Scotland midfielder Don Masson - dropping deep to dictate possession and tempo.
Wilko recalled: “We played Bristol City in a friendly and they had a well-known midfielder playing. We are walking off and he said, 'Play like that this season and you'll get relegated.' We finished second and went up.”
County's last dabble with the top flight was in the early 1990s, when Neil Warnock led them to successive promotions and turned down Chelsea chairman Ken Bates' approach to take over as manager at Stamford Bridge. "I went down there twice - once to the ground and once to Ken's farm in Beaconsfield,” said Warnock. “Both times I was stuck on the motorway for about five hours and it didn't feel right, mainly because my players were begging me to stay.
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Current boss Luke Williams will be similarly revered if his side can beat Chesterfield at Wembley“When we were relegated and missed out on the first season of the Premier League, I got the sack six months later. But I still hope they go up because of the incredible season they have had. It would be such a kick in the teeth if all those points and all those goals were for nothing.”
County have never been anywhere near the penthouse since 1992, although Warnock is still remembered fondly by supporters for his back-to-back promotions via the play-offs. But Williams will be revered at Meadow Lane as much as any of his predecessors if they complete their fantastic journey back to the EFL.
“My players are entitled to feel slightly hard done-by,” said the County manager. “They should be on the beach already, having been promoted automatically, so there's no way they should feel like imposters at Wembley. If, like me, you have been there before and suffered your worst fears coming true – I was assistant manager at Swindon when Preston destroyed us in the League One play-off final in 2015 – there's nothing left to fear.
Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds both backed Notts for promotion and pleaded for a second automatic spot (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)“I think it's brilliant that, after going toe-to-toe with Wrexham for 46 games, there is so much respect between the clubs that Ryan Reynolds is apparently backing us. No-one wants to take the passion and competition out of football. We all want rivalry, big games and fans to wind each other up, but afterwards it's nice to see class and respect shine through.”
In a golden age for West Indies cricket, the feats of their three Ws – Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott – were celebrated across the Caribbean.
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Now Notts County are only 90 minutes from completing their holy trinity of Ws – Wilkinson, Warnock and Williams. And if they make it through the loft hatch, when Wilko's in the chair at the bar, it will be pebbles all round.