Unfortunate for Nottingham Forest fans, the supporters of Notts County were far from defeated. They were bewildered, shocked, and perhaps even furious, but the word "dead" was far from their vocabulary.
Just a few days ago, their spirits were soaring. News of the club splashing out a significant transfer fee to sign Xabi Alonso—the captain of a La Liga team—filled them with hope. To them, this signing sent a clear message: the club had ambition, and promotion to the next tier was within reach.
Visions of competing with their city rival, Nottingham Forest, in the same league next season filled their dreams. They fantasized about teaching their arrogant foes a lesson on the pitch after years of playing under their shadow.
But all of that optimism came crashing down when the shocking news broke: the club had cleaned out their first team.
With just Alonso remaining, fans were left asking the painful question: What was the point of signing one star player if the club planned to field an entirely new and untested squad in the English League next season?
Were they really about to endure watching Alonso try to orchestrate a team of kids, as some mocking media suggested?
Had the club spent all its money on Alonso instead of retaining proven players from last season?
Protests erupted. A spontaneous movement saw scores of fans gathering at the club's training ground and office building. With banners in hand, they chanted in support of the players who had fought tirelessly for Notts County but had now been cast aside without warning.
Standing by the window of his office, David watched the waves of passionate fans gathered below. He felt no frustration at their protest—only a deep sense of appreciation for their dedication to the club.
To him, their actions were evidence of how much the team mattered to them. Apathy would've been far worse than their justified outrage.
Unlike other chairmen, David saw no need for aggressive measures against the protests. Instead, he ordered ice-cold drinks and parasols to be distributed to the fans standing under the unforgiving sun.
Still, confronting the fans directly was not an option—at least not yet.
David knew that no verbal explanation would satisfy them right now. Only results—and perhaps a bit of patience—would quiet their concerns.
David turned to White, a trusted club-supporting journalist at The Nottingham Evening News, to help get the message across. They discussed the club's strategy in detail—plans that would make the ongoing transformation clear to anyone willing to look beyond the headlines.
The next morning, competing narratives unfolded in the city's papers.
The Nottingham Post, never shy about tipping its cap to Nottingham Forest, published a scathing piece ridiculing Notts County's decision to clean out their squad. The article even predicted an inevitable relegation by September. "Selling the entire first team," one section read, "is a surefire way to lock in a relegation spot."
Meanwhile, the Nottingham Evening News fired back with a timely rebuttal, revealing information on Notts County's newest attacking signings:
- Dirk Kuyt: €1.2M from FC Utrecht.
- Antonio Di Natale: €300K from Empoli in Serie B.
- David Villa: €500K from Sporting Gijón in La Liga's second division.
For Notts County supporters, this was a glimmer of hope. The announcement quelled their fears of fielding an underwhelming squad for the upcoming season. Here were three young, promising forwards—players with better credentials than the strikers the club had just cleared out.
In English League terms, these fees represented serious investment. And for fans, it became clear that David wasn't cleaning house recklessly—he was replacing mediocrity with potential.
The following day, the Nottingham Post responded furiously. Their latest article lambasted Notts County's "stacking of forwards," questioning whether mindlessly buying attackers without a midfield to support them amounted to any real strategy.
"Even if the strike force is upgraded, can the club truly generate results without a functioning midfield?" the article asked.
Among Forest fans, the response generated laughter and mockery. "What good is a striker without supply chains?" they gloated on forums, delighted in their rival's apparent missteps.
Notts County fans, however, couldn't help but worry. As much as they had faith in their club, the Post raised a valid point. Could Chairman David's transfer policy be one-dimensional?
They couldn't help but recall Inter Milan's infamous history under Moratti, where hoarding forwards had gained international notoriety but yielded little success. Would Notts County fall into the same trap?
Just 24 hours later, the Nottingham Evening News returned with another bombshell—it published details of Notts County's midfield revamp:
- Andrés Iniesta: From La Masia at Barcelona.
- Wesley Sneijder: Ajax youth team standout.
- Raúl Meireles: A bargain acquisition from Aves.
- Franck Ribéry: Scarred but determined, unearthed from France's lower leagues.
- Zvjezdan Misimović: A creative force from Bayern's reserves.
- Christian Maggio: A versatile winger ready for the next step in his career.
Together, the combined midfield investment exceeded €2.5 million—a figure unheard of at this tier of football. Add to that the earlier acquisition of Xabi Alonso, and any fears of an unbalanced squad were immediately addressed.
The fans' anxiety turned to euphoria. While few recognized the names of the incoming players, their youthfulness and potential signaled a brighter future. Here was a squad being built not just for one season, but for years to come.
Fans were willing to endure patience if it meant developing this exciting core of young talent. Even if promotion wasn't achieved immediately, they knew the foundation was firmly being laid.
Meanwhile, the Nottingham Post found themselves humiliated for the second time in mere days. Their attempts to critique the club's strategy now looked foolish in the face of Notts County's unveiling of a promising midfield.
Bruised but unyielding, the Nottingham Post fought back yet again. Their newest criticism? Inexperience.
"Perhaps David isn't aware, but packing a squad with raw talent and precocious potentials rarely translates into success. The English league requires both experience and grit—neither of which this team possesses. The result? Disaster awaits."
This time, Notts County fans responded with derision of their own, shrugging off the Post's gloomy predictions.
Lines were drawn, not just between Forest and Notts County fans, but in the media as well. At its heart lay two competing visions: one of immediate pragmatism, and one of patient ambition.
Notts County, now steadfast in its direction, couldn't care less about the detractors as long as their trajectory stayed upward.
David, ever composed, was simply waiting for results to do the talking.