Where Are They Now? Notts County’s Second Division play-off winners 1990-91

By Neil Fissler

NOTTS COUNTY had to watch on as city rivals Forest became the best team in Europe under the legendary Brian Clough.

But under Neil Warnock. they enjoyed back-to-back promotions via wins at against in 1990 and then Brighton & Hove Albion a year later.

It would make Warnock – who had taken Scarborough into the Football League – one of the hottest young managers around. He even turned down jobs at Chelsea and Sunderland.

Mark Draper played a key role in both promotions and says you could see Warnock had something about him almost as soon as he arrived.

“He was like a breath of fresh air and I know we weren't everyone's cup of tea with the way we played,” he said.

“He has gone on to prove he is one of the very best managers outside the , if not the best.

“He was a genius at picking people to play with each other and fitting them into the jigsaw of how we wanted to play. He took players who had been around and managed to get the very best out of them.

“Dean Yates would have played in the Premier League if it hadn't have been for knee injuries and Craig Short, who came from Scarborough: the team was built on those two

“But he wouldn't have people who didn't do a job and work their socks off. If you didn't pull your weight, you know you wouldn't be playing.”

The Magpies spent the season in or around the fringes of the promotion race and secured their play-off place by winning their last seven games.

It made the dream of two successive promotions a reality, especially after seeing off Middlesbrough in the semi-finals to earn a final appearance against Brighton.

A double from leading scorer Tommy put Notts in command, before a third from Dave Regis sealed promotion. Dean Wilkins scored a last- minute consolation.

“We carried on from where we left off the season before and just got better. I remember the last game very well. We beat and it stopped them winning the title,” said Draper.

“They had to fly the trophy and medals to Oldham, but we went into the play-offs full of confidence. We knew we would do well but maybe didn't think we would do back-to-back promotions

“The semi-final against Middlesbrough was a tight two-legged affair, which we won with a Paul Harding header late on. He didn't get many headers.

“In the final, it was nice to get a couple of goals lead, because we could start to enjoy it. If the game is on a knife-edge it's a bit more tense.

“But, when the third goal went in, you could start looking for family. But it's only now, when you look back at the enormity of it all, that it sinks in.”

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  1. Craig Finch: A midfielder who now lives in Southampton and works in sales and marketing.
  2. Shaun Browne: Now believed to be living in Australia.
  3. Paul Cox: A defender who managed Eastwood Town for seven years, then Mansfield Town, Torquay United and now .
  4. Don O'Riorden: A midfielder who stayed in the game with a host of management and coaching posts. Now lives in Galway and coaches Moneenaghesia College Academy.
  5. Richard Walker: A centre-half who sold cars in Nottingham with Toyota and Lexus and is business development manager at Inchcape Mercedes Benz.
  6. Mark Telford: Back living in the North East and has coached at Whitley Bay Juniors.
  7. Anthony Thompson: A left-back now living and working in his native Mansfield.
  8. Steve Aldridge: A midfielder who lives in Gedling, Notts, and has worked as a buyer for a management company.
  9. Mark Wells: Winger who settled near Scarborough and works locally.
  10. Mick Jones: Entered management in 1976 and was with Warnock at a host of clubs. He had a second spell at Notts County under Chris Kiwomya.
  11. Phil Stant: A striker and Falklands War veteran who managed Lincoln City, Gainsborough Trinity and Ilkeston, and then worked for the Football League Trust.
  12. Charlie Palmer: A right-back who has managed Long Eton United and Belper Town while employed as a social worker.
  13. Dean Yates: A defender who lives in Barton Joyce, Nottingham, and has commentated for BBC Radio Nottingham and been the first team defensive coach at Meadow Lane.
  14. Steve Cherry: The keeper was goalkeeping coach at Lincoln City, Notts County and Macclesfield Town, then spent 18 years working for Imperial Tobacco in Nottingham.
  15. Kevin Blackwell: A goalkeeper who managed Leeds United, Luton Town, Sheffield United and , before becoming technical director at . Now assistant manager to Warnock at City.
  16. Craig Short: Defender who had a sailing business on Windermere before managing County and Ferencváros, Now coaching at Derby's academy.
  17. Gary Lund: A forward who opened his own estate agency in 1994 and is now the managing director at Royston & Lund estate agents in Nottingham.
  18. Nicky Platnauer: A left-back who managed Rothwell Town, Kettering Town and Bedford Town, then became a postman in his native Leicester.
  19. Dave Wilson: The physio worked under Warnock at a number of clubs and then went into private practice.
  20. Phil Robinson: A midfielder who was the former head of academy recruitment at Birmingham, then became chief scout at Aston Villa. Is now a recruitment manager at Manchester City
  21. Dave Norton: A midfielder who managed Forest Green Rovers, Gainsborough Trinity and Grantham Town. Now runs a coaching firm, DNF Coaching.
  22. Tommy Johnson: A striker who coached at Meadow Lane before working with the Irish Football Association. He is now Blackburn Rovers' chief scout.
  23. Phil Turner: A midfielder who worked in community care in Derbyshire and has been assistant manager of Grantham Town.
  24. Derek Pavis: Now life president at Meadow Lane.
  25. Neil Warnock: He's been in management since 1980 and is currently in charge of Cardiff City.
  26. Mark Draper: A midfielder who went into property development and has worked in Notts County's academy, as well as City's. He now runs DNF Coaching with Dave Norton.
  27. Kevin Bartlett: A forward who worked in the voluntary sector before becoming an employment and skills officer for Nottingham City Council.
  28. Dean Thomas: A midfielder who managed Bedworth, Hinckley and Kettering and has worked in timber sales in Wolverhampton.
  29. Gary Chapman: A striker who coached at Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers and then worked as recruitment manager for Norwegian side VIF.

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