David McGoldrick decision could bring huge Notts County boost after play-off disappointment | OneFootball

McGoldrick's future now lies in his own hands.

Notts County’s season ended in disappointing, if a little predictable, fashion last weekend when they fell to a 1-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon in the second leg of their League Two play-off semi-final.

The Magpies had laboured towards the finish line in the fourth tier, winning just one of their final six games in the league to miss out on automatic promotion.

As such, it was little surprise that they struggled in their post-season campaign, but to be knocked out without even scoring a goal was certainly a frustrating end.

However, with the club’s season now over for good and previous boss Stuart Maynard relieved of his duties, work can begin towards next season, which will surely see the world’s oldest football league club target automatic promotion once again.

The Magpies also released their retained list earlier this week, with the headline being that veteran star David McGoldrick has been offered a new deal at the club. If the 37-year-old is to sign that deal, it would provide a huge lift at Meadow Lane, something which is desperately needed after their play-off defeat.

McGoldrick has been excellent for Notts

McGoldrick has been a classy operator in the EFL for several years now, and his return to Meadow Lane was one of the stories of the summer when he made the switch back to his boyhood club in 2023.

The striker rejected a contract offer from then-League One side Derby County to re-join the club he supports, even though he had hit 25 goals for the Rams in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign.

As expected, McGoldrick has been a revelation since moving back to NG2.

He notched 12 goals and four assists in the league for the Magpies in 2023/24, but looked a little burned out in the second half of the season as his form began to fade.

This year, however, the former Sheffield United and Ipswich Town man has found a new lease of life. The 37-year-old has enjoyed a sparkling individual season, which has brought 17 goals and three assists in the league, alongside a place in the EFL’s League Two Team of the Season.

As if that wasn’t enough, he also secured a clean sweep of all three of the club’s end-of-season awards.

Despite now being in the twilight of his career, McGoldrick has been Notts’ star man this season. Time and again, he has stepped up with moments of magic for his side, and he has continually produced for them in the big moments of games.

The striker has a catalogue of impressive goals to his name from this campaign, and when you factor in the leadership that he brings and the example that he sets, the fact that he was ruled out of the second leg against Wimbledon was a devastating blow for the Magpies.

McGoldrick’s future now lies in his own hands

Despite Maynard continuously reiterating that the club would love to keep McGoldrick beyond the end of this season, there had been concerns from some quarters that while the club were saying all the right things, no concrete offer had been tabled.

However, McGoldrick now finds his future lying firmly within his own hands.

Given how impressive he has been this season, Notts simply cannot afford to lose the striker, who has arguably become the face of the club this year.

Equally, after such a strong individual campaign, the former Ireland international will surely have no designs on calling time on his career and stepping away from the game.

The possibility of a reunion with his former Derby boss, Paul Warne, at MK Dons could be a concern, especially since the Buckinghamshire outfit have proven that they have plenty of money to spend, by League Two standards at least.

However, Notts must take solace from the fact that McGoldrick’s decision to return was not a call made with the financial implications in mind. He opted to put his emotional connection with the club above any financial gain two years ago, so it seems unlikely that would be any different this time around.

Logically, the main issue could come if the veteran has grown frustrated at the way this season has ultimately played out and feels that his efforts have been in vain. If that is the case, then there is potentially no amount of persuading that could change that feeling.

With an official contract offer now on the table, the Magpies know they at least have a fighting chance of retaining their star man.

McGoldrick’s thought process will only become clear over time, but if he were to extend his stay at the place where it all began, then it would go a long way to alleviating some of the pain left from Notts’ play-off defeat.