Notts County will want to avoid Blackburn Rovers fate after Tom Cairney insight: View | OneFootball

The race for the play-offs in League Two continues to gather pace, with Notts County right in the thick of the action as the season enters the final stages.

The Magpies suffered a third defeat under new boss Stuart Maynard away to Wrexham last weekend, but remain in the hunt for a place in the top seven, with results in midweek certainly helping their cause ahead of welcoming Crewe Alexandra to Meadow Lane on Saturday.

Ahead of the weekend fixtures, Notts remain a point outside the play-off places, with three points separating Walsall in 16th, and Harrogate Town in that final coveted spot.

Notts County's attacking statistics this season

Upon their return to the Football League, there is little argument to suggest that Notts County have been one of the most exciting sides to watch in League Two this season.

Under Luke Williams and now Maynard's stewardship, the Magpies have scored 65 goals this term, the second-most in the division behind Stockport County, but it has been keeping goals out that has become a source of their slight slip towards the end of 2023, conceding 59 goals so far this term - only five sides have conceded more.

Some of their fixtures this season have included a 5-5 draw away to Grimsby Town in Jim O'Brien's first and only game in charge following Williams' departure to Swansea City, along with a 5-4 defeat to Colchester United and a 4-3 win over Forest Green Rovers earlier in the season.

Their array of attacking options has been unearthed in the division following their promotion to League Two, with Macaulay Langstaff continuing his goal-scoring from his record-breaking campaign in the National League, while summer arrivals David McGoldrick, Dan Crowly and Jodi Jones have all contributed significantly to their attacking output so far.

Tom Cairney's Blackburn Rovers regret could relate to Notts County

While Notts County's array of attacking options are a joy to watch for their fans at the moment, they will be wary that if they fail to achieve promotion this season, offers from higher up the division could soon come their way.

In January alone, 22-goal Langstaff was subject to interest from the Championship and League One, and you feel as though that interest could return in the summer if he continues his goal-scoring exploits.

And despite their attacking talents, the Magpies' place in the play-offs is yet to be confirmed, something that Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney spoke about when he appeared on the Players Channel podcast with Michail Antonio earlier this week.

During the episode, the 33-year-old, who was born in Nottingham, made reference to his time at Blackburn Rovers, in particular venting his frustrations about how the Lancashire outfit failed to reach the promotion places despite having two 20-goal strikers within their ranks.

The season in question was the 2014/15 campaign at Ewood Park, where Gary Bowyer's side would finish ninth in the Championship table, despite seeing striker Rudy Gestede score 22 goals in all competitions, along with Jordan Rhodes managing 21 in the second tier.

Subsequently, Gestede would move to Premier League Aston Villa the following season, and would result in Rovers finishing 15th that year, with Bowyer sacked in November and replaced by Paul Lambert. Rhodes, too, would be on the move regularly not long after.

While McGoldrick and Crowley may not even make it to the 20 goal mark this season, their importance to the side this season has been there for all to see. You would expect interest to return in the summer for Langstaff, despite signing a new contract at Meadow Lane until 2027, and Jones' sensational form could also see potential moves for the Maltese international.

This is all if, buts and maybes thus far, but you feel with the amount of attacking talent on display at Notts, it is crucial they secure promotion this season to ensure that their fans can enjoy their star players for that little while longer.