League sponsors Vanarama discuss future plans with the club captain...
For a while now this inspirational Irishman has been rolling back the years not holding them back, and you really shouldn't call him a veteran!
Michael Doyle may not know exactly what the future holds, but he knows where he wants the club to be playing next season.
He’s 38, but cringes at the idea he’s an elder statesman of this Notts County side. Don’t call him a father figure, or a veteran for that matter.
As he’ll tell you quite quickly, he still teaches the kids a thing or two.
“I read our stats, don’t you worry about that!” said the former Coventry City midfielder.
“I’m still running the most in training, I promise you - it’s a fact!
"I’m naturally fit. What is it they say, the facts don’t lie? I’m not slowing down - well, I certainly don’t feel that I am.
“I have no doubt I could play on easily next year but I’m not looking too far ahead right now.
“I think I am really feeling the benefit of keeping myself fit my whole life - if you don’t see a reason to stop then why stop?
“There are no plans either way, I’m certainly not saying this will be my final season - who knows what the future holds.
“In football you never quite know what’s around the corner - I know it’s a sport that surprises everyone. The game has changed but I love it.
“I’m not someone who finds football a chore. I get on with it, I enjoy it - it’s certainly not a burden on my life and I love getting up and coming to the club every morning.
“All I am thinking about is the next match, not really the years ahead.
”The best part of the game is collecting trophies at the end of the season. Nothing else matters and I very much still think we have a chance of doing something great.”
He and his team-mates were coming of age until a bump in the road against Barrow.
A minor setback for sure, but there’s absolutely no doubt in his mind that things are so much better than the testing first few weeks of the season.
He and the rest of the squad will be looking to put things right straight away with this weekend’s visit to Aldershot.
“We have grown as a club and as a group,” Doyle added.
“The early part of the season was tough. It was inevitable that there was always going to a hangover from what happened over the summer.
“From my point of view I don’t think it’s a big surprise the first month or so was like it was but we have worked and worked - now it’s about how good we can become.
“There are still so many games to go and, as I think this league has shown, anyone who puts a strong run together could do something.
“The side at the top of the table changes quite often so it’s clearly a very competitive division.
"Everyone knows it’s so hard to get out of it and back into the EFL, especially at the first attempt.
“But this is a big club and we owe it to the fans to give ourselves the best chance possible.”
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