Ian Burchnall has issued a parting message as he joins Forest Green Rovers.
“While I am grateful and excited for the new opportunity that has been presented to me, it is with a great deal of sadness that I say goodbye to a club that I will always hold close to my heart.
“I wish to give particular thanks to the board, who not only gave me the chance to work as a head coach in England for the first time but also provided me with magnificent resources, freedom and support. I can’t speak highly enough of them and can only see the club going from strength to strength under their leadership.
“To the staff in the offices, led by the brilliant Jason Turner, and my colleagues in the football department, I say a huge thank you for welcoming me so warmly from day one. There are so many talented, hard-working and passionate people behind the scenes at Meadow Lane who ensure the club operates far beyond the level it finds itself in the footballing pyramid. I will miss working with them day-to-day and sincerely hope they all get the success they deserve next season.
“I am also grateful to the players, who put their faith in our philosophy and delivered many exceptional and entertaining performances. I know they are hurting as much as me about how our season ended but, with the ability in the squad and no doubt several quality additions to come this summer, I am sure promotion will be a very realistic aim in 2022-23.
“Finally, our supporters. After a somewhat fractured start having been unable to meet you due to Covid, it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know you all and an honour to represent your club. Of course, leaving without the promotion we all crave is not how I wanted this to end, but I hope on reflection we can all look back on a period in Notts’ history where the team played some outstanding football and many individual players saw huge improvements in their game.
“Good luck next season - and thank you for everything.”