New arrival Will Randall says he was watching our play-off campaign with bated breath – but that he’d have signed for us regardless of the outcome.
The 26-year-old was as nervy as anyone as he sat through the highs and lows of our play-off final victory against Chesterfield, with a move to Meadow Lane his top summer priority.
“I was hoping for the best – but it was a very stressful time,” he laughed. “I wanted the club to get promoted so badly and I was delighted they got it over the line, albeit in dramatic circumstances.
“My friends were probably wondering why I was so invested in Notts winning because I’d kept things quiet from them!
“But I’d have still wanted to come here had the club not been promoted. Since I first heard, I’ve always been really grateful for Notts’ interest in me – especially knowing how stringent their recruitment strategy is.
“It’s too good a project to turn down. I have real belief that the club can push on from here. With the set-up you’ve got here, there’s no ceiling. I’d love to have a big involvement in that and be part of it for many years.”
As well as the size of the club and fanbase, our head coach Luke Williams was a big factor for Randall.
“I know him from my younger days at Swindon Town, where he was assistant manager when I was breaking through to the first team,” he said.
“I appreciated him then and, being more experienced, I think I’ll appreciate him even more now.
“As I’ve often said to friends, his knowledge of the game is incredible and I really like his communication style. I think he suits me very well and I can’t wait to take his philosophy on board and be part of his team.
“His assistant, Ryan Harley, also played for Swindon while I was there and I enjoyed a chat on the phone with him yesterday, recalling how as an 18-year-old I never wanted to go near him in training because he was so good!
“It was lovely to catch up with him after many years and it’s great to have another welcoming and familiar face. I only have good words to say about both him and Luke.”
While it remains to be seen what systems Williams intends to deploy next season, his utilisation of wing backs throughout 2022-23 doesn’t faze Randall, who’s mainly plied his trade as an out-and-out winger.
“Having watched a lot of footage from last season, I can see similarities between the system Luke used and the one he helped implement at Swindon,” said Randall.
“I played wing-back then and, although I was a winger at Sutton, in recent years I’ve been doing as much defensive work as I have attacking.
“That part of my game is instinctive now, I don’t even think about it. If I’m needed at wing back, I think it’s a role that suits me perfectly - especially in a side that likes to dominate the ball and have their wide players in advanced positions.
“I’m right-footed and usually play on the left, coming inside to link up with the play or getting down the outside and crossing into the box.
“I’m very direct – I love getting at players in one-v-one situations and I also want to get my stats as high as possible in terms of assists and goals, closer to where they should be.
“That’s one of the main reasons I’m here – I can’t wait to be regularly getting into the positions which will allow me to do that.
“I love the style of play – the possession, the ruthless edge in the final third, the high line to stifle the opposition.
“Having a lot of the ball and plenty of opportunities to showcase yourself is very exciting and I can’t wait to experience it.”
Randall was Sutton’s joint-top goalscorer last season, with the south London outfit keen to retain his services upon the expiration of his contract.
“It was my decision to give myself the opportunity to see what else was out there,” he said.
“I wasn’t in any way desperate to leave, but I was aware of interest from Notts and other clubs and felt, at this stage of my career, I wanted to give myself some time to think about what was best instead of committing to a new contract.”
With his Meadow Lane move now sealed, Randall is looking forward to a new chapter.
“It’s nice to not only have a change of club, but also a change in my life,” he said.
“With certain moves between clubs you might decide to stay where you’re based, which in my case is Swindon.
“But I want to put my whole life into progressing with this club, so I’ll be moving to Nottingham this summer. I think that will be the best thing for me and my career.”
Fancy joining Will in committing to the club for 2023-24? Early bird season tickets are on sale now!