Fans want Sirrel 'road tribute'

Sirrel took Notts County into the top flight in 1981

Campaigners are calling for a Nottinghamshire road to be named after a local football hero.

Notts County fans want the A612 between the city and Burton Joyce to be named after former manager Jimmy Sirrel.

Campaigner Will Greasley said Sirrel, who took the club to the top flight of football, deserves the same recognition as former Forest manager Brian Clough.

The city council said it could not comment as no-one had made a formal approach to re-name the road.

Campaigners want the road from Meadow Lane to Burton Joyce to be named Jimmy Sirrel Way. The A52 from Nottingham to Derby has already been renamed Brian Clough Way.

'Complete dreams'

Mr Greasley said: "It's a case of trying to celebrate the history of Notts County. Have a lasting landmark of that and there's no better person to remember than Jimmy Sirrel.

"He brought pleasure to thousands of Notts County fans in the 1970s through to the 1980s.

"I've seen Notts County beat Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa in the year they (Villa) won the European Cup. If you could imagine us doing that now it would be the stuff of complete dreams."

A Facebook group entitled "Re-name the A612 Jimmy Sirrel Way", which was started by Mr Greasley, currently has 125 members.

Jimmy Sirrel, now 86, has a stand named after him at Meadow Lane.

He took charge of the team in the 1970s, achieving promotion to the country's top league - the former Division One - in 1981.

The club, which was formed in 1862, is currently fourth from bottom of the football league.