Notts County skipper John Thompson lauds chairman Trew

The lads have bonded; there has been a magic this season and through all the stuff they have stayed together

Notts skipper John Thompson

Notts County captain John Thompson says chairman Ray Trew must take tremendous credit for the club's title-winning League Two campaign.

Trew took over in February with Notts teetering on the brink of financial ruin and without a permanent manager.

Thompson told BBC Radio Nottingham: "There were two great decisions made by the chairman when he came in.

"The first was not to put us into administration and the second was bringing in Steve Cotterill as boss."

Cotterill was appointed in February and Thompson said he made an instant impact.

"His enthusiasm brightened up the dressing room at a time when we were a little bit low," Thompson explained. "He gave us the confidence.

"He said from day one that we should win the league we all went with him and it has worked out like that so those two decisions have changed our season."

Notts were 14 points off leaders Rochdale when Cotterill took over from caretaker manager Dave Kevan.

But a superb run saw them claw back the deficit and the defeat against Port Vale last Saturday is their only loss under Cotterill.

"We always felt we had the squad to get promotion but Steve said we should win the league and after a couple of good results the momentum kept building," Thompson said.

"The run that we have been on has been outstanding and it's worthy of winning the league."

Thompson also said the much-publicised financial problems and off-pitch traumas had affected the team but said they knew they had the talent on the pitch.

The summer takeover by Munto Finance promised millions of pounds of investment.

But despite the arrival of Sven-Goran Eriksson as director of football, the funds never materialised and after a turbulent six months, the club were eventually sold to Trew for £1.

Thompson added: "Football-wise we always fancied ourselves from pre-season.

"The lads have bonded; there has been a magic this season and through all the stuff they have stayed together.

"I have never been in a dressing room as good as this; it's a great bunch of lads and I just hope we can keep as many of the lads together as possible.

"To be captain of Notts County has been the proudest thing - it's been an absolute pleasure."