Allen axed by Magpies

Notts County have confirmed that manager Martin Allen has been sacked following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Hartlepool United.

Defeat at Hartlepool proves to be manager's last game in charge

Notts County have confirmed that manager Martin Allen has been sacked following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Hartlepool United. Allen had been in charge at Meadow Lane for less than 12 months after being parachuted in to preserve the club's League One status in April last year. Following a brief stint at Barnet, where Allen had put the Bees on course for Football League survival, he was handed a similar recuse mission with the Magpies. County eventually stayed up by three points and Allen reshaped his squad over the summer in the hope of challenging at the top end of the table. However, a run of just two wins in the last 11 League One fixtures has left the Magpies 11th in the table and eight points adrift of the play-offs. Though the club are not in any realistic danger of being sucked into a relegation battle again, a 3-0 defeat at Hartlepool proved to be the final straw for the club's board.