AFC Wimbledon crushed promotion hopes for Notts County in the play-off semi-finals which culminated in not just Stuart Maynard’s dismissal, but also their talisman, David McGoldrick, departing his hometown club.

The 37-year-old was unable to reach an agreement with County owners Chris and Alex Reedtz.

They have since opted for several signings to provide newly-appointed Martin Paterson with the tools to fight for promotion in the club’s third successive League Two campaign.

So far, the outcomes have been lacklustre as The Magpies have slumped to two losses and a draw from their opening three league matches.

They are striving to sustain their preferred style of play in-possession, but ultimately their aim has been to tweak their execution of the end product which hampered their results for much of last term.

Conor Hourihane’s Barnsley were the first to snap up a deal for McGoldrick once his allegiance to County seemed to have faded.

Hourihane, 34, perhaps played a part in influencing the one-year deal as he was McGoldrick’s international teammate at Ireland, and he seemed convinced that the veteran forward could still hit the ground running a division higher.

The Tykes are looking to improve on their 12th place finish from last season under their new manager, and McGoldrick has already opened his account at Oakwell and showed undeniable promise for Barnsley’s attacking threat.

In their curtain raiser against Plymouth, they secured a 3-1 victory despite Jack Sheperd’s red card.

McGoldrick started as a central striker, which was a slightly different role to his roaming, supportive position at Notts County where Alassana Jatta often started furthest forward.

The latter pipped Barnsley’s marquee addition to claiming the club’s top-scorer last season.

Recently, McGoldrick won over supporters on his home debut when Barnsley were on the cusp of dropping points to Burton until McGoldrick’s stoppage time winner snatched all three points.

He snuck in front of the defender at the near post and poked his effort home to send the fans at Oakwell into raptures.

His trademark celebration, whereby he flexes his muscles, is not just a signifier of continuity and longevity, but the strength McGoldrick has to still perform in a superior way to so many attackers by being one step ahead.

Early in the second half against Bolton, he timed his run in-behind expertly and slotted calmly past the goalkeeper.

It was an atypical goal for McGoldrick on the basis of his contributions at County. Nonetheless, this highlighted the vast array of experiences injected into his attacking mentality.

His adaptability and knowledge surpasses players even in League One and his capacity to notch a variety of different types of goals will be a significant asset, while a void has already emerged at Meadow Lane.

McGoldrick started his career at Notts County before embarking on several journeys across League One and the Championship.

He sealed a move to Ipswich Town and when he eventually signed for Sheffield United, he helped the club win promotion in his first season.

Confronted with the daunting task of Premier League football, The Blades managed to avoid relegation back to the second flight.

In 2022/23, he made the switch to Derby County in League One where he scored 22 league goals and came third in the league’s goalscoring rankings for the season.

Remaining in the East Midlands, his return to Notts County was greeted with optimism.

Last season, he racked up 17 goals in 36 League Two appearances, taking home various end of season awards at the club.

Moments of flair and individual quality encapsulated his style on the pitch, yet equally it was his indispensable intelligence which catalysed County’s solidity in amongst the play-off places.

He salvaged a point at Bradford in March for his side by cutting inside and unleashing a looping strike into the far corner, akin to the traits of a seasoned winger.

His prowess at operating in the pockets while dropping deeper to receive the ball and progress play made him so valued under Maynard.

What was critiqued of Maynard’s outfit though was a lack of penetrative passes and delaying their impetus to initiate meaningful opportunities.

Paterson’s task is to amend that deficiency, but pessimism is brewing as their attacking cohesion has considerable room for improvement.

County look well off the pace to challenge for promotion, and McGoldrick’s departure is one of the regrettable decisions made at Notts County.

Paterson may not be settled on his preferred eleven amidst a flurry of incomings, and Matthew Dennis with Jodi Jones are set to be the principal outlets.

They desperately need to get points on the board before hopes of promotion slip away and pressure piles onto the manager.

Read more on;https://www.sportupdates.co.uk