As far as fans’ favourites go at Notts County, few can match Neal Bishop in the Magpies’ recent history.
Bishop became a cult legend during his four-year tenure at Meadow Lane, when he appeared in 192 games across all competitions and scored 12 goals.
The midfielder was a key figure in several famous Notts County events, possibly the most well-known of which was his goal against Manchester City.
His time at the club was never dull, whether it was captaining the team away against Juventus or achieving promotion despite the catastrophe involving Russell King and Sven-Goran Eriksson. Bishop was present for some exceptional moments in the club’s history.
Despite his departure by mutual consent in 2013, which left a bitter taste at the time, his cult hero reputation has endured to this day.
Bishop became a cult hero at Notts
Bishop joined Notts as a 27-year-old in July 2009, having previously spent practically his entire professional career playing in the conference.
After two years at Scarborough and York City in what was then the Conference National (now the National League), Bishop joined Barnet in June 2007, becoming a Football League player for the first time.
He spent two years with the Bees before moving to Nottingham in the summer of 2009.
Bishop became an instant fan favourite at Meadow Lane, capturing the eye with his passionate, all-action performances.
The Middlesbrough-born midfielder appeared in 43 league games as Nottingham Forest battled off-field upheaval and three different managers to win League Two.
He also played every game of Notts’ FA Cup run, which saw them defeat Premier League Wigan Athletic after a replay before losing to another top-flight side Fulham one game short of the quarter-finals.
Bishop’s midfield relationship with Ricky Ravenhill became a cornerstone of the Magpies’ success, and the duo played prominently again the following season. Bishop made another 43 league appearances as Notts avoided relegation from League One with a 1-1 draw against Brighton on the penultimate day of the season.
He was part of more FA Cup triumph when Nottingham Forest defeated Sunderland 2-1 in the third round at the Stadium of Light. He scored his most famous goal in Notts colours in the fourth round, heading home from a corner as the team held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at Meadow Lane.
Bishop’s efforts were appreciated by the supporters, who elected him Player of the Year at the end of the 2010/11 season.
The Teessider appeared in 41 league games in each of his last two seasons at Notts County, helping the Magpies re-establish themselves in League One. In 2012/13, he scored seven goals in the league, a career high.
He also had the honor of captaining Notts in a friendly against Juventus in 2012, when Martin Allen’s side managed a 1-1 draw on the opening day of the Old Lady’s new stadium.
Bishop remains an iconic figure despite his contract cancellation
(FBRef)
Club
Apps
Goals
Assists
Notts County
168
11
8
Scunthorpe United
154
11
8
Barnet
83
3
6
Mansfield Town
72
3
2
Blackpool
35
1
0
Bishop’s achievements for Notts County won him a move to Blackpool, where he made his Championship debut at the age of 32.
After one season in the North West, he returned to League One and spent four years with Scunthorpe. A two-year run at Notts’ local rivals Mansfield followed, before Bishop returned to non-league with Scarborough in 2020 and finished his career with Gainsborough Trinity.
He later became Gainsborough’s joint-manager in May 2022, until resigning in September 2023 for personal reasons.
Despite a fairly uncomfortable exit and a stint with Mansfield, Bishop remains highly regarded at Meadow Lane. He was a key figure during a period that most Notts fans remember fondly.
Read more….sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply