East Midlands Collective

Notts County executive chairman Peter Trembling has completed his takeover of the club, meaning director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson will stay.

Trembling bought the club from Munto Finance for a nominal fee, only five months after the Middle Eastern consortium took over at Meadow Lane.

Munto Finance's takeover during the summer made Notts County one of the most talked-about teams in England.

The ambitious group immediately set a target of reaching the Championship within five years and appointed former England boss Eriksson.

Expectations were immediately raised following the takeover of a team who had finished in the bottom six of the Football League in four out of the previous five years - and it has not been all plain-sailing.

Disillusioned former England and Arsenal centre-back Campbell left the club after just one game - a 2-1 loss at Morecambe.

Then manager Ian McParland, who played for County for eight years, lost his job in October despite the Magpies sitting fifth in the league.

He was replaced by Eriksson's friend and fellow Swede Hans Backe and County are now fourth in the table - two points off the automatic promotion spots.

However, the takeover coincided with their first home defeat of the season, as they were beaten 2-1 by Accrington.

And with Trembling warning that further investment is needed, some of the big names could be on the move away from Meadow Lane in the New Year.

And the manager hasn't even waited until then. Backe resigns.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/8413678.stm

Shame really. I did think this whole sheikh / Eriksson circus would end in tears eventually, but I thought the County fans would have had a better run for their money than this.