Gedling resident Paul Mace produces a regular Notts County podcast featuring former club players and managers. This week it’s the turn of Nottingham-born boyhood Magpies fan and Harrogate keeper, James Belshaw
Each week at Gedling Eye we’ll be sharing the podcasts with our readers.
Did Notts County commit a faux-pas by not wearing black and white striped shirts in the play-off final at Wembley last year ?
Clifton-born Harrogate keeper James Belshaw reveals how it certainly helped him put aside his Magpies’ allegiances to shut out Notts in a 3-1 success for the Yorkshire club.
Belshaw – a lifelong Magpies fan who was in the Notts centre of excellence for nine years until he was released at 15 – relates how seeing Notts in green rather than black and white made it easier for him at Wembley.
Stepping into the Magpie Circle hot-seat, he charts his family’s affection for Notts – dad Paul joins his son in the podcast – and how it broke his heart when he was released by letter when Notts shut down their Academy.
Belshaw went on to resurrect his career in the US through their collegiate system and even introduced future NBA star Mason Plumlee (Detroit Pistons) to following Notts.
To this day he and his family retain their love for the world’s oldest professional football club.
