Football League World
·8 November 2024
Football League World
·8 November 2024
The two Magpies stars have been named as the club's most valuable players by FLW's Fan Pundit.
This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...
Notts County have started their second season back in League Two excellently, and are one of several clubs chasing down Port Vale at the top of the table.
Despite a dramatic fall off in form at the end of the last campaign that saw them drop from the automatic spots to 14th by the time the season concluded, they have shown no signs of a hangover from that in 2024/25 and look to be in with a shout of promotion to League One.
Stuart Maynard has got his Magpies side playing some fantastic football at Meadow Lane, with the team as strong defensively as they are going forward.
Their success so far has all come without arguably their best player from last season, Jodi Jones, who has been out since September with a fractured shin.
Notts County were sure to have been among the favourites to be in contention for a place in the top seven come the end of the campaign, but without Jones they could have easily fallen into trouble. Nevertheless, others have stepped up, and have continued where he left off.
But at the back they have also been strong, with new signing Alex Bass an excellent addition between the posts for the Magpies.
Football League World has asked their Notts County Fan Pundit, Thomas Wagstaff, to name just how much he believes his team's two best players are worth, with the County supporters naming the goalkeeper and winger.
He told FLW: "The first player is Jodi Jones, who is currently injured and out until around December, but he got something like 23 assists last season, which is ridiculous, and he broke the assist recording something like February for the Football League's all-time record.
"I’d probably say the price tag on him seriously is, if he carries it on, £1m and I wouldn't take anything less than £1m. We got £700k for Langstaff and Jones is a more important player."
Thomas continued to say: "Then I would say Alex Bass, our goalkeeper. He played for Wimbledon last year, where he had the most clean sheets all season in League Two. He's improved us, and he's probably picked us up seven points already. I'd say £400k-£500k for him."
Although this season will have been frustrating so far for Jones, last year he was incredible, scoring five times while also registering 23 assists in 43 matches.
Four of those assists came against Grimsby Town in Notts County's incredible 5-5 draw at Blundell Park in January, and when he does return from his injury, he will be hoping to recreate performances just like that one.
At 27, Jones is still slowly reaching his peak, and does have the potential to improve further. This is hugely important for his career if he wants to play a role in any future League One campaign with Notts County, as he will have to raise his game further to keep up with the even more competitive nature of the third tier.
While Thomas has named Jones' potential price tag, it seems highly unlikely that he will leave Meadow Lane any time soon, with the winger's contract not due to run out until 2027, ensuring his future is in the East Midlands.