Ben Burgess remains on the transfer list at Notts County, but could earn a reprieve under Martin Allen.
Striker could be handed second chance at Meadow Lane
Ben Burgess remains on the transfer list at Notts County, but he could earn himself a reprieve under Martin Allen.
The former Hull City and Blackpool striker endured a difficult season at Meadow Lane last year, with just eight league starts producing only one goal.
It appeared as though he would be on his way out of the club this summer, especially when he was made available by Allen in May.
He has, however, worked hard over the summer to get himself in shape and could be offered a second chance to prove himself with the Magpies.
Allen told the
Nottingham Evening Post: "I don't normally talk about individuals, but there is a player at this club called Ben Burgess.
Criticism
"He has taken an awful lot of criticism. I can't comment on that, all I do know is he was one of the group that helped us stay up last season, he played a big part in that.
"I had a one-to-one meeting with him at the end of last season and I told him he was going to go onto the transfer list and he was fine with that, he accepted it.
"Since then Ben Burgess has lost three-quarters of a stone in weight. I would challenge any member of the public to try and lose that much weight in six weeks when you've got a two-week holiday booked to an all-inclusive hotel.
"Ben Burgess has done it. He wants to play, he wants to show all of the supporters, and this club that he can do it.
"I have got massive admiration for what he has done. He's trained throughout the whole summer, and these are the type of people I want at Notts County.
Outstanding
"We had a similar problem with a bloke called Karl Hawley when I first came here.
"When we played against Brighton in the last game of last season he was absolutely outstanding, so it's okay knocking these men, it's okay putting them down, and being abusive, if you like, it doesn't do them any good at all.
"It's best to support them, to help them, and now I'm hoping with what Ben has done he can really come through and show what a good player he is.
"All of us know there is a player in there, he played a lot of games in the Championship two seasons ago.
"I am highlighting him and rightly so because he's been abused, some of it might have been of his own doing, but here we are, it's another day, and the door is open for him."
