Mark Stallard was disappointed to see Jon Stead’s Notts County career end with relegation, and says his influence will be missed in the dressing room.
Stead was one of 12 players to be released by the club earlier this month, as his four-year spell at Meadow Lane came to an end.
He finished the season having scored 10 goals, which was the fourth consecutive campaign in which he had hit double figures.
But despite his contribution it could not stop Notts from being relegated to the National League on the last day of the season.
It was Stead’s last game in a Notts shirt, but BBC Radio Nottingham's Magpies pundit Stallard says he was a player who appreciated the shirt.
“He scored more than 50 goals since coming to Notts and during that time he gave absolutely everything to the cause,” he said.
“Having played in the Premier League, he came here and showed that he wasn’t in it for one last payday.
“He took over from Mike Edwards in many respects in that he epitomised everything about how to be a great pro.
“Notts will miss him in that respect because dressing rooms that are a little bit lively when things are going well are okay, but when they are not, you need those mature heads who have the right mentality.
“Jon had that, he would have been an influence on the younger players and it was a shame that his Notts career ended how it did.”
