Notts County fan favourite lived up to Neal Ardley billing and is giving back at Sheffield United | OneFootball

Jim O'Brien became a legend at Meadow Lane and is now part of the academy coaching team at Sheffield United.

When Jim O’Brien joined Notts County in January 2019, he walked into a broken football club that was fighting for its life at the foot of League Two.

The fans had lost all sense of trust in their club and the world’s oldest Football League club was in serious danger of dropping into non-league for the first time in its long and esteemed history.

Although O’Brien was unable to save Notts from relegation, he went on to become something of a modern day legend. He spent five and a half years at Notts and was the only member of the squad who relegated the Magpies to be present at Wembley in 2023, when they secured that all-important return to the Football League.

O’Brien represented Notts with everything you could ask for as a fan – passion, desire, commitment and tireless energy. He played games as if he’d supported the club his whole life and, for that, he will always be remembered fondly at Meadow Lane.

O’Brien certainly lived up to the expectations set out by Neal Ardley

When O’Brien arrived from Bradford City in 2019, then Notts manager Neal Ardley was delighted to have him on board. Ardley said of the midfielder: “He’s a bundle of energy, doesn’t stop running, is really aggressive in the challenge and has been outstanding for Bradford this season.

“Most importantly, he’s a very positive, driven lad who’ll motivate people around him.

“We know him through my agent and several players who have played with him as well. You’ve got to use your contacts and everyone’s come back and said the same – that he’s absolutely brilliant in the changing room, he drives people, he plays with no fear, and he’ll deliver week in, week out.”

By the time he left Notts in April 2024, O’Brien had lived up to those expectations and so much more.

He made 176 appearances across all competitions for the Magpies, scoring 17 goals. He also scored two hat-tricks for the club, the only ones of his career, away to Maidenhead United in 2021 and Maidstone United in 2023.

The Scotsman scored five goals in 28 games in 2022/23, as Notts finally secured a return to the Football League at the fourth attempt. He was a central figure in the celebrations at Wembley after Notts’ nerve-shredding play-off final with Chesterfield, holding aloft a photo of Jason Turner, the Notts CEO who had tragically passed away in March, while the trophy was raised.

The following season, on Notts’ return to League Two, O’Brien made 43 appearances in all competitions as a 36-year-old – the most of any single season in his time at Notts.

His commitment to the club was always clear for all to see. He even got a tattoo of the club’s iconic single-magpie badge on his thigh, something he described as a “little celebration that we did something special.”

He was released by Notts over the summer and delivered an emotional and heartfelt message to the supporters: “I have taken immense personal and professional pride in representing your wonderful and historic football club. So much so, that I am now a supporter and consider it to be MY club.

“Being able to play a part in the club’s history, alongside some fantastic players, is something I will honour for the rest of my life. I hope you will remember me with fondness and as someone who gave everything every time I pulled on the shirt.”

He returned to Meadow Lane for the victory over Accrington in September, conducting the club’s half-time prize draw, and unsurprisingly got a rapturous reception.

O’Brien is now a youth team coach at Sheffield United

Throughout his latter few seasons at Notts, O’Brien combined his playing duties with coaching within Sheffield United’s academy.

Since his departure from Notts, the former Coventry and Barnsley man has placed his emphasis on his coaching career and now coaches the Blades’ U18s side.

He’s already had brief managerial experience from his time with Notts. The midfielder stepped up and took on the burden of leading the senior team after Luke Williams left for Swansea City, overseeing an incredible 5-5 draw away at Grimsby Town last January.

That was something greatly appreciated and commended by the Notts board, who said after the Scots’ departure: “Jim applied himself to that role with the same level of dedication that we have seen from him on the pitch week in, week out – and proved why he will go on to have an outstanding coaching career.”

While O’Brien was never technically one of Notts’ most gifted players, he made up for that with his fight and desire. His professionalism and love for the club is something which will forever be remembered by the Notts faithful, and he played an integral part in one of the most crucial seasons in the club’s 162-year history.

That level of gratitude towards O’Brien is felt across the whole club, with the Notts board describing him this summer as someone who has “firmly established himself as an iconic figure in the history of the world’s oldest professional football club.”