NOTTS County assistant manager Dave Kevan says he is honoured to have played under Jimmy Sirrel, one of football's all-time greats.

It was Sirrel who gave Kevan his Magpies' league debut as a 17-year-old in February 1986.

"It's remarkable what he achieved with the club," he said. "The Notts County fans loved him to bits for that and I am sure they will remember him for years and years to come, and rightly so."

Kevan insists Sirrel played a huge part in helping him build a successful professional career.

He says he had a unique ability to make players feel unbeatable while also ensuring they kept their feet firmly on the ground.

He said: "What can I say about the man? He is a legend and he will be very, very sadly missed.

"Jimmy is held in high esteem throughout football and was certainly one of the games real characters.

"He had such knowledge of the game but made football simple.

"He signed me as a schoolboy and then I went on to have an apprenticeship here, and then I went on to play under Jimmy.

"It was such a learning curve for me at that time and I have got the upmost respect for all he did for me in those years.

"All I have are fond memories of my time working under such a great like Jimmy Sirrel."

Kevan says he also learned management methods under Sirrel that he now tries to use himself as No.2 to Ian McParland.

"His standards and whole management ethos were unbelievable," he added.

"It gave me a very tough grounding in the game but also a very good grounding."

Kevan is expecting a massive outpouring of emotion at Meadow Lane tomorrow, as the Magpies entertain Aldershot in League Two. "It will be an emotional day and I am sure our supporters will be helping us to try and get a result for Jimmy, and a result for the football club," he added.

"He's an incredibly hard act to follow and there have been a few managers since that have found it difficult.

"We were Jimmy's players and we will remember the football club as he had it.

"We are going to try our best to get it back to something like it was when he was manager.

"He is Notts County, it is as simple as that."