Notts County attacker Will Jarvis has left the club on the eve of the new League of Ireland season for Shelbourne.
The 23-year-old only signed for the Magpies 13 months ago after departing Hull City, following two successful loan spells at Tolka Park.
And after the transfer window shut for English clubs on Monday evening, Shelbourne aren’t bound by the same time constraints, as they prepare for a season opener at Waterford tomorrow evening.
Jarvis has signed a ‘long-term deal’ with the Reds, though the transfer is still subject to international clearance.
Failed To Work At Notts
Following 23 appearances in the second half of last season, Jarvis has played under an hour’s worth of League Two football this term. With just five appearances in their matchday squad, he grabbed an assist against Harrogate Town before last featuring for the East Midlands outfit against Colchester United in November.
He made his only two starts in the EFL Trophy, a competition which Notts exited in the Group Stages following two defeats in three matches. While he was mainly limited to appearances off the bench last season, the York-born wide man managed seven starts for County and featured in their Play-Off defeats against AFC Wimbledon.
Jarvis Hoping For Further Irish Success
A place where Jarvis is familiar with success is Dublin. After spells in non-league with York City and Scarborough Athletic showed glimpses of his potential, a loan move from the Tigers to Shelbourne really kick-started his career.
Following 12 appearances in 2023, scoring three times in his final four league appearances, he returned to the club just a couple of months later. Shels were well on their way to the League of Ireland Premier Division title by the time he was surprisingly recalled in August. His form has been excellent in the Republic of Ireland, scoring eight times and providing five assists in 25 matches.
Where Does This Leave Notts?
Calling Jarvis a bit-part player this season would be an overstatement, having hardly featured for Martin Paterson’s outfit this season. But Notts have done fairly well in his absence, winning five straight League Two encounters. Only Cambridge United are on a longer winning sequence in the division, as County leapfrogged the U’s into second spot with their latest three-point haul on Tuesday evening.
But the top of the fourth tier remains extremely tight, with seventh-placed Walsall only five points adrift of Notts with 17 matches remaining. Despite their lofty position, goals haven’t been as easy to come by compared with their divisional rivals. Some sections of the County fanbase argued that Jarvis should have been given more of a look-in during his time at Meadow Lane.
On the face of it, he doesn’t massively suit their 3-4-2-1 formation, which probably played its part in his exclusion from the side. Notts also boast a wealth of attacking options, including 12-goal striker Alassana Jatta. County also had to fend off League One Burton Albion for striker Matthew Dennis on deadline day.
While they don’t play in the same position as Jarvis, the form of other County players in attacking areas further limited his appearances in the matchday squad this season. And that is ultimately why he is no longer a Notts County player.
