Kevin Nolan has been appointed as the new manager at Notts County.

The Sky Bet League Two club announced the news during a press conference at Meadow Lane on Thursday afternoon, where Alan Hardy was also introduced to the media as the Magpies' new owner and chairman.

Nolan, 34, succeeds John Sheridan who was sacked at the start of the month following a run of nine straight league losses.

The former Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham midfielder became the youngest boss in the Football League last January when he took over as player-manager of Leyton Orient, but he left the O's towards the end of the 2015/16 season despite winning seven of his 15 games in charge.

He has been out of football since and his appointment is something of a surprise given Notts County's predicament - they are just one place and one point above the League Two relegation zone - as it was expected Hardy would opt for a manager with more experience.

Hardy said: "I have spoken to five managers in the last five days and Kevin Nolan is outstanding, and that's what this club needs. I will provide the leadership off the pitch and he will provide it on the pitch.

"Not only is he still a good footballer but at Leyton Orient he had immediate success and that is important for us because we need to start winning games and climbing the table and get away from relegation zone."

Local businessman Hardy announced on Wednesday that he had completed his takeover of the club from Ray Trew.

Nolan's first game in charge will be the visit of local rivals Mansfield on Saturday.

He will be looking to arrest a club record run of 10 successive league defeats and is confident he will turn things around and get the Magpies winning again.

"It will be a top day on Saturday and one where we can start moving away from the relegation zone," he said.

"(The losing streak) doesn't phase me whatsoever and I truly believe we have a squad capable of staying in this league, I really do. It's something I feel I can improve otherwise I wouldn't have taken the job.

"It's going to be very difficult to get ourselves away from it but I've never been scared of a fight."