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Veteran striker David McGoldrick said starting the season on the bench in League Two has been difficult, but insists he is in career-best shape and ready to make an impact for Notts County.

The 36-year-old is in his second season since returning to childhood club Notts, having left Derby County in the summer of 2023 after scoring a career-best 25 goals for the Rams in League One in his solitary campaign at Pride Park.

McGoldrick, who was playing for Sheffield United in the Premier League in 2021, netted 12 times for the Magpies last term after dropping down to play in the fourth division.

He is yet to start a league game this season.

"Its hard, no matter what," McGoldrick told ����ý Radio Nottingham.

"When you are not playing at the top, or not playing in League Two now, watching any football game starting on the bench is hard.

"I always used to play, and with all the teams that I have been at I've been the main striker, so yeah, it's hard but you have to keep yourself working hard.

"I'm not letting it get to me."

The former Republic or Ireland international said he had braced himself for Alassana Jatta being preferred up front to start the season after the departure of prolific striker Macaulay Langstaff.

"He’s a good, young, promising player and he did well when he came in [last season], the fans have taken to him," McGoldrick said.

"It wasn't like the first game of the season I was down in the dumps thinking, 'Why am I not playing?' I'd already got that in my head knowing it would happen.

"I just have to bide my time, and when I get my chance I have got to show what I can do."

McGoldrick has passed 600 career appearances, with the milestone coming up with the club where he started his career two decades ago.

For the past twenty years he has scored goals throughout England's top four divisions, playing for 10 clubs - including Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town and Bournemouth.

He said he was not aware of his tally of appearances and, despite having previously spoken about considering retirement, he intends to play beyond the end of his current deal with Notts - which expires next summer.

"In the off-season I was working hard and I probably came back the fittest I have ever been in my career, which is crazy to say at 36," he said.

"But sometimes that’s what you need - you need a little bit of doubt on you to come back stronger and I have done that in myself."