JOHN Coleman is proving to be a bit of a grim reaper for League Two managers.

Crewe chief Gudjon Thordasson was dismissed after his side had succumbed to a Stanley defeat in September while Lincoln boss Peter Jackson went two weeks after losing to the Reds.

And County manager Hans Backe has exited Meadow Lane after the Reds inflicted the first home defeat of the season on the Magpies on Saturday.

Perhaps chairmen, owners and managers don’t feel their side should lose to Stanley - viewed as the one of the paupers of League Two and deemed an "unfashionable" club by national media in the past.

But money doesn’t always talk and Coleman’s side are nowmaking people take notice of them for the right reasons - on the pitch.

This season the Reds have combined a defensive strength, with a creative flair and the goals have come which have sent them to within three points of the play-offs with a game in hand.

Their forward line of Bobby Grant and Michael Symes have scored 25 goals between them and no doubt there will be a few enquiries about the pair in the January transfer window.

And only last week, table topping Rochdale boss Keith Hill was adding his weight to the Stanley charge and tipped the Reds to make the play-offs.

Coleman, whose side were battling for their lives while County were splashing the cash in the summer, is hearing all this but still feels his side are not acknowledged as a force to be reckoned with - which only makes him and his team stronger.

It was no surprise to him that the heralded victory at ex-England boss Sven Goran Eriksson’s club threatened to be overshadowed by Peter Trembling’s takeover of the Magpies on the eve of the game.

"I am used to our lads not getting the praise they deserve," he said.

"When there was the Save Our Stanley fund, we were doing ever so well on the pitch but it was washed over with the SOS fund and our finances.

"I think we were playing some of our best football then but it wasn’t really noticed.

"But we came out stronger and I am sure Notts County won’t use what is happening off-the-field as an excuse for their defeat.

"It was a smashing performance by us and County won’t lose many at home this season."

But Stanley made sure they inflicted a first defeat at Meadow Lane against the odds really as the Reds hadn’t beaten the Magpies in six previous league outings.

And it was one-up to for the "Have nots" against the money-bags "Have’s" in League Two.

Okay, on another day, County’s star striker Lee Hughes could have had a couple of goals as he wasted several opportunities before tucking home a late penalty.

But the striker, who has amassed £8m in transfer fees over his career, would have been impressed with Stanley’s finishing.

Symes has become unstoppable in front of goal this season.

And, after getting on the end of Billy Kee’s ball, he took it around keeper Kasper Schmeichel and finished well for his 13th goal of the season.

"Symesy mixes it up well," enthused Coleman. "In the same situation next week he will do something different and that’s the sign of a good striker."

And number two followed when Kee was one-on-one with the keeper and he forced a good save out of Schmeichel before getting the rebound and unselfishly passing for Jimmy Ryan to thrash the ball home.

Two-nil up and the 5,000- strong crowd, who are suddenly the big boys of the league after years of battling relegation with the Reds, were stunned by the scoreline.

But when Tom Lees was judged to have handballed in the area eight minutes from time, they must have reckoned on a comeback especially with Hughes tucking the spot kick away.

But within seconds there was another penalty when Graeme Lee pushed Andy Procter - despite big protests from County and an angry reaction to Procter.

Coleman might have rested easier on the bench if this had gone in but, after five minutes of deliberation and protest, Phil Edwards’ spot kick was saved - the first time the defender has missed a penalty this season.

Despite seven minutes of injury time in which Hughes and Karl Hawley had a go and Sean McConville and Grant could have sewn it up for the Reds, Stanley held on for a memorable win.

Coleman admitted: "It was funny as, in the dead hour between two and three for any manager, I was playing monopoly on my iPhone and spending the big bucks on hotels and things.

"But football is not about money as, if it was, there would be no game out on the pitch but just two chairman in a boardroom throwing cheques at each other.

"That’s the beauty of football. Sometimes the best players don’t always make the bet team.

"Notts County will be there or thereabouts pushing for a promoton place but on our day we can beat any team."

And those days are getting more and more frequent.