Leaning forward in arguably the hottest seat in management, Kevin Nolan exudes strength with every syllable.

Frank opinions on Sam Allardyce, Leyton Orient, Dimitri Payet, David Sullivan Jnr and Andy Carroll illustrate the forceful personality that new Notts County owner Alan Hardy felt was essential in saving the club from relegation and guiding them on to a constructive future.

There is only one issue that makes Nolan pause as he sits behind his office desk. His voice becomes a little quieter.

Kevin Nolan spoke to Sportsmail about his transition into management with Notts County

The day before he was due to be interviewed by a County panel including Darren Fletcher, the BT Sport and BBC presenter, Nolan received notice that his grandfather Tony had fallen ill unexpectedly and did not have much time left.

Upon instruction from his parents Nolan continued the application process and was delighted to get the job. But by the time the 34-year-old took charge of his first game three days later Tony had passed away.

So when the referee's whistle blew to signal a minute's applause for Graham Taylor, Nolan's mind flickered onto the man who had imbued his youth with joy and was only last month providing football fat to chew on as usual.

The former West Ham midfielder opened up about his time at the London club

Nolan has taken charge at Notts County following a spell as player-manager at Leyton Orient

'It was crazy because I was taking phone calls from Fletch, who was on the panel, and they were asking, "Can you get to us for this time?" I was like, "No problem".

'Then I was getting told my granddad was not too well so it could be any time.' Nolan blows out his cheeks. 'Jesus, do I ring up and ask them can we do it another day?

When I spoke to my mum and dad they said no; my granddad was as much a part of my career as anyone, he came to all my games with my brother James and dad Kevin Senior.

The combative midfielder spoke of the influence of his grandfather on his career

'There used to be a carpool up to Bolton every week, then Newcastle, then West Ham. They were thick as thieves. Sometimes I would jump in the car on the way home and the banter he would have!

'We had this last Christmas together and I remember sitting there, just me and my granddad, talking about football. Sam had taken the job at Palace and he asked, "Would you go back with him?"'

Nolan's eyes become dewy. He hesitates slightly before using words that assert finality. But there is still humour. 'He passed away and then the next thing I've got a job.

'I think he was looking down on me saying, "Get your arse into gear and get working again!" It is so sad. It wasn't expected, that's probably what has made it worse. It was so emotional that week and on Saturday when I walked out at Meadow Lane it sort of all hit. I got a bit teary. I am not ashamed of it.

'Next Wednesday is his funeral. I do have my moments, when I am alone or when I am on the phone to my mum. He was a great fella and I loved him dearly.

'But it won't be getting in the way of what I am trying to achieve here. The lads will see nothing but professionalism from me. I know my granddad wouldn't have wanted anything else.'

The 34-year-old is currently facing a relegation battle with his current club in the drop zone

Nolan's eloquence and honesty on what is clearly a painful personal subject are symptomatic of his approach to other matters that more closely concern the major task he has as County's latest manager.

Last weekend's 0-0 draw against Mansfield was a promising start, a third clean sheet of the campaign bringing to an end a run of ten consecutive League Two defeats.

But Cheltenham's win meant Nolan's side slipped under the dotted line and the threat of dropping into non-league for the first time in the club's 155-year history is very real. Nolan feels his experience of battling at the bottom in periods of his career can provide buoyancy against the drowning sensation.

'It will help if I can get players thinking about their best games instead of, "Oh no, I don't want the ball".

Nolan urged optimism among the fans and recognition that there are still 20 matches left

'I've been there when you've lost a few on the spin and the ball is coming and you are in four different minds. In the end you get muddled, the ball gets stuck under your feet, you get it taken off you, and the crowd go, "Ohh".

'We have to take off that stress and remind them we have 20 games to get this right. For all the good that went on last Saturday there is still a lot of improvement. Once we get that we will see a team more than capable of being in the higher echelons of this league.'

Nolan is back at the foot of the Football League 12 months after beginning a spell at Leyton Orient that most observers felt ended very prematurely. As player-manager Nolan won seven of 15 games in charge but was told to exit the dugout by Francesco Becchetti, an owner as unpredictable as he is unpopular.

'I had a 48 per cent win ratio, no-one could really believe I got sacked,' says Nolan. 'He wanted me to just play but that wasn't the agreement we had, so it was a kick in the teeth. But I want to look back on it as a positive. I learnt I could actually be a manager.'

Recent history suggests Nolan has swapped the frying pan for the fire by joining a club with the most frequent rate of dismissals in England, but he insists County have changed under Hardy, a local businessman who made his money in furnishings.

Hardy officially purchased County the same day as Nolan was unveiled, to bring down the curtain on a tempestuous era overseen by Ray Trew.

Nolan believes Notts County can look forward to a different era beginning for the club

Hardy's foremost assignment is to free the club from a transfer embargo brought as a result of debts but the 11,328 crowd for Nolan's first game suggests a captive audience is ready for uplift.

'It is a different era now,' Nolan contends. 'This is a fantastic opportunity for me to go on a journey with a chairman who is relatively new and believes in me.

'Everything he has put his hands to in business he has turned round through sheer hard work. With all the prestige this club has as the oldest in the world, we are trying to build it even bigger.'

Nolan wants to look long-term but is aware the usual rules of management still apply. He is the 20th County boss since Allardyce departed in October 1999 after a successful tenure.

Sam Allardyce offered Nolan advice for his job interview with new club Notts County

Nolan played more matched under Allardyce than any other player for the veteran manager

Nolan rang Allardyce for advice before his interview and knows he can still rely on his mentor, the go-to guy for Premier League survival. 'That is what I have to try and emulate,' says Nolan. 'He had everything so good off the pitch that on the pitch it was easy to concentrate.

'I know if I give him a call we could have a discussion over anything. There are still staff here who were around when he was, which is brilliant. Tony Cuthbert (club secretary), said he can remember the day Sam walked in.'

Allardyce is yet to win in four Premier League games at Crystal Palace and former owner Simon Jordan has claimed he looks 'broken' after his bruising 67-day England reign. Allardyce's lieutenant remains fiercely loyal. 'Simon Jordan who sits in his office and has an opinion?'

Allardyce has not won a Premier League match as Crystal Palace boss so far

Nolan replies. 'Not everybody knows, when you sit here, how much stuff you have to deal with. Sam has got a club who in 2016 only won six Premier League games.

'This is no disrespect to Alan Pardew but he'll know he was probably pretty lucky to stay in the job as long as he did. Hats off to Steve Parish, Alan got the backing he deserved because of what he had done the year before.

'But now Sam has to change mentality, change personnel, change tactics. Only in the last 10 days he has brought in Sammy Lee and Martyn Margetson, people who know how Sam works. Once that beds in you will see a difference in the team.'

Nolan was Allardyce's captain for his entire four-year stay at West Ham but left shortly after Slaven Bilic took over in summer 2015. Despite public appearances, Nolan says the parting was amicable.

Nolan left West Ham amicably after Slaven Bilic took charge of the team in 2015

'We had a chat and Slav wanted to keep me. But it was Mark Noble's time to be the captain of the club. I didn't want to be an enigma in the background. I wanted him to have that fresh start.

'David Sullivan and David Gold were fantastic with me. We came to an agreement. I was supposed to go to another club but pulled out because of owners. Then you find yourself in the wilderness. Looking back should I have done it? Probably not. I should have just stayed and earned it.'

Nolan's final year had become somewhat strained though. That January as West Ham played an FA Cup tie at Everton he was the target of some remarkable posts on Twitter by David Sullivan Jr, the then 17-year-old son of the co-chairman.

Towards the end of his spell at the Hammers he was abused by David Sullivan's son on Twitter

'How the f--- Nolan is playing above League 2 amazes me. Gives us all hope,' he wrote. Nolan, speaking about the incident for the first time, employs the kind of diplomacy he will need in a career in management.

'He said something which a young lad would. He got a telling off for it from his dad, which is enough for me. He sent an apology to me and I offered him to come train with me any time he wanted.

'"Then I'll show you how unfit I am!" I'd get him being sick. He never took me up on the offer. I've seen his Instagram, he's having too much of a good time at the minute!' The laughter punctuating this passage is genuine.

Dimitri Payet will not be forgiven for his behaviour by the West Ham fans according to Nolan

Payet has made his feelings clear that he want to depart the club and move back to France

He has sterner words for the rebellious Payet. 'For all the good Dimitri Payet has done for West Ham United, this has overshadowed it 10 times over, and no fan will ever forgive him,' he says.

'I've played with Dimitri, he is a lovely lad, got fantastic ability, but he has been really badly advised. The club has taken a stance and the players all believe strongly, because they have a good camaraderie and mentality. That is probably why you got the best performance of West Ham against Palace.'

Carroll scored a wondrous scissor kick in that 3-0 victory and Nolan is effusive of the striker he once had to house for a judge to agree bail. 'I have always said, and people sometimes laugh, "It's cause he's your mate", but Andy Carroll is one of the most gifted footballers, in terms of everything.

'His feet are great, he can score all types of goals, his heading ability is second to none, and when he is fit he is unplayable. He should be involved in an England team because he gives you something no other centre forward has got.'

Nolan dubbed his former team-mate Andy Carroll 'one of the most gifted' he has played with

During his enforced sabbatical from the game, Nolan began studying for his A Licence on the respected FA of Wales course and was even back at West Ham last month, training with the Under 23s and Under 18s.

He also enjoyed punditry work and would have been filming Paul Merson's Fantasy Football Club this week had Hardy not called.

He is much happier to be pitting his wits in reality, even if it means regularly waking up at 2am when an idea pops into his head.

Nolan is currently having to deal with a transfer embargo but is optimistic for the future

He is also fielding an inordinate number of messages from agents despite being unable to sign players.

He might actually re-register himself once the embargo is lifted and allows a wry smile at the prospect of reaching a century of league goals.

'I've got 99 but I really believe in what I have got here,' he says. 'While I have been out I have probably been a pain to my missus but it has given me that hunger. Now I have it back I don't want to let it go.'