I’m sure I wasn’t alone among the Magpie faithful in having somewhat mixed emotions when Notts announced the loan signing of Jodi Jones.

On one hand, our track record of players dropping divisions to don the famous black and white stripes has seldom been successful. On the other hand, I recall a player who tore us apart on the opening day of the 2017 season and also played against us in the more recent play-off defeat.

When Jodi joined on loan, I was also conscious that we had not long signed John Bostock on an 18-month contract and were yet to see his emergence as a Notts player, which ultimately would lead to his imperious performance in the play-off final. So there was a tiny but genuine flicker of concern in my mind, wondering if we’d repeated the David Vaughan and Harry Arter fiascos?

His signing too came at a time when we were flying in the league and Adam Chicksen was running riot down the left-hand side, scoring for fun. My primary thoughts were: do we really need him? Would fitness be an issue? Will he have the desire to tough it out in non-league football? Reasonable questions I feel when you look at his career to date.

Like many players, his career path has not been a linear one. Obviously blessed with plenty of natural ability which allowed him to make such early progress in the game. A league debut at 17 and a subsequent transfer to Coventry at 19 on a four-year deal tells you that those in the know felt he had real potential. Seven years on from his debut, he has only made just over 100 league appearances in a career hampered by injury and a lengthy period out due to cruciate ligament damage. In fact, his 16 appearances on loan at Notts outweigh his total league appearances in the previous three seasons.

Only those who’ve experienced lengthy lay-offs from professional sport know how difficult it is to overcome not just the physical but also the mental challenges required to return to the fray. Importantly, what is apparent in his interviews is his determination to overcome his past setbacks and resurrect his career not just for himself but also for his family, who he credits for their continuing support.

With the ink dry on his contract and the benefit of seeing his loan appearances, now seems a good time to assess what Jodi brings to Meadow Lane.

Firstly, I’m sure the harmonic atmosphere that pervades at Meadow Lane these days will have played some part in Jodi’s decision to sign for Notts. Ignoring the success on the field and the play-off win, from what I hear and read in the media, it appears a place where players enjoy their football, and I’m sure that cannot be underestimated, particularly when a player is looking to reignite his career.

What we have seen to date is a player used sensibly by Luke Williams, allowing him to become comfortable and confident within the squad and our style of play. Rightly he’s had to wait for opportunities which he has embraced and taken when offered.

He brings to the team real quality in terms of his ability when in possession. He has excellent close ball control which, along with his low centre of gravity and balance, he uses to unsettle defenders. Watching him drop his shoulders, jinking left and right puts me in mind of Stevie Carter for those old enough to remember. Allied to that though he doesn’t have the explosive pace of the likes of Nemane that close ball control and manipulation allows him to create space to deliver crosses. He knows it is not always necessary to beat a man to get crosses into the box; merely creating space for delivery is enough and something he excels at. Importantly I think there is a significant difference also in the quality of his crossing than we see most weeks. He doesn’t appear just to cross the ball; I sense he has greater awareness of other players’ movement and the type of delivery needed.

Ultimately what I like most about him is his bravery; I say that not particularly with respect to his recovery from a lengthy injury lay-off.

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Exciting news for Jodi Jones fans! He’s been called up to the Malta team as they prepare to play the Three Lions. Read all about it and show your support for Jodi!

Notts County have returned to the English Football League after a four-year absence, thanks to a thrilling penalty shoot-out victory over Chesterfield in the National League promotion final at Wembley. The Magpies came from behind twice in a 2-2 draw, with John Bostock and Ruben Rodrigues scoring late equalisers in normal time and extra time respectively. Substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair then proved to be the hero, saving two penalties in the shoot-out to seal Notts County's promotion.

Their head coach Luke Williams, who replaced Ian Burchnall in June 2022, praised his players for their resilience and character. He said: "It was an incredible game, full of drama and emotion. I'm so proud of the boys for never giving up and fighting until the end. They showed their quality and mentality throughout the season, and they deserve this moment."

Notts County have been one of the most prolific teams in the National League past season, scoring 107 goals in the regular season and reaching the promotion final with a dramatic extra-time win over Boreham Wood. However, their defence has been a cause for concern, as they have conceded 14 goals in their last 10 games, including two in each of their last two home games.

Their head coach Luke Williams has demanded his players to be more "proactive and aggressive" without the ball and to improve their intensity and concentration. He said: "When we have a lot of the ball and want to be attacking, sometimes when we don't have the ball I just feel that sometimes our intensity drops a little bit, and it's just waiting for us to get the ball back and start playing again. I want us to be much more proactive and aggressive."

The Magpies' may look to strengthen their defence in the summer transfer window, as they prepare for life in League Two. Here are some potential signings that Notts County might want to consider:

Notts County have signed Connell Rawlinson on a two-year deal. The club is still waiting to hear from Kyle Cameron, who has also been offered a new contract. These two defenders are among the seven remaining players from last season’s squad. The Magpies hope to keep the core of their team intact for another promotion push in League Two. With Richard Brindley, Adam Chicksen, Geraldo Bajrami, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, and Aden Baldwin. The Magpies are hoping to keep the core of their team intact as they prepare for another promotion push in League Two.

Defensive players

Tom Bradbury

Tom Bradbury is a left-sided centre-back who joined Cheltenham Town from Halifax Town in 2022. He helped Halifax reach the National League play-offs last season. He has made 13 appearances for Cheltenham, scoring one goal. He is 25 years old.

Bradbury could be a useful option for Notts County’s defence, as he can also play as a left-back or a defensive midfielder. He is quick, agile and composed under pressure. He has also shown his versatility by playing in different formations for Cheltenham last season.

Mamadou Jobe

Mamadou Jobe is a young and strong centre-back who joined Maidstone on loan from Cambridge United in 2023. He has also played for St Albans, Concord Rangers and St Neots Town. He has made 13 appearances for Maidstone. He is 20 years old.

Jobe could be a promising talent for Notts County’s defence, as he has the potential to develop further under Luke Williams’ coaching. He is powerful, athletic and confident on the ball. He has also impressed with his aerial ability and tackling skills for Woking past season.

Adam Senior:

Adam Senior is a promising and talented centre-back who has been with Bolton Wanderers since he was eight years old. He made his first-team debut in 2019. He has made 4 appearances for Bolton. He has been on loan to Ashton United, York City, Chorley, Telford United and Halifax Town. He is 21 years old.

Senior could be an exciting prospect for Notts County’s defence, as he has shown his quality and potential at League Two level with Bolton past season. He is composed, intelligent and brave on the ball. He has also demonstrated his leadership skills by captaining Bolton’s under-23 team.

Tom James:

Tom James is a skilful and adaptable defender who can play as a centre-back, a full-back or a defensive midfielder. He joined Salford City from Hibernian in 2021. He has made 62 appearances for Leyton Orient, scoring 8 goals. He is 27 years old.

James could be a quality signing for Notts County’s defence, as he can play in different systems and roles. He is technically gifted, creative and composed on the ball. He has also shown his defensive awareness, positioning and work rate for Salford last season.

Jack Armer: 

Jack Armer is a defender for Carlisle United. He was born on 16 April 2001 in Preston, England and has represented Scotland at the youth international level. In August 2020, Armer joined Carlisle United after being released by Preston North End. Since joining the Cumbrians, he has scored three goals in 111 games.

Armer could potentially be signed to cover Adam Chicksen while also offering support to the centre-back positions. If Carlisle is looking to strengthen their side for life in League One, a reasonable offer may tempt him away from the club.

Ajibola Alese:

Ajibola Alese is a robust and reliable defender who joined Sunderland last season, where he had previously been at Cambridge United on loan from West Ham United in 2021. He has also played for Accrington Stanley. He has made 20 appearances for Sunderland, scoring one goal. He is 22 years old.

Alese could be a smart loan signing for Notts County’s defence, as he has the potential to improve further under Luke Williams’ coaching. He is physical, athletic and confident on the ball. He has also impressed with his consistency, concentration and communication skills for Cambridge past season.

Zac Williams:

Zac Williams is a young and agile defender who came through the Crewe Alexandra youth ranks in 2021. He has also played for Wales Under 18s and 19s. His season was ended by injury against Ipswich Town. He made 37 appearances for Crewe. He is 19 years old.

Williams could be a promising talent for Notts County’s defence, as he has the potential to develop further under Luke Williams’ coaching. He is quick, skilful and composed under pressure. He has also shown his versatility by playing as a centre-back, a right-back and a left-back for Crewe past season.

Di’Shon Bernard:

Di’Shon Bernard is a skilful and athletic defender who joined Portsmouth on loan in 2023. He previously played for Hull City on loan from Manchester United in 2021. He has also played for Salford City. He is currently out of contract at Manchester United and could be a bargain signing for any League Two club. He has made ten appearances for Portsmouth last past season. He is 22 years old.

Bernard could be an exciting prospect for Notts County’s defence, as he has shown his quality and potential at League One level with Portsmouth. He is composed, intelligent and confident on the ball. He has also shown his defensive awareness, positioning and work rate for Portsmouth and Hull City.

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There are some interesting statistics when looking at the previous teams who have won the National League playoffs since they were introduced for the 2002-03 season.

Those 21 finals have seen 8 of them go to extra time (and beyond) while only one of them has been won by more than a 2 goal margin.

Exeter, Grimsby, Forest Green and Tranmere all won after losing the previous year’s final while Luton followed consecutive losing finals by winning the league!

Almost all losing finalists have eventually made it into the league although Gateshead, Fylde and Torquay also saw relegation to NLN or NLS.

The first winners – DONCASTER ROVERS with 4 players with Notts connections – beat Dagenham on golden goal or, as it was called for this game, ‘promotion goal’ (the only time promotion has been settled that way in the UK).

They immediately won the Third Division as it was called then and have had 3 spells in the Championship, albeit one season spells, and they are now in League 2.

SHREWSBURY TOWN beat Aldershot on penalties in 2003-04 and finished 21st in their first season back but were 11 points clear of relegation. After 3 playoff campaigns in 7 years, they eventually got promoted in second place and reached the L1 playoffs before falling back into tier 4, bouncing back the following season.

Currently, in League 1.

CARLISLE UNITED beat Stevenage 1-0 and followed that up by winning the League Two title at the first attempt. After an 8-year stay where they had a playoff campaign, they fell back into League Two and have just won the playoff final to get back into League One.

HEREFORD UNITED twice came from behind to beat Halifax 3-2 after extra time in the only game to be played at Leicester City’s ground. It was also the only game where neither club currently exists in the same form. They finished 16th in their first season in L2, gaining automatic promotion the following season.

They rarely left the relegation zone, falling back into L2 immediately and fell back into the National League after 3 seasons and were expelled then wound up in 2014.

MORECAMBE beat Exeter in the 2006-07 final – the first to be played at Wembley - to become the first side to earn a place in the Football League for the first time and managed 11th placed finishes in their first 2 seasons, following that up with a playoff spot. In the 2019-20 Covid shortened season, they were 22nd after 37 games and stayed up then bounced back to win the playoffs the following season and get to League 1. They managed 2 seasons at that level and will face Notts next season in League Two.

2007-08 was probably the year when things stepped up and for 10 years almost all finalists were typical Football league sides who had fallen on hard times as EXETER CITY beat Cambridge United.

They immediately went up again as runners-up and spent 3 years in League One before dropping back into L2 where they spent 10 more seasons before gaining another runner-up spot.

Currently, in League One.

Cambridge were broken-hearted again next season as they became the first side to lose consecutive finals, losing to TORQUAY UNITED.

The Gulls finished 17th in their first season back and reached the playoffs twice before returning to National league football in 2014 and a further relegation back to NLS in 2019.

Another NL playoff campaign beating Notts in the semi-final gave them hope before relegation again last season.

Currently, in the National League South.

OXFORD UNITED beat York City in 2009-10 and finished their first season back in 12th place. They went up to League One in 2016 and are another side to have reached the playoffs at that level.

Currently, in League One.

AFC WIMBLEDON squeezed past Luton Town on penalties in 2010-11 in only their 9th season of existence, including 3 league titles and the lowest final position of 8th. It’s been hard work for them since then, following a final place of 16th in their first season with 20th, 20th and 15th before getting into League One via the playoffs in 2016.

Since then, they haven’t finished higher than 15th and were relegated last season.

Currently, in League Two.

YORK CITY were the next team to inflict final defeat on Luton (whatever happened to them?!), returning to the league after an 8-year absence. They finished 17th in their first season back in the league, securing survival late in the season and managing a L2 playoff spot before suffering consecutive relegations after just 4 years in League Two.

Currently, in the National League.

The 2012-13 final was an all Welsh affair, with NEWPORT COUNTY getting the upper hand against Wrexham. They finished in a comfortable 14th place in their first season back and followed that with 2 narrow escapes, including a famous ‘Great Escape’ as they were 11 points adrift with 12 games left, securing survival with a last day win against Notts.

Famous for their cup runs, they also had 2 unsuccessful playoff campaigns, losing in both finals.

Currently, in League Two.

CAMBRIDGE UNITED beat Gateshead in the next final, a Wembley double with an FA Trophy win as well, and finished 19th in their first season back. Shaun Derry then guided them to 9th and after 7 seasons in League Two (mainly in the bottom half) they finished runners-up in 2021 to gain promotion.

Currently, in League One.

2014-15 saw BRISTOL ROVERS beat Grimsby on penalties in front of the largest final attendance of 47,029 to gain an immediate return to EFL after just one season. They followed this up with another promotion, finishing 3rd in L2 in their first season back, returning to L2 after finishing bottom of the league 5 years later. Again, they made an immediate return with a third place finish in 2021-22.

Currently, in League One.

GRIMSBY TOWN bounced back from that disappointment a year later, beating Forest Green Rovers to return to the EFL after a six-year absence. Three managers, including Russell Slade, took them to 14th place in L2 in their first season back.

After 5 seasons, 5 managers and 4 caretakers, they were back in the National League in 2021, bouncing back at the first time of asking after a dramatic playoff campaign saw them win at Meadow Lane and Wrexham.

They finished in 11th place last season as the only team to have won the National League playoffs twice.

Currently, in League Two.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS followed suit and recovered from disappointment a year earlier to beat Tranmere Rovers in the final. This made Nailsworth the smallest town ever to host a Football League club and ended a 19 season long run in the National League without promotion, the longest consecutive period since promotion to the EFL began.

They finished 21st and one point above relegation in their first season (a season where Notts were in the playoffs) and managed two playoff campaigns in three seasons before winning the league in 2022.

They only lasted one season in League One, being relegated last season.

Currently, in League Two.

TRANMERE ROVERS completed a hat trick of losing finalists coming back to win promotion as they beat Boreham Wood in the 2017-18 final after being in 18th position after the first 12 games.

They gained back-to-back promotions as a sixth-place finish got them into the playoffs and some would say unluckily relegated from L1 in a Covid shortened as positions were decided on a point per game basis when they were on a run of three consecutive wins when the season was called to a halt.

Currently, in League Two.

SALFORD CITY gained the largest final win with a 3-0 victory over AFC Fylde as the two smallest clubs to contest a final albeit with significant investment especially for Salford. They finished in eleventh place during Covid shortened season and made it into playoffs last season.

Currently, in League Two.

HARROGATE TOWN broke Notts hearts during Covid enforced empty Wembley Stadium as third winner moved into EFL for the first time. They have finished seventeenth, nineteenth, and nineteenth during three seasons.

Currently, in League Two.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED beat Torquay on penalties ending a four-year spell in non league but only managed to finish seventeenth, twenty-third returning to National league next season, making the quickest return for any previous winners.

Currently, in the National league.

As mentioned, GRIMSBY TOWN won again twenty-twenty one twenty-two beating Solihull finishing eleventh in league two last season.

Of nineteen previous play-off winners nine will face Notts next season in league two action six plying trade league one two hoping to repeat success in national league one national league south one disappeared.

After fantastic start play off winners returns two sides winning division first three seasons seems hard work only two sides last fourteen years managing top ten finish cautionary note perhaps overall average final position twelfth first season back.

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Matt Palmer is an exceptional midfield player for Notts County. He's robust, thoughtful, and reads the game well. His ability to complete passes while driving the team forward is outstanding. He's a calming influence in the centre of midfield, a complete footballer in the mould of Neal Bishop's work rate mixed with the ability of Phil Turner.

Since arriving at Notts County, Palmer has been paramount to the club's success. Simply put, if you remove him from the line-up, the formation and instructions of Luke Williams simply wouldn't work as well. It's one of the main reasons why he's been an ever-present heartbeat in the Notts County midfield.

Palmer's strengths include his ability to quickly control, hold up, and work the ball into spaces that benefit the other players around him. He has a keen eye for a pass, but it's his smart decision-making that keeps him ahead of the game. He can drop back, work to win the ball back, and get it forward. He also offers support to players like John Bostock and Kyle Cameron, giving them a chance to move into space themselves.

Palmer isn't like any other player on the team. Notts County could really do with another player of similar qualities. John Bostock is more of a physical presence, happy to get stuck in and take the sting out of games. Frank Vincent is more attacking-minded and much better going forward than he is defending. Jim O'Brien comes close with his ability to move into channels, defend and get forward, but his passing play isn't quite the same as Palmer's.

There's no doubt that Notts County is lucky to have Palmer on their team. He would easily fit into a League One side and still stand out. He's a player that Notts County should shape their team around and so far, Luke Williams has done extremely well to play to Palmer's strengths. Having Palmer and Bostock means quicker players on the flanks can make use of their ability to set the tempo. This suits players like Jodi Jones, Adam Chicksen, and Aaron Nemane who can pick up Palmer's passes and allow him to move into space.

Additionally, having Palmer on the field frees up someone else to exploit other players like Ruben Rodrigues who may be being marked by additional defenders. This means that Palmer is always available in theory to pick up the ball.

Palmer has given Williams' Notts County more of a dynamic midfielder role. He can link back with the defence to absorb some pressure, retain the ball and move it around well patiently and calmly, or he can incorporate himself into the attack - find space at the edge of opposition's penalty box and put a carefully timed ball in behind for Nemane or come out wider to assist with crossing the ball if needed.

Throughout the 2022/23 season, Palmer's exceptional presence has been the engine in Luke Williams' side. While other players may offer goals or a faster turn of pace, Palmer is that reliable player who very rarely puts a foot wrong.

His style complements Notts County as the moment he receives the ball you can see he's 2–3 steps ahead of the game. You can see he's a quality midfielder unlike any other and his calm demeanour means that opposition players very rarely can provoke a reaction from him.

While I don't foresee his position being under threat in League Two he might start attracting interest from other clubs. It's unlikely to affect his performances, but there may come a time when his inability to score might hinder this possibility. It's a blessing in disguise while being completely unnecessary part of his game as he does provide the ability to be one of the main players for assists.

I could see his role in the future being more focused on being a leader on the pitch passing down his knowledge despite still being in the prime of his career. He may also get to wear the captain's armband, all things depending on and if he does become a player Notts County builds their future around there's a possibility that he will outlast some of the most recent long-term servants in club history.

In just a few short years since arriving at Meadow Lane Palmer has already started to carve out a long-term legacy while earning respect from devoted fans. Matt Palmer's take isn't that of an underdog but an exceptional talent that realised that the club was building something special upon signing for the Magpies. I believe Palmer knew just how important his role would be at Meadow Lane and while nobody could foreshadow arrival of 42 goal per season striker Macaulay Langstaff I do believe Palmer acknowledged the club's desire to recruit players on up and his ability to graft has allowed him settle in as if he has always been in midfield of Notts County. It's hard to see how a club could sign a similar player, although we all dream team Matt Palmers don't we?

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Notts County’s victory over Chesterfield at Wembley was a special moment for fans of the club. Although they began the game feeling very anxious and struggled to handle Chesterfield, who was a fast and aggressive opponent, the team managed to keep the score at 1-0 and gradually gained momentum.

Luke Williams made the right call taking off Adam Chicksen, who didn’t have the best of games. Jodi Jones proved to be more effective and switching him from the left to the right gave the team more edge going forward. Chesterfield faced a dilemma when they had to assign a new player to mark Aaron Nemane, consequently granting Jodi Jones a valuable window of opportunity to exert his influence on the game.

It was crucial that Notts didn't lose their spirit and determination. This helped them stay in the game and remain focused on their goal. This shows that they are a strong and resilient team, and their efforts should be applauded. Notts' tenacity was a key factor in their success. John Bostock stood near the centre of the pitch throwing his arms up as if to say to the lads, ‘come on, we’ve got this - don’t let your heads drop’. This proved to be something that allowed the Magpies to stay in the game.

During the extra time period, Notts exhibited superior performance compared to Chesterfield. The game could have gone either way still, but the better chances came to Notts who kept knocking on the door and forced Chesterfield to defend. In the 80th minute, it was clear that Chesterfield players were becoming exhausted, leaving them vulnerable to the attacks of Jodi Jones and Aaron Nemane. It was inevitable that running at them would lead to trouble.

One player who really found himself during the game was Aaron Nemane. He played outstandingly, taking on Chesterfield despite little support and in turn taking the pressure off the rest of the squad. John Bostock’s strong presence in midfield also made it harder for The Spireites to bully the midfield. His ability to stand up, win the ball back and use his strength to hold play helped to bring other players up to speed and reduce their nervousness.

Matt Palmer also showed his class by completing passes and moving into areas where he could creatively get the team into creative pockets. His passing, especially through the lines, linked up well with Aaron Nemane and Jodi Jones once he came on.

It was truly heart-warming to witness the players' joyous reaction upon seeing their club earn a promotion. Equally, pleasing was hearing Luke Williams express his gratitude towards everyone who had contributed towards the team's success leading up to the game. Overall, it was a delightful experience that left a lasting impact. From Tom Weal with preparing the keepers, to giving advice on the players when it came to practising taking penalties. Williams spoke highly of how he turned the focus from off himself to former managers who he credited for starting the journey. It was just a sign of class from the gaffer when he spoke so freely about others with his warm smile.

The club’s return to the Football League is a significant achievement and one that brings a sense of pride and belonging to fans. Many feared for the future of the Magpies following their relegation in 2018/2019, but thanks to the contributions made by Christoffer Reedtz, Alexander Reedtz, and Jason Turner, the club has flourished.

One of the biggest transformations has been in the club’s approach to recruitment. Notts County has been signing some of the best free agents from teams around them while also bringing in robust midfielders such as Matt Palmer. The hiring of Luke Williams as manager has also proven to be a master-stroke.

The future looks bright for Notts County. With a talented squad and an upcoming manager, there’s no reason why the club can’t adapt well to life in League Two and push for promotion again. Retaining key players and adding further quality will be important in achieving this goal.

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After a multi-record-breaking (record-shattering?!) season which will hopefully end with a promotion, what would I want our squad to look like next season?

With so many great performances and stability running through the club, it's no surprise that I'd want to keep the core of the current squad, but there may be one or two of my suggestions which divide opinion.

The easy ones – Macaulay Langstaff, Cedwyn Scott and Sam Austin. Three summer signings who made the move up after being named in the National League North team of the season have shown exactly why they were so highly rated. Plenty has been written about Langstaff and with a record of a goal every 89 minutes (and no penalties), he is greatly in demand.

Scott is actually 3rd in the National League charts on minutes per goal (and second if we remove penalties) despite not really having a good run in the starting 11. With only one more year on his contract, there could easily be teams looking at him this summer.

Austin is another one who hasn’t had a regular starting place but has an energy that lifts the team and is number one in the League for goal involvements per match.

Sam Slocombe has adapted to Luke Williams’ style with more comfort than many of us would have expected and has been a calming presence at the back – and what an assist at Chesterfield!

Adam Chicksen has had the season of his life by hitting double figures in goals while excelling at his defensive role as well. What an engine this man has! He never stops running and has great positional sense.

Toby Adebayo-Rowling had a difficult start, with the new coach telling him he was short of what was required. He knuckled down and worked hard, earning a place in the side and looking capable of moving up a level or two before injury cut his season short.

Aaron Nemane needed a fit and firing Toby, in my opinion. Unless you are freakishly fit (like Chicksen), you need a rest to keep up that level of performance, and Williams has improved Nemane’s game immeasurably this season. Yes, defensively he is weak, but he never stops battling and has been a revelation going forward. I just wish Chicksen and Nemane’s crossing was better, but I guess if it was, they wouldn’t be in the National League!

Connell Rawlinson has turned from a ‘head it kicks it’ type of defender to one who is comfortable bringing the ball out of defence and running with it – who would have thought?!

Matt Palmer and John Bostock struggled to play together initially, and it seemed as if we’d struggle to fit two excellent players into the same line-up. Palmer has undeniable quality. Current player of the year, he has got even better and could comfortably play 2 divisions higher. One of my favourite things about him is that he always plays with his head up and is constantly looking around. I genuinely think you could stop a game at any point, and he could tell you where the rest of the players are.

Bostock didn't become a fan's favourite immediately, although I must admit I liked him from the start even though you could see he needed a bit of time to get up to speed having not played for almost half a season before joining us. His quality is now shining through and he is controlling games. An early tip – I think he will be the player of the season 2023-24.

Frank Vincent has come back from a loan spell with a great attitude and forced his way back into the picture. Another player with great energy, I'd like to see him stay and kick on his career with us. He also seems to have adapted to a wing-back role really well.

Junior Morias will be a star! OK, I'm maybe getting a bit excited after his short cameo off the bench against Woking, but I think he has everything to help soften the blow of losing Langstaff in the summer, as it is almost certain.

You may be wondering why I haven't mentioned Ruben Rodrigues yet. One of my friends earlier this season described his performances as a 'bag of manure' (something like that, anyway...). Well, my friend, if you spread enough manure, you will get beautiful roses and that is what Ruben gives us. Yes, sometimes he makes the wrong decision and tries to run through a defender or shoots when a teammate wants the ball, but what a player.

A slow start on the goalscoring front, but he's added another aspect to his game this season, and he will be a sad loss should he leave. Spread that fertiliser on the Meadow Lane pitch as long as you like, Ruben...

Surprising to some for a defence which has conceded so few goals this season, but I think our defence is a real weak point which has been covered up by having so much possession and so much domination of most games this season.

I really hope the radar is looking at central defenders as I would be far happier if our current ones are no more than squad players next season. Kyle Cameron has great ability and is super going forward, but his unforced errors have been responsible for more than 10% of the goals we’ve conceded this season. Unforced errors. How often does he get himself in trouble then throw himself to the floor to get a free kick? Too many times for me. Aden Baldwin, while having had some excellent games, always seems to have at least one glaring error per game in his locker, where he will pass the ball to an opposing forward.

Geraldo Bajrami never seems to have an average game. He is either excellent or has a shocker. And you can’t afford too many shockers, although he seems to have great character having come back from a spell out of the side to come back in and turn in some excellent performances.

Let’s hope Richard Brindley has recovered from his injury and gets back to his form. His pace will be needed as we are short of that in the middle.

Tiernan Brooks got a chance when Slocombe was injured and did brilliantly. He will surely be challenging for the first choice next season. Although comments recently from Sam and Luke have made me wonder whether he has a few attitude problems? I hope I’m reading too much into that.

Jim O’Brien is like a dog chasing a ball in the park; he never stops. Constantly urging on his teammates, he provides great energy, and I’d love to see him stay at the club in a coaching capacity and be a handy squad member. Although, as a coach at Sheffield United, he may have his future mapped out away from us.

Ed Francis and Kairo Mitchell seem destined for the revolving door with long loan spells away from us. Although, I think Kairo can feel a little unlucky to be behind the top 2 strikers in the division based on minutes per goal from open play. Especially as we often only play one striker. He seems to be delivering for Eastleigh with both goals and assists and I wish him well.

Francis has been a perfect example of the progress we have made this season. A perfectly adequate player, how can he get a game when we have Palmer and Bostock?

The summer, as always, will be interesting and exciting. I fully expect us to make signings I have never heard of and will be singing their praises to anyone who will listen by the end of September!

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July 2022 and it was a chance to look at Notts’ array on new signings for the first time with a short journey to Basford.

Yes, it was against a side which had struggled 2 divisions below Notts the previous season, but there were some hugely positive outcomes from this first run out.

As supporters, we all want new faces to excite us, that marquee signing which sells a few extra season tickets for those sitting on the fence, but Notts have moved on from the fanfares and Hollywood glamour of a big name on the way down and our summer business at that time numbered 2 players each from Kidderminster and Gateshead and one from Ebbsfleet.

While most of us have grown to trust the radar, it would surely not be enough to convince the uncommitted as none of those players had a proven track record at National League level while the remaining players from the previous season had shown a soft underbelly and tendency to underperform on a regular basis.

On that sunny evening, however, clinical finishes from Langstaff and Scott showed that we had signed genuine goalscorers – but could they do it in tier 5? – and all 22 players involved that evening looked to have a spring in their step.

We stepped it up against Leicester City to beat them with some style and the rest of the pre-season campaign gave me huge optimism for the season ahead. To many of us, it seemed as if we’d be playing for a home semi-final by finishing either second or third, as surely Wrexham would stroll to the title with a squad signed from League One and the upper reaches of League Two and a wage bill likely to be several times that of most National League sides.

Surely no-one would give them a serious long term challenge, would they?

With a new coach in Luke Williams, could Notts build on the 3 failed play off campaigns and dismiss a few of those ‘bogey’ clubs as well as show a harder edge? We all knew Notts could outflank football sides, but could they win the ugly games? Could they scrap to protect a one goal lead? Could their away form on some dubious surfaces match those on the carpet of a pitch we have at Meadow Lane?

A comfortable opening day win and 2 goals from new signing Langstaff gave us hope, but this is Notts and when we gave away the lead twice to draw at Borehamwood then rely on an own goal to get a point at newly promoted Gateshead, it seemed as if the old problems hadn’t gone away with 4 points dropped already and only one clean sheet.

A turning point – albeit early in the season – may well have been what came next.

With half an hour to go and 2-0 down at home to old foes Chesterfield, a double substitution changed the game and 2 more goals from Langstaff showed he was adjusting well to the higher level, and we earned a point from a seemingly lost position with 4 of the 5 new signings on the field at the end of the game.

A first reverse of the season may just have seen us wobble in previous seasons but this Magpies team responded with 7 straight wins although 3 draws in 4 November games showed this was still a work in progress, and we did have some issues trying to break down a team which had little to no positive intent.

The away form, meanwhile, had been a revelation and any concern about ‘bogey’ clubs was swept aside with wins at Eastleigh, Aldershot and Torquay as well as a thrilling win at Chesterfield to prove we can win on TV!

Another tv game – at home to Dagenham – may be the one which cost us the title. (Really? We matched the Hollywood Globetrotters this far?!) as a completely dominant performance saw 2 breakaway goals send us to a first home defeat of the season.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game where one team hits the woodwork 3 times AND has 3 cleared off the line in the same game. Added to that, one absolutely nailed on penalty was ignored and another good shout was waved away. If that game were played 100 times, I feel Notts would win 98 with maybe one draw. Of all the seasons for the away win, it had to be this one…

The most hyped game in non-league history is likely to have sealed our play off fate with defeat at Wrexham but with 2 games left we have exceeded all pre-season predictions and can still win the league. Unlikely, given that Wrexham need to fail to win 2 of their last 3 games, but pretty much everyone expected the title race to be over by Easter – practically, if not mathematically.

And now we face the end of the season. Hopefully just 2 more games but realistically hopefully not 3 more games.

For all the previous play off campaigns, this is one we can justifiably feel confident. The soft underbelly has gone (although tier 5 defenders still make mistakes) and the gap between Notts and the rest is the same as it would be between second place and mid table in a normal season.

Of course, that doesn’t guarantee anything in a one off game but one thing we do know is that it’s been an incredible season and Luke Williams will not allow any complacency to get into this squad.

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Recent results have certainly created a whole raft of opinions about whether the squad is good enough, whether the manager is good enough, is the system right and a lot more, but let’s have a look at where we are.

Two seasons ago, we came into the National League in complete disarray and most of us were simply hoping we’d avoid successive relegations. 

We managed to get stronger as the season went on, making the playoff final (and I think we’d have had a chance of automatic promotion if the season hadn’t been curtailed).

With more expectations last season we faltered badly after Christmas but got to the playoff semi-finals again.

In both of those seasons, teams went up without having huge resources or expectations, in Barrow, Harrogate and Sutton. 

Hartlepool maybe had more expectation but were still not huge spenders.

This season, Grimsby has made a great start after relegation and seem to be a contender at this early stage while we’ve all read and heard of the big spending Wrexham, Chesterfield and Stockport.

Notts’ owners and management have said that we won’t be competing with big wages – and an example of that is when Ian

Birchnall said Chesterfield blew us away with the deal they offered Calvin Miller. 

Wrexham have signed players from League One when their current clubs didn’t want them to go. When that happens, it puts into perspective what is on offer elsewhere.

Notts have recruited technically good young players with a good academy background and the ability to play the type of football both owners and coach want to play. 

The idea is that with good coaching, they improve and not only progress Notts but also their own careers as we aim to sell them and make the club financially strong.

All of that comes with a lot of advantages, but also some testing times. 

Young players make mistakes. In fairness, all players make mistakes, but younger ones lack the experience to handle certain situations as effectively as they can, such as the recent capitulations against Woking and Halifax where it was real ‘rabbits in the headlights’ stuff.

When you play football from the back, it carries more risks. Even Barcelona and Manchester City have times where their goalkeeper passes it out to an opposing forward, so we should expect to see a non-League keeper (or, in the case of Patterson, a League One third choice keeper) doing the same. 

If we seek to play entertaining football, such as we saw at Barnet and in brief spells against Aldershot and Woking, we need to accept the other side.

We saw with the return of Kyle Cameron at Yeovil how the defence seemed more composed, albeit still giving chances to a really poor side towards the end. 

Going back to those games against Woking and Halifax, let’s not forget that for around 75% of those two games we were in control and should have coasted towards victories. On that basis, it maybe isn’t a million miles away from being a winning team.
The trick is to make those mistakes fewer and less costly.

But we’ve had a spell where our goalkeeper and 3 central defenders have been injured, and most teams would struggle to cope with that, even with the loan players.

One of the things Notts have struggled with recently is the results against teams in the bottom half.

Take last season as an example. Notts did the double over champions Sutton but then lost to bottom-placed Dover (okay, results expunged, but the point still stands).

And against teams who finished in the bottom half of the table, Notts had a record of 40 points from 21 games, with 5 defeats – a record of 1.9 points per game.

In my opinion, this is where league titles are often lost, by dropping points in the games you should make the most of.

So far this season – early as it is – Notts has 17 points from 7 games against teams in the bottom half with no defeats, a record of 2.4 points per game!

And this is with what is almost universally acknowledged as a team that hasn’t clicked yet, so there’s lots more to come.

So, what do Notts need?

I think this squad plays better and it a bigger threat when playing 3 at the back and 2 wide men, as long as the wide men do their defensive duties as well. Playing with four at the back makes it feel as if we’re being outnumbered somehow.

But a crucial part of that is working as a team and, just as importantly, keeping hold of the ball when we have it. 

Sometimes, players seem to give it away very easily and that invites pressure all the time.

We have goals from all over the team, but I’d love to see someone playing with Kyle Wootton. 

He seems so alone at times, with no-one within 20 yards of him. Which is fine if he’s able to control the ball and lay it off, but how often does a ball come at an awkward height, or the defender is all over him? 

If we had someone alongside to pick up the pieces – as Rodrigues did towards the end of last season – it gives the opposing defence something extra to think about.

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Notts County have had an excellent start to the season with an unbeaten start from the opening seven matches, with four wins and three draws.

From a perfect performance against Barnet, where the Magpies came out on top by putting five past the bees who didn’t manage to find the back of the net.

Semi-new Magpie boss Ian Burchnall has become a massive fan favourite by taking ‘County’ to the semi-finals of the national League play-offs last season and leading Notts County to a near - perfect start so far! 

The flying high Magpies didn’t have it entirely their way in the first home match of the season after falling behind early in the game due to miscommunication between Sam Slocombe and Connell Rawlinson.

Later on, in the match, the big man’ Kyle Wootton scored a brilliant diving header to find the back of the net.

With the match ending one a piece, the Magpie fans felt they should have taken all three points.

5 in 7 

In nearly all matches for Notts County this season, the six - foot one forward has found the back of the net.

Kyle Wootton originally joined Notts County on loan from Scunthorpe United back in 2019 before making It a permanent move in 2020 for a small fee of £60,000.

Every season playing in the famous black and white jersey, Kyle Wootton has finished as the top goal scorer for the club. 

What does the future hold for Notts County?

With the Notts County owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz being so honest, smart and incredibly responsible, the future does look good for the famous Notts County. 

Since the arrival of the new owners, the club has been well run and has had a massive turn around since the last owner, Alan Hardy, who put the Nottingham side up for sale after posting a picture of his genitalia on Twitter.

The Reedtz brothers have set a 5-year plan out and the Magpies have one goal this year, promotion.

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Whilst I want to openly acknowledge that Notts requires strengthening up-top off the bat, one player I believe Ian Burchnall needs to commit to giving regular game time during the 2021/22 National League season is Lewis Knight.

Arriving at Meadow Lane from Bradford Park Avenue, the exciting forward who has a blistering amount of pace – described during his debut for the magpies by BT Sports as ‘rapid’ looked to be a real handful.

I can only imagine how effective he can become with developing further as a player and, featuring around the likes of Kyle Wootton and Elisha Sam who should only benefit the 22-year-old.

Having scored 11 goals in 15 appearances for Park Avenue, it signalled a real sign of intent by Notts to sign such as young upcoming player, but I felt slightly disappointed after his initial run of games and the appointment of Ian Burchnall that his development time seemed to be abandoned - this might’ve been due to an injury to the young striker, towards the tail end of the last campaign.

I mean, I can understand that whilst Jimmy Knowles was scoring those all-important goals that it left little space for him – especially with Knowles finding himself on the bench towards the end of last season.

But I saw something promising in Knight, that needs to be given time to come up to the level the club requires.

It’s not just due to his pace, which alone would cause a lot of those slow lanky brutes in National League trouble – his reading of the game seems to be something promising, as he found space which other players might not have drifted into.

I think with the focus being on playing quick, steady build-up football – the sheer number of knock-ons that he would be able to get onto would be exciting to see.

Plus, the formation of playing three centre-backs provides Notts that extra edge up top, that someone could really thrive from with the right level of support.

It’s clear that Ian Burchnall favours this style of play as it provides an extra body in attack, but with a strong tall striker like Kyle Wootton, a tricky winger like Callum Roberts – this would leave opposition teams having to commit players to marking them alone.

Including the new additions to the Notts ranks, such Aaron Nemane who also has a speedy reputation.

The sluggish, slow Notts of old could be a thing of the past. When you intend to play ‘pretty football’ you need players who can hang onto the ball or at least run with it, I firmly feel Lewis Knight can develop into a forward that can get those all-important goals.

Knight could be the right player to advance further with the right nurturing, being a player that could develop into a free scoring striker.

Nobody imagined that Wootton would be such a big hit at Meadow Lane, yet I can see a similar amount of hard-work and graft in Knight too.

Whether, he plays a big part in the upcoming season – it would be a waste not to give him further time to showcase what he can do. I also, don’t believe it would benefit Notts to loan him out as its clear he needs to make the step-up in order to be a success and the chances of him going out to a team above us seems slim.

If there’s one thing we know, goal scorers are hard to find and even more difficult to see do well in our famous Black & White shirts.

This is why, I feel for the promising aspects of Lewis Knights game – the only way he can improve further is to be given a chance to establish himself this upcoming season.

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The off-season is a special time for many football fans. The first week is a novelty, but many of us begin wondering what exactly we do with our Saturdays now the Euros have finished. 

Such boredom drives inevitable speculation; who's off-contract, who's sought after, who are we linked with. In the era of social media and the internet, there are vast swathes of people demanding that the players who bedazzled in the league last year be signed up instantly, the galacticos of the non-league, if you will.

The thirst for these type of signings are encouraged by the endless stream of anonymous, 'in-the-know', accounts, largely on Twitter these days, who mainly throw enough mud that eventually one will stick; cue the many incorrect predictions being quickly tidied up.

For those football manager fans, my personal approach was to go heavy on the scouting, sign the best players, regardless of position, knowing they'll be good enough, or decent enough, even if not entirely in the position they like best. Reality is somewhat different.

'Philosophy' or 'club culture' are the latest buzz-words for a rather simple thing - how does the club prefer to play football. It's relatively new for us here at Notts, as our style used to change in synchronisation with our manager - roughly every 6 months (or less).

More than most clubs, the Notts pendulum used to swing from one side to the other, without so much as a pause to think about exactly what we are doing and where we are going. Derry: defensive, rigid, direct - to Moniz: attacking, fluid, reckless.

Without diving down the rabbit hole of why and how this all happened, the inevitability is that with such drastic and instantaneous changes in style, you will find yourself with players that simply don't suite the new one. 

It seems that tide has turned, however. A change of manager has brought in a change of tactics and play, but the style is largely similar.

There're no players that were well-suited to the previous manager that couldn't have done a similar job with the new one. This brings in a new factor to consider for our transfer policy - do we target players that are the best we can attract, or do we target the best players in the positions and roles that we need?

Sonny Carey. Brilliant player. Ripped us apart when we played KL. If you ignore the fact he has gone higher up the leagues, the next question is, where would we play him, or more importantly, who would you drop to play him? If we are sticking with 3-5-2, there are two striking positions and three central midfield positions.

Assuming one of those strikers will be Wootton, who plays close to him? Roberts? Rodrigues? If they're both playing, one of them (probably Rodrigues) will be the advanced man in that central 3.

You'd be very exposed if 2 of your central 3 were pretty much attacking midfielders, should you incorporate a Carey, or Carey-like player. Another name that came up regularly was Rhys Oates; primarily a winger. 

We've made 3 signings so far, and they all convey to me the same message - we know the type of player we wanted, and we've got what we think will be a good fit. A summary of what we were missing, prior to these signings:

• A Michael Doyle. Left-footed, central midfielder who can dictate the game through his passing ability. Capable of the killer ball.
• A left-sided CB, ideally left-footed, who can step out and play with the ball at his feet.
• A left wing back who can attack. Chicksen is solid and technically gifted, but not a winger type. We needed a more attacking LWB to replace Miller.

The three players we've signed, so far, seem to be role and positionally ideal (at least theoretically). 

The next question that naturally springs to mind is then what to expect from the further signings? For that, it's best to analyse what we have:

Noticeable is the scope for interpretation. Does 3 at the back mean this is how we line-up? Certainly not, but I've gone with more or less how we featured at the end of last season.

Secondly is just how attacking or defensive this formation varies hugely with personnel, start JOB instead of Rodrigues, Chicksen at LWB, and we all of a sudden look quite solid. Change that up and have Rodrigues, Roberts and Wootton as a quasi-front 3 with Taylor running from the wings, then we start looking dangerous, albeit a bit open. It can be assumed, I think, that those positions and players can be flexible depending on opposition or scoreline. 

For the future signings, I'm not expecting any attacking midfielders or wingers. My personal thoughts are:

• Defensive-minded, or tenacious central midfielder who can still play. Neal Bishop type would be perfect.
• All-round central midfielder. No special leanings one way or the other. Reeves loosely could be pigeon-holed in this category.
• A striker to compete and at times partner Wootton. Doesn't necessarily have to be the same type as Wootton.
• A RWB that attacks. Brindley and DKE are solid at this level, but neither are ones to unlock defences.
• A backup centre back. While Brindley and Chicksen performed amicably last season, playing a back 3 with only 3 established CB's is a big risk. 

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After a long season, and crashing out of the play-offs in dramatic style, the magpies now look to rebuild for the upcoming 2021/22 Season. 

It was made official by Notts County earlier this week that they would keep popular midfielder Michael Doyle. 

However, he would now be the head coach to assist Ian Burchnall for the important season ahead. 

The Irishman, who is also registered as a player, landed the role at the back end of last season after the dismissal of Maurice Ross. 

He finds himself in a positive place to take Notts County forward alongside Burchnall. 

The Magpies then confirmed a new two-year deal for shot-stopper Sam Slocombe. 

This is really good news for Notts as their number 1 had offers coming from higher up the footballing pyramid, with strong sources linking him to former assistant manager Neil Cox's strong Scunthorpe side. 

The shot-stopper faced 120 shots last year in the National League, saving 85 of them and with a kicking accuracy of 90 percent. 

You can tell he will be a massive backbone for the Magpies as they push for promotion back into the Football League.

Sam Slocombe is well known for his honesty towards Notts County. 

In his interview, after the news was broken towards the chuffed Notts fans, he said “When I came to Notts County, the project was to get us back to the Football League. 

"This hasn’t happened yet so I’m grateful to the fans and to the owner, alongside the management team, for letting me carry on this project.” 

These comments were music to the Notts fans' ears as many thought he had played his final game in a black and white shirt.  

And then came another huge boost as fan favourite and hugely important Connell Rawlinson also put pen to paper on a new two-year deal for the Magpies. 

A real warrior who puts his head in front of anything that comes his way, Rawlinson extended his stay at Meadow Lane as he wants to take the mighty Magpies back to League Two. 

“To play for Notts County, for what will hopefully be four years of my career, will be an honour for me," he said.

Rawlinson, who is well known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, plays on the right in a three at the back under Ian Burchnall. 

The Notts boss has revealed that Rawlinson will more than likely play in the centre of a back three and be part of the spine of the team.

It is with huge significance that Notts got his signature as he is the sort of player that is needed in the National League.

The fact that the Magpies have kept hold of such a top player has reignited hope in the Notts fans.

Indeed, over a thousand season tickets have been sold within the first 24 hours of being on sale.

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This is an article basically to give a shout out to one of Notts County's most consistent performers who doesn’t get much praise on here.

When he first arrived here I wrote him off as being too small and lightweight for the physicality of the national league but how wrong could I be?

What he lacks in size he more than makes up in passion and fight. Dion never shies away from a battle and stands up to players much bigger than him. He flies into tackles winning the ball and making sure the opposition player knows he’s there. DKE always puts his body on the line for the cause.

He knocks the ball around nicely too as part of starting our moves out from the back, something we do well as team – each player plays their part in a lot of the goals we score as a team.

Last season he had a success rate of 58.06% in offensive duels. 65% successful dribbles. 75.80% pass success. So going forward he is a great carrier of the ball – which although he doesn’t get a great deal of assists he still plays a part in our transition from defence to attack.

Let’s talk about the main part of his role in the team defending – he does well at standing players up and stopping crossers coming in our box. I do find it bizarre that he ends up marking the biggest players for set pieces such as Chesterfield's Denton but most of the time he does somehow manage to get the better of them.

This season he has taken his opportunity with both hands, he has almost reached his minutes from last term in only 14 games into the campaign and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in with a shout for player of the season come the end of the campaign.

The fact he can play on either side of the pitch is another welcome bonus. He’s a player that embodies what Neal Ardley typically looks for, a player comfortable with the ball, a player that can play in more than one position/system, a player that will scrap for the cause. At 24 he has plenty of time to grow and hopefully reach higher levels in the football pyramid, hopefully with us.

What more do I want to see from DKE? Maybe chip in with a goal/assist or two. I’d to see him just have a go, take a shot every now and then, you never know what might happen.

What a great bit of business by Notts County in extending Cal Roberts’ contract at Meadow Lane to the end of the 2022-23 season.

As a declaration of intent, it doesn’t get much better as he seems to be the talisman and when Roberts plays well, Notts are very difficult to hold.

I guess that could be said about several players throughout history but what helps Roberts stand apart is that more than not since he joined us, he has actually played well.

It’s fine to have some tricks and be a crowd pleaser without achieving anything at the end of it – we all know players like that and I may not be popular for including Stanley Aborah in that group, but have a think – how many goals did he score or create during his 2 seasons? – but Roberts actually hurts other teams.

Any player who has come through a Premier League setup and is still there at the age of 22 must have ability better than most, and we all know how difficult it is to break into a club which spends millions without thinking.

When he says that he should have been scoring a goal a game at Blyth could come across as being egotistical but when Roberts says it, you know it’s with a determination that he has to get back into league football and to as high a level as possible.

And with that attitude, for him to happily extend his current deal by two years is a real sign of where the club is heading.

There have been rumours of interest from clubs in the top two divisions and being out of contract in the summer must have been a temptation because for all the money in the game at that level, they don’t like splashing it out on Non League players.

But, if he can help us back into the Football League, it not only raises his profile but it also raises his price.

And with the other exciting players in the squad, it’s unlikely that opponents will be able to put 2 or 3 players on him as they did at times last season.

Imagine if we have a line up including Roberts, Boldewijn, Rodrigues and Sam – or more likely 3 of them in the same line up.

If you put 2 players on Roberts and 2 players on Enzio, there’s lots of space for everyone else!

That must be a good thing and promises great things once everyone settles, and we’ve shown that in spells this season during the games with Altrincham, Maidenhead and Wealdstone.

Roberts isn’t just a talent on the ball. He works hard without it and is definitely a team player.

It’s a frustration that so soon after signing the extension, he has suffered from an injury which sounds like it could rule him out for some time but let’s hope he’s back sooner rather than later and can add to our promotion push.

And if Notts make a better signing this year, I’d love to see it!

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There's been many things unusual about 2020, both from a footballing and non-footballing perspective.

One of the many unusual things from a Notts County point of view is that for the first time in any Notts fan's lifetime, Notts have not participated in the FA Cup this year due to an outbreak of COVID cases causing Notts to withdraw from the competition.

As it is FA Cup 1st round weekend, an exciting weekend for any lower league football fan, I thought it would be a good time to look back on Notts's best and FA Cup moments.

The most recent successful FA Cup run for Notts took place in the 17-18 season, when Notts got as far as the 4th round before crashing out after an 8-1 defeat at Premier League Swansea in a game shown live on BBC.

That FA Cup run started almost 3 years ago exactly, with a Friday night under the lights at Meadow Lane against League One Bristol Rovers. Against higher league opposition, Notts came back from 2-0 down to comfortably win 4-2 and prove that we could compete against teams at a higher level.

However, the 2nd round would provide a very different challenge against National League South side Oxford City. This was not the easy win most Notts fans expected, as Oxford City came back from behind twice and looked like taking us to a replay.

However, in the dying seconds of the game Jorge Grant would score a winner which took Notts into the 3rd round for the first time in 6 years. On a personal level, I remember rewatching that game with my dad on BT later (who hadn’t been there) and at 2-2 he asked if I was going to the replay, not knowing what happened next!

There was a lot of anticipation about who Notts would get in the 3rd round, and the draw did not disappoint, sending Notts to Brentford’s Griffin Park one more time before they moved grounds. Notts fans packed out the away terrace that day, and it was a memorable away day as a Jon Stead screamer caused a cup upset and sent Notts into the 4th round.

However, despite bravely taking Swansea to a replay in the 4th round, that would prove to be the end of Notts’s FA Cup journey after losing 8-1 in the replay as previously discussed.

On the subject of Premier League clubs, the last time prior to 2018 that Notts would face a Premier League club in the FA Cup was way back in 2011. With Notts going well in the league under Paul Ince, Notts fans had the additional excitement of a trip to Sunderland in the FA Cup 3rd round.

It turned out to be a memorable away day for Notts, as goals from Lee Hughes and Craig Westcarr sent us into the next round.

The next round brought an even more exciting tie, as Notts welcomed Man City to Meadow Lane. Man City were not the force that they are today, but were improving and spending big money under Roberto Mancini.

With the ITV cameras in town, Notts held Man City to a memorable 1-1 draw, with a Neal Bishop header being cancelled out by a late Edin Dzeko equaliser. Thousands of Notts fans would flock to the Etihad for the replay, but much like Swansea 7 years later our cup run would end in a heavy defeat, losing 5-0 this time.

I hope this article has brought back fond memories of Notts cup runs of recent years. Hopefully the 21-22 season when things are back to normal will bring many more memories for Notts fans, with Notts back in the EFL!

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The play-offs are on. Finally, the National League gave the go ahead for them and the chance for one of six teams to win promotion to League Two for the 2020-21 season.

The season was eventually decided on a PPG basis which meant most clubs kept their original position in the final standings bar a few changes.

The biggest change of them all coming with Barnet moving from 11th to 7th and a play-off date with Yeovil. The stoppage of the league meant The Bees climbed above Stockport, Solihull, Woking, and Hartlepool due to points-per game.

The format for the play-off will be in its third year. The winner of 4th vs 7th will 3rd and the winner of 5th vs 6th will play 2nd. Winner of the semi-finals goes to Wembley.

Tranmere and Salford have prevailed over the past two seasons with them finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively.

So, with the dates and fixtures sorted, let’s go through the runners and riders and see where they stand.

Harrogate Town

Position: 2nd

Top scorer: Jack Muldoon (13)

This will be Harrogate’s second season in the National League play-offs and with most of the squad still at Wetherby Road from last season, they will know what’s needed to get over the line.

Unlike last season, they will not need to go through the play-off quarter-finals as they finished runners-up behind Barrow, meaning they will compete in the semi-finals and will have to win one game to get to the final instead of two.

Town will feel they could have caught Barrow having been only four points behind The Bluebirds before the season was cancelled with the two still having to play each other at Wetherby Road.

Harrogate will have home advantage for the play-off and the stats are in their favour, having picked up 40 points from 19 games at home. 61% of Town’s points came at home and they will be looking to use that to their advantage when they host either Boreham Wood or Halifax Town on July 25th. In fact, Harrogate have only lost one home game since the start of September.

Jack Muldoon was top scorer for Simon Weaver’s side with 13. He has usually been partnered with one of Jon Stead or Mark Beck. The ever-dangerous Brendon Kiernan hit 7 goals during the campaign and was ever present throughout the season on the wing. Midfield pairing Jack Emmett and club captain Josh Falkingham were also regulars during the season and will most likely keep their partnership for the play-offs.

They have also been able to retain loan trio Alex Bradley, Jack Diamond and Kian Harriott. Scott Brown returns from Warrington Town.

Connor Hall and Will Smith formed an effective central partnership, even if they did end up conceding more than Notts, Boreham Wood and Barnet. Smith himself, played more minutes in the league than any other Harrogate player.

Their expansive style has helped them no end this season and they have done brilliantly, but with a squad short on numbers, do they have the depth needed? They recently had to say no to a friendly against Celtic due to risk of injuries as they only manager Simon Weaver said the squad only had four defenders.

Harrogate’s record against the rest of the play-off teams

Notts: L
Yeovil: WW
Wood: DL
Halifax: WD
Barnet: W
Record is W4 D2 L2. 14 points from a possible 24.

Notts County

Position: 3rd

Top scorer: Kyle Wootton (13)

Notts’ first season in non-league in football has been built on steady progress and stability on and off the pitch. Financial troubles over the summer meant players and staff were paid late until, in late July, Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz bought the club. Within days, wages had been paid and the transfer embargo lifted. Notts only started signing players 3 days before the season began, meaning they were pretty much a month and a half behind everyone. After an expected slow start, due to the number of signings and time needed for the playing style to get going, Neal Ardley’s side picked up form in September and ascended into an assault on the National League play-offs.

A blip of form in November was turned around and from December onwards, Notts were statistically the best team in the league, picking up more points than any other team. They also kept the most clean sheets and conceded the least goals during that time too. Top scorer Kyle Wootton signed permanently in January and Notts also captured Blyth Spartans ace Cal Roberts who would go on to become a fan favourite very quickly.

Kristian Dennis and Wes Thomas also hit double figures whilst Enzio Boldewijn (who scored 7) and the experienced Michael Doyle were both key parts in Notts’ push for promotion. Doyle himself has already been through five play-off campaigns with other clubs (3 with Sheffield United and 1 each with Portsmouth and Coventry City). Another part of Notts’ good season was a solid defensive record. Alex Lacey and Connell Rawlinson formed a solid defensive partnership. In the 10 games they started together from December onwards, Notts only conceded 5 goals, with 7 clean sheets being kept during that time.

Before the main part of the season was cancelled, Notts were on the best run of form of any team in the last six games, and they will hope to pick up where they left off.

Notts’ record against the rest of the play-off teams

Harrogate: W
Yeovil: L
Wood: WD
Halifax: WW
Barnet: L
Record is W4 D1 L2. 13 points from a possible 21

Yeovil Town

Position: 4th

Top scorer: Rhys Murphy (17)

Yeovil, like Notts, had takeover issues to sort out, but they also got their problems sorted out behind the scenes and the feel good factor from that translated to on pitch performances with The Glovers hovering in the top three for a chunk of the season.

Sarll’s side started slowly but soon burst into life with seven wins in a row that took them into the top three and they were hot on the heels of Bromley and then Barrow but, when presented with a chance to take top spot, they didn’t take it. They were ever-present in the top 7 all season, but their inconsistency from the Christmas period onwards caught up to them and they finished in 4th. They won only 3 of their last 10 games, drawing and losing four.

Rhys Murphy was the standout player for Darren Sarll’s side, netting 17 goals whilst strike partner Courtney Duffus scored 13. Lee Collins and Luke Wilkinson were regulars in central defence as was the experienced Carl Dickinson at left-back. Charlie Lee led The Glovers in midfield and played more minutes in the league than any other Yeovil player (2,569 minutes played). Myles Hippolyte was a dangerous source of attacking intent from the wing, contributing five goals and being ever present during the campaign.

Sarll’s side play a pressing style and they attack in numbers which can leave them exposed at the back on occasions. Murphy is a devious goal poacher and can be hard to mark. Duffus also popped up with his share of goals, meaning the pair were responsible for almost half of Yeovil’s goals.

Yeovil’s record against the rest of the play-off teams

Harrogate: LL
Notts: W
Wood: DL
Halifax: WW
Barnet: L
Record is W3, D1, L4. 10 points from a possible 21

Boreham Wood

Position: 5th

Top scorer: Kabongo Tshimanga (18)

This is Boreham Wood’s second appearance in three seasons in the National League play-offs, having fallen at the final hurdle in their last appearance, losing 2-1 to Tranmere at Wembley in 2018. They will have to go through the quarter finals again, as they did in 2018.

Luke Garrard should be praised for the job done with a limited budget. Wood recruited smartly and steadily progressed throughout the season, being very well drilled and organised but being intelligent in possession as well.

Wood started slowly, winning only two of their first nine games and after 18 games they were 14th, although only 4 points off a play-off place. After this however, Luke Garrard’s side didn’t look back and lost only one of their last 19 games which included a 15-match unbeaten run between late October and late February.

Kabongo Tshimanga and Tyrone Marsh formed a superb partnership up front scoring 32 goals between them (18 for Tshimanga and 14 for Marsh). This accounted for 58 percent of Boreham Wood’s goals. Femi Ilesanmi, Tom Champion and Kane Smith were all regulars in defence and Ilesanmi was only second in minutes played behind Tshimanga. Sorba Thomas also shone showing his potential.

Boreham Wood’s record against the rest of the play-off teams
Harrogate: DW
Notts: LD
Yeovil: DW
Halifax: W
Barnet: DD
Record is W3 D5 L1. 14 points from a possible 27

Halifax Town

Position: 6th

Top scorer: Liam McAlinden (10)

Halifax were pre-season relegation favourites but with a small budget and small squad, they defied the odds and Pete Wild guided The Shaymen into the play-offs, which they were a constant part of throughout the campaign.

Throughout the first month of the season, they would trade the lead of the National League with Woking and Bromley and they would win 7 of their first 9 games. They would stay in the promotion race from then on but hit a bad patch of form between early October and late December where they would win only 1 game in 11, losing six and going winless at home in 6 games (five home games in the winless run and 1 game in September).

Pete Wild’s side turned this around in the new year with an unbeaten run of 7 games and moving them up to 3rd but 3 defeats in their last 4 meant they finished 6th before seasons end.

Liam McAlinden would be top scorer with 10 goals but would leave for Stockport in January. Devante Rodney would be another key asset for Town with his pace and agility and would score four goals in eight appearances in his loan spell in the second half of the season. However, Rodney recently joined Port Vale and will not be available for the play-offs. Cameron King was a creative spark in midfield during the season and scored 6 goals in 31 appearances. Nathan Clarke, Matty Brown, Josh Staunton and Niall Maher form the backbone of the team with Clarke and Brown in central defence and Staunton and Maher in central midfield.

In the 2019-20 season, Halifax’s away form was the worst out of the play-off contenders and that is something they will have to get right quickly as they will need to win two away games to reach Wembley. Pete Wild has done a good job to get The Shaymen into the play-offs. Can they do it despite being unfancied?

Halifax’s record against the rest of the play-off teams

Harrogate: LD
Notts: LL
Yeovil: LL
Wood: L
Barnet: WD
Record is W1 D2 L6. 5 points from a possible 27

Barnet

Position: 11th (7th on PPG)

Top scorer: Simeon Akinola (15)

Barnet snuck into the National League play-offs on points-per-game. The Bees were originally 11th when the season was curtailed but had played 4 less games than 7th placed Stockport, and so jumped above The Hatters, Solihull, Hartlepool, and Woking.

Darren Currie’s side started relatively strongly, picking up 19 points from the opening 10 games. However, between September 21st and November 23rd, a run of 2 wins in 12 which included 7 losses left them in 16th place. They would turn this around through the Winter and New Year and The Bees would lose only 1 of their last 13 games, winning seven. They were left with several games in hand after string of postponements but their good end to the season kept them in play-off contention.

Simeon Akinola top scored with 15 and was a constant menace to 5th tier defences. Ephron Mason-Clark and Josh Walker showed their potential through the season, with the former scoring four and the latter scoring eight goals.

Ricardo Santos and Callum Reynolds were the regular starting pairing in central defence whilst Scott Loach played more minutes than other Bees player. Wesley Fonguck was a key player in Barnet’s season, making runs from midfield to support the attack and showing good agility and footwork to retain possession of the ball when Barnet were pressing.

Barnet’s record against the rest of the play-off teams

Harrogate: L
Notts: W
Yeovil: W
Wood: DD
Halifax: LD

Record is W2 D3 L2. 9 points from a possible 21

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(Nearly) 30 years of hurt

4 days, 6 weeks and 29 years ago was the last time Notts County were in the playoffs. Back then the Division 2 playoff promotion spot was won under Neil Warnock. That was the 1990/91 season, over nine years before I was born. Since then only one (arguably anti-climactic) playoff attempt- in the 2017/18 season- was made. It is probably an understatement to say: “The club's results in recent years have not lived up to the high expectations” (Reedtz brothers, 2019). Oddly it even feels turbulent times are behind us and that we are in somewhat calmer waters (ironic for the current global pandemic situation). With stable owners, an effective manager and a talented squad it may be time for us to end the (nearly) thirty years of hurt.

Starting eleven

Choosing of the starting XI is a job I am very glad is not on my shoulders. Upon checking the National League table, it can be seen we have some rather respectable statistics. ‘Goals against’ (GA) is the 2nd best in the league (to Solihull Moors- 37 goals) and ‘Goals for’ is the joint 2nd best in the league. Unfortunately, we are joint with fellow playoff contenders Yeovil and Harrogate, so this will be the best test of our defensive abilities.

Following the arrival of Kyle Wootton and Cal Roberts, the performances of Dennis, Enzio and Thomas have all been brought up a level. With Enzio’s magnificent sniper shots and Wootton’s noticeable physical presence surely, they are to start on the 25th at 5pm. I have always liked ‘a big man, little man’ style of forward play and would love to see Wootton paired with Dennis. With all this said I haven’t even discussed Roberts, who showed his ability with a goal in the Boston friendly.

When seeing the GA statistic (38 goals) as 2nd best I was quite shocked. Defensive quality has never been a strong attribute in my recent memory of Notts sides. Encouragingly, with solid presences of Turner, Rawlinson and Lacey I do believe they will do a service, backed up by the likes of Brindley and McCrory.

Obviously, we need our skipper Doyle in the centre of the field and with ball players O’Brien and Booty at hand, leaving a strong bench ready to jump on and refresh the legs.

Opposition

As I write this article, I am listening the to Yeovil v Barnet playoff quarter final. The winner of which is to visit Meadow Lane and contest against us for a place in the National League playoff final. With COVID-19 disrupting the season the Points Per Game (PPG) method used to decide playoff and relegation spots this season have had much criticism (as George Faulconbridge highlighted to me when he explained about the relegation of Ebbsfleet on a difference of 0.094 PPG between them and Maidenhead United). Whilst some teams do properly kick-on with their season just after Christmas I feel this doesn’t reflect the talent of Barnet’s squad.

Optimistically, my prediction is we will win against Yeovil (despite some surprising scores in our most recent friendlies) and go to Wembley with Harrogate Town FC (who I am sure will win against Boreham Wood at 2:30pm 25th July). However, the playoffs always seem to throw all certainty out the window.

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The nineties were a mixed decade for Notts to say the least, starting with two trips to Wembley and a return to the top flight. However, the five years after relegation from the first division were marked by bewildering sackings, even more bewildering managerial appointments, a cost-cutting drive overseen by Colin Murphy and, finally, relegation to the fourth division in 1997 (at that time the third division, now known as League Two. I know).

This was our first relegation to the fourth division for almost three decades, since the early days of Jimmy Sirrel. To my 17-year-old self at least it was almost as unimaginable as our relegation of 2019. We hadn't played many of the teams in that division in many years and were perceived by other clubs' fans as fallen giants (we had been hosting Manchester United and Liverpool five years before, after all). We were Everybody Else's Cup FinalTM.

The team was managed by Sam Allardyce, who had been appointed in January 1997 a few months after his sacking at Blackpool. Allardyce had failed to keep us up – in fact, we had embarked on a club-record winless run of 20 games, most of which were on his watch. He wasn't blamed for relegation, however, with most fans acknowledging that he had inherited a demoralised and bloated squad.

Allardyce had already thinned out the squad the previous season, and the sole pre-season additions were Dennis Pearce and Mark Robson, who beefed up the left-hand side. Gary Strodder, in his third season at the club, formed the heart of a sound defence and was partnered by Graeme Hogg, Matt Redmile and Ian Richardson at various points. The previously hapless Ian Baraclough moved into midfield and was given a new lease of life. Phil Robinson was another regular, giving us plenty of strength and tenacity in the centre of the park. The team was captained by Ian Hendon, a very steady right-back and a sublime taker of penalties.

Following a nervy but important win over Rochdale on the opening day and a comfortable win at Hull, we encountered our first setback at home to John Beck's “industrial” Lincoln side. After harshly showing Devon White the red card, the referee failed to spot that ex-Notts striker Phil Stant's winner for Lincoln was approximately seven miles offside, sparking furious scenes. But that was to remain our last defeat until November, with Notts establishing themselves near the top of the table in what looked like a close fight for promotion.

During that time we recorded what was to be our last home victory over Mansfield until last season, with Gary Martindale scoring the only goal (which also had a strong whiff of offside about it). The match was rather more low-key than our more recent encounters with the Stags, however.

On 3 December we won 1-0 at Brighton (who were groundsharing at Gillingham at the time) in front of a now-unimaginable crowd of 1,279. It was to be the start of a record-breaking run. The following week we moved to the top of the table for a final time after a 5-2 win over a dreadful and relegation-bound Doncaster side.

This was also the time that Gary Jones came to life. The hard-working striker scored just five goals before Christmas, but finished the season on 27 goals and in the form of his life – form he would sadly never replicate at Notts or any of his subsequent clubs.

We travelled to Lincoln during January with a score to settle and a club-record ninth consecutive win in our sights. In excess of 2,000 Notts fans made the short journey, myself incuded, and accounted for nearly half the crowd. And we were to be rewarded with a bombastic first-half performance and a 3-0 half-time lead – we were cruising, the only question seemed to be how many we would score. Just a couple of minutes into the second half, keeper Darren Ward attempted to clear a back-pass up the pitch but succeeded only in kicking thin air, and moments later the ball was in our net. Suddenly Lincoln came alive and ran us ragged. Just thirteen minutes after Ward's miskick, they were level.

Seconds after the restart, Notts were back in the lead. And ten minutes later the Lincoln keeper attempted a clearance, but the tireless Jones charged it down. Instead of being allowed to tap the ball in the net, Sean Farrell sprinted ahead of him and claimed the goal for himself, much to Jones' annoyance. Not that the travelling fans cared. Notts were now well on their way.

A 2-0 win at Mansfield the following week (with hundreds of Notts fans locked out outside the ground) extended the winning run to ten, before it finally came to an end with a draw against Shrewsbury. But by now the chasing pack were melting away; it already seemed a matter of when we won promotion, not if. Shaun Derry left for Sheffield United after the Lincoln match, with Andy Hughes replacing him days later.

With every passing week it became apparent that we really were going to be champions by Easter. Promotion would have been possible with a win over Colchester on 21 March if other results went our way. We drew 0-0 and they didn't. So it was on 28 March 1998 that we became the first Football League team to win a championship in March, when we beat Leyton Orient 1-0 in front of a crowd of 8,383. Mark Robson scored the only goal and Sam Allardyce led the festivities on the pitch after the match, grabbing the microphone and “treating” us to a rendition of “We Are the Champions”.

The club organised a “gala day” on the final day against Rotherham United, who had play-off ambitions of their own, but it was probably the prospect of another round of celebrations that drew a season-best crowd of 12,430 to the Lane. The team duly obliged with a stylish 5-2 win after falling behind in the first half. Notts finished the season on 99 points – we were simply too good for the fourth division.

And so we returned to the third level at the first attempt. We had the wind in our sails and a proven, popular manager at the helm – hopes were high that we could enjoy a successful era with Allardyce at the helm as we had under Sirrel and Warnock before him. Although those hopes were to be dashed, the 1997-98 season still left us with lots of happy memories.

On the up:

Steve Finnan – Signed permanently during the previous season, Finnan disappointed and ended up warming the bench. He blossomed during 1997-98 though, making the right wing spot his own. Finnan was sold to Kevin Keegan's Fulham the following season and subsequently made over 100 appearances for Liverpool, featuring in their Champions League victory over AC Milan.

Doncaster Rovers – Doncaster were in dire straits in 1997-98, with a chairman who tried to set fire to their own ground and a team made up of his relatives and youth-teamers. They were relegated on a goal difference of -83. After a takeover the following summer, they returned to the League in 2003 and have never looked back.

Swansea, Cardiff, Hull and Brighton – These clubs all finished in the bottom five of the basement division in 1997-98, and all have played in the Premier League since. In the twenty-odd years since 1997-98, the bottom five teams from this season have fared rather better than the top seven...

Disappearing from view:

Devon White – The popular Nottingham-born striker, who played most of his football for QPR and Bristol Rovers, had returned for a second spell the previous season. He scored his final Notts goal in the farcical defeat at home to Lincoln City and was harshly sent off ten minutes later. He joined Shrewsbury just weeks later as Gary Jones and Sean Farrell consolidated their place in the team.

Z block – At this time the Kop still belonged to away fans, often giving them an acoustic advantage. The vocal Notts fans were in the side of the Sirrel stand closest to the Family Stand, meaning that the songs and chants could often only be heard across half the pitch.

Scarborough FC – The Seadogs made the play-offs this season, losing to Torquay in the semi-finals. However, the following season they were dramatically relegated to the Conference on the final day courtesy of a Jimmy Glass goal for Carlisle, and were never to return to the League.

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Go on, hands up if you thought Kyle Wootton would turn out to be this good when Notts County signed him on loan from a struggling League Two side at the end of August?

Granted, one of the things fans have constantly complained about is the lack of a big, strong target man. Someone who can hold the ball up, bring other players into the game, win the headers and generally lead the line in a way which helps the poachers like Kristian Dennis and Wes Thomas find the space to play their own game.

At the point of signing him, Wootton had a League record of 15 goals in 101 games and 2 goals in 22 games on loan to Nation al League sides.

Hardly the stuff to whet the appetite but that just shows how misleading statistics can be – especially when a lot of those appearances were from the bench.

His full debut at home to a dour Solihull side which came to stifle the game, and did that superbly in a goalless draw, didn’t really give much of an idea. But away at Sutton United the following Saturday took your breath away.

A wonderful all round performance capped with a fantastic goal gave huge hope that we might have the striker we’ve been waiting for since Jimmy Spencer. With 16 goals at around a goal every other game, he has certainly found the scoring touch as well as helping his colleagues – and let’s not forget that holding the ball can also take pressure of the defence and give them time to reorganise.

It’s strange to think that when January came around, one of our fears was that we’d lose him as he was attracting the attention of League clubs. Thankfully, he settled so well at Notts and speaks so highly of the management that it appears that was never really likely as soon as we made our move to make him a Notts player rather than a loanee.

I think that could turn out to be one of the best signings we could have made, because there are very few players around at this level who can do what he does and, if we are able to get back in the League, I have no doubts that he’ll do just as well in League Two.

Another thing to consider is the amount of work he gets through. While Ardley likes to rotate his players, and rarely plays any of the others strikers twice in a week, Kyle Wootton hardly misses out and leads the line in a manner which shows far more maturity than his 23 years. I feel there is much more to come and am really looking forward to him being a major part of the club at least for the immediate future.

One downside of performing well at a lower league club is that it’s difficult to hold on to them, so let’s enjoy him while he’s here.

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With Notts County piling up with fixtures back in December, the club managed to pick up 10 points from a possible 12; it highlights how beneficial mixing up what was becoming a stale squad can be.

The previous month as we all know, Notts struggled to pick up points and fans including our very own Chris and ARLukomski called for the introduction of fringe players.

Tom Crawford who hadn't appeared for Notts since the away defeat in 2018/19 to Mansfield, has managed to be called upon and despite being relatively quiet in the Solihull Moors game, he hasn't had a lot of football so a few quiet performances can be excused in my opinion.

Additionally, Notts County Academy product Sam Osborne has made a return to featuring and did excellently in the FA Trophy game against Chesterfield, backing it up with another impressive performance against Maidenhead United where he scored his home debut at Meadow Lane.

As the run of fixtures came in thick and fast, the club needed to adapt and allow for critical players to rest in favour of someone else desperate to get match minutes.

I don’t feel any individual players are guaranteed to start, as this is part of the issue, when some regularly perform at a subpar standard.

Alex Lacey who had to wait for Ben Turner to pick up an injury to start has been a shining example at the back, and he has grown already within the role, partnering Connell Rawlinson very well.

With the return of Dion Kelly-Evans who offers a lot of pace, his effort to get involved has been an enormous relief to see on the pitch.

I wonder, why Neal Ardley waited so long to introduce some fresh players to mix things up.

One possibility I have already touched upon, that being the frequencies of how often Notts had to play but, it makes you question could earlier results have been different if it was sooner?

December changed the mood in the supporters, reawakening fans and a real belief that the club can go up has been re-inserted into the minds of many.

No question this will take a lot of work, with the return to action in 2020 only seeing a draw but that is a good enough start in my eyes, Notts won't cruise past any team in the National League comfortably.

The fans need to have a level of optimism, pride and a noticeable amount of fight from the squad.

December has proven that Neal Ardley can make successful changes, changes which need not be forced but implement as a way to keep legs fresh.

January will rely on much of the same approach, with players who can be saved for the crucial odd appearance rather than playing each game and becoming jaded.

If we allow Ben Turner to rest appropriately, perhaps he will be able to come back stronger? I think it would be harsh on Alex Lacey to be dropped, and I believe Connell Rawlinson has been superb in recent games.

With the addition of the latest capture, which seems to be a real coup for Notts. I would like to see Cal Roberts take up the opposite side of the pitch allowing Sam Osborne to remain in the first team, development-wise Ozzy won't always be a standout player but provided he's learning. It will only benefit the club further.

With the Football League's transfer now almost at a close, I don’t expect Notts to sign any more players, especially with Jim O’Brien close to making a return since his injury in December.

I believe the squad has players who can fill in the gap, as Pierce Bird played well against AFC Mansfield in the Notts Senior Cup match, which saw Jim O’Brien return to action.

It's for this reason, why it would be disappointing to see fringe players, not utilised more.

We have more than capable players at the club who can partake in creating something unique, who are earning a wage but until recently have found themselves often overlooked. Insert a little faith; let's hope they can make a positive difference when called upon.

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For any football fan who's seen their team get relegated, one positive once you've got over the initial shock is to think about all the new grounds you can visit. And with Notts having previously never dropped down to non-league in their 157-year history, all these non-league grounds seemed like an exotic novelty to a Notts fan who travels home and away each week. So having completed half a season in the non-league wilderness, let's take a look back on the highs and lows of a non league away day.

Best away days:

Without question, I would have to list my favourite away ground that I've visited this season as Aldershot. Why did I like Aldershot's ground? Because it was the right mix of being an old school terrace, as well as a ground with a good atmosphere between home and away fans, which hasn't always been the case at the majority of non league grounds. Another terrace which I thoroughly enjoyed was Halifax, a large, retro terrace for away fans and an experience helped by the fact that Notts actually won! However, in terms of both the result and away day experience, then the best away trip this season would have to be the 4-0 win at Woking. From the slightly surreal yet friendly experience of drinking in the snooker club that was the only pub anywhere near the ground, to the cracking on the field performance from Notts, it was definitely the most memorable away trip of the season. Chants about "Our Danish chairmen" rang out throughout the game, as Notts put in a performance that established their challenge for immediate promotion back to the football league. Whether Notts genuinely have a chance of that promotion is a question for another blog!

Worst away days:

My least favourite ground I've visited this season would have to be Sutton. The whole vibe of the place was quite weird; on the one hand the stewards and other staff at the ground were very posh and overly formal. On the other hand, I recall facilities at this ground being particularly poor and not up to standard. The fact that the game was poor didn't help, but there was no real atmosphere at this ground which made for a pretty unmemorable experience. Another away ground I didn't particularly enjoy was Eastleigh; a ground which while facilities were modern and up to standard, was just pretty bland and the result also contributed to a relatively unmemorable day. While I can't moan too much about Chesterfield away as an experience as we've been there before in the football league and the facilities are pretty good for this level, I must give a special mention to Chesterfield advertising that they were selling out of date beer at the ground. Thanks for telling all away fans that they should give that a swerve, I guess! Thankfully no matter how bad things have got at Notts, we've never stooped to that low.

So are the grounds in the National League significantly worse than those in League Two? I suppose it depends what you look for in a ground. In terms of character, there are some pretty bland grounds wherever you go in the football league. Therefore, an old fashioned ground like Aldershot, Halifax, or Maidenhead is definitely more charming than a football league out of town ground like Colchester or MK Dons. However, if you're talking about facilities then the overall standard is definitely slightly lower. The facilities at most non league clubs who have never been in the football league are definitely not quite up to football league standards in the whole ground, never quite as clean or well maintained as facilities in a football league ground. But even at the worst of times at any tinpot non-league ground, it's important to remember that this roller-coaster ride will all be worth it when Notts are a football league club!

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Where do you start with a review of Doyle's Notts career thus far? A man who was well known to us for being a thorn in our side in recent years as a player at Portsmouth and Coventry, both of which we he forged successful promotions, an outstanding achievement by any professional's standards.

We know from first hand experience that he is a player the opposition fans love to hate, which in truth is a huge compliment to the man. His tough approach to the game and ability to wind the opposition players and fans up alike, whilst always in the referee's ear telling him what decisions he should be making and still having a playing influence in the game, is quite remarkable.

It would be fair to say his transfer to Notts has not been smooth by any means and at times he has clearly divided the Notts faithful. One of the first games I think he played for us was our home game against the Stags. We of course were in an extremely poor run of form, so I doubt many of us were looking forward to the game, especially seeing as we were desperate for the points and them being our bogey side, yet step up Doyle, who I am sure many will agree was superb in the match along with JOB. I for one was buzzing and thought that his signing will surely help us escape the drop, but alas it was not to be.

Life in the National League did not get off to the greatest of starts as we know for obvious reasons and I am sure it was very frustrating for the players as it was us fans. I suppose we will never know the stress that the players were under but it did seem to show on Doyle and this resulted in him receiving a red card for a rash challenge, fair play to the man he did apologise and reassured us that he would pay the faithful back, he soon returned straight after his ban and a few games later he was sent off again, this further dividing the fans as to his worth as a Notts regular.

In the following weeks and his return to the side, I see that he was asked to play a different role in the team, a role that saw him as a defensive midfielder whose job it was to bring the ball out from the back and keep possession. I can honestly say I was not a fan of this style of play and whereas we had plenty of possession we struggled to create many chances as the ball was predominantly in out last third, I also felt that this left out other midfielder Rose exposed as his partner was too deep.

In more recent games Doyle seems to have moved further up the pitch, this also coincides with the addition of Lacey, who can play and is quick, so no surprise really. Now I see Doyle as back to his best, a man who in whatever circumstances is always available to receive the ball and never hides, he keeps the ball moving and now in the right areas and we have looked far better. A recent game I noted that Doyle was the furthest man forward in the hope of receiving a ball over the top, this brought great joy to me as we no longer seem predictable like we did before.

Whether you have had mixed opinions about Doyle for whatever reason, I am sure we should tip our hats to the man, a 38 year old who is full of running and such an influence on our side, he really is the beating heart of our side so I suggest we get behind the man, although we know he is sky blue through and through, no one can fault his commitment to Notts.

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