Was Saturday the day when the wheel finally fell off the wheelbarrow?

Notts County have suffered from wobbly form for a number of weeks now, and despite last week's impressive 4-1 win against Crewe Alexandra - a side which many of their own fans think is in major disarray and worry about its prospects of staying up - there have been far too many indifferent performances and bad results in the league in recent weeks.

Take the back-to-back home defeats against Exeter City and Crawley Town, games when the formation was inexplicably changed to 4-5-1. The first game, you could understand a desire to conserve the forwards' energy but after things panned out as badly as they did, surely it should have been changed back in the following game.

Admittedly, January brought a superb run in the FA Cup, and beating Brentford and holding Swansea City to a draw at Meadow Lane showed how Notts can play when they're firing on all cylinders.

And as embarrassing as the 8-1 defeat to Swansea was, you could cut the players some slack in that they were maybe overawed by the occasion, or having an off day, and the Swans are certainly a different beast under Carlos Carvalhal - although once again the 4-5-1 formation clearly didn't work for the Magpies.

But this weekend, losing 1-0 to Barnet is a very tough result to take. After the horror show at the Liberty Stadium, a game against the league's bottom side should have presented the perfect opportunity to build on the win over Crewe.

Instead, we failed to match a team down on their luck, failed to create our own luck and were caught out by a route one lump up top late in the game, the kind of attacking foray that any professional back line worth their salt should be able to defend against all day.

As great as Elliott Hewitt has been in recent weeks, his absence due to illness shouldn't be affecting the team that badly, given the other more than capable players we have in midfield.

It's a huge shame that the work put in by the club during the first half of the season appears in real danger, but even though the players must shoulder responsibility, it's time that Kevin Nolan acknowledges that, as good as his tenure was during 2017, he has made numerous mistakes over the last few weeks which seem to have caught up with him and the team.

Needlessly changing a system that was working fine took us backwards and ramped the pressure up on the team, with the comfortable cushion in the top three now gone. The constant hoofing of the ball when it should be played on the ground has also been a recurring theme.

It's also interesting how Nolan was more than eager to take the plaudits when things are going good, but with this defeat it's all the players' fault. Where is the "camaraderie" that he spoke of during the ups? Now it's "they weren't listening" and "backchat".

We go again on Tuesday night with Carlisle United coming to Meadow Lane, and the next five fixtures read Newport away, Cambridge away, Stevenage at home, Cheltenham away and Forest Green away. Out of all of these, the highest in the league is Newport in 12th.

All these fixtures should be able to yield results for Notts, should they play at the top of their game. But it's important that the Magpies can get back to basics, play the ball on the ground, make the right team selections and play in the right formation.

A lot of damage has been done in the last few weeks in the league but now is the time for manager and players to step up to the plate and return to form.

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How amazing would it be to see Notts make yet another round in the FA Cup?

I think it would be incredible, and tomorrow night Kevin Nolan’s side will head into a game against Swansea City whereby we could progress to the 5th round.

This season has been very surreal, it’s almost at the complete end of last year’s spectrum and I believe the hard work on the field is paying off dividends.

It’s a tough ask from our squad playing in the fourth tier of English football to go to a Premier League side and play in such a fashion that could snatch a win.

However, I feel we are very much in contention to achieve such a result and even if we don’t, it’s just nice to see the clubs name up there in the headlights.

Our home tie against Swansea provided that we could match them and at times play well enough to deservedly do so.

The second half at Meadow Lane was a joy to watch and I would hope that we could encourage another similar display, even if we are away from home.

In the recent league game against Crewe, we rebounded very well to the opening shock of conceding early, and the players showcased a real belief in determination in getting a positive result in front of 17,000 spectators.

I feel we need to approach the game forgetting about whom our opposition are, or how many divisions are between them and us.

Approaching the game with the mindset that we won’t be outplayed, nor will we surrender, yet to make a solid statement and push to see just how much further we can go.

There’s no reason why we can’t just go and express the type of football we want to play or achieve something which most may feel is impossible – I’ve always said that Swansea is a team I fancy our chances against.

Kevin Nolan has also recently expressed his feelings towards the tie, stating that he's "really looking forward to it".

"I know Swansea had another good result at the weekend so it will be a tough one, but we go there full of confidence." he added in a recent press release.

Unfortunately, Swansea have also lost two key players in Wilfried Bony and Leroy Fer, who have been sidelined for the rest of the season due to serious injuries.

The Premier League will also be their main focus and, despite this, I feel Carlos Carvalhal will field a side which he believes is still strong but again it may not risk a few of their other bigger named players.

Regardless of who plays, I would hope we go there believing that we can continue our FA Cup journey and, I would hope there’s a high level of belief within the Notts camp.

It really would be incredible to see us progress to the fifth round and take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

As supporters we have had a very turbulent time over the last 3 to 4 years and it’s fantastic to now see just how well Notts are doing.

Alan Hardy has restored the faith of many Notts fans and Kevin Nolan has introduced a winning way to Notts – something which no fan isn’t thankful for.

Now let’s go to the Liberty Stadium and showcase further that amazing turnarounds can happen if you fully set your mind on it!

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I realise that the deadline day signings have split fans' opinions, we can debate how good they appear on paper or discuss their careers so far, but the important part is to welcome any new signing into the club and hope that they can help us.

Notts have fought hard this season and we have seen such a huge turnaround that even now I find it hard to believe.

The club right now is experiencing a fresh start and we now have the right kind of foundations in place.

Success on the pitch is often measured in quality, but also desire and I think our club has the right type of balance – although I do openly admit I had hoped for a permanent striker to sign.

This said, I feel in League Two Mason Bennett does offer us something which we don’t really have and that his pace could be the thing which ignites us on the pitch - as a signing he should naturally take the burden off the midfield to score goals.

It’s also important after Exeter City’s midweek win that we get back on track ourselves, as I feel the wheelbarrow doesn’t need to break just yet – this is more optimism and hope mind.

Crewe Alexandra are the perfect team for us to be playing right now, especially since the great performance we put in against Swansea City in the FA Cup.

That said, we need to match that performance and even attempt to outplay it.

The Alex won’t be an easy pushover despite their league position, not at all and I think the fact that they play some decent ground football should test Notts.

Yet their poor form is also a beneficial factor for us, as we could go into the game respectful yet be confident at the same time.

On paper people will naturally think it should be easy, yet football is never straightforward and, as Notts fans, we only know too well what it’s like playing an underperforming side.

The 2017-18 squad is completely different compared to previous squads and I feel they will want to see the success continue – I certainly believe they will show a lot of character as we fight for our finishing place.

There’s just that underlining question of formation and, I hope after Kevin Nolan’s seen how useful it is – reverting back to it against Swansea, that he will see it makes sense to continue using 4-4-2 within the league.

We would be stronger, much stronger sticking with a formation that we know inside-and-out.

I fully expect Nolan to choose 4-4-2, I think he will see that the two league defeats weren’t down to much else – yet with the inclusions of our new signings, we should be stronger up top and at the back.

Notts really need to put a convincing showing on Saturday, we need to forget about the attendance and just rise to the task of getting back on track.

The amount of fans or potential fans shouldn’t be daunting and, if we get behind the lads – singing them on.

With the Kop fully behind the game, I feel we will find our form – it’s time to start believing! COYP!!

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For the second year in a row, Notts County have been busy in the final days of the transfer window.

Last year, the Magpies exited the transfer embargo with just a few days left to go and were able to bring in several players, many of whom were loanees (including Jorge Grant - how did that one work out again?) plus Mark Yeates joining permanently.

This time round, the whole Ryan Yates debacle has largely been put behind us with the acquisition of Noor Husin, who was superb against Swansea City and has been tipped by Alan Hardy to improve as he gets more accustomed to the league to the point that Yates' absence will no longer be felt.

Matty Virtue has also been brought in on loan from Liverpool and although he may need a little more acclimatising to the rigours of first-team football, he is also a very highly rated player - you'd need to be to captain the Under-23s team.

Oh, and of course Liam Noble, although signed last year, was registered in January upon the opening of the transfer window. Seems like an age away now following all that happened since.

This month the wear and tear from the overload of fixtures has shown in the defence with Matt Tootle, Richard Duffy and Shaun Brisley missing the odd game, so a reinforcement at the back was a necessity.

Hardy promised and he delivered, with Ben Hall joining from Brighton & Hove Albion on loan. Another captain of his club's Under-23s team, Hall got a fair bit of first-team action - 18 games, according to Transfermarkt - at previous club Motherwell but hasn't been used by Chris Hughton as of yet, so like Virtue, he may need a little acclimatising to senior football.

And then came the long, nervous wait for a forward to bolster the ageing and war-weary attacking ranks, which ticked past 11pm and left many fans increasingly nervous. But once again, the signing was made, as Mason Bennett arrived for a temporary stay at Meadow Lane until the end of the season.

Bennett is very highly rated by the Rams fanbase, many fans saying he's a superb player that has just been unlucky with injuries. But the fact he's featured this season in the Championship, the EFL Cup and even the FA Cup, against Manchester United, means he is clearly highly rated by Gary Rowett.

On the whole I am satisfied with the month's transfer dealings. Let's face it, we were never going to sign a key player from another lower-league team with the season still in full swing, but the players that have been brought in are all young up-and-coming prospects who will learn from County's elder statesmen and in turn give them a little respite from time to time - after all, we're likely to clock up more than 50 games this season in all competitions.

The FA Cup run has been superb but the bread and butter of the league has been disappointing in January, so fingers crossed the signings will not only slot in seamlessly and give the team a bit more quality, but also ensuring that the older players in the team can be used more sparingly and as a result will show more of their own quality when they do play.

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Much like in politics, a week - or to be precise in this case, two - is a long time in football.

When Notts County learned of their FA Cup fourth-round opponents, quite a lot of fans would have been happier to be up against Swansea City than against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

After all, one is a team top of the Championship with momentum, players way too good for the division and shedloads of cash, while the other is a down-and-out team with morale the same as their position in the Premier League table - ie rock bottom - and couldn't score in a brothel.

Notts, meanwhile, had enjoyed a decent enough festive period, began the year with victory over Port Vale to entrench their place in the top three of League Two, and had put in a superb performance to beat Championship Brentford on their own turn in the FA Cup third round.

Then, over the following two weeks since the fourth-round draw, Swansea City have drawn against Newcastle and beaten Liverpool in the league, as well as overcoming Wolves in the cup, while Notts have drawn one and lost two in the league to put their automatic promotion hopes in jeopardy.

Another transformation is that of Ross Fitzsimons. When he came along at the FA Cup fourth-round draw event at Meadow Lane, he could do no wrong. After Adam Collin suffered his long-term injury, a lot of people were worried about just how good the back-up keepers at Notts were.

Fitzsimons was drafted in, a big ask for a 23-year-old who had virtually no experience of senior league football, but over the coming months put in impressive performance after impressive performance to leave fans wondering whether Collin was going to simply reclaim his first-team place.

And then, came the moment when he went from "hero" to "zero" in the eyes of a lot of fans - Crawley Town, Meadow Lane, Tuesday 22 January 2018.

Notts were level with their opponents in injury time but had just been reduced to 10 men and were hanging on, but they had possession as Fitzsimons claimed the ball from a corner and set himself up to lump it upfield while the outfield players made their respective ways forward up the pitch.

And then came the glitch in the matrix - Fitzsimons, still in possession of the ball, kicked out at Mark Connolly, who then made the most ridiculous fall since the ref that was nudged by Paolo di Canio all those years ago, and by the rules of the game, red card and penalty.

I admit I described the ending to the game as "shambolic", and it certainly was. You can understand to a degree how a footballer can get so riled up that they lash out at another, and you have to wonder whether Connolly had said something to Fitzsimons prior that made him lash out.

But at the same time, as football mistakes go, it's pretty big - I'd compare it to an own goal scored by a player who decided to pull off some inexplicable stunt and, predictably, it backfires - Lee Dixon's own goal in Arsenal v Coventry is a prime example of it. Not deliberate, but so daft that it feels like it may as well have been.

Predictably, heads were lost among the Black and White Army, many of whom wanted to see Fitzy dropped from the first team entirely or sacked outright for the incident. It all felt like a pitchfork-wielding mob.

Yes, it was a bad mistake. Yes, it cost Notts a point and deprived them of yet another goalkeeper at a time when things are wobbly and ahead of a crucial cup tie against PL opposition.

But Fitzsimons will know this. He will be absolutely mortified to have succumbed to his red mist and his confidence will undoubtedly have taken a hit, especially how he will now be powerless in the stands watching his team in action when they need him the most.

And he will learn from it. Kevin Nolan has had his fair share of brain farts over the years as a player and, even though he probably gave Fitzsimons a rollocking behind closed doors, he's come out in support of his player and will be good guidance to helping him overcome this blip.

In the meantime, there's a chance Collin could return to contention and, if not, Branislav Pindroch will be given his own chance to try and make the number 1 spot his own.

So in conclusion, the best thing to do is to keep faith in Nolan and in the club, and I'm sure when Fitzsimons returns from his ban, he will be a much better, wiser player.

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Why have we changed formation?

If someone could tell me why, it would be great.

But why? Why have we done this?

In the last two recent games, Kevin Nolan has experimented a bit and changed to a new formation, switching from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1 with three central midfielders including Noor Husin, Matty Virtue and Liam Noble. This means Jon Stead is up front on his own with Jorge Grant and Lewis Alessandra on the wings.

However, this recent change hasn’t worked as shown by successive 2-1 losses at home to Exeter and Crawley. Notts’ amazing home record has been worsened by this change in formation and the results that have followed.

By all means, this formation can work if you have the right players but this Notts team doesn’t.

First you need to have a pacey striker up front - Aguero for Man City for example and Conor Chaplin at Portsmouth.

Notts cannot play this formation with Jon Stead up front. He is too slow and too isolated. We have next to no threat up top when we play one striker. Defenders are quick to get the ball off him before he ever has a chance to bring the wingers into play.

Next, you need to have a good attacking midfielder to play behind the striker. Someone like Luke Berry. Notts have this in Liam Noble but refuse him to play instead placing Matty Virtue into the role of the No.10 when we can clearly see that he has the same properties of Ryan Yates.

We have rushed three new midfielders into the side who have not played with each other before and if we continue to play this formation, they will have to have time to gel. You can’t take that risk in a promotion race especially when Notts have only taken 26 points from their last 19 games. Notts have dropped so many points, that the gap to 4th is now minimal.

In both games, when we reverted back to 4-4-2, we immediately looked more of a threat going forward. Virtue showed in the short time he had in the 4-4-2 formation against Crawley and his performance at Lincoln, that he can easily slot into Yates’ role. Just because of Yates’ recall, doesn’t mean we have to introduce a whole new system. It really isn’t needed. You have got to play Hewitt alongside him in midfield because he is the legs of the team. Even when Notts are out on their feet, Hewitt is still running around causing the opposition problems. He doesn’t stop running. These two in a 4-4-2 formation would be fine.

Noor Husin looked a lot better suited to our normal formation at the weekend. He became the man pulling the strings when we went 4-4-2 against Exeter, only for him to be replaced. I would like to see Liam Walker start a few games because every time he has come off the bench, he has been quality.

We have abandoned tactics that have worked so well for us all season. Why abandon them now? It makes no sense whatsoever.

4-4-2 gave us structure and stability. It gave us a Notts side that scored goals and gave us a Notts side that stood in second place. A striker, a centre back and a backup winger was all that was  (and still is) needed and Notts would have been fine. But no, this is Notts and we love to bottle every good opportunity that comes our way.

I salute Charlie Slater for his questioning of Nolan’s tactics last night on the radio. I love Nolan for what he has done for this football club so far but we’ve got to go back to basics otherwise we won’t even finish in the play-offs, never mind the automatic promotion places.

I am begging that Nolan returns to the formation and the tactics that bought us so much success all season. Look at Brentford. We played 4-4-2 and beat a Championship team. A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.

Seriously, we have got to go back to 4-4-2 otherwise we can kiss goodbye to promotion.

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January has been the quiet month that I had expected from the club, going into the transfer window I only felt two positions needed reinforcing – however the loss of Ryan Yates did mean that the midfield required some patching up.

I am pleased with how Notts have conducted their business so far, bringing in Matty Virtue on loan and Noor Husin on a permanent deal seems good business. Also, the long awaited arrival of Liam Noble appears to add a bit more depth – however we will need to see him fully match fit first.

The departure of Haydn Hollis for me highlights Kevin Nolan’s clear plan towards improving the squad, however with no replacement yet introduced to the ranks, it’s a position I feel has more importance now.

There’s no denying that the Magpies require a striker up top, I’ve been saying this all season (in fact since Coventry). In addition, with the questions always hanging over Jonathan Forte's playing time, it does leave things looking somewhat bleak up top.

Yet from a defensive point of view, I would be extremely disappointed if another solid CB wasn’t brought into the squad. And whilst I hope that we do also bring in a striker that has pace and knows where the opposition’s net is – I really don’t feel we will be seeing this wish granted.

The two areas are vastly important, with the midfield looking stronger than ever on paper.

I struggle to recall the last time that we looked so capable on paper in this department and, the reaffirmation from Forest that Jorge Grant will remain on loan is nothing more than an added bonus.

I feel the loss of both Yates and Grant would have caused us some teething problems, especially at a point of the season which is well known for being tricky and demanding.

It’s honestly refreshing to see a manager go about ‘improving’ the squad and quickly identifying ways to fix key areas.

Previous managers seemed destined to retain some of the weaker links within the squad and I feel this never really allowed us to strengthen properly – in fact I think it’s one of the underlining issues which hindered our true chances of progression previously.

This said, it would be that negative if we weren’t able to sign a striker and I do believe we have adequate cover in defence.

It’s just that wishful to see the club continue their improvements throughout the squad and I honestly believe that these areas being reinforced would strengthen our promotion chances – yet also give us more flexibility when it comes to knowing where we are next season.

Securing another solid CB would take the burden off playing someone that perhaps isn’t as comfortable at the back as Shaun Brisley or Richard Duffy.

It would be a massive addition that would give us cover if injury or poor form set in, or even just a tactical advantage if we required something a little different.

Likewise, a striker would take the burden of our ageing stars Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi.

I keep saying it, yet I feel the right player coming in could learn a vast amount from these two players – their experience alone is something, which would appeal to a player looking to progress the leagues.

That fight and hunger would be something would no doubt help us when the time arrives to replace either of the two – as let’s face it, this doesn’t seem that far a way.

However, the togetherness of the squad and current spirit I believe will be enough to ensure there’s no slip ups.

I also do feel the club is in good shape for attracting players of that extra quality, whilst being able to work with other clubs' players does seem like an advantage at this stage.

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Disappointment and football seem to go hand in hand when being a Notts County fan.

Like most Magpies supporters, I am immensely gutted by the departure of Ryan Yates who has joined Scunthorpe United after being recalled by our neighbours Nottingham Forest.

It’s sad enough that a parent club could force a move in spite of a player's wishes.

Yet to remove their chances of helping aside secure promotion, either as champions of their respective division or as automatic hopefuls, just doesn’t make much sense at all.

There’s no denying how beneficial the move had been for us, as Yates has proven himself as a major force within our midfield.

The decision to recall him, only to loan him out to a side chasing promotion in League One seems quite bizarre on paper, as for me it undoes all the hard work that he put into the first part of the season by removing him from the opportunity to play within a very settled environment.

People might suggested that Scunthorpe United may gain promotion themselves, however I feel this is unlikely – whereas there is a strong possibility that we could continue to fight for top spot in League Two.

Happiness for any player is a big part of their game, as is togetherness – uprooting a player and expecting them to repeat their earlier performances within an unknown dressing room is such a huge risk in its own right.

I do understand why Nottingham Forest would want to access his development, yet this just seems very rushed and somewhat mismanaged.

Since their new manager, Aitor Karanka, has only arrived recently, it’s quite baffling as to whom made the decision.

The one thing we as fans simply can’t get our heads around, but it has happened and our club now has to decide if or who should replace him.

Honestly, I didn’t see this happening and I felt that the media reports merely attempted to create the headlines.

Would it not make sense to allow Yates to continue his loan spell at Meadow Lane and then reassess his future/development?

I do believe that he’s going to be a big player, yet I don’t think his level is quite polished even in League Two and the experience gained here seemed beyond just that.

I would go as far as saying the whole vibe around the club has a dramatic effect on young players, if you believe in something and see that your contributions are helping – even appreciated, well it enables you to play at such a higher level of football.

Along with the league and cup success, it really adds to the difficulty in understanding the situation and I don’t see Scunthorpe United as being candidates to repeat what magic Yates would have had here.

I really can’t see them gaining promotion from League One, it’s very tough and there are far better teams around them which will have a more refined squad in terms of depth.

As a fan I can’t complain about the season, and this situation is merely an unwanted distraction.

I am certain Kevin Nolan will be accessing what areas need strengthening, yet this does create the situation of do we need extra cover?

Personally, I think Michael O’Connor and Liam Noble can fill the position and do it well.

I would also like to see another young player with a similar playing style as Yates come in, just as we might need extra depth and having that finer quality does make a huge difference.

To summarise this, regardless of the ins and outs of the loan deal – I feel Forest haven’t done themselves any favours.

I believe it doesn’t remotely help Yates, and I see this without wearing any tinted glasses.

The quality of players around any player is enough to help shape and mould them, if we were talking about a Wigan or Blackburn – I might see things a little differently.

It still wouldn’t make me feel any less different about if the decision was right or wrong, and if Notts had a ‘season long loan’ then I would steer clear of developing any of Forest players in the future.

Why risk this situation happening again? I don’t believe it casts a good light on them as a football club.

I would hope that this decision doesn’t have an adverseeffect on the club, as I do think the event may leave some distractions and unhappiness around the Magpies camp.

However, the professional approach would be to focus as quickly as possible on adding the depth mentioned before the January transfer window closes.

Hopefully it's business as usual, we will be able to patch the squad up and continue as we were.

Good luck to Ryan Yates lastly, it has been a real pleasure to see him do very well in the Black & White shirt and just seeing his enthusiasm whilst playing seems a real honour for us.

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As you may all be familiar, Pride of Nottingham regularly looks back into the history archives to share significant moments of Notts County's history on each day of the year.

Normally this is done via a picture on social media, but January 10 is an especially eventful day, to the point that having an image for each one would be almost too much.

So, for today only, we have compiled all the events of this day in a feature article for you.

1920

Meadow Lane hosted its first ever FA Cup tie, a decade after Notts County moved into the stadium. The Magpies played their first league game there in August 1910 but six consecutive away draws and the onset of World War 1 meant their first home game did not take place until 1920. In front of a crowd of 30,000 spectators, Notts beat Millwall 2-0 thanks to goals from Harold Hill and Billy McLeod.

1970

Goalkeeper Barry Watling, who had arrived from Bristol City in July the previous year, made his Notts debut in a Fourth Division meeting with Exeter City, which ended 1-1. Watling would go on to keep 21 clean sheets in just 65 games for the Magpies and was a key member of the team that won promotion the following season.

1992

Paul Rideout, who had joined Notts from Southampton for £250,000 in September the previous year, was sold to Rangers for double what the Magpies paid for him, just 24 hours before the magpies were due to face Nottingham Forest. Chairman Derek Pavis told fans the club had no choice but to sell him then as Gers had allegedly threatened to pull the plug on the deal unless the deal went through in time for that weekend's league fixtures.

1998

Notts became the first club to hit the milestone of playing 4,000 matches in the Football League when they took on Rochdale away at Spotland. The Magpies won 2-1 thanks to goals from Gary Jones and Phil Robinson.

2009

Jack Wheeler, who loyally served Notts for more than 25 years as coach, trainer, assistant manager, caretaker manager and scout, sadly passed away aged 89.

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After the anti-climax of Notts County drawing Brentford away in the third round of the FA Cup, it was superb to see the Magpies overcome the Bees and go in the hat again for round four.

I was at Meadow Lane on Monday night alongside the 200 or so fellow Notts fans to see the draw made and, when ball number 13 was drawn, the tension was palpable - would the following few seconds bring euphoria or disappointment?

As it was, the drawing of Swansea City or Wolverhampton Wanderers was cheered - although it wasn't a Premier League giant, I agree with Alan Hardy in thinking it was the "next best thing". Swansea are currently a top-flight side (whether that will still be the case next season remains to be seen) while Wolves are a Premier League side in waiting.

After the initial satisfaction of the draw came the next question: "Can Notts County overcome their opponents and enter the hat for round five?"

Myself, I would rather take on Swansea than Wolves. As we saw over the weekend, a number teams which are fighting for Premier League survival were either taken to a replay (Swansea, West Ham, Bournemouth) or knocked out altogether (Stoke), which shows that sides which have top-flight survival on their mind may not focus on the cups as much.

As well as fighting relegation, Swansea are also in a really poor run of form - their win over Watford was pretty impressive, granted, but they were second best for most of the game before striking twice late on in the game to steal all three points.

In total, Swansea have won just four games all season and their tally of 13 goals scored in 22 league games is woeful to say the least.

Carlos Carvalhal was also a very peculiar choice of manager, having been sacked by a side in the league below before getting the Swans gig, and it remains to be seen whether he will be a Sam Allardyce /  Roy Hodgson, or an Alan Pardew.

In comparison, Wolves are ripping the Championship apart, boasting a 12-point lead over second-placed Derby County and with just three league defeats all season, plus a tally of 50 goals scored and just 20 conceded.

The really frightening thing about Wolves is how their rich owners, Fosun International, and their links to super agent Jorge Mendes have ensured the procurement of some of the best young players in world football, who have turned down some of the biggest clubs in the world to join Molineux.

Take for example Diogo Jota, on loan from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, or Ruben Neves, the most expensive signing in second-tier history from former Champions League winners Porto.

And then there is Rafa Mir, a player that was being courted by Real Madrid - yes, Real Madrid - but ended up leaving Valencia for Wolves.

The way Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is going about assembling his team, I personally wouldn't think it surprising if Wolves get promoted this season and then finish in the top 10 of the Premier League next year.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Swansea lose their replay on January 17 - even though it's at the Liberty Stadium, I can imagine their fans getting disgruntled if Wolves nick an early goal, or go at the break level at half time, which could boost the visitors.

In terms of who I'd like to see Notts get next round, I think Swansea would actually be an easier proposition than Wolves. A team low on morale and form whose main focus is Premier League survival, or a swashbuckling team on great form boasting some amazing players?

Whichever side wins their third-round replay, it'll be good for Notts to host Meadow Lane and, given the magic of the FA Cup (and of Hardy's New Era), anything can happen in round four!

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So here we are in 2018. January, to be precise. A month where everyone's skint after a month of splurging on presents, food and general excesses, and a month where everyone promises themselves that they're going to carry through some resolutions, only to fail two weeks in at the first sign of winter malaise.

In the world of football, however, it's pedal to the metal as not only are there plenty of fixtures to get through, but the transfer window reopens, cue players changing clubs and journalists working overtime to churn out all the latest rumours, about 90% of which are complete bovine doo-doo.

Over at Meadow Lane, however, there is legitimate cause for concern over the status of two players, namely Ryan Yates and Jorge Grant.

As you all know, they're currently on loan at Notts County from Nottingham Forest, and as far as everyone was concerned, the Reds had agreed to let the duo remain over the Trent for the duration of the season.

But with Forest sacking Mark Warburton, it presents a possible dilemma as a new manager may decide to recall the two players either to give a go in the team - after all, they're hardly setting the division alight, and eight points above the bottom three in the form they're in is hardly reassuring - or potentially sell on.

In a fan forum late last year, Hardy said: "Both players are on loan until the end of the season and, while recall clauses are in place, we are confident they will stay with us for the season."

Indeed, the rumour mill has begun turning, with League One side Scunthorpe United believed to be interested in Yates and Championship Norwich City reportedly keeping tabs on Grant, cue nervousness from the Notts faithful.

However, even in the worst case scenario where both Grant and Yates are taken off of County's hands this January, there is still solace in the return of two midfielders - one a re-signing, the other having been out for so long that he will feel like a new signing.

I am, of course, talking about Liam Noble and Michael O'Connor.

Now, obviously Noble and Occy are not like-for-like replacements for Grant and Yates - each player has different styles and characteristics, so let's take a look at how each of them play, as individuals and in the team.

Grant is a skilful flair player who likes to take on people, while Yates is a classic box-to-box midfielder who is far better at going forward, and also distributes the ball well.

Yates benefits from having experience by his side, it takes the pressure off his play and usually results in more confidence on his part.

Both are vastly different going forward, Grant likes to force play, whereas Yates builds carefully and allows for the ball to be passed around.

O'Connor is a natural leader, we have missed him in midfield despite the good start and although we are blessed in an offensive mindset, his experience will be a blessing.

In games where we struggle to create chances, he will be that player needed to think outside of the box.

Defensively he assists also, a massive part of his game which is underappreciated in my opinion.

Noble is very similar to O'Connor, yet he's more self-minded - selfish almost - and will end up seeing the headlines before they are written, plus he's great at drifting into space.

I feel because Noble is more an attacking minded midfielder who likes to run at players and show his directness, I think it cancels out a potential pairing with O'Connor.

If Grant and Yates leave, Noble and Rob Milsom should be paired in midfield, they are more a balance between the lines - both can get forward but Milsom can do the defensive duties.

Milsom has a good understanding when it comes to defensive positioning and I feel he links up well when trying to come out of our own half.

O'Connor, meanwhile, can be utilised from the bench, or started as an attacking midfielder should Grant and Yates not be around at the Lane any more.

Whatever January brings, Notts are very well equipped in midfield and it should remain one of the strongest areas in the squad, with or without Grant and Yates.

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When Notts County fell to a 3-0 hammering at Coventry City in the first matchday of the season, the Black and White Army could have been forgiven for thinking "and... here... we... go... again!" The Sky Blues were rampant, while the Magpies looked like rabbits in the headlights.

Of course, this now feels like it could just as easily have been years ago, because it proved the shock to the system which galvanised the team, with all the players outraged they could allow themselves to fall to such a defeat and manager Kevin Nolan, a stickler for perfection, also taking the hammering almost as a personal affront.

Since then, Notts have gone from strength to strength and, at the midway point of the season, sit second in the table, five points clear of third-placed Exeter City and six of fourth-placed Coventry, and with an impressive goal difference of +15 which, whilst not the runaway dominance of Luton Town, still denotes a side that's rightfully where it belongs in the upper echelons of the table.

It took a while for Notts fans to be convinced, given the amount of false dawns we've had and bearing in mind the poor start to the campaign, but already in the EFL Cup game against Scunthorpe United it looks like a reinvigorated side.

Claiming local bragging rights against rivals Chesterfield was a major boost, even though they've had a shocker this season so far, and in the win over Wycombe Wanderers, where the previously familiar pattern of taking the lead and being pegged back was then broken with Notts scoring two late goals, there was a sense that things were going to be different.

September was en route to being literally the perfect month, as Notts surged to the top of the table and thrashed their nearest challengers at the time, Exeter, 3-0 on their turf. Then came the return to earth in the form of defeat at Mansfield, which in previous seasons would have heralded the beginning of the decline.

In hindsight we can look back and realise that didn't happen, but October proved a tricky month, with draws against Forest Green Rovers and Carlisle United and a defeat at Crewe Alexandra, but the win over Barnet and the hammering of Newport County kept Notts top of the standings heading into November.

The first round of the FA Cup was negotiated in superb style with a comeback 4-2 win over League One side Bristol Rovers, while in the league, Notts continued to pick up points, although having to share the spoils in draws at Stevenage and Yeovil Town eventually saw Luton sneak up behind the Magpies and take top spot in the table.

As of Christmas Day 2017, Notts County sit second in the standings and, despite having drawn all three of their league games so far this month, the open nature of League Two this season means they still have a healthy advantage over the teams directly below them.

It's not just about the points though - it's about the team's attitude and mentality. Numerous times Notts were either losing or drawing when they found the inner strength to nick a late goal or three, as we saw against Cambridge United.

The interesting thing is that, compared to this time last year (a period which I shall henceforth refer to as "the dirt" - I'd like to use a stronger word but you know, family site and all that), a lot of the players are still the same. But while last year their heads would drop, this year they will simply not give up. The players are lions when last year they were sheep.

This is testament to the different state of affairs at the club - Alan Hardy's takeover of the club and subsequent repairing of the club infrastructure, as well as the appointment of Kevin Nolan, have been the footballing equivalent of turning an abandoned, dilapidated, rat-infested building into a luxury mansion worthy of hosting a G20 meeting.

Indeed, the fact that I can talk about drawing at Yeovil and against Forest Green as negatives when, this time a year ago, it would have been easier to draw blood from a stone than for Notts County not to lose, it shows just how expectations have naturally increased alongside the standards.

So here we are, on Christmas Day, halfway through the season, and well in with a chance of promotion. Except for the first two weeks of 2017, which were traumatic, the year has been a wonderful rebirth for Notts County, with Hardy and Nolan as the miracle workers.

What will 2018 bring? Hopefully, fingers crossed, it will bring more of the same and culminate in glory at the end of the season but, if one thing is certain, is that we have our Notts back.

Merry Christmas all, thank you for all your support over the season and the year so far, and stay with PON as we continue to bring you all the latest Notts goodness across the festive period and into the new year!

COME ON YOU PIES!!

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November did not start in the best way for Juventus, but manager Massimiliano Allegri went for something radical - he inserted players like Douglas Costa, Medhi Benatia and Blaise Matuidi in the starting XI, while pulling the likes of Paulo Dybala and Alex Sandro off the bench.

This 'breakthrough' gave its positive signals, 3-0 against Crotone in the league, then a 1-0 victory in Naples in the big-match Napoli-Juve, decided by Gonzalo Higuain, who also had a broken hand.

On December 5, Juventus qualified for the Champions League round of 16, beating Olympiacos 2-0 in Greece.

In the last 16 we will play against Tottenham Hotspur, the first match will be at Allianz Stadium on February 13th, the return will be on March 7th at Wembley.

Having beatem Napoli, Juve then had the chance to return to the top of the table - however, it finished 0-0 between Juve and Inter in Turin.

In our last league match Juve won 3-0 against Bologna, with a splendid free kick by Miralem Pjanic, Mario Mandzukic's goal and Matuidi's first goal with Juventus.

The Bianconeri are now second in the league, +1 on Inter. On Wednesday, Juve successfully navigated the Coppa Italia last-16 tie with Genoa and will now face city rivals Torino in the quarter-finals.

The injury situation is on stand-by: Mandzukic has a calf injury, Mattia De Sciglio a thigh problem and Gianluigi Buffon a muscle strain, but they should have less serious problems than Benedikt Howedes.

The German defender, who had made his debut with Juve against Crotone, has again a lesion of the rectus femoris and he should remain out for at least 2 more weeks.

But there are also good news: Marko Pjaca returned to the squad list for Juventus-Bologna on the 17th day of Serie A after a 9-month layoff with a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Juve are also moving forward in the football trasfer-market: Liverpool midfielder Emre Can will see his contract expire in June, and Juve's society may already have an agreement to sign him on a free.

Mattia Caldara will arrive to Juventus in June once his loan with Atalanta finishes, while Leonardo Spinazzola could already arrive in January, given the possible departures of one between Kwadwo  Asamoah and Alex Sandro.

Dybala's situation is complicated: he had started very well, he had reached 10 goals in Serie A after a few games, then he had a drop in form.

He changed his agent and now, according to newspapers, the Argentine’s manager would have offered him to Paris Saint Germain. Meanwhile, we are waiting to see the best of Dybala again because we need his magic!

Thank you to Leo from Daje Juve for this article. Follow them on Instagram by clicking here.

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We're 22 games into the League Two season and things are looking very rosy indeed for Notts, with 43 points gained so far in the campaign.

On Facebook, Richard Thompson wrote a post on the Pride of Nottingham wall after the 21st game, comparing the tally of this season with that of the other two promotion campaigns in recent history, in 1997/98 and 2009/10.

Having adjusted the statistics to include game number 22, Notts had 37 points in 09/10, and 41 in 97/98. And in both these seasons, the Magpies finished top of the pile.

It's worth mentioning that in both the previous League Two/Division Three promotion campaigns, Notts enjoyed a strong second half to the season.

In 09/10, the Magpies picked up 56 points from the remaining 24 games to finish on 93 points, and in 97/98, they finished with 99 points, so they picked up an additional 58 points.

Heading into the halfway point of the season, Kevin Nolan's boys are better placed than their promotion-winning predecessors were after the same amount of games, but it's absolutely crucial that standards remain high in the second half of the campaign.

Obviously the prospect of a title or promotion hunt is always going to be relative to the teams around Notts.

After 22 games of the 09-10 campaign, the Pies were fourth in the standings, 14 points behind then-leaders Rochdale, while in 97-98, the heavy win over Doncaster Rovers put Notts back on top. This year, at the 22-game mark Notts are second.

Luton Town, who top the current standings have outlined their credentials as the strongest team in the division and, below Notts, things are relatively even among all the other teams, with just 12 points separating third-placed Exeter City from 16th-placed Stevenage.

The January window will be interesting to see - how will Notts strengthen their ranks so as to improve the squad without unsettling the current crop, and how will the other promotion and playoff contenders recruit in the New Year?

It's been a superb 2017-18 campaign so far and, if any manager is going to ensure that standards don't slip, it's Nolan.

So Notts... it's over to you!

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What a transformation 2017 has been for Notts County. Ever since the arrival of Alan Hardy and Kevin Nolan, things have just been an amazing whirlwind.

After last season’s terrible drama, both on and off the pitch, I would have been happy enough for just a mediocre campaign for once.

However, this being Notts, things are never going to be dull are they?

This said now that we have enjoyed what can only be described as a very successful 2017-18 League Two season so far, I really don’t want it to change.

The club’s takeover has revived a new lease of life into the Magpies and on the field everything seems to going from strength to strength – it’s really hard to see how anything could actually change.

And even the optimism of the fact the club only requires a few key areas to be strengthened in the January transfer window, shows the amazing turn around, as usually we the fans do eye up improvements across the field.

It’s the little things which I feel have gone the furthest with Notts, a sensible manager at the helm, a chairman who believes the club can move forward without shortcuts and players so ingrained and in tune with the core heartbeat of the football club.

Honestly, I feel there’s a large element to the success of this season coming from the fact the players enjoy performing under the environment created and are thriving thanks to the extra support given by the fans during what seems to be an incredible run.

I feel there’s a lot of ambition around the club, which really does add to the solid foundations trying to be created – when Hardy spoke ‘a new era’ last season he really meant it.

There’s a noticeable increase within the supporters’ base, something which I noticed quite early and as I have written before home games feel very special when attending – almost like we realise that the club is on the verge of something vastly different to prior campaigns.

I would even praise how things have been increased within the club's marketing department, as the income generated within this area will naturally increase what we can spend and what further improvements can be made.

Honestly, I hope the fans that haven’t been able to attend games – look at this season and try to get down to Meadow Lane when possible.

The additional support is something I consider to be paramount, and during the difficult seasons I really found it difficult when I noticed friends and Notts fans becoming ever more absent.

Thankfully I have seen many return and you can’t blame people for not being there, yet I would urge any support – as the club is doing themselves.

Hardy’s desire to personally hand sign all of the Christmas cards sent out to season ticket holders was a nice thought.

A gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by me or my family, in fact my youngest daughter who has always loved the club from birth actually kept singing ‘I had a wheelbarrow’ and of course saying how much she enjoys being part of this fanbase.

It makes a positive difference doesn’t it? So, lets continue delivering the fantastic support build up in 2017 and emerge a much stronger community based football club in 2018 where hopefully we will be able to do something extra special on the field, and put further implementations to continue the club's fantastic start under Nolan and Hardy. You Pies!

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Although FC Barcelona have turned it into their motto, the truth is every single football club out there is "more than a club". It's a pillar of the community, it brings together people of all walks of life, it instils pride in an area's culture and heritage, and so much more.

Notts County Football Club go a step further by giving back to the community, both local and global, with the help of Notts County FC Football in the Community.

A lot of Notts fans may be vaguely aware of FITC but know little more about what they truly do, so Pride of Nottingham will cast the spotlight on them and their work.

In 1989, Notts County FC founded the "Notts County FC Community Programme". This was set up by Footballers' Further Education and Vocational Training Scheme (FFE+VTS), which was a welfare scheme operated by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) for its members.

The NCFC Community Programme had the following aims:

- Encourage more people especially children to play football
- Provide training, leading to employment
- Promote closer community links with professional football clubs
- Encourage more people especially children to watch live professional matches
- Maximise the use of facilities at professional football grounds

Such was its success that it gained a National Award for Training Programme in 1994 and, six years later, gained charity status, became independent and former a board of trustees to become the Football In The Community charity it is today.

With over 35 projects that cover all 20 city wards, FITC have enriched, empowered and encouraged hundreds of thousands of people across Nottingham over the last 28 years, and have been recognised for their great work with multiple awards, including the illustrious "Professional Club Community Programme of the Year" at the 2016 Sport & Recreation Awards.

As of 2017 FITC continue to serve the community with the same passion and commitment they were founded with, focusing on 6 key areas of work (as displayed on their badge):

- Social Inclusion
- Health
- Education
- Sports Participation
- National Citizens Service (NCS)
- Fundraising

Although working alongside Notts County FC, FITC is an independent charity which raises all its own funding, so it's essential for fans to get behind it and continue the great work they're doing in Nottingham.

FITC recently held an event at West Bridgford's Poppy & Pint in which Notts legend Les Bradd talked about his illustrious career and it was enjoyed by all who came.

And plenty more events are in the pipeline, such as the Inflatable 5k Nottingham (July 14)  the Peak District TrekFest challenge (September 1), Robin Hood Marathon (September 30) and the CEO sleepout (October 11).

FITC Media Officer Leighton T James said of working alongside Pride of Nottingham: "I find your articles and content insightful, humorous and strikes a cord with a very passionate and family friendly audience.

"The tide is changing in the way football fans engage with the media.

"When I was a child I remember visiting Sixfields Stadium, home of Northampton Town and my dad buying 'The Hotel End' fanzine and chucking to himself at the illustrations and articles written by cobblers fans.

"Now, that has changed with the rise of social media and fan channels like Arsenal Fan TV. We are very happy to associate ourselves with fan site like PON."

We at Pride of Nottingham are delighted to be working alongside Notts County FC Football in the Community and will do our very best to ensure it gets the spotlight it deserves.

Find out more about Notts County FC Football in the Community by clicking here.

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A couple of years ago, Notts County boasted a number of former Manchester United players in Alan Smith, Roy Carroll and Kevin Pilkington. Of those, only Smith is still at Meadow Lane, which has morphed into a bit of a "Newcastle United Old Boys Club" now.

Smith also played at St James' Park, while Kevin Nolan and Shola Ameobi also donned the "other" black and white stripes up on Tyneside.

Having former Premier League players, individuals whose careers continue to be held in high esteem, at Notts is a huge boost on three fronts - on the pitch, off the pitch, and in the marketing department.

(And of course I can't omit Jon Stead from this, even though he's not a former Newcastle man - in fact he played for bitter rivals Sunderland - but he's also a distinguished former PL player with an illustrious career.)

On the pitch, the former PL players can read the game fantastically, what with experience gained against playing for and against some of the top sides in England and some of the top players in the world.

There is also the psychological boost of having players that have played at the top level that the opposition players will have grown up watching and, although some can step up their game accordingly, others will feel intimidated or perhaps even a bit starstruck.

Off the pitch, these players will be a font of knowledge from their years at the top and, alongside ensuring that standards are as high as they can be, will also have a sharp and refined tactical awareness - and of course they can coach their teammates accordingly, as they will be learning from the best.

And the final point, that of marketing, has always been quite important but never so much as the present day, when the explosion of social media ensures that millions, even billions, of people can discover and discuss the latest football information at the touch of a button.

In this respect, having former Premier League players will generate interest from far beyond the NG postcode and even beyond Britain - the likes of Smith, Nolan, Ameobi and Stead will have fans from Man United, Newcastle, West Ham, Bolton, Blackburn and other big clubs eager to find out more about how they're doing at Notts.

When Notts were drawn against Salford in the FA Cup, the game made it on terrestrial largely because of the narrative pitting the side owned by several players of the Class of 92 against a club boasting United alumni. By having an interesting back story, it generates interest and as such will be given the spotlight.

Similarly, the club has featured a lot in the national press in recent months, with Nolan on Sky Sports and BBC Sport, Stead doing an interview in the Daily Mail and so on.

Obviously the club has done a lot of media-worthy things for itself - the changing rooms for example - but that star element has elevated the club above a lot of other lower-league clubs in the media.

In conclusion, the presence of players and coaches that once graced the Premier League has given Notts a massive boost on multiple fronts and, combined with the shrewd ownership and management of Alan Hardy, it's led to the club going upwards both in League Two and in the media spotlight.

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Alan Hardy has recently described what he is doing - and continuing to do - at Notts County as a "revolution".

Given how the last 11 months or so have panned out, you wouldn't argue against it. This time last year, Notts were in the middle of a truly horrendous losing run which would go on to span 10 matches, and the atmosphere at Meadow Lane was understandably so toxic that Chernobyl would have felt like a spa weekend in comparison.

And indeed, Hardy has done the conventional things right - he's invested shrewdly in the club from top to bottom, appointing a dynamic young manager in Kevin Nolan, investing in the player facilities, enabling the fostering of great team spirit and winning the vast majority of the fanbase back after several years of animosity with open communication and numerous incentives.

But aside from that, Notts have also undergone a process of overhauling their image and getting the club in the headlines for the right reasons.

As a club in the fourth tier of English football, opportunities to get the club promoted in the press are generally few and far between, but over the last few months, the likes of Hardy, Nolan, Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi have featured on the likes of Sky Sports and in the Daily Mail, the Guardian and BBC Sport to name a few.

Things like the rotating monthly shirt sponsorship, which in hindsight is such a simple and effective premise that it's amazing nobody else has thought of it before. The interest in Nolan, Stead, Ameobi, Alan Smith and other Notts men as Premier League household names. The top-notch changing rooms. All these and more have made the nationals and helped reshape the Magpies as an exciting, dynamic, innovative and simply "cool" club.

In particular I would like to focus on the sponsorship deal with Jake Bugg. An absolute stroke of genius. We all know how football and music have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship for a long time - Oasis and Manchester City, the Stone Roses and Man United. And now, Notts and Jake Bugg.

His name on our shirts gets him a lot of exposure (plus brownie points by virtue of having his name associated with the beautiful game) while at the same time giving the Notts brand brownie points for being associated with a young, talented and internationally famous musician.

All this might seem like tittle tattle but this PR "charm offensive" is crucial considering how our children, as it was in the past but with the advent of social media, more than ever, could find themselves turned away from their local clubs and towards the likes of Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid and so on - and for Nottingham kids specifically, turning away from Notts and onto Nottingham Forest, which would be the ultimate humiliation for a Magpie parent or guardian.

This is why Hardy's "revolution" isn't just about the present - it's about ensuring that Notts is seen as the kind of club that local youngsters want to be associated with and, as a result, don't get swayed towards teams hundreds of miles away. Or worse yet, Forest!

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So, Notts County have been drawn away to Brentford in the third round of the FA Cup.

Whilst the draw might not be all that glamourous for either side, both teams must surely be fancying their chances in progressing to the fourth round.

Personally I think the tie is quite ideal for that reason, and I would hope that we can forge some sort of run that might perhaps see us replicate what Jon Stead did at Bradford City and of course Terry Hawkridge at Lincoln City.

It perhaps would have been nice to have drawn Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or perhaps our neighbours Nottingham Forest.

However, a tie against the Bees isn’t the worst thing for me, as I said it’s a good chance to progress and Kevin Nolan will have the bulk of the squad at his call – fingers crossed we’ll have the full squad for selection.

Yet wouldn’t it be nice for us to continue doing well in the league, along with a respectable cup run?

I actually see the competition as a way to further move the club forward, as it’s easy to dismiss the money which it can attract but it’s only ever really useful when you progress further.

And I would like to see Notts put a convincing performance, perhaps similar to that of what we did against Aston Villa in the League Cup in 2015.

Just with a more uplifting ending that perhaps might see us continue to dream and realise just how far we have come as a club.

So that said, I think I can dismiss the fact that I had hoped we might be fortunate enough to be drawn again at Meadow Lane – I do feel we may have dodged a bullet.

Would you rather see us have a decent a chance of progressing or one fairy-tale game? At least we haven’t been drawn to Mansfield.

Plus, we can go into the game hopefully being able to place egg on the faces of some Brentford fans who are already appearing to be counting their chickens!

The better team on the day will progress, and I hope it will be Notts but despite the fact we weren’t playing them fairly regularly a short time ago – it will allow us to see how we compare now.

Fingers crossed we’ll show the Bees just how high the Magpies are flying at the minute.

Yet provided the performance is good, all our players give a good account of themselves and we respect the importance of progressing further – it’s fine by me.

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There was a lot of focus from Notts County fans on other teams around us during the Cheltenham Town game. I saw plenty of comments about pre-season title favourites Coventry City and about the nearest threat at the moment in Luton Town.

Oddly not many comments mentioned Accrington Stanley, who have performed arguably better than most would have expected so far, and are definitely a solid team for this league.

With the focus mostly coming in around a team who currently sit seventh as a I write this, and of course the team immediately beneath us in second, I wanted to express my thoughts as to why we as fans shouldn’t worry about the opposition and why the team should avoid doing the same thing.

There are several teams I believe are capable of gaining promotion, with a handful being that extra quality that I feel could go onto win the League Two title in 2017-18.

Wycombe Wanderers and Swindon Town are two teams often missed out in discussions since both sides have somewhat become inconsistent – yet both teams have done well enough to seize top spot in the table at various points during this campaign.

However, both of the above teams didn’t quite have the focus to retain a place in the top three when it ultimately mattered.

And despite the first half against Cheltenham not being up to much in my opinion (it screamed a draw to me), in the second half Notts regained their focus and played very well. 

In fact, I feel the confidence from playing the ball along the floor really shined and it’s what we have seen in previous games i.e Lincoln City.

At the moment the dry spell seems to have been overcome, with Notts starting to play with a ‘cool edge’ to their game which reinforces my belief that we can be champions this season.

For any fans still doubting the quality, I really would echo comments from managers and players higher up the football pyramid about how good ‘belief’ can be and when you combine this with a ‘core spirit’ from a hard-working approach to playing, then it’s only a case of failing to push your own boundaries.

Claudio Ranieri himself said of Leicester City's Premier League triumph: "It was an amazing achievement. We wanted to do something special, but no one could have believed we would do this."

Although on a much smaller scale, I believe that nobody would have dreamt about Notts going to places like Wycombe and Exeter and winning in style, nor being able to avoid a home defeat at Meadow Lane in the league during 2017 so far, especially after the amount of games the club lost last season.

Likewise, I doubt highly that anyone would have believed we were capable of reaching - and remaining - top come November and we are fastly approaching December now in the same position.

Our sole focus should be on taking games as they come, whilst worrying not that Luton won a game 7-0, as it’s really beside the point.

If we allow our focus to fall on the teams beneath us, this will only lead to caution and pressure which isn’t exactly a positive thing – at which point should we stop worrying about teams that could leapfrog us in the league table?

The attitude of showing no fear works well, teams from the lower tiers who have enjoyed success in the FA Cup will know you shouldn’t fear to play football.

This is exactly why I am not remotely bothered currently about the results across the league, the only time it did matter for me was last season.

Perhaps if we were chasing the playoffs things might be different, it still wouldn’t attach any concern and I’m not sure why others are bothered about Luton Town – are you?

At the moment things are looking very good - we aren’t worried about Kevin Nolan leaving this season, so I take the same approach to who may or not overtake us in the table.

Besides, I feel some of the bad patch after Mansfield Town came from worrying too much about fixtures and we have managed to return top due to good results.

Let’s hope the Magpies can keep flying high, as future success can only be built on stable foundations and these are being put into place.

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Whichever goalkeeper you prefer, there is no doubt that Notts County have two very capable players in contention for the number 1 jersey in Adam Collin and Ross Fitzsimons, the debate on who should start has valid points for both keepers.

However, I aim to explain the difference between the two and who I feel should be the first choice keeper for the Magpies.

The knee injury to Collin during the 2-1 win over Barnet within League Two saw Fitzsimons step into the main role and during a heavy spell of pressure, he made several outstanding saves which kept Notts in the game.

This was the first time that I had seen Fitzsimons in action and I was genuinely impressed with his reactions, as the game was played largely on the back foot for Notts after Collin was substituted.

If he'd been on the field for longer, I would easily have considered him as one of the key candidates for Man of the Match.

And I thought if this was the standard he set, well I really couldn’t see how Collin could force his way back into Kevin Nolan’s squad at all.

Yet I wanted to write about this subject, but only after having enough time to fairly judge what Fitzsimons brings to the table.

Fans who feel that the two keepers are like-for-like are wrong in my opinion, I feel Collin’s experience and age makes him a more polished keeper at this level.

However, I certainly see the potential within Fitzsimons and I think overall he’s the much better shot stopper.

That said, I disagree that he is better currently and I feel he’s lacking the understanding with the back four that Collin has established over the course of this and last season.

I can fully understand why Nolan prefers Collin in goal, but being an unpopular figure at Meadow lane I don’t expect many other fans to give him the credit he deserves.

There’s still time however for Fitzsimons to establish himself further, all depending on when Collin returns to action.

It is quite possible that we might not see him for a few more months - I believe he was expected to be out for a minimum of 8 weeks which has recently passed.

And there is still little news coming out regarding how serious his knee ligament damage is.

If Fitzsimons can work on his consistency - as the past few games I feel he’s been quite shaky and I would also say he has shined as much between the sticks as I assumed he would have done - there might be a chance he will retain the position even after Collin’s return to match selection, but I don’t think this is all that likely considering.

Collin is more experienced, he’s switched on and alert. This season alone he seems a much different character than he was in his debut season and I think the weaknesses such as his communication have largely been worked on.

He seems more confident which I imagine can be hard when the Notts defence switches off, but again we have two capable keepers and the prospect of Fitzsimons is one I feel will only grow in strength during the coming games.

I would also like to point out that the position is the most scrutinized positon on the pitch, with fans perhaps being unforgiving of minor mistakes.

Fitzsimons has a valuable learning experience and I do feel he will take it, it just may take some time for him to establish the position for his own.

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It’s a good time to be a Notts fan. We’re top of the league. Our manager recently signed a new contract. And we are through to the second round of the FA Cup.

Alan Hardy has already said that we have an eye towards the January transfer window and this is something that excites many in the Notts fan base because despite being top of the league, we are looking to get even better, and we are trying to sustain our position in the top three of League Two.

The stepping stones look already in place with the capture of Liam Noble on a free transfer. That ticks off one position which was needed; a creative midfielder. Hopefully, Kevin Nolan can bring about the best in Noble and we can see a different player to the one we saw here just over a year ago.

Now we’ve got the creative midfielder out of the way, there are three key areas Notts need to strengthen to help keep our place amongst the automatic promotion places.

Firstly, and most importantly, a pacey striker is a must. Age is also a factor - he must be young. All our main strikers are over thirty.

We have already expressed our interest in Mansfield striker Danny Rose, but that speculation was quickly swept under the carpet by Steve Evans. We were also linked with Andy Cook in the summer from Tranmere, but the former Barrow striker stayed at Prenton Park.

One player I would like us to sign is Kristian Dennis and although this may require a fee, Chesterfield are in dire straits and Hardy has already said he is willing to back Nolan in the transfer window for a striker. And I would still like to see us go in for Jerry Yates I’d rather the striker sign permanent than it be a loan.

Other strikers we could potentially look at are Corey Whitely from Dagenham & Redbridge, who is currently second top scorer in the National League with eight goals.

Sitting just behind him on seven is Oladapo Afolayan of Solihull Moors. Solihull are currently bottom of the National League but Afolayan has done well to score this many in a poor side, at this stage of the season. However, this might be tricky as the Moors frontman is also being targeted by Barnsley and Bolton.

Alan Hardy said we are also looking to bring a winger to the club in January. This is crucial as it will provide good cover for Terry Hawkridge, Lewis Alessandra and Jorge Grant.

The winger must also have a killer instinct, a good cross on him, and is good at beating defenders. Some of the wingers I mentioned in my article about who I thought we should have signed in the summer are still available and haven’t played much this season.

Milan Lalkovic has only made one appearance for Portsmouth this season. Surprisingly, Pompey’s top scorer from last season, Kal Naismith, has only made nine appearances. This is lower than all the other wingers at Pompey: Matty Kennedy (13), Jamal Lowe (15), Kyle Bennett (14) and Gareth Evans (11). Although this may be a long shot, there is no harm in trying. Also mentioned in my summer article were Luton wingers Lawson D’Ath and Luke Gambin.

The third part of our January transfer window business is the need for some cover at centre back. Most of the options I mentioned for the summer transfer window signed for other clubs. A centre back is a priority as Haydn Hollis doesn’t seem to be picked anymore for league games and Elliott Hewitt can’t keep covering there as he is far better suited to playing in midfield.

We may have to consider the loan market for either the winger or centre-back due to the money it may cost in signing a first team striker, although we may sign the player from the club after they have released him like we did with Shaun Brisley and Mark Yeates.

However, the centre back who we buy must be good enough cover as our first choice pairing of Richard Duffy and Shaun Brisley are unbelievably solid and are unlikely to be replaced in the starting line-up.

Also, the defender we do buy must push Duffy and Brisley to their limits to remain in the first team constantly as Kevin Nolan always talks about competition for places. The players I have in mind but may not come off are Tom Davies and Dominic Hyam (both Coventry) and Joe Walsh (MK).

If we get the quality needed in the right areas and they settle in well at Notts, then a top three position is a very realistic target.

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