The atmosphere around Meadow Lane since the Notts County takeover has shown just how much fans wanted change, whilst the hope has remained in many prior to this – there is something refreshing about the club having found a ‘new hope’.

After the dismissal of John Sheridan, I was probably in the minority camp that was disappointed to see the departure of the 12th manager at the helm of the Magpies since we gained promotion to League One in 2010.

Yet the appointment of Kevin Nolan may not have appeased all Magpie fans, he does come very highly regarded from Leyton Orient fans who have spoken about how they would have liked to see him remain as their manager (rather than as a player/manager).

Personally, as always I would have tried to get behind whoever came through the revolving door – for me it was vital from day one that we all regrouped as supporters of the world’s oldest professional league club.

Whilst we have only seen a short glimpse into the ability that Nolan possesses, he does share some very intriguing traits as a player and his general approach to answering question isn’t a case of boring us to death with ‘football talk’ or beating around the bush.

It’s certainly refreshing to see this surge of optimism - considering the predicament that the club finds itself in, it really does arrive at the most welcomed time.

I honestly believe Nolan will be the type of manager who will revive the club's fortunes. It will be a slow, steady process, yet I have no doubt we will be better off with him around.

The doom and gloom can make you quite depressed. You get used to seeing fans week in and week out, but as the weeks roll on, more and more faces are missing. You may not be aware of their names or know them personally, yet you will recall seeing them virtually every week.

This is the feeling the club had prior to the takeover; so much credit is deserved to Alan Hardy for the fantastic turnaround and for the open dialogue with supporters.

In addition to the fantastic offers being put out the by the club, it certainly goes a long way with reviving the lot feeling of anticipation on match days.

I realise it will be cliché to say this, however I am going say it regardless – what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and the past three seasons certainly has seen us become stronger amongst the core who no doubt have found it hard to watch a Notts edging closer and closer to the non-league.

Within various discussions within the Pride of Nottingham forum it has been said that relegation isn’t all that much to be worried about, but the detrimental effect it may have on the attendances is a source of anxiety for me.

As our most recent opposition [insert joke about how many fingers they have] will no doubt know, the non-league is very difficult to get out of, what with having just two promotion places, as champions and as playoff winners.

However, I won’t dwell on this – I would rather focus on not seeing the good vibes that currently surrounds our club evaporate, and any bleak, minor recollection of the past is laid to rest or forgotten.

It’s time for the Magpies to rise, rebuild and challenge for respect – not just in the city of Nottingham but in the league we play in. The new era is full of more promise and worthy merit than any false dawns we may have had in the time.

And provided the players who represent our club continue to improve under Nolan, things for shouldn’t be all that negative.

The transfer embargo is not yet lifted, but the club is working hard to do so, and so we may see some quality added to the squad.

It’s starting to feel like December all over again. It’s just a shame the takeover wasn’t able to happen then! You Pies!

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Saying it's not easy being a Notts County fan is as much a case of stating the obvious as proclaiming that bears probably go for number twos in forested areas.

Four years ago, almost to the day (9 January 2013), then-owner Ray Trew declared that he was not prepared to invest more money in the club, due to falling attendances and a lack of support.

This was at a time when the club was in the midst of relative stability and success, having enjoyed tilts at the League One playoffs and boasting talented, hardworking players like Alan Judge and Gary Liddle (Lee Hughes, sadly, had just left Notts at the time).

From then on, the Magpies went on a downward spiral - final-day survival in 2013-14, relegation back into League Two in 2014-15, and the soul-crushing almost-second-consecutive-relegation near-miss that was 2015-16.

With off-the-pitch turmoil going hand in hand with the poor footballing displays, it was getting increasingly difficult to keep the faith, and the gates duly dropped to reflect this.

The last three days have been especially difficult as Alan Hardy's takeover stalled and appeared in jeopardy, but finally it's been confirmed, and for the first time in months (we started this season quite well, after all), Notts fans can smile again.

A local businessman and devout Notts fan, Hardy is the owner that fans at Meadow Lane wanted, and his eagerness to post and reply to fans on Twitter is also reassuring, as it denotes transparency and a willingness to communicate.

Of course, the celebrations can only last so much, because there is much work to be done, and Hardy will no doubt hit the ground running.

Notts risk being dragged into the relegation dogfight following ten consecutive League Two defeats, a new manager needs to be appointed, the transfer window is open for incomings and outgoings to take place , and then there are those rumours of missed payments, all of which needs to be addressed swiftly.

But the key thing about Hardy is that he truly seems to care about the club and its fans, being one himself, and being from Notts, he will understand the role the club plays in the community.

This is what endears him to fans, so for the first time in a long time, the outlook for Notts is moderate to fair, rather than stormy and cloudy.

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Were you looking for an early Christmas present? Perhaps Notts County and Alan Hardy have given you just that.

After protracted negotiations lasting several months, Ray Trew has agreed to sell the club and his 100% stake to Magpies supporter Alan Hardy.

Whilst nobody is expecting immediate fireworks, it will be a relief for most Notts fans to see new ownership of our beloved club.

A lot of people will be hoping for an end to the winding-up orders and so on, which I’m sure Mr. Hardy will deliver on, but what else can we expect from the new owner?

I took a delve into Mr. Hardy’s twitter, to get some clues:

Not a fan of Nike, but potentially a kit deal with Adidas? Alan Hardy has also done business with Adidas before.

Promotion of Notts as a family club. Having kids regularly accompany himself to games at Notts, Alan will surely have a few ideas on how to improve the matchday experience for the younger Pies.

Knowledge of the youth and grassroots football around Nottinghamshire. Notts have been accused of not having scouts look at some of the younger talent in and around Nottingham, this might be about to change.

Developing our own players, and giving them a chance. Although somewhat successful more recently (Hollis, Thompson, Richards), there is a lot of room for improvement and perhaps this could become a key part of a successful Notts County FC.

A quick mover. Usually in his car.

But somewhat questionable fashion taste… you can’t win them all.

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Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. Who, at some point in their life, hasn't thought about certain aspects of the past and harked back to the "good old days"? Of course, when the present day is considered bleak, it makes delving into yesterday even more common and generates even stronger feelings.

Being a supporter of Notts County is very bleak business at the present day, with a sizeable amount of fans disappointed to the point of numbness about the today and worrying about tomorrow. Because of this, reminiscing about the past is something which can bring joy, laughter and memories.

However, nostalgia is not the only reason why One Flew Over the Magpie's Nest is such a great read. Sure, it's great to look back at a time when the Magpies were setting the Football League on fire under the great Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler, and when much-loved players like Lee Hughes were scoring goals for fun.

What makes Paul Mace's 650-page book so riveting is that it's so detailed, so in-depth and so anecdotal that it really feels like you're in conversation yourself with the interviewees, which include Sven-Goran Eriksson, Neil Warnock and Hughsey himself.

The book, which is out now, gives a fly-on-the-wall perspective of Notts County's last 50 years of history. As we all know, few clubs across England have had as eventful a history as the Magpies, so reliving this in almost documentary-style detail from the perspective of those who were involved makes for an entertaining and unforgetting read.

You know when you're down the pub, having a few pints with your mates and the stories just flow out like draught beer from a tap? That's basically what reading this book is like. It's difficult to put down once you've started reading, because you just want to know more and more.

Already a number of stories have been published in the Nottingham Post about Roberto Mancini being on the verge of becoming Notts boss, or Martin Allen jumping in the Trent to motivate his players ahead of the League Cup game against Forest, and believe me, there are hundreds of stories like that across the book.

From Mad Dog making his players sing nursery rhymes before a game and forcing an overweight steward to perform 50 press-ups, to Lee Hughes telling a current England international to "behave himself" after the two went to a nightclub in "the back streets of Manchester", there is much to shock, entertain and think about.

And if you wanted to know the full story about what the hell happened with Munto Finance, there is a whole chapter dedicated to the whole sordid affair.

One Flew Over the Magpie's Nest is the kind of book that any Notts County fan needs to have in their collection as soon as possible. With Christmas round the corner, it would make for a fantastic gift. And even for those who aren't necessarily Magpies fans, it's still so rich in entertainment and insight that it would be great for anyone who loves football.

One Flew Over The Magpies Nest, by Paul Mace, is available now at www.nottscounty1862.co.uk/order/ - alternatively, it is on sale at the NCFC Club Shop at Meadow Lane, while stocks last.

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It's quite serious to think that the club is yet again in another relegation battle. Whether this will be long-winded like prior battles or simply a case of the Magpies finding their feet under John Sheridan remains to be seen, but it's obvious by now that this sorry state of affairs will take years to fix.

Whilst an increased amount of fans are becoming hacked off with Sheridan, and a minority standing behind the decision to protest for “fresh change” in the direction that club is being lead, there's one thing which is clear - talk of the sale only leads to “uncertainty” and “unpaid debts”, which multiplies that by whatever percent you could imagine.

I was, and remain, uncertain about the future of Notts, even after the club parted ways with the sixth manager since the disappointing loss of Steve Cotterill (not including Paul Hart and Mick Halsall who took temporary charge as caretaker managers). My feelings only increased after the appointment of Jamie Fullarton, as many didn't quite understand the decision behind the appointment.

Can the club be saved with a simple fix? It's not as easy as waving a magic wand.

Likewise you can't pull the wool over people's eyes, and you certainly can't tell fans how to feel – after all they're the reason the club is in operation no matter how you see it.

Yet it will literally take years to put right all that has gone since Munto Finance took over, even more so under the lacklustre Trew era.

That said, there were things which needed changing prior to mystery millions that mistakenly got pulled into the club rather than paying the costly milk bill.

However, Munto had the basics right even though they represented more fiction than Sherlock Holmes, Jessica Fletcher and Hercule Poirot.

The thing is, the community surrounding Notts was more close-knit without the millions. The majority of players cared, even during Munto with the newly signed players, but when you pay peanuts and give your better players away on freebies, surely the garden path isn't such a mysterious destination?

Certainly there will be fingers wagging, voices debating who's to blame but this really beside the point.

What matters is how you learn from your mistakes, how you move forward and ultimately how you address concerns.

So when rumours of the club's takeover is reported as imminent, focus on the daily business, get the players prepared for the weekend's game (or whenever it is). Make uncertainty the last thing they think of, breed confidence and support those who do the supporting.

By the time HMRC comes knocking, it will only make matters worse because even unsuccessful clubs that pull together have a better chance of riding out any storm - and of course it helps paying bills on time.

Will this season be a write-off? Only the management and the board of Notts County can answer that, yet the clubs needs to snap out of this losing streak and pull itself back together. The only award that the club would win at the most is that of “most stressful club”.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the contributor are his own and are not necessarily representative of Pride of Nottingham.

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Once again Notts stumble back to the drawing board, yet as a club, do we ever learn?

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Jon Stead was League Two's Player of the Month, in fact it was only last September - but things seemed a lot more optimistic back then.

With back-to-back defeats at the hands of Blackpool and more recently Newport County, it seems the Magpies are destined to pitifully play out the remainder of the games until the January transfer window opens up.

The injury to Stead has proved a massive blow. I said this at the time and even warned prior to this misfortune that we were relying too much on him.

That said, away performances have largely made the difference during the 2016-17 campaign and that's when we saw Adam Campbell step up from Stead's shadow.

Twice he’s been our saviour, he helped earn Notts a replay against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, but we haven’t seen many other players step up to the plate.

Problem is, Notts are largely inconsistent and when things are merry, John Sheridan speaks of praise and, during lean times, he speaks of how it's unacceptable – even going as far as comparing the squad to a pub team.

There’s nothing at all wrong with this, but I am increasingly becoming frustrated by his lack of faith in certain players, whilst others retain a starting place week in and out.

He spoke more recently about welcoming the selection headache when it came to the squad that could be put out against Newport, with only Genaro Snijders, Robert Milsom and Graham Burke coming in after the terrible away performance to Blackpool.

You may be wondering why I haven’t included the likes of Jordan Richards. I haven’t because I largely feel he’s been in and around the first team for a while and is well within the deserved list of having a run in the Notts squad.

However, Robert Milsom and Graham Burke have largely been disappointing whilst Sheridan has been at the helm as the manager.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s right people are calling for his sacking or resignation – much of the issues we see on the pitch is largely down to years of mismanagement and poor decisions from various parties involved.

It’s easy to point the finger, but the fact is we crave stability and this only comes in retaining someone who can carry out the required work. There’s not a big queue of good candidates out there prepared to come in and do this.

I do wonder what has gone wrong these past few weeks, however all season it’s been quite poor with only patches of good spells – it's easy to forget when you're winning games and sitting in and around the play-offs.

At this stage of the season Sheridan should have had the chance to experiment, yet it would appear as if he doesn’t know who is deserving of a starting place or even who should make our best eleven.

Certainly I don’t feel Adam Collin should be number one, and yes I hear the phantom moans of ‘Scott Loach isn’t much better’ – however even he managed to make a small difference last year round.

I at least hope to never hear or witness Alan Smith starting in any form of attacking position, which is another shame because I do feel at times he could have helped in midfield. Just not as someone regularly starting, as we have only just managed to out Alex Rodman from his favourite position – another player who along with Carl Dickinson I would hope remains out of the squad until they learn to fulfil their roles better.

As things stand, I expect to see a few more disappointing performances and no doubt this will include some woeful results.

I just hope that things start to pick up sooner or later, as these winter months are the perfect time to gain form – with the return of Stead and eventually the opening of the transfer window.

Fingers crossed we can rid ourselves of some of the underperforming players who barely reassemble professional footballers in the hope that we can replace them, provided we don’t have further speculations of ‘ghosts’ appearing at Meadow Lane in the form of meaningless takeovers.

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Going into the local derby game against Mansfield, I had stated on the Pride of Nottingham community and to various fans when talking – Notts needed to go aiming to prove a point.

What actually happened, however,  was just more disappointment against our big rivals in the division.

It’s easy enough to write off a defeat, yet things had been building quite nicely and I hope the postponed game against Morecambe and the EFL Trophy loss Rochdale don't become basis for any excuses.

Notts just doesn’t seem to have the fight for local derbies, we go into them with a fair bit of hype from what is released to the local media – yet fall dramatically short when it comes to the actual performance.

After going level at 1-1, you would expect this to be the turning point for a lively encounter, which would have given us some pride.

However, once again Mansfield got the better of us and we really need to set this record straight when we play them at Meadow Lane – losing isn’t the end of the world but surely it’s got to be done to giving some form of fight to the opposition?

Tuesday night will see the Morecambe game take place, and I am sure there will be quotes about undoing ‘wrongs’ or on par with that.

Yet we just need to need to remain grounded and continue the work effort that we have witnessed as of late.

Our away form in the 2016-17 League Two season has helped massively with overturning a lack of optimism in the Notts camp, yet this greatly lacks at Meadow Lane.

Performances just haven’t been up to scratch, however much signs of improvements have or haven’t been made.

We need to avoid allowing the Mansfield game becoming this season's undoing.

Yet whatever the outcome John Sheridan is delivering us a reasonable level of stability, which will only improve with added time and of course his own signings.

I asked in a discussion if we needed a centre back and a striker come January, and the responses seemed to be mixed – yet after talking again to various people, it seems we may need to add a little more strength to the ranks after Mansfield.

Naturally we will need to release some of the players who don’t seem to interest Sheridan, I wonder who the fans think we can afford to release? I expect Graham Burke to be mentioned within there.

I think, however, that he’s the type of young player who we should be pushing for more than we seem to be doing.

Likewise with Genaro Snidjers – I think he should be given a run and a chance to prove himself over a period of games. I don’t mean cup matches, but actual league games where it will highlight far more.

The 2016-17 squad has depth and the ability to win home games, I was worried that after the increase of positivity all it would take is a couple of defeats to return to the level it was at prior and losing in a derby game does exactly that.

Yet despite Alex Rodman’s comments, I do think we have a lot to focus on and we have some good games where the players can prove their point.

And to a degree I still think we are relying on Jon Stead’s form to win us those important games, yet this is exactly why I want to see more of the squad fighting for a chance to start more regularly.

Fans seem to suggest that Sheridan won’t give players a chance, naturally only sticking to his own signings, but at times you must.

Hopefully after a few weeks the Mansfield game won’t be the talking point that it was during last season’s bitter campaign.

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So the time has come once again to look forward to a heated derby between Notts County and Mansfield Town, their biggest rivals in the division.

As with all derbies, the two league fixtures between rivals will tend to stand out in any given season - even a poor campaign for a team can retain some pride if they have claimed good results over their rivals.

The 2015-16 season will go down as one of County's most miserable in history - high expectations quickly turned to relegation worries, turmoil behind the scenes, and many fans simply proclaiming they could take no more, especially given the rot that preceded in the previous two years.

And of course we have the derby results. Who could forget those? Neither Notts nor Mansfield fans, that's the answer - but for completely different reasons.

The Ricardo Moniz hype was swiftly brought down by the Stags' 2-0 win over the Magpies at Meadow Lane in August 2015, and the Dutchman never really recovered from that.

Then we have 16 April 2016, one of the darkest days in Notts' history, when they went down 5-0 to their rivals at Field Mill.

Sure, there was a Johnstone's Paint Trophy win in there too, but let's face it, they're not taken particularly seriously, so as signals of progress and intent, it's all about the league fixtures.

The harsh reality is that Notts have not beaten Mansfield in the league since 2005 (seven fixtures came and went since then, to be precise) which is not good form at all.

However, things seem to be much different now. In John Sheridan, Notts have a good no-nonsense manager who, despite a few teething problems, has done a good job of getting the club competing on the pitch again - and results have been coming too.

I would go as far as to say that the Magpies are better placed to go into a derby than they ever have, so for the first time in a while, I am feeling positive of us getting a good result at Field Mill.

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Rotherham United had no game this weekend due to internationals (don't laugh) so I was looking forward to visiting the magnificent Meadow Lane stadium and two in form clubs, namely Notts County and Grimsby Town. Unfortunately due to my internet being down during the day and me making a snap decision to go, I couldn't meet up with Joe, my site buddy (not ignoring you, honest).

With more Millers connections than a lego set (Adam Collin, Scott Loach, Rob Milsom, Michael O'Connor and Jonathan Forte for Notts; Mariners boss Paul Hurst (record RUFC appearances as a player) and ex keeper Andy Warrington on the Grimsby bench) it was a game that I couldn't not go to.

The first half belonged to the Mariners - their striker Shaun Tuton had already missed a sitter before they deservedly took the lead through centre-back Shaun Pearson, who headed home unmarked from a set piece and, apart from a couple of Notts half chances which were regulation saves for Mariners keeper James McKeown, held the lead comfortably going into the break.

Notts looked more comfortable in the first part of the second half, going close on a couple of occasions, when disaster struck through a woefully short Stanley Aborah backpass which was seized upon by Omar Bogle, the Mariners striker... they were now two goals up.

Game over? Err... no!!

Notts boss John Sheridan had seen enough and made all three subs immediately. Off came the ineffective Jon Stead, Aborah and Adam Campbell, and in their place came Thierry Audel and recent signings Vadaine Oliver and Aaron Collins.

After a relatively quiet 10 minutes Forte reduced the arrears in a goalmouth scramble, then a minute later, the referee spotted a push in the area and there was a chance for Notts to equalise but unfortunately for them, O'Connor could only hit the post with the spot kick.

Notts continued to knock at the door and deservedly levelled with a fine finish from debutant Collins and could even have won the game as Oliver had a goalbound header saved but, in my opinion, the draw was about the right result in a pulsating game played in heavy rain for the most part.

Great atmosphere in a good League Two crowd of over 6800 with 2300 away fans...

Here are some pics...

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There were certainly alarm bells ringing in my head four games into the season, with Notts County losing three and drawing one in all competitions.

After the first home game, I found myself feeling much like everyone else I spoke to and the phrase ‘It’s the same old Notts’ was mentioned multiple times.

Game number five, however, saw the Magpies finally claim a win which instantly brightened up the mood and ended the unwanted continuation from the monstrosity that was the 2015-16 campaign.

There is certainly something promising about John Sheridan and of course his additions to the squad.

Before the season started, upon hearing the news that Jon Stead was reportedly attracting interest, I wasn’t that bothered.

However, he is quickly proving his worth yet again and it’s vastly important that we form a new partnership up top – one that can not only impact on games, but also control them.

It’s on this note that I feel I should highlight how I personally think Sheridan’s handling of Izale McLeod has only produced unnecessary tension.

Most fans that know me or visit the Pride of Nottingham community will know just how much Izale frustrates me, but I don’t think his disclusion from the first team sends out the right message.

It doesn’t say that those on the bench will be given a fair chance, nor do I feel it represents value in the £150k we paid for him last season.

It’s almost like it was a decision to bring a sigh of relief to us fans, but really, it doesn’t – instead, I think that Sheridan should attempt to make the most of all options available to him.

None more so than Genaro Snijders, who I, like many fans, believe that a good run could produce something quite exciting to watch. Plus, in recent press conferences, Sheridan has said that he’s looking to bring in pace on the wing.

Perhaps making use of the fairly large squad would reap its rewards on a consistent basis? We should make each player fight for their position - let’s face it, there are some already who have earned a time out for failing to perform at a satisfactory level.

However, it is important to keep a base and allow mistakes to be worked through – something I feel dearly cost Ricardo Moniz, who seemed to be able to fall out with virtually anyone and freeze them out instantly.

It's good that we have our first win but, going forward, Notts need to be more consistent. We need to run at our opponents and not just play the ball around nicely across the centre of the park.

Utilise the wing, play splitting cross-field passes – this might be the basement division of English football but we should strive for quality and I do believe we have the depth to play it.

It’s just a case of finding it, yet Stanley Aborah’s new found role is exciting – can he be the man to unlock games?

Meadow Lane needs to breed confidence and more importantly become somewhere we can get results, whilst the away games top our point tally up.

Perhaps then we can progress and actually give this league a proper crack at gaining promotion? Come on you Pies!!

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I must admit that, when I heard the rumour that Notts County were keen to sign Louis Laing on loan, I sort of dismissed it.

Why? Quite simply, I couldn’t see a return on the cards, despite the fact he appears to be out of favour at Scottish Premier League outfit Motherwell.

However, he is the exact type of signing which instantly reassures fans and after a disappointing start to our 2016/17 League Two campaign, it’s a boost we needed. His performance against Hartlepool was nothing short of glorious.

There’s no hiding, the Notts defence does have weaknesses and it’s becoming even more clear. The ‘silly mistakes’ made by various players reveal more of about how woeful the defending has been for the past three or more seasons. Yet we continue to see the focus on the ‘attack’, which we appear to have more than enough capable at League Two.

Yet, it’s the defence where I had hoped to see further strengthening and if Haydn Hollis’s wish of going out on loan happens, John Sheridan must insure we have another quality centre-back ready to come into the first team.

There’s no denying however just how much of an impact Laing can have for Notts over the course of his loan spell. His qualities are pretty known among our fan base, and his fearless style of defending and leading by example is something we have greatly missed.

John Sheridan and the club have done very well just to get a defender of his quality to come back, let alone drop down to League Two, as I do feel he is good enough for League One.

I now wish that Notts could sign Alan Sheehan as he would be a great addition alongside Laing at the back, as well as a defensive midfielder to shore up the back line.

If Laing can indeed form part of the missing jigsaw puzzle, perhaps we can go from strength to strength. Yet it’s early days and I do not feel anyone should overly worry, and provided Notts continue to strive for better, the results should keep on coming.

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Being a Notts County fan, you will obviously have countless memories of your club from years gone by, from legendary players to incredible matches that you will never forget.

In this piece, Phil Dexter counts down his top 5 Notts County games of all time.

Number 5:

Notts County 3 Manchester City 2, Second Division, 6 May 1985

This was my first ever Notts County game, an end-of-season relegation battle fixture at Meadow Lane which saw Justin Fashanu, Rachid Harkouk and Alan Young put the Magpies 3-0 ahead. Although City came close to pegging it back through Paul Simpson, Jimmy Sirrel's side took all three points at the final whistle. I was hooked on Notts after that, even though there was a lot of crowd trouble - police on horseback had to intervene and both managers appealed for calm down the tannoy.

Number 4:

Notts County 3 Millwall 4, Football League Division 2, 19 August 2000

Even though we lost this game, it was still a very memorable and entertaining clash which I enjoyed. Notts were awful in the first half as Paul Moody, Steven Reid and Neil Harris put Millwall three up, although a Craig Ramage goal meant there was still a sliver of hope. Indeed, we dominated the second half and pulled level through Ramage and Mark Stallard - we should have won by at least five goals, but right at the death, Marc Bircham struck a late winner for Millwall. Heartbreaking result but great entertainment.

Number 3:

Mansfield Town 3 Notts County 4, League Cup Round 1, 21 August 2001

What a humdinger of a game this was as an early-season spectacle. Mansfield took the lead through Chris Greenacre early on, but a quickfire hat-trick from super Danny Allsopp plus an incredibly rare goalkeeper goal from Steve Mildenhall - against Kevin Pilkington of all people - had the Notts fans raving. Greenacre and Andy White made it a nervy last half hour, but the Magpies hung on for the win.

Number 2:

Nottingham Forest 3 Notts County 3 (Forest win 4-3 on penalties), League Cup Round 1, 11 August 2011

Almost 10 years after the Mansfield cracker, Notts played out another League Cup first round epic against local opposition when they travelled all of half a mile to face Forest at the City Ground. Played in the backdrop of the England riots, there was talk of the game being called off, but it ended up being devoid of any major trouble. 2-2 at full time, Lee Hughes scored in extra time to put the Magpies on the brink of a famous victory when the pesky Wes Morgan, soon to become a Premier League-winning captain, fired in a leveller in extra-time injury time. Hughes then missed his penalty to give the Reds the upper hand in the shootout and Neal Bishop's subsequent miss handed the neighbours the win. Disappointing result, but what a game.

Number 1:

Notts County 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 1, Second Division Playoff Final, 2 June 1991

The kind of afternoon that football fans dream of - a trip to Wembley in the summer and a relatively straightforward win that confirms their team's place in the top tier. This was what happened on the 2nd of June 1991 as Notts found themselves 3-0 up against Brighton with 20 minutes to go in their Second Division playoff final at the famous stadium, and not even a Dean Wilkins consolation late on managed to dampen the Magpies party. Not really much more to say apart from an unforgettable occasion.

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Finally, the 2016-17 League Two campaign is almost upon us and whilst a large amount of Notts County fans I know appear optimistic about the season ahead, I still remain fairly quiet with regards to how we'll do.

I was asked a few days ago, by a fellow fan if I was excited or nervous - my reply was ‘neither’.

I think much of what we can expect will come after about seven or eight games have been played - the first few is always a case of teams sussing each other out and I’m only really excited about returning to Meadow Lane.

However, a good result against Yeovil Town would add much needed fuel to the fire of optimism as Notts strive to be more consistent on the field.

The openers are important but I wouldn’t overly worry myself if this didn’t go to plan at the start – I feel John Sheridan has the know-how on this division and he will no doubt be wanting a squad where the merits of team work will thrive.

The Magpies shouldn’t struggle with a lack of creativity, plus we may be fine in terms of goals from our strikers.

Jon Stead has the ability to be a key figure, but I am unsure if we can rely on him alone. That is where the depth of the current squad comes in – especially the returning Jonathan Forte.

At the back, Notts look to have acquired a very good asset in goalkeeper Adam Collin and this signing should see a healthy rivalry form between him and Scott Loach for the starting spot.

We also appear to have the strength and defensive mind-set, which was desperately lacking during the 2015-16 season. The Port Vale lads know what this league is about, and they shouldn’t be pushovers.

I’m excited about seeing Stanley Aborah playing further up the centre of the park, a popular discussion between myself and three fans at half time – included how Aborah could be utilised better.

This included allowing him to be the engine, the player who can pick up the passes to unleash the wingers and strikers. However, I wonder who will become the defensive midfielder in his absence? Could we see Curtis Thompson given that push?

In prior seasons it’s been fairly easy to say where needs strengthening, what players should play and so on, but this term things look wisely better than we have known.

I do feel Notts would have benefited from a stronger striker also joining the ranks, and I mean no disrespect to Vadaine Oliver, nor any of the existing squad but another firm addition to the squad would have bred more confidence, not just among the squad but the fans.

And perhaps a centre-back? There’s always room for a solid, physical, no-nonsense defender.

Yet I do feel the squad is well equipped, with options of different qualities and although we haven’t signed many League Two gems – the recruitment does seem to be spot on in terms of players who work hard, know the league and have a grasp of what should be expected.

I also feel Notts have a good mix of lads and that should allow the squad to form chemistry – if the results come, things should be a lot more exciting.

It’s been a slow out-of-season, with a quiet pre-season but thankfully this is almost over.

Let’s make Meadow Lane somewhere we fans can be proud of, that the players who represent us – will want to repay our faith and more importantly lets ensure a togetherness regardless fractions. If last season taught me anything, it’s to listen to the views you may not necessarily agree with.

Fingers crossed we can a good season!

COME ON YOU PIES!

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With just two days to until the 2016-17 League Two season gets underway, Rob Davies has produced an extensive analysis of the Notts County squad which will be in contention for the first fixture against Yeovil Town on Saturday.

The sensible, no-nonsense approach of John Sheridan has been typified by a summer of transfer activity that seems to have been led by something badly missing from Meadow Lane before his arrival – logic.

Sheridan has ‘only’ made seven permanent signings this summer, just a third of the number of new additions that arrived at Meadow Lane last summer. But all seven arrive with strong pedigree. And all seven would go into the starting XI when fit and possess strong experience at this level.

Aged 25-31, they all possess the right kind of ‘experience’ too, with plenty still to offer the cause beyond this season.

Assuming no further new players arrive and one of the new additions, Michael O’Connor, remains sidelined through injury, Sheridan’s team for the opener at Yeovil Town seems to be a fairly easy one to predict:

Collin
Audel Duffy Hollis
Hewitt Rodman Tootle Dickinson
Aborah
Stead Forte

Many, rightly, will highlight the lack of depth as a factor here, something which was evident in the recent friendly with Walsall when the Magpies conceded two late goals after a raft of substitutions. However, for me it is a refreshing to see a logical approach to pre-season, with combinations and systems being worked on to prepare and build for the season ahead. 

Think back to last season, when the most commonly used defensive pairing in pre-season – Alan Smith and Scot Bennett – never once played together competitively, and the defensive duo that did start the season, Thierry Audel and Civard Sprockel, were both signed days before the season, seemingly in a state of panic. 

Things seem calmer now, with an experienced manager having a clear idea of the way he wants to play and sole control over transfers. Long may it continue.

That squad in more detail:

Goalkeepers

Few would’ve expected Sheridan’s first signing to be a keeper, with Scott Loach more than capable at this level. However, Adam Collin is a commanding presence and an undoubtedly impressive addition – he was Rotherham’s first choice for their promotion to the Championship and throughout their first season in the second tier, only losing his place last season. 

Loach will have to decide whether he is again content with starting the season as one of the strongest understudies in League Two. If he leaves, reinforcements will undoubtedly be needed, with Kevin Pilkington – third choice during the title-winning season six years ago – now 42. The lack of the option to dip into the short-term loan market would also be a factor here if this scenario did arise.

Defenders

With Sheridan looking certain to start the season with a back three, at least one new centre-back is a must – primarily because the club only has four senior centre backs, one of which is a player who was signed in ‘an emergency’ capacity two years ago. 

Richard Duffy looks a strong addition, though at 5’11” is a little on the short side for a centre back, but it’s the presence of Haydn Hollis and Audel in the starting XI that will worry many supporters. Both have enjoyed strong pre-seasons but will need to convince they have the consistency to be relied upon every week. It really is now or never for Hollis.

When O’Connor returns to fitness, this could have the knock-on effect of pushing Matt Tootle wide and Elliott Hewitt centrally into the back three; it was at centre back where the former Ipswich player was at his best in a poor first season. Similarly, Dickinson is equally capable at the heart of the defence and would arguably be more suited to the left-sided centre back role than the wing back spot he currently occupies.

Full/Wing-backs

Audel, Jack Barmby and Scot Bennett were amongst the players to start at left-back last season; the arrival of Dickinson is welcomed with open arms. The no-nonsense full-back is vastly experienced having played regularly for Stoke, Watford and Portsmouth in the Championship before captaining Port Vale, but is still only 29. Looks to be the captain-elect, but the first-choice cover behind him appears to be Rob Milsom, who is predictably injured currently. Youngster Rhys Sharpe was a Guy Branston signing but still looks raw in the pre-season games.

On the other flank, Tootle is another full-back who is better defensively which doesn’t really lend itself to the 3-5-2 system. Hewitt would appear tailor-made for the wing back role in which he’s likely to start the season, but will need to iron out the positional lapses which cost the team a number of goals last campaign. Jordan Richards is another option down the right following hugely promising loan spells with Boston and in Ireland last year.

Midfielders

When everyone is fit, Sheridan is blessed with options here with O’Connor, Tootle, Alex Rodman, Stanley Aborah, Curtis Thompson, Milsom, Graham Burke, Wes Atkinson, Richards and, of course, Alan Smith (he’ll inevitably be back in the team at some stage) all vying for three places. 

The decision to move Aborah into a more advanced position looks to be a masterstroke; if he is out, it is also a position that Burke has the potential to excel in. That leaves a number of players vying for the two deeper positions – Rodman is primarily a winger or attacking midfielder but has looked capable in a more defensive position, as has Tootle who has spent most of his career at right back. O’Connor is a certain starter when fit and I still have high hopes for Thompson; midfield is an area we really shouldn’t be worrying about.

Strikers

The blank numbers #9 and #10 on the original squad numbers list got tongues wagging that this meant at least one more first-team striker was on his way to Meadow Lane, but I feel this is more of an anomaly, with Jon Stead preferring #30 and Jonathan Forte #11. These two represent a strong-looking first-choice front two, with newly-signed York City loanee Vadaine Oliver – a physical presence – likely to start as ‘Plan B’ from the bench. 

Izale McLeod is still at the club, of course, and it’d be dangerous to write off a proven striker on the back of one bad season, but if a suitor could be found it’d be hard to justify keeping one of the highest-paid players at the club as fourth choice striker, when the money could be invested elsewhere.

Adam Campbell and Genaro Snijders are both likeable players but look vulnerable if the decision to play without wingers becomes a permanent one. Campbell managed to convince all three managers that he should be a regular last season, but desperately needs an end product to go with his endeavour, while Snijders has said end product but never seemed to be given much of a chance. It’ll be interesting to see if they can play their way into contention this time around; Sheridan stressed the desire in pre-season to get some pace in the ranks and this does still appear to be lacking, so these two could still have a role to play.

Overall

This squad isn’t yet the finished product, but it is worlds apart from last season’s approach where going into the season there only looked to be 4-5 guaranteed starters, the captain wasn’t decided and players were in the team one week and not in the squad the next.

The key area is still the defence; Audel seems to switch between being brilliant or terrible, often in the same game, while Hollis finally needs to iron-out the mental blocks and inconsistencies that have prevented him kicking-on with his career. Edwards and Smith are next in-line. If Edwards is the no.1 centre back by mid-September – as was the case last season – something has gone drastically wrong.

As supporters, it’s important to put last year’s debacle behind us and give the likes of Stead, Hewitt and Hollis a chance to right the wrongs. It was never plausible – or sensible – to ditch all of last season’s under-performers. One thing’s for sure, we’re in much better shape this time around. In Sheridan we trust.

Strongest squad: 

Collin
Hewitt Duffy Hollis
Tootle Rodman O’Connor Dickinson
Aborah
Stead    Forte

Subs: Loach, Audel, Thompson, Milsom/Campbell, Burke, Snijders, Oliver.

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On the back of three very disappointing campaigns in a row as a Notts County fan, I find myself aligned with new hope and prospect for the new season – however, I must admit I didn’t believe I would be at this stage.

2015-16 was a year the majority of fans will no doubt want to forget and it’s all for the right (or should that be wrong) reasons.

The broken ambition and desire shown really tugged at the heartstrings of many genuine supporters I know, and it was difficult at times to consolidate the raw emotion that was often expressed to me – especially towards the back end of the season.

It really was a bleak disappointing term for the Black & White Army, which I really do not need to remind anyone of.

However, as I write this, I can quite easily cast aside that bitter disappointment in hopes that things may finally improve on and off the field.

Like most, supporting a team that has fought most of their years in the lower tiers of English football – you find yourself clinging to the hopes that the club may actually be a ‘sleeping giant’.

And I renewed my season ticket without a second thought, but I do not question those who have not done this because a football club must appreciate its fans and understand that the money paid in is that of hard work and passion.

It’s not a simple case of not supporting the club, but simply case of value.

I hope this season is different, yet as I wrote earlier, I am excited – I think John Sheridan has put a lot of time in accessing the players in which the club have clearly been tracking and it’s not like Notts to sign the majority of players who have been linked to them.

Michael O’Connor, the most recent signing, is an excellent addition to the squad, along with his former Port Vale teammates Carl Dickinson and Richard Duffy.

I am also happy with the arrival of Adam Collin, who I hope manages to establish himself as our number one goalkeeper.

I don’t think I’m alone in being optimistic, numerous fans have been expressing it – and I hope that the stability we so desperately crave is found this year.

Between now and the start of the new season, I want to see Sheridan establish his best XI – it’s important for me he avoids making the mistake that Ricardo Moniz probably regrets. No doubt we will attempt to mix things up, but our new manager must form the chemistry required.

The squad doesn’t look that far from being finished, unless we see some other players depart but I do still have hopes for a defensive midfielder and a striker – a goal scorer will not grow on trees but it’s vital we sign someone to go up top.

Jon Stead and Izale McLeod for me don’t seem to be the answer, at least together, and I do hope we are consistent with featuring two strikers.

Those who watch European football/the Premier League may disagree but I would say as a minimum in League Two you start all home games with two and only revert to the lone striker against the more difficult opposition.

What’s next for the Magpies? Nobody can be sure, however pre-season isn’t that far away now.

Football is almost upon us again and it’s time for us as fans to unite together and create an atmosphere we can be proud of – what other clubs/people think, it doesn’t matter, but for our own future we must try.

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Euro 2016 has, to some extent, proved a welcome distraction from the ongoing circus at Notts County. However, with the recent appointment of John Sheridan, I am quietly optimistic for the new season and what it might bring.

Sheridan has undoubted experience at galvanizing teams - whether bringing sides from the brink of relegation, guiding them to promotion or offering them a shot at the play-offs.  

In my opinion, especially after the kick in the teeth of losing Mark Cooper, Sheridan is the perfect tonic to bring the fans on side and give us a real chance of building a winning formula for next season.

His first signing, Adam Collin, is a real coup for the club – Sheridan is already proving he can attract top players to a side in League Two which has an ownership uncertainty hovering over its head and, is coming off the back of a very disappointing campaign.

Other names bandied around such as Jonathan Forte, Alex Rodman and Jordan Bowery are good players to be associated with – so the calibre of player coming into the club should hopefully continue to be of a high standard.

So, taking the new manager and his plans for the club on the field next season into account – I’m very hopeful.

The only cloud hovering over the club at the moment as far as I’m concerned is the situation off the field. Ray Trew has stated that if no deal is struck by the end of June for the sale of the club, then he will continue to take charge and plan ahead for the coming season.

That’s all well and good, but it’s a sticky situation for Ray should he stay. Fans are now aware that he wants out – the club is on the market, and he’s not held back with his thoughts and feelings. A lot of burnt bridges will need to be rebuilt between Ray and the fans if he stays.

Sheridan might be able to unite the players with the fans with talk of a promotion chase, but Ray will undoubtedly have much more work to do in order to win over a significant number of fans next season.

Don’t get me wrong, I do not condone the abuse received by Ray and Aileen Trew last season by a small minority of supporters, but I am concerned about the frosty atmosphere between the fans and the powers that be – should they stay.

For me, Ray will need to prove his loyalty to Notts next season if he doesn’t complete a sale. How he goes about this is his own prerogative.

Financial backing of the manager is a must, as too is an attempt to smooth over the cracks with the fans. He must issue a statement to the fans, with some sort of apology and a rallying cry about us all being ultimately on the same side and in need of pulling in the same direction.

The lack of communication from him in recent weeks and months hasn’t helped his cause – so this might go some way to galvanizing the fans and the club for the new campaign. Nothing is beyond repair, but the way the situation is handled will be the deciding factor for all involved.

Over to you Ray…

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Finally, FINALLY, Notts County’s wretched season of 2015-16 has come to an end. Finally, we can consign one of our worst, most embarrassing and most mentally draining campaigns to the dustbin of history. But where do we go from here?

I had actually felt somewhat guilty after posting my previous column, where I had longed for the season to be over, but I then found out that a lot of people shared my views.

And when I say a lot of people, I mean virtually everyone I’ve spoken to at and around Meadow Lane, in the street and online. They ALL wanted this season over and done with.

Just over a month ago I flat out refused to come to Meadow Lane to watch Notts play Exeter in what turned out to be Jamie Fullarton’s last game in charge – good job I didn’t, because it ended 4-1 to the Grecians.

This brief mini-boycott came to an end just a week later when Fullarton’s brief reign came to an end and Mark Cooper came in his place, and indeed things turned round on the pitch, our fight against relegation ending in a positive note.

After safety was assured, however, it all fell apart again. We went from an upturn in form, which yielded two draws – including against champions, Northampton – and two wins, to losing three on the bounce and conceding 10 on the way, though a win against Newport seemed to somewhat alleviate the pain in the same manner paracetamol will stop a gunshot wound from hurting.

And then came the crowning moment to the whole farcical affair – the final game of the season against Carlisle United, which began under a bright blue sky and gorgeous hot weather, soon turned to clouds both above the pitch and on it.

It should have been a game of redemption where Notts ended the season on a high and secured either a draw or a win to officially crown Cooper as permanent manager.

This being Notts, of course, it had to go wrong. Cooper was heavily linked to the Forest Green Rovers – a team that, at the time of writing, was still in non-league – before the game, with both sources in Gloucestershire and our own Colin Slater saying he had opted to turn his back on the whole “points target” malark for something more stable and less farcical.

Indeed, the Magpies gave one of the worst performances of the season against the Cumbrian side, managed by Keith Curle – yet another of our ex-managers who has got a fair measure of revenge this season – the result of which was a 5-0 defeat.

And then, almost as perfectly timed as Earl Hebner’s scampering from the Montreal Screwjob (if you’re not a wrestling fan, Google it) or Craig Joubert’s sprint away from the pitch when Scotland were knocked out by Australia in the Rugby World Cup, so was Meadow Lane a shrinking object in Cooper’s wing mirror – he had bailed out on Notts no sooner the season was wrapped up.

So, here we are then. The 2015-16 season has come to an end, and I’m feeling like I’ve just done 12 rounds with Mike Tyson. I’m sure many fans will be feeling similar.

At the very least, is the future bright? Is it hell. We have no manager, we have an owner who wants to sell but, following a plethora of mixed messages in the media, seems no closer to do so, and we are lumbered with a load of players on two-year deals who seem to be just as disillusioned with the whole farce as us fans.

Let me ask you this, fellow Notts fans – over the last three seasons, how often have you actually felt like things were actually going well, either on the pitch or off?

I can pinpoint to a handful of moments at most – the Liverpool game, the Great Escape, the five-game winning run in October 2014, the 2015 off-season, the Aston Villa game, and securing safety this season. Out of about three years, we’re talking a total of three weeks, while the rest has been virtually all bad.

This season, in my opinion, has been the worst of the lot, bearing in mind the expectations we had at the start.

Just being consigned to this pathetic division is bad enough, but when we’re getting turned over by teams whose stadiums still have standing areas, who up until a few seasons ago were semi-professional non-league nobodies, whose badge features a PRAWN, then you know you’ve plumbed the deepest depths the likes of which you would need concrete shoes to reach.

Add to that being humiliated by a non-league side on national television, losing twice to your local rivals, falling to a record defeat against said local rivals, and all the chaos behind the scenes, and you have the perfect recipe for pretty much the worst season in recent memory – and Notts have had plenty of candidates since the turn of the century.

The other week, Cooper banished Liam Noble away from Meadow Lane and said he will deal with him when he feels like it. Now he won’t have to.

Us Notts fans haven’t got either of those luxuries, to either postpone the murky tasks or escape them altogether – once the season is over, it’ll be three months before we have to tune in again for another 46+ games.

The reality is that increasing numbers of fans are choosing not to deal with it anymore and are sacking it off. They won’t get season tickets. They are ignoring their heart, which tells them to support Notts through and through, and using their head, which is telling them not to bother anymore because of the heartache, grief, and wasted time and money.

In day to day life, relationships – in business, in love, in family, and whatever else – have their ups and downs, and people must take the rough with the smooth, but if the relationship isn’t going anywhere, if one party isn’t pulling their weight or, god forbid, if one party is abusive, then the other party is more than entitled to stop giving their other half any more chances and depart, never to look back.

If Notts County want to ensure that fans don’t abandon the club – which, as “sinful” as it is in the world of football, drastic times call for drastic measures – they need to make sure the relationship is fruitful, is going in the right direction, and isn’t abusive.

So for the sake of thousands of long suffering fans, Notts County, STOP MESSING US AROUND AND GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.

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Unsurprisingly, following Notts County’s 5-0 drubbing by Mansfield Town at Field Mill, Mark Cooper’s post match interviews displayed a man who was perplexed by what he had just seen. He wasn’t the only one. The only consolation for Notts at this moment in time is that results are not crucial, with league safety assured.

But, as any die-hard football fan will tell you, a local derby is a different beast entirely, whether you have something to play for or like Notts, you’re simply filling your games quota. Passion, commitment and determination are essential ingredients for any team. And pride – a word that seemed to escape Notts for 90 minutes at Field Mill, is the CRUCIAL thing you simply have to play for. Fans expect it and needless to say, the manager expects it.

We saw nothing in the way of playing for pride out there on Saturday. It was an abject performance, which left me itching to put on my boots and get out there myself. I’m not claiming to be better than a pro footballer, but what I lack in quality I would make up for in passion and that’s all the fans ask for when players cross the white line come 3pm (or 1pm in this case). I genuinely felt sorry for the fans that made the journey on Saturday and paid good money to watch it. I tuned in on the radio, and that was bad enough.

On my twitter feed on Saturday I quoted Mark Cooper several times following his post-match interview, a couple of which spoke volumes to me. The first was “some questions were answered to me today” – clearly gathering a sense of the fighters in his squad and a list of players he wants to keep for next season. The second quote I loved was “do you want me to sugar coat the fact we just got beat 5-0 in a local derby? I’m not going to do it”. That’s a man who clearly won’t make excuses for poor performances, and it’s refreshing to see in the Notts dugout.

Cooper has some serious evaluating to do ahead of next season should he keep the job permanently. In my opinion, he should stay. Moniz and Fullarton have already had the sack this season – granted they split opinion in a lot of ways, but the players must take some responsibility for their departures. If they were to cost Mark Cooper his job then I’ll be gutted. Cooper needs the chance to build his own squad over the summer and start a-fresh. He has huge potential as well as a hunger and desire that would make him a success story at Notts with the right budget behind him - we’re not even talking millions either.

The fans have been asking for a manager who’s honest, passionate and doesn’t pull punches for some time, and now they have it. Now it’s time to let him build a squad that does the same on the pitch. I hope the potential new owners are taking note.

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Hello and welcome to episode 22 of the Pride of Nottingham PONCast, the number one Notts County podcast.

In this episode we look at Jamie Fullarton’s departure as Magpies manager and the appointment of ex-Swindon boss Mark Cooper.

We also discuss comments made by Liam Noble over the old manager, assess the impact of Mike Edwards, and much more.

Remember you can subscribe to our PONcast.

You can do so by using iTunes for IOS devices, downloading any of the main podcast apps from the Google play store or even listen to show using the TuneIn Radio app.

As always, let us know your thoughts on this week’s PONcast on the forum or on the Facebook page, and once again, thank you for joining us.

Like so many Notts County fans, I had big hopes for the 2015/16 season. I generally do get ‘excited’ at the start of any season, but this time round things felt different. Pre-season we seemed to be building a robust squad, unlike previous years – Ricardo Moniz took to assembling a squad, which at face value had a lot of character.

The arrival of so many unknown players really gave the spark to light up my hopes because they looked technically very good, albeit against lower non-league opposition at first.

However, for me the captures of Graham Burke and Adam Campbell really impressed.

Seeing Notts having signed two youngsters, who I was well aware, had potential really gave me more encouragement – whilst the arrival of Scott Loach announced at the Carlton friendly felt somewhat surreal, as it meant Notts would have two solid keepers, who within their own rights would be fit to start as a regular no.1 for most teams above League Two.

I headed to Stevenage at the beginning of the season with so much confidence for the year ahead; I never once felt that by this stage Notts would be sitting on 41 points, glued to 19th place and with the real possibility that they could slip further down.

However, despite the two previous campaigns ending in a fair amount of disappointment – the confidence of a new start really did resonate with me.

I should probably acknowledge at this point, it did take some initial time to process the fact we ended up being related back to fourth division of English football. However, the way seasons turn out is something which I do accept – It’s the passion and pride of supporting a lower tier club, one which the ‘local roots’ hold a firm grip with my family that I cherish.

So, back to Stevenage. Where did it all go wrong?

I left the game feeling very entertained, having witnessed Notts produce some of the best football I had done for years.

Yet somewhere along the lines (and I believe our home defeat to Mansfield didn’t help) the pride and togetherness of the players disappeared – as did the performances. Matters only made worse by the departure of Moniz and the arrival of Jamie Fullarton.

Whether certain players found it difficult to cope with expectations, I am unsure. If the fact we weren’t winning every other game or really contending for promotion put others off – I don’t think it makes much difference but from a point of view from the fan.

Rewinding back, you really can see how the 2015/16 campaign really unravelled before our very eyes.

I suspect it’s a combination of ‘confidence’, ‘expectations’, ‘disappointment’ and to a degree both prior managers making poor uninformed decisions when it came to their squad selections.

I’m just pleased that under Mark Cooper some of the positivity has been restored, as I will openly admit I have felt extremely uninspired during Jamie Fullarton’s reign. It’s with that I hope the turmoil and ‘toxicity’ (a word I heard a lot of around Meadow Lane during that period) doesn’t return, that we may finally be able to push on and secure a bright future eventually. Whilst talk of next season seems ‘bleak’ when there are so many unknowns, I am fully committed to fight for the love of the team I support.

Like Joe Jones, I find myself wanting to end the current campaign and for the next to begin. But I want us to try and do it the right way.

When Jamie Fullarton was relieved of his duties, the vast, vast majority of Notts County fans breathed a huge sigh of relief.

It wasn’t just the fact he was not deemed adequate for the job by probably 99% of supporters (no experience, no prior connection to the club like Shaun Derry or Chris Kiwomya, former Nottingham Forest man), or that he presided over a run of games that saw Notts drop from potential playoff long-shots to possible relegation candidates.

It was also how Stanley Aborah, arguably our finest player this season, was frozen out of the squad and put through a humiliating gauntlet by the thankfully-now-ex-manager and the club.

Football fans over the age of 25 may remember a similar spat at Newcastle United in the late 1990s between Ruud Gullit and Alan Shearer. Let’s just say the manager came off second best. Alienating your best player is a PR disaster in front of your fans, and if you’re not getting the results without that player, then you’re pretty much doomed. Fullarton even had a third strike to his name – the fact virtually nobody wanted him at Meadow Lane in the first place.

Aborah was not only schooled at the prestigious Ajax academy, but was the youth team’s captain. He’s clearly a talented, hardworking player and is just the midfield engine Notts needs to compete in the league and get results.

His career has been stop-start throughout because of injuries and other things outside his control – he played for a season in Kuwait after leaving Ferencvaros but had a dispute with the club and then couldn't play for a year before joining Notts – so you cannot blame him for being overly cautious about the situation at whatever club he plays for.

If he said he wanted to leave the club after Moniz’s sacking, it would have been the “red alert” going off in his head. Rather than being reassured about his future at the club, however, he was hung out to dry.

Notts seemed to cope well enough following Aborah’s last game, against Oxford at the start of 2016, beating Crawley, Luton and Hartlepool, but then things tailed off considerably. Fullarton should have swallowed his pride and brought him back into contention, but instead he stuck to his guns – and now he’s out of a job.

Mark Cooper’s appointment has reassured fans not only because he’s a tried and tested manager with success in the lower leagues, but because he’s pledged to bring Aborah back into contention.

Already he has won brownie points with the long-suffering Notts faithful, and if the club manages to pick up a decent haul of points in the next few games with Aborah running the midfield, then it will be testament to his indispensability to the cause.

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Aileen Trew very kindly took some time out to visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and answer questions put to her by our community. Here is some of the discussion:

Q) Are you and Ray hoping the clubs sale is sorted before the end of the season? What is the current stage at?

A) Yes, he's hoping to get it sorted ASAP. I can't say any more than that.

Q) I have noticed comments on social media Ray's car has been vandalised, is this true and was it done on the day of the protests?

A) I'm not aware of his car being vandalised, though apparently, a couple of protesters sat on it. Luckily, another couple of supporters took it upon themselves to keep an eye out, so no harm done!

Q) Do you think this will be it in terms of football for you and Ray, do you feel bitter about some fans at all?

A) It won't be the end of football for either of us, no. I for one am a Notts supporter, and health allowing, will be coming to games. I feel no bitterness at all. Frustrations with those that lie, abuse and troublemaker at times, but that’s more to do with people rather than the club they support. Life's way too short to waste time on such negative emotion.

Q) What are your personal proudest moments from your term at Notts?

A) It's been an honour to be involved with Notts and there have been some great times. I've been proud of staff and players, performances, resilience in hard times, great atmospheres at games, promoting football friendships with our Italian Magpies. Mocked by some, but the 150 year of activity, with the civic reception, legends day (thanks Les!) the stamp issue, the inflatable screen on the pitch for Notts County - The Movie, the community day, the Gala banquet (those who went will know it wasn't about posh nosh in a tent!) The birthday party, it was just great to see everyone working together and making it happen. Generally, though, just proud to be part of the support. Like most of us at various times.

Will you still keep in touch with friends and people you have gotten to know?

A) I'll certainly keep in touch with the friends I've made through Notts. There's plenty of genuine, lovely families out there and we've got to know each other so well. Friends for life, certainly.

To see more questions and answers between Aileen and the Pride of Nottingham community, please visit the relevant topic on the forum here or below.