Kevin Nolan has piled praise on Notts County defender Matt Tootle following his impressive performances for the club this season and vows to remain fully supportive of him.

The 27-year-old notched up his third assist in four games in the 1-1 draw against Carlisle United last weekend when he set up Ryan Yates for the equaliser at Brunton Park.

Aside from his assists and all-round performances, Tootle also weighed in with a goal of his own against Lincoln City, a well-taken shot from a tight angle just inside the box.

“He’s come through Crewe’s academy and anybody who comes through there you would expect them to be good technically and good on the ball," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“They have that vision and they are taught that from a young age. We’ve been delighted with him. He’s a fantastic lad. He trusts me and knows I want the best for him.

“It’s given him that confidence that he knows I am right behind him. I think he played in a number of positions before I came in and when I got here I wanted him to be right-back and cement that place.

“He’s been brilliant this season as have the majority of the lads.”

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Kevin Nolan has backed Alan Smith to score even more goals for Notts County after opening his account for the club on Tuesday night.

The 36-year-old, who played as a striker early in his career, equalised for the Magpies in the EFL Trophy meeting with Mansfield Town, although the Stags went on to win 2-1 at Meadow Lane.

Despite the defeat, Nolan was full of praise for Smith and backed him to chip in with more goals, even if he acknowledges he's not going to be regularly playing full games.

“I thought Smudger was great and you are going to get that from him every time he plays,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“He loves the game and still has that hunger, but unfortunately his legs don’t let him get to 90 minutes as much as he would like them to do.

“But he was brilliant and took his goal really well. That’s what you expect when you put him up there because he’s done it all his career.

“I’ve told him he will be a forward and I am expecting him to come up with a couple of goals here and there.”

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Kevin Nolan has singled Matt Tootle out for praise and suggested that competition from summer arrival Nicky Hunt has pushed his form to a new level.

Tootle grabbed his third assist in four games in the 1-1 draw against Carlisle United last weekend when he set up Ryan Yates for the equaliser at Brunton Park.

“We brought Nicky Hunt in during the window and that was to always make sure that Toots pushed on, and if he did have that sticky spell, we had somebody of Nicky’s class to come in,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“That’s not to take away from what Toots has been doing but I think Nicky has pushed him to new levels.

“He is breathing down his neck for the right-back spot. We haven’t got just a number one right-back anymore.

“We have two who are pushing each other to the maximum. Toots has arguably been the standout player over the last four or five weeks.

“I am delighted with him, as I am all my players.”

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Kevin Nolan has expressed his frustration with how cheaply Notts County gave goals away in Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat to Mansfield Town in the EFL Trophy.

The Magpies fell behind in the first minute when a mistake by Haydn Hollis was seized upon by Lee Angol, who drilled home from range.

Although Alan Smith drew the hosts level, the Stags struck a winner when Branislav Pindroch punched a cross into the path of CJ Hamilton, who chested the ball down and converted from 15 yards.

“I am very frustrated and disappointed because of how cheaply we gave goals away,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“There were a lot of good individual performances, but we just weren’t at the level where we need to be.

“We have lots of work to do and I was disappointed in the manner Mansfield won.

“There wasn’t much in it and I don’t think they deserved to win the game, but I don’t think we did anything to deserve the win either.”

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Kevin Nolan has expressed his eagerness to catch up with former Notts County loanee Marc Bola when the Magpies host Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup on November 3.

The Arsenal full-back joined Notts on loan at the start of January and made 13 appearances as the club survived relegation from League Two.

Now on loan at the Memorial Stadium, Bola is expected to line up for Rovers as they travel to Meadow Lane for the first round of the world's oldest cup competition.

“I am really looking forward to the game and seeing Boles again,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“I was really pleased to get him on the last day of the January window last season and he came here and did well.

“I think he learned a lot given what he was doing playing academy football and being in those luscious surroundings that he would have at Arsenal.

“He came here and cracked on. He had a fantastic back end to the season and got a really good move to Bristol Rovers.

“I wish him well and I hope he is playing when he comes back here. It will be nice to see him and I hope that Jorge Grant, Terry Hawkridge, Liam Walker or Lewis Alessandra gets the better of him.”

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Mansfield Town boss Steve Evans has confirmed that he will make wholesale changes for tonight's EFL Trophy clash at Notts County as he played down the importance of the competition.

While Notts boss Kevin Nolan has stressed that he is taking the competition seriously, the Mansfield boss admitted that he was more concerned about their League Two game with Exeter City at the weekend.

"We want to go there and represent our football club with some pride, but at the same time, I'm just honest with our supporters,"  Evans told the official Stags site.

"I watch managers around this Checkatrade and they blag it that they're going to be at full strength and then make nine changes, and suchlike. We will make significant changes tomorrow night.

"We'll go there and people will see how committed we are, as we always are as a management team, from the first ball to the last ball.

"By the same token, we've got four games in the space of 14 days now; Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday, and they're big games. The Exeter and Shaw Lane games are big games.

"I watch managers around this Checkatrade and they blag it that they're going to be at full strength and then make nine changes, and suchlike. We will make significant changes tomorrow night.

"We're going to give players an opportunity to step up and be in the team on Saturday. Go and be a real top performer against Notts County and you'll probably start against Exeter.

"We've got three or four that are desperate to play, that want to get in the starting line-up on a regular basis and they've got a fantastic platform at Notts County tomorrow night.

"It's more important to have a freshness about our team against Exeter than [getting] anything against Notts County."

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Kevin Nolan has suggested that he will make numerous changes to the Notts County starting XI for tonight's EFL Trophy meeting with Mansfield Town.

Although the Magpies boss is taking the much-maligned competition seriously, he appears eager for some of his lesser-used players to stake their claims for a first-team place at Meadow Lane tonight.

“It’s a great game for the players who haven’t had the exposure of minutes they perhaps would have wanted,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“It’s a chance for them to show me that they are ready and waiting so if we do get an injury, they are raring to go.

“We have a squad capable of handling the cup competitions as well as the league. So there’s no pressure on the players because they are part of this squad for a reason.

“They are pushing the 11 to new heights and maximum levels, but what they’ve got to do is now prove why we either retained them or signed them.

“They’ve got to enjoy it because it’s in a good competition, a great pitch, a great stadium and a great dressing room. Enjoy that fact, take the bull by the horns and express yourself.”

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Kevin Nolan has stressed that he wants Notts County to give their all in Tuesday night's EFL Cup home encounter with Mansfield Town.

The Magpies currently sit second in Northern Group G on three points, level with Lincoln City, who won their opening group game against the Stags 3-1.

Although the competition - currently branded as the Checkatrade Trophy - continues to divide opinion among fans and club staff up and down the country, Nolan is eager to get to the next stage, maintain their unbeaten home record, and get one over on their local rivals.

“We want to win the game and get through to the next round,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“We want to have a good run and keep the momentum going. We are at home and we have that mentality in which we feel we can beat anyone.

“And we should have that feeling, but it’s going to be a tough game because it’s a derby and they will throw everything at us.

“They will raise their game as they did last month when we were top of the league so my lads should not be expecting anything less.

“But since they have beaten us they haven’t won since and there’s no better way to take the pressure off by winning a derby.

“It’s a chance for them to get back to winning ways and I am sure Steve Evans will be looking at that.

“We want to use our proud home record to our advantage. Every win means something and hopefully it can start a bit of momentum.”

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Kevin Nolan has confirmed that Adam Collin has suffered ligament damage and is likely to be out for between two and three months.

The 32-year-old limped off in the second half of the 2-1 win over Barnet earlier this month after injuring his knee.

Scans have since revealed the extent of the damage and while Collin will not require surgery, he is set to be out for a minimum of eight weeks.

“We are not talking about a long-term injury, we are talking about a medium one,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“It could be eight weeks or it could be 12 so he’s not going to be back any time soon.

“We will do what is right by the lad. It’s a blow, but it’s an opportunity for Ross (Fitzsimons) or Bran (Pindroch) to stake a claim to be number one.

“That’s why we have recruited them two because we knew if something like this was to happen, we had two great understudies who can step into his boots.”

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Kevin Nolan has expressed his desire to manage at the top level some day but insists he is happy at Notts County at present.

The 35-year-old has worked wonders for the Magpies since taking the job on January 12 this year, steering the club to safety last season and overseeing a rise up League Two which now sees the club second in the table.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Nolan said: "The ultimate goal is to get to the top. But at this minute in time I have been given a fantastic opportunity to manage a fantastic club."

"I am loving every minute of it at the moment, although not so much when we lose, but fortunately we have not lost too many this year.

"You can never switch off and sleep. I have about four or five hours sleep a night.

"As a player, I was one who would sleep as much as I could. Once the kids were at school and after training I would have an hour before picking them up.

"But it is all worth it on a Saturday, seeing your team perform and getting a win. There's no better feeling.

"I don't want to think that I played in the Premier League and Championship all my career, that's where I ply my trade as a manager but, of course, it's the ultimate goal.

"This is my apprenticeship of now trying to become a good manager and have longevity in management."

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Notts County boss Kevin Nolan was one of the guests on BBC football show MOTD2 Extra on Sunday.

Alongside host Garth Crooks, former Everton midfielder Leon Osman and New York Times journalist Rory Smith, he gave his thoughts on a number of football stories, including Manchester United's defeat at Huddersfield Town.

On Jose Mourinho's post-match rant at the John Smith's Stadium

"Mourinho was very angry with what happened. I'm sure he will have told the team what he was going to say on television.

"When you are as big as Man United and results come that way he has a duty to tell the truth. Herrera said the same. They are well rehearsed.

"Huddersfield was rocking before the game and the players were up for it. United's players have to realise what to expect. They have to take responsibility."

On the Terriers beating United

"It shows how much it meant that David Wagner said it was one of his proudest moments.

"Huddersfield have set the stall out now. They have to stay at that level. If they do that they will find success.

"Wagner will not have had to get his players up for that game.

"I remember it when we got promoted with Bolton and beat Man United at Old Trafford. You remember everything you are told to do because you are so up for the game."

On West Ham United striker - and former Newcastle United teammate - Andy Carroll

"Andy Carroll is a good example of someone who trains differnt to how he plays in games.

"He is around in games, 100mph, jumping into people in games but on a cold Monday morning on the training ground he has his hat on, huddling."

On Tottenham Hotspur and England youngster Harry Winks

"I watched Harry Winks a couple of seasons ago in a game against West Ham. He was a big part of helping Tottenham turn the game around.

"Living down there, you hear a lot from Spurs fans who are excited about him.

"We are League Two and we have to wait for all the business above us to be done. We get the lads on loan who have not been able to find a League One club.

"When you get a gem like Winks, Pochettino has clearly realised he doesn't need to send him on loan and use him in the right way."

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Ross Fitzsimons has praised Notts County goalkeeping coach Mark Crossley for helping him develop as a player.

The 23-year-old, who joined the Magpies in the summer, has won plaudits after several impressive displays in between the sticks following the knee injury to Adam Collin.

Fitzsimons replaced Collin in the win over Barnet before starting in the defeat to Crewe Alexandra and in the draw at Carlisle United, where he made a string of great saves to keep the hosts at bay.

"I don't think we could ask for a better keeper coach," Fitzsimons told the official Notts site. "He's played in the biggest games. When coaching tips come from him, it sinks in.

"Every goalkeeping coach has their own style, but he suits my personality down to the ground. He's chilled and gets his message across quickly and effectively. He's been a massive part of my development since coming here.

"The four of us [Crossley, Collin and Branislav Pindroch] are always working together and analysing things – right down to the nitty gritty stuff. That's important for all of us and drives us on.

"[The injury to Collin] can happen to any one of us. That's why we've got three top goalkeepers.

"With us up near the top, it was important for me to slot straight in. That's the nature of the beast. You could be out for six months but, straightaway, it can come thick and fast. It's important to be mentally and physically ready.

"I'm delighted with how I've been playing, and with a point [against Carlisle]. I don't think teams will take a lot of points there so to come away with a draw was brilliant after Tuesday."

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Carlisle United manager Keith Curle has admitted that he had to change his usual tactics against Notts County because "we knew we couldn't play them at their game".

The Cumbrians took the lead against the Magpies in their League Two encounter on Saturday through Hallam Hope but Kevin Nolan's side left Brunton Park with a point after Ryan Yates struck an equaliser.

Assessing his side's performance after the 1-1 draw, Curle said he expected Notts, boasting height all over the pitch, to be such a handful that he had "to find a way to do things in a different way".

The former Notts manager told the official Carlisle site: “We played through them in the first half with the ball on the ground at a good tempo, and with a patient build-up, and I thought we caused them some good problems.

“Defensively we nullified the big centre forwards and by playing from the back we were able to pull them towards us and play through them. We needed to do that because we knew we couldn’t play them at their game.

“It was the first time we’d zone marked and the players and I thought we did it well. Man-for-man they were bigger in height than we were in almost every area of the pitch, and that means you have to find a way to do things in a different way.

“When we did go long to counter their change in formation we had Hallam Hope making a nuisance of himself, and then somebody there to help him out and land on the second balls. The positive we can all take from it is that they couldn’t get near us with the way we rotated the play.

“The negative is that we didn’t finish them off with the chances we had. I don’t think there’d have been any arguments if we’d gone into half time two or three goals up. Their keeper had made two great saves and we created some other good chances as well.

“We probably didn’t get the ebb and flow to our attacks in the second half and that’s why we made the substitutions. They’d started to play a little bit deeper and there wasn’t the space we’d had between the lines to get our players on the ball as much as we’d enjoyed before the break.

“They’d tried to press us in midfield before the break and we gave them a chasing with the way we pulled them about. That’s why they changed their tactics - out of necessity - and they pulled men back to close that route off."

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Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has hailed the "good point" gained at Carlisle United in Saturday's 1-1 draw and admitted that results such as the one at Brunton Park will mean a lot later in the season.

The Cumbrians took the lead through Hallam Hope in the first half but the Magpies rallied round and Ryan Yates struck back in the second half.

The result was a welcome boost after the 2-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra in midweek and keeps Notts second in League Two with a tally of 30 points from 15 games.

"It was important to come away with something," he told the official Notts website. "The most important thing after a defeat is not to lose the next one.

"It's a good point because they are a good side and we're delighted with it, although it could have been three because we had some good chances in the second half, which we dominated.

"Ross Fitzsimons made some fantastic saves in the first half but I think we showed them a bit too much respect and we didn't get in amongst them.

"It was a great reaction in the second half and we fully deserved to get back into it. Even though we went 1-0 down, the players stuck in there and made it difficult for Carlisle so there are a lot of positives to take.

"We've got to respect the point because these are the ones which will mean a lot if we're going to be in and around it come the end of the season."

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Keith Curle has spoken highly of Notts County as his Carlisle United charges prepare to welcome the Magpies to Brunton Park later today, expecting the visitors to be full of confidence and a dangerous proposition.

The former Notts manager told the official Cumbrians site: “They’re near the top of the table but if you look at the last four games we’ve had you see we’ve been up against very good teams.

“There are no easy games and that’s why our approach to each one is exactly the same. When we do our jobs properly we think we can cause teams problems.

“Notts County are one of the division’s good sides and I’ve played against Kevin [Nolan] a few times. He likes to play a certain way. We’ve reviewed their last three or four games and their approach is based on percentages.

“They like to get the ball forward, keep it alive and get it into good areas quickly. They’re a real threat in the box and they’re reliable, consistent and dependable in what they do. They’re very inventive with set pieces and they’re comfortable in their style. We know what to expect so it’s now down to how we deal with it.

“They’ll be full of confidence even though they were knocked slightly with the result at Crewe the other night. If you isolate that result you see they made a few changes and other players had opportunities to shine. That probably means that their line-up will have a bit more in the way of predictability about it on Saturday.”

Curle also spoke highly of Notts defender Shaun Brisley, formerly of Carlisle, being quoted by the Nottingham Post as saying: “Shaun is a very good player.

“That’s why we brought him here. He has gone and fitted into a club [Notts] very, very well. He is putting in performances and is scoring goals.

"I think he made a lot of friends when he was here because he applied himself very well.

“He was a little bit unfortunate with the injury he first had at the beginning of last season. But you got to say, he is a very good professional, has ability and is applying himself at his new club.”

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Notts County owner Alan Hardy has spoken out in favour of the introduction a safe standing area at Meadow Lane and is eager to consult the fans on the topic.

His comments come as Shrewsbury Town look set to become the first club in England to have a safe standing area after a crowdfunding campaign raised £65,000 to pay for it at the New Meadow.

“I love the idea of a safe standing area because I genuinely believe it could add to the atmosphere,” Hardy told the Nottingham Post.

“Shrewsbury are obviously in the process of introducing it but I am not sure whether we would do a whole end here.

“The first three or four rows is an option as that would then allow fans sat behind them to see over the top.

“You could do that in the Kop or in the Family Stand.

“There is an increasing argument to have it in the latter so you are standing there with your son or daughter.

“But we need to consult the fans over it as it is going to cost a few quid.

“We don’t want to get it wrong and don’t want the fans to think we are enforcing it upon them.

“If 80 percent of them come back and say they don’t want it, then we won’t do it. It’s about giving the fans the choice.”

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Kevin Nolan has launched an astonishing tirade against the Notts County online community and social media, calling on "some people" to "have a reality check".

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Magpies' trip to Carlisle United on Saturday, the manager aired his grievances about what he felt were knee-jerk reactions from fans.

“There’s a lot said about us that is very untrue,” Nolan is quoted by the Nottingham Post as saying. “But I only hear it because I am not on these sites. I only hear it from my staff or the players.

“If they don’t want to see winning football, then don’t come to Notts County because that’s what we are trying to do.

“For people to be complaining how we play given the club has lost one home game in a calendar year, then there’s not much you can do.

“We only won three games in the previous calendar year compared to what we’ve done now so some people have got to have a reality check and look at themselves in the mirror if they are criticising.”

Last week, Pride of Nottingham published photos which were sent in by a fan which appeared to show Liam Noble in training at Basford - Notts subsequently announced that the midfielder had rejoined the club.

Despite the training sessions being open and accessible to supporters, Nolan continued his tirade, criticising the individual who took the photos.

“Let’s take last week for instance,” Nolan said.

“Liam Noble comes and trains with us for the first day and somebody turns up, and the next minute the pictures are on the internet within an hour or two.

“That would never have happened a few years ago. But they didn’t know what was going on yet still wanted to put something out there.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. That person, because we know who it is, will come back to training ground and then want us to respect him and not tell him to go away.

“When he asks the players for selfies what does he expect them to say?

“There has got to be respect for us as much as we have got to have respect for them.

“They will all expect us to say ‘yeah, no problem you can have your photograph’.

“And that’s my biggest issue with social media. People will come and ask for your picture, then they will sit there on Twitter or whatever, type something, and have a rant.

“You only have to look at Arsenal Fan TV to see how it gets millions and millions of viewers.

“It’s crazy. It makes headlines in the papers and it’s just taken over. It’s something as a manager I have to deal with and all I can ask of the fans is to be respectful.

“A lot of my family are on social media so how is it going to feel for them to see something written about me. It’s hurtful for them and that’s what people have got to realise.”

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Richard Duffy has acknowledged that Notts County must raise their game on Saturday at Carlisle United given how opposition teams will do the same against a team high up in the table.

The Magpies have been one of the pace setters over the last two months, twice going top of the League Two standings, and currently sit second going into the weekend's encounter at Brunton Park.

With Carlisle 15th in the standings and having won just one of seven home games, Duffy has spoken of turning it into a "horrible game" for the hosts and cause the crowd to get exasperated with their team.

"The manager has been on to us," Duffy told the official Notts site.

"He's said whoever we play against will be our toughest game of the season because they will raise their game with us being near the top of the table, and that we have to raise our own game even further to combat that.

"We're not stupid enough to think we can win every game or perform to a level which is acceptable every time. Sometimes you will slip below it for whatever reason, but we have to get back on it this Saturday.

"We've just lost at Crewe and it's vitally important we don't follow it up with another defeat.

"When you go away from home you have to try and turn the home crowd against their team because it makes it tough and puts their players under pressure.

"When teams aren't 1-0 up at home after 15-20 minutes and then a pass goes astray you hear a few groans in the crowd and things can get a bit hectic.

"We have to turn it into a horrible game and keep them on the back foot."

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Alan Hardy has revealed that Notts County have complained to the Football League over their fixtures this season.

The Magpies have been handed long midweek away trips to Yeovil Town and Exeter City this season, while Boxing Day will bring a trip to Morecambe followed by an away day at Swindon Town.

Notts manager Kevin Nolan has already criticised the schedule as “scandalous” and Magpies owner Hardy has followed up with an official complaint.

“The Football League have got it wrong,” he told the Nottingham Post.

“I think first of all, the long trips such as Exeter, like we have already had this season, should be on a Saturday.

“People will at least make a day or weekend of it. They will set off early in the morning, stop for some lunch, get to the ground early and prepare for the match.

“We’ve already complained to the Football League about it and especially our Christmas fixtures.

“Christmas is dreadful for our fans. Fans shouldn’t be returning home as late as they will when we play Morecambe on Boxing Day.

“They’ve got that one badly wrong. Boxing Day fixtures, in my view, should traditionally be reserved for derbies.

“Could you have imagined playing Mansfield or Lincoln? The gates we have had for those games already this season would have been boosted by another couple of thousand at least.

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Kevin Nolan has backed his Notts County players to show a big improvement when they travel to Carlisle United for Saturday's League Two fixture.

The Magpies have experienced a downturn in form since the Mansfield Town defeat at the end of September, which was one of two defeats and a draw in their last four games.

Up next comes the long trip to Brunton Park and Nolan admits that his boys will have to get themselves fired up as the Cumbrians will raise their game against the high-flyers.

"It's about getting back to doing what we have been doing," Nolan told the official Notts site.

"We had a lot of the ball at Crewe but our first shot on target wasn't until the 63rd minute, which is not good enough for us.

"But the good thing about this league is that you get an opportunity every few days to put it right.

"We're looking for a big improvement and I hope it will come because the lads have been fantastic since Tuesday.

"Teams are going to raise their game when those at the top come to town.

"As a manager you don't need to motivate your players because they will want to prove to everyone they are better than them on the day.

"My lads have to start finding a way to get themselves motivated. You can't go away from home and expect to be given anything cheaply. You have to earn it.

"We can't worry about anyone else. We need to strip everything back and make sure we are ready for Carlisle, which will be another tough game; they are a good footballing outfit.

"You want to get momentum going again in the next game but there is no need for anyone to panic.

"We are well in control of what we want to do and we are well ahead of where anyone thought we would be."

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What's been happening in League Two over the last week?

Here is Pride of Nottingham's round-up of the biggest League Two news from the last seven days.

- Carlisle United striker Shaun Miller became the first player to be charged by the FA since simulation laws were introduced in May, the 30-year-old being charged with "successful deception of a match official".

- Grimsby Town announced the signing of former Norwich City defender Reece Hall-Johnson on an initial one-year contract before loaning him to Chester FC.

- Newport County signed 34-year-old striker Paul Hayes, formerly of Wycombe Wanderers, after manager Mike Flynn contacted the player on LinkedIn.

- A pitch invader angrily confronted Coventry City players in their 1-0 home defeat to Forest Green Rovers in their League Two game at the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday.

- Accrington Stanley announced that Jordan Moseley, an academy player in their Under-16 side, sadly passed away.

- Notts County announced the signing of Liam Noble just days after having his contract cancelled by Forest Green Rovers by mutual consent.

All news stories sourced from BBC Sport and Sky Sports.

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Ryan Yates has claimed that Liam Noble's return to Notts County will make him work harder to improve as a player.

Noble departed Forest Green Rovers by mutual consent citing a need to be closer to his family in the North East and has now linked up with his former club.

The 26-year-old will not be able to play for his new club until January, given his registration was with FGR at the closure of the transfer window.

Yates, however, believes that Noble will be an asset to Notts once he becomes available and will give the youngster more impetus to prosper as a footballer, both on loan at Meadow Lane and back at parent club Nottingham Forest.

“Liam is a great player,” Yates told the Nottingham Post. “I’ve heard about him and watched him before.

“I watched him play against Swindon for Forest Green on television a couple of weeks ago.

“He is going to add to the squad and there’s so much healthy competition for places.

“I love it because he’s only going to push me to become a better player for when I go back to Forest and hopefully prove myself.”

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