We've Met Before...

This Saturday will see the 43rd meeting between Notts County & Peterborough United, and the first for two seasons following Peterborough United's dramatic relegation with virtually the last kick on the final day of last season. Of the previous 42 meetings, Notts have won 12 times with Posh winning 17 times, while 13 draws have been played out. Notts have scored 46 goals against Posh, while they have netted 54 against us. It's relatively even really. The first ever meeting between the two clubs took place on 7th September 1961, in a Division Three match at Meadow Lane. Notts were then managed by Frank Hill, and the entertaining game ended honours even.

Goals from Tony Hateley and Bert Loxley were cancelled out by a double from legendary Peterborough striker Terry Bly. Notts first ever visit to London Road came on the final day of that same season. Frank hill had been sacked in October and replaced by Tim Coleman. Peterborough won the game 2-0 to secure a 5th place finish, while Notts ended up 13th.

The following season, the Magpies achieved their first ever win over Peterborough with a 2-0 win on 8th December thanks to goals from Tony Hateley and D Edwards. The reverse fixture ended 0-0. The two sides also met in the FA Cup 1st round that season, Posh winning 3-0.

The 1962-63 season saw the clubs have remarkably similar seasons. Peterborough finished 6th, Notts 7th. We both finished on 51 points, and Notts conceeded just one goal less than Peterborough.

The following season however was not so similar. While Posh finished 10th in Division Three, Notts finished rock bottom. The season included a 5-1 drubbing for Notts at London Road in September, which remains Peterborough's biggest win over Notts.

Terry Bly, who had scored twice for United in the two clubs first ever meeting had been a goal scoring sensation at Peterborough, scoring an amazing 81 goals in 88 appearances for the club between 1960 and 1962. He then netted 25 goals for Coventry during the 63-64 campaign before Eddie Lowe brought him to Meadow Lane. Unfortunatly, he failed to find his form for Notts, scoring just 4 goals that season. Something about Notts and miss-firing strikers!

By the 1970-71 season both sides were playing in Division Four, but this would prove a memorable season for County. The Magpies won the league under Jimmy Sirrel, and their biggest victory of the season came at home to Peterborough on 30th January. Goals from Don Masson, Les Bradd, David Needham, and a hat-trick from Tony Hateley helped Notts to a 6-0 win, which remains our biggest ever win over Posh.

Notts would end the season on 69 points (2 points for a win back then), 9 clear of second placed Bournemouth.

It would be another 21 years before the two sides met again in the league, although we did meet three times in the 80s in cup competitions.

On 24th January 1980, Divison Four Peterborough knocked Division One Notts out of the FA Cup 4th round with a 1-0 win at Meadow Lane. They would lose 1-0 at home to Manchester City in round 5, and City went on to play Spurs in the final where, after a 1-1 draw, they lost the replay 3-2.

The two met in the Football League Trophy the following season, Peterborough winning 3-1; and they met again in the same competition in 1989, where goals from Gary Lund and Mark Draper secured a 2-2 draw at Meadow Lane.

The two met in the league for the first time since 1971 in a Division One (Championship) game in 1992 - Posh winning 3-1. Since then the two clubs have played eachother in the league on a fairly regular basis, as both clubs have been up and down the football league over the years.

On Good Friday 2001, the two sides played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in a Division Two game at Meadow Lane. Notts' goals that day came from Danny Allsopp (penalty), Kevin Nicholson, and Mark Stallard.

In 2003, Notts were hammered 5-2 at London Road on their way to relegation, Paul Riley getting both County goals.

Another game of note took place on 18th February 2006. Posh's 2-1 victory over Gudjon Thurdarson's Magpies may not be the most memorable of matches, but it was the first match in a TV documentary "Big Ron Manager". It involved Barry Fry bringing Ron Atkinson into the club as a "football trouble shooter", and he was tasked with helping the club out in any capacity he could; be it organising fund raising events, scouting pottential new signings, or helping the manager.

Unfortunatly, it all ended with Peterborough manager Steve Bleasdale resigning in front of the players and cameras just hours before a game at home to Macclesfield.

Atkinson & Fry took charge of the team for the final three games but the club missed out on their target of reaching the play-offs. It was certainly an entertaining programme, although I wonder how the Peterborough supporters felt about it!

The last two meetings between the two sides took place in the 2010-11 season. The first match was a fiesty affair at London Road on 28th September. Ben Davies fired Notts into a 2-0 lead but Gabriel Zakuani pulled one back. Craig Westcarr restored the two goal cushion on the stroke of half time, but Craig Mackail-Smith's goal on the hour mark made it a nervy final half hour for Notts, made worse with the sending off of Ricky Ravenhill. Notts held on for a 3-2 win, and inflicted on Peterborough their first home defeat of the season. Sadly though the match was marred by a mass brawl between both sets of players and both benches at full time, which resulted in both clubs being fined.

The return fixture at Meadow Lane was slightly less memorable. Posh won 1-0 thanks to a wonder goal from Charlie Lee early in the second half, and Posh went on to win promotion with a 3-0 win over Huddersfield in the play-off final.

That was the last time the two sides met, and the visitors will be hoping for a similar outcome come the end of this season with promotion back to the Championship their main aim.

There's been plenty of history and some great games between the clubs over the years. Let's hope this Saturday's match lives up to it and Notts get their first points of the season.

Hope you enjoyed this article. If enough people like it I'm hoping to do something similar for every game.

COYP!