Wolverhampton Wanderers - View

Wolves come into the game having won all their previous four games, they did however lose narrowly to Gillingham 1-0 prior to this. Notts will be optimistic after casting aside Coventry City. On paper Wolves have many quality players, however as we saw in the Johnstone Paint Trophy we can shut up shop against them and play fairly well against them. Notts fans will be travelling in good numbers, so the League One encounter will be all set. For this weeks opposition view we've spoken to Wolves fan Mike, below you will be able to read his view into our game. Enjoy YP!

Firstly, could you please tell prideofnottingham.co.uk a little about yourself such as how long you've been a Wolverhampton fan?

I'm 28 now. First game I remember was in 1990, at home to Bristol City, we won 3-1 and Steve Bull scored a hatrick. At the time Molineux was being rebuilt so it was a million miles away from what it is presently

At the start of the season can you share some of your doubts? Was you concerned about losing key players and did any signings put those feelings to bed?

The only doubt was not bouncing back at the first hurdle. The players that got us relegated from the Championship deserved to be shot and I was glad to see the back of/exclusion of them at the earliest opportunity.

The biggest relief for me was seeing the exclusion of Johnson, Henry, O'Hara, Ward and others by Jackett as soon as he arrived.

We played earlier in the season in the JPT at Molineux. Did you attend and what was your thoughts on the game?

I didn't attend no, but from what I gather it was a typical JPT/Early cup round game, no interest from the home support and nobody were really fussed by the result.

Kenny Jackett is quite the character, how do you feel about him as your manager and would you say the fans are pleased with him?

I had reservations initially but he's been excellent thus far. He's gotten rid of the bad apples with aplomb and given youngsters a chance. Danny Batth for instance was on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and made captain, when do you hear of that? a young loanee made captain? yet he wasn't given a chance by successive managers here. He's come into our side and now part of the tightest defence in League One.

The signings have been excellent, Jacobs and Henry were superb for the prices we've paid, McDonald has genuine quality for 400k.

Can you tell us how you feel the game will go, who the scorers/score will be?

County seem to be improving a lot with the exception of the Walsall result. Also boosted by the capture of the boy from Celtic who we were interested in ourselves... that said if we want to go up we simply have to be beating teams in the bottom 5/6. We're bound to create chances and we have conceded the fewest in League One.. with that, I'll say 2-0.

What would you say your highlights are of the season so far?

Beating Gillingham 4-0 at home must be one. After the previous two relegations we'd won just 19 of our previous 84 (league) games. So it was a massive moral booster even if it was a promoted side and we were expected to win.

Also, playing Orient at home we attracted a crowd of almost 29,000. For League One that's an achievement and we had the 4th highest attendance in Britain that day.

Please share some memories of match days during the years you have supported Wolves, perhaps you could also tell us about how you became a supporter of them?

For a while I was a home and away season ticket holder with friends but I stopped going away so much due to my career, I was a licensee in Wolves town centre for a while so I was often needed at work on matchdays etc after leaving the pub game I've started going away again but go mostly with my dad and his mates. It's always been a good craic. I've seen us lose 3-0 away at Pompey in the driving rain without a roof, and I've seen us beat Liverpool and Spurs away from home.. for me there is nothing better.

What formations have you been using this season and what do you expect to be the starting line up?

We had been playing with one up front with a midfield five with Dave Edwards making some great runs in which were causing a lot of problems for teams but after the transfer window we've reverted back to 4-4-2 with Dicko and Clarke. McDonald will dictate play and he can put a ball on a sixpence, and Evans is the classic Makelele type who breaks up play. Whilst Edwards was good playing the role above he lacks the discipline to play the Evans role and if he were to start we'd look totally lopsided.

I'd expect this

------------------McCreary------------------

Ricketts - Batth - Stearman - Golbourne

Jacobs - McDonald - Evans - Henry

-------------Clarke - Dicko------------------

The last five games has seen Wolves pick up 12 points, how many points do you see being picked up from your next five?

March will be make or break for us, we've got 8 games in the space of 28 days and looking at the opposition we need to be beating them if we're going up automatically. Brentford at the end of the month will be huge.

Notts County - H - Win
Brentford - A - Draw
Port Vale - H - Win
Swindon - A - Draw
Shrewsbury - H - Win

Which Wolves players have been vital to your recent performances? Can you tell us about the threats your side possesses as a whole?

We can break at lightning speed thanks to the speed of our wingers. In Sako we've got somebody who can be completely anonymous for 88 minutes and still score one and set one up in two minutes of brilliance. I really like Dicko because the lad scares defenders and we've scored two own goals from nervous defending.

The back four have been immense, to only concede 20 all season is a hell of a return and I think Evans too because he really is the glue of the side.

Who do you see as being a threat Wolves from our side and how do you see them being dealt with on the day?

The lad McGregor from Celtic. I don't think we've particularly set out to man mark anybody as of yet, as we play possession football the onus will be on County to 'come and get it' though as we saw against Preston, some managers turn up with a negative gameplan leaving their star players ineffective. PNE and Orient have. If I were County I'd accept we're rank outsiders and go for broke. Fortune favours the brave!

Can you advise our travelling fans about the area surrounding the ground? Such as local pubs, eating areas and of course parking?

There are very few pubs in town for away fans and even less by the stadium.

Walkabout in the city centre is your best bet. It's on Queen Street two minutes from the train station.

If arriving by train as you come out the station turn right and next to the BTP station is a marked subway, walk under there and turn right, theres a pub nearby called the Great Western, great pub busy on matchdays but a great atmosphere and I've seen away fans in there untroubled many occasions

Pride of Nottingham would like to thank Mike for taking the time to answer our questions, we wish Wolves all the very best and hope the better team wins on Saturday (whoever that may be). COYP!