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Joe Jones
Notts County continue to march on in their quest for promotion from League Two with a solid 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town in Saturday's game at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies were quick out of the starting blocks against the Robins, who were 16th in the table at kickoff, with Terry Hawkridge forcing a chested block from goalkeeper Scott Flinders after just three minutes.
Jorge Grant and Ryan Yates then weighed in with efforts which were blocked as the visitors struggled to weather the hosts' attacking play, while Shaun Brisley hit the side netting.
Jon Stead was next to threaten as he rifled narrowly wide after turning to collect a far post header back across goal, and Matt Tootle's swerving drive forced another save from Flinders.
Eventually Kevin Nolan's charges broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark as Carl Dickinson’s crossfield pass into the box was headed down to Stead, who sized up a shot but instead decided to lay the ball off for Grant.
It proved the correct decision as the Nottingham Forest loanee side-footed the ball into the top corner of the Cheltenham net to put the Magpies ahead.
However, the visitors drew level out of the blue just five minutes later, the Notts defence guilty of switching off as Carl Winchester and Kyle Storer exchanged passes before the former drilled a low effort into the bottom corner.
It could have gotten even worse for Notts in the second half as Cheltenham turned the screw and Harry Pell hit the top of the crossbar from a cross with Ross Fitzsimons struggling to scramble back.
The new Notts, however, have more grit about them and, on 52 minutes, the unplayable Grant grabbed his 13th of the season when his 25-yard free kick took a heavy deflection and wrong-footed Flinders en route to the back of the net.
And just two minutes later, a two-goal lead was established through Shaun Brisley, who finished off a move begun by a corner flicked on at the near post by Richard Duffy into his fellow defender's path, heading home to send Meadow Lane into a frenzy.
Notts continued to push forward and Jorge Grant came close to sealing what would have been a well-deserved hat-trick when he weaved through the Robins defence but couldn't get the ball past Flinders.
And although Cheltenham mounted a late fight-back, they couldn't get so much as a second goal to make things nervy as the Magpies saw the game out and built up their lead at the top of the table.
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy has expressed his hopes of having Kevin Nolan at Notts County for the long term as part of the team's journey out of the fourth tier and into the upper echelons of the Football League.
His comments come in the wake of Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer claiming that Nolan would not remain at Meadow Lane for long should the Magpies be promoted from League Two.
In addition, a Press Association Sport study found that, when it comes to managerial changes over the past 20 years, Notts top the standings.
In his weekly Nottingham Post column, Hardy wrote: "As chairman, I hope Kevin is our manager for years to come given the outstanding job he has done and how he has settled into life at Meadow Lane.
"It would be extremely foolish of me to think that other clubs would not sit up and take notice of him because what he has done here has truly been remarkable.
"I have always said he is a Premier League manager in the making because he has this uncanny ability to relate to his players.
"And, while I would love to keep him here under lock and key at Meadow Lane, there is going to be a day when a big club comes calling.
"I’ve already told him that, should such a situation arise, then I would not stand in his way because who am I to deny him what would be a fantastic opportunity?
"I’ve no doubt he can go on to reach the very top level but, in saying that, we are on a journey together which is why I decided to hand him a new contract.
"Stability is incredibly important at this football club and it seems ironic we are talking about this in a week when the hiring and firing culture hit the headlines.
"According to a Press Association study, which looked at managerial changes over the last 20 years, we came top of the table with 23.
"I don’t think I am speaking out of turn here by saying this is not a league table for us to be shouting from the rooftops about.
"We all know that having a revolving door in terms of players and managers does more harm than good, and that’s something I recognised before I even bought the club.
"As chairman I have a responsibility to stop a revolving door policy and I think you can see that what I want to achieve with Kevin is no short-term plan.
"It is very much for the long-term and it is essential we have continuity and, more importantly, stability.
"As the study proved, clubs who change their manager constantly very rarely encounter success. And it is success we want here at Notts County."
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Joe Jones
Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years.
The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1.
Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.
The Magpies have won each of their last three league games against Cheltenham, scoring 10 whilst conceding three.
The Robins have only beaten Notts County once at Meadow Lane in the Football League, a 3-2 win in November 2005.
Cheltenham Town were founded in 1887 by Albert Close White, a local teacher.
However, the town has prior football history - in 1849, the first use of three official referees in a match, two in field and one in tribune, was recorded in Cheltenham.
Promoted to The Football League as Conference Premier champions in 1999, Cheltenham have played as high as League One, the third tier of English football, spending a total of four seasons there.
Their best FA Cup run saw them reach the last 16 (fifth round) in 2002.
The last piece of silverware won by the club was the National League title in 2015–2016.
Its league status was lost with relegation in 2015, only for the team to return, as runaway champions, a year later.
Two former Notts managers, Steve Cotterill and Martin Allen, have also done time at the Gloucestershire club.
Team news
Elliott Hewitt is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the season in the 1-1 draw at Stevenage, where he also scored the Magpies' equaliser.
Rob Milsom, Liam Walker and Curtis Thompson are all possible replacements.
Adam Collin remains sidelined for at least another five weeks after suffering a knee injury against Barnet last month so Ross Fitzsimons is expected to continue deputising in goal.
Bristol City loanee Joe Morrell will return to the Cheltenham starting line-up after missing the last two matches due to international duty.
Morrell was selected for the Wales Under-21s squad but missed the Bosnia and Herzegovina game with illness and was an unused substitute for the Romania clash four days later.
Midfielder Kevin Dawson serves the second of his three-match suspension for his red card in the FA Cup first round defeat against Maidstone earlier this month.
Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring in the 2-2 home draw with Luton and will undergo surgery next week.
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Chris
Here we are in mid-November and Notts County continue to hold top spot in League Two.
Up next for us is a home encounter with Cheltenham Town, who currently sit 16th in the table.
How are the Robins likely to line up? What tactics could they use? What's their style of play and how should Notts counter it?
Here is a thorough analysis by PON's Chris about the weekend's game and the opponents.
History
Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years.
The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1.
Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 7th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Swindon Town 1
Saturday 14th October – Port Vale 3 Cheltenham Town 1
Tuesday 17th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Grimsby Town 3
Saturday 21st October – Cheltenham Town 1 Lincoln City 0
Saturday 28th October – Wycombe Wanderers 3 Cheltenham Town 3
Saturday 11th November – Cheltenham Town 2 Luton Town 2
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Mohamed Eisa 7, Kevin Dawson 6, Brian Graham 5 and Danny Wright 5.
Persistent Foulers; Kevin Dawson 3 yellow cards and 1 red card, Brian Graham 4 yellow cards, Harry Pell 4 yellow cards and Jordan Cranston 3 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Harry Pell is the standout player for me, he’s a comfortable and confident player on the ball – who likes to make direct runs into space which allows the game to open up for Cheltenham Town. He also has a good eye for finishing and can be a treat from set pieces.
Upfront Mohamed Eisa also has an eye for goal, however he’s also very skilful on the ball and likes to take on runs when possible – he naturally draws defenders onto him and this generally doesn’t affect his game.
Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring and he will be missed by the Robins - he is pacey, likes to get on the ball as much as possible and influences the game positively with his passing ability.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Cheltenham Town tend to press their opposition which leads to some good displays, however they’re largely inconsistent in terms of their performance and often get punished due to individual mistakes.
On the ball they are confident and build nicely as a unit, they make use of numbers and aren’t afraid to commit players to their attacks.
However, this leaves them vulnerable at the back and due to their attacking style – this tends to invite play onto themselves.
Good teams often find plenty of space and opportunities to shot on goal, but in certain situations this can cancel out play leading to scrappy play.
There’s a good amount of pace within the Robins’ side and this certainly something which opposition teams can struggle against – whilst their attitude to never surrounding does mean that they can often make up for the individual mistakes which leads to them conceding.
The good football that they do express can result in them controlling the game, yet this is something which doesn’t happen as often as their manager Gary Johnson may like.
Notts will have to be physical to assert authority on the ball, whilst maintaining confidence under any direct pressure.
Our midfield will be key to unlocking chances, however I fully expect them to be required to help with defensive duties and as such it’s important we don’t over stretch ourselves.
Corners will be a useful tool for the Magpies’ and if we make use of the space which opens up from set plays, I can certainly see this as being a useful form of attack for Notts.
There’s no doubt Cheltenham are a decent outfit within League Two and as such, we shouldn’t underestimate them.
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Joe Jones
Ross Fitzsimons has expressed his gratitude towards Kevin Nolan and the rest of the Notts County setup for giving him a chance to play first-team football.
The 23-year-old signed on a free transfer in the summer having left Chelmsford City and, prior to his current run of games, had seldom been given an extended run in a club's first team.
However, the goalkeeper has become first-choice since Adam Collin picked up a knee injury against Barnet last month, playing in all but two of Notts' games since.
"I've been close to it before at previous clubs but I have never had the initial break where someone has told me 'Go and play'," Fitzsimons told the official Notts site.
"But straight away after Adam was injured the manager said 'I want you playing' and put his belief in me.
"I owe so much to the manager and his staff - they could have brought in a goalkeeper on an emergency loan who has played 50 games or more.
"But their backing has done my confidence the world of good. I'm getting belief in myself and I think this is one of the happiest times in my footballing career."
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TheSkipper
Whichever goalkeeper you prefer, there is no doubt that Notts County have two very capable players in contention for the number 1 jersey in Adam Collin and Ross Fitzsimons, the debate on who should start has valid points for both keepers.
However, I aim to explain the difference between the two and who I feel should be the first choice keeper for the Magpies.
The knee injury to Collin during the 2-1 win over Barnet within League Two saw Fitzsimons step into the main role and during a heavy spell of pressure, he made several outstanding saves which kept Notts in the game.
This was the first time that I had seen Fitzsimons in action and I was genuinely impressed with his reactions, as the game was played largely on the back foot for Notts after Collin was substituted.
If he'd been on the field for longer, I would easily have considered him as one of the key candidates for Man of the Match.
And I thought if this was the standard he set, well I really couldn’t see how Collin could force his way back into Kevin Nolan’s squad at all.
Yet I wanted to write about this subject, but only after having enough time to fairly judge what Fitzsimons brings to the table.
Fans who feel that the two keepers are like-for-like are wrong in my opinion, I feel Collin’s experience and age makes him a more polished keeper at this level.
However, I certainly see the potential within Fitzsimons and I think overall he’s the much better shot stopper.
That said, I disagree that he is better currently and I feel he’s lacking the understanding with the back four that Collin has established over the course of this and last season.
I can fully understand why Nolan prefers Collin in goal, but being an unpopular figure at Meadow lane I don’t expect many other fans to give him the credit he deserves.
There’s still time however for Fitzsimons to establish himself further, all depending on when Collin returns to action.
It is quite possible that we might not see him for a few more months - I believe he was expected to be out for a minimum of 8 weeks which has recently passed.
And there is still little news coming out regarding how serious his knee ligament damage is.
If Fitzsimons can work on his consistency - as the past few games I feel he’s been quite shaky and I would also say he has shined as much between the sticks as I assumed he would have done - there might be a chance he will retain the position even after Collin’s return to match selection, but I don’t think this is all that likely considering.
Collin is more experienced, he’s switched on and alert. This season alone he seems a much different character than he was in his debut season and I think the weaknesses such as his communication have largely been worked on.
He seems more confident which I imagine can be hard when the Notts defence switches off, but again we have two capable keepers and the prospect of Fitzsimons is one I feel will only grow in strength during the coming games.
I would also like to point out that the position is the most scrutinized positon on the pitch, with fans perhaps being unforgiving of minor mistakes.
Fitzsimons has a valuable learning experience and I do feel he will take it, it just may take some time for him to establish the position for his own.
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Joe Jones
Notts County manager Kevin Nolan has claimed that English managers are often overlooked for top jobs in the Premier League.
There are only five England-born bosses in permanent top-flight jobs, with none in charge of the so-called 'big six'.
“There are lots of quality English managers, I feel they are overlooked,” Nolan told BBC Radio Nottingham.
“It seems if you are an English manager you have to ply your trade into the Championship and get yourself into the Premier League.
“Sean Dyche has done really well at Burnley and now he is starting to getting the credit he deserves.
“I feel I am part of a new generation that has to change minds and mindsets.
“The most important thing for me is getting this job right and not looking at next year or the year after.
“If I do a good job here and do it right, then all that will come in time. That means you build a reputation where you can put your CV and say ‘what’s different to his CV to mine’ – and not just because he has a sexier name.
“I still see myself as an apprentice as a manager but, for me, I truly believe that if I do my job and do it to my best, then those opportunities will come.
“I know there are a lot of sceptics out there saying it won’t happen because I am English, but you have believe in yourself."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has urged Notts County to keep calm and not deviate from the norm when it comes to preparing against Cheltenham Town.
The Magpies face the Robins - who sit 16th in League Two - on Saturday afternoon at Meadow Lane, and Nolan admits his charges will have to "earn what we get".
"The way Gary's teams play, he won't be giving us anything for free," Nolan told the official Notts site. "We will have to earn what we get.
"We have to respect the fact teams are going to raise their game against us because we are top of the league but, for me, nothing changes.
"The players will be given details about strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, but it's about us and focusing on becoming better as a squad and team."
Moving on to who could replace the suspended Elliott Hewitt, Nolan continued: "There are a number of players who can come into that position now. That's what's great about this squad.
"If you get a knock and miss a game you might not get your place back for three or four weeks and you end up sitting on the bench waiting for your chance.
"Rob Milsom had the same situation a few weeks ago when he picked up an injury, which allowed Elliott to come in - and he's done fantastically well.
"But it's not as clear-cut as one coming in for the other. We have plenty of options and can change systems.
"We're looking at a number of things we can do for the weekend and whoever is lucky enough to get the shirt will want to put in a strong performance so they keep their place for the next game."
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Joe Jones
Here we are in mid-November and Notts County continue to hold top spot in League Two.
Up next for us is a home encounter with Cheltenham Town, who currently sit 16th in the table.
Ahead of the game at Meadow Lane, Pride of Nottingham spoke to Robins fan Dave to get an insight on this weekend's opposition.
About Dave: I've been a fan since 1995, and my favourite player is Scott Brown.
1) Cheltenham dropped out of the Football League in 2015 but came back up the following season with a 101-point haul in the National League. What went wrong in the relegation season and how was it put right so soon?
We survived narrowly in 2013-14, a season which followed two playoff position seasons and afterwards we lost key players, there were also managerial changes, and yeah, it was a case of a club in disarray going down. But the following season Gary Johnson signed a two-year deal, there was a squad clear out with good, hungry players brought in, and everything just clicked to get us back up.
2) Martin Allen, who's remembered fondly at Notts County, managed Cheltenham for a while - how did he do with you?
Allen managed the club during a very tumultuous time when we had money problems, narrowly avoiding administration and having to put all players up for sale, but he wasn't particularly good - we got relegated to League Two under him, had a bad spell and then he was put on gardening leave due to allegations of racism, of which he was formally cleared but ended up leaving by mutual consent. So that was that.
3) Cheltenham were drawn against Spurs in the third round of the FA Cup in 2012 - what cup memories do you have with your club?
Both that game against Spurs and the one against Everton were exciting ties but sadly we got hammered in both encounters. My favourite cup memory is actually the 97-98 FA Trophy win, completely different kettle of fish to today but still a very enjoyable occasion.
4) Who would you describe as Cheltenham's biggest footballing rivals?
Traditionally it's been Gloucester City, but given we're several leagues apart, the only time we'll get to meet is in the cups, like the Gloucestershire Senior Cup. In the League it's Forest Green Rovers.
5) Who are your team's danger men?
Carl Winchester is our midfield lynchpin, a nimble player who can pick a pass and has also weighed in with a couple goals. Mohamed Eisa, meanwhile, is a great finisher, has plenty of pace and has done well in front of goal.
6) Score and scorer prediction
I reckon a 1-1 draw, with Eisa getting our goal.
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ARLukomski
It’s a good time to be a Notts fan. We’re top of the league. Our manager recently signed a new contract. And we are through to the second round of the FA Cup.
Alan Hardy has already said that we have an eye towards the January transfer window and this is something that excites many in the Notts fan base because despite being top of the league, we are looking to get even better, and we are trying to sustain our position in the top three of League Two.
The stepping stones look already in place with the capture of Liam Noble on a free transfer. That ticks off one position which was needed; a creative midfielder. Hopefully, Kevin Nolan can bring about the best in Noble and we can see a different player to the one we saw here just over a year ago.
Now we’ve got the creative midfielder out of the way, there are three key areas Notts need to strengthen to help keep our place amongst the automatic promotion places.
Firstly, and most importantly, a pacey striker is a must. Age is also a factor - he must be young. All our main strikers are over thirty.
We have already expressed our interest in Mansfield striker Danny Rose, but that speculation was quickly swept under the carpet by Steve Evans. We were also linked with Andy Cook in the summer from Tranmere, but the former Barrow striker stayed at Prenton Park.
One player I would like us to sign is Kristian Dennis and although this may require a fee, Chesterfield are in dire straits and Hardy has already said he is willing to back Nolan in the transfer window for a striker. And I would still like to see us go in for Jerry Yates I’d rather the striker sign permanent than it be a loan.
Other strikers we could potentially look at are Corey Whitely from Dagenham & Redbridge, who is currently second top scorer in the National League with eight goals.
Sitting just behind him on seven is Oladapo Afolayan of Solihull Moors. Solihull are currently bottom of the National League but Afolayan has done well to score this many in a poor side, at this stage of the season. However, this might be tricky as the Moors frontman is also being targeted by Barnsley and Bolton.
Alan Hardy said we are also looking to bring a winger to the club in January. This is crucial as it will provide good cover for Terry Hawkridge, Lewis Alessandra and Jorge Grant.
The winger must also have a killer instinct, a good cross on him, and is good at beating defenders. Some of the wingers I mentioned in my article about who I thought we should have signed in the summer are still available and haven’t played much this season.
Milan Lalkovic has only made one appearance for Portsmouth this season. Surprisingly, Pompey’s top scorer from last season, Kal Naismith, has only made nine appearances. This is lower than all the other wingers at Pompey: Matty Kennedy (13), Jamal Lowe (15), Kyle Bennett (14) and Gareth Evans (11). Although this may be a long shot, there is no harm in trying. Also mentioned in my summer article were Luton wingers Lawson D’Ath and Luke Gambin.
The third part of our January transfer window business is the need for some cover at centre back. Most of the options I mentioned for the summer transfer window signed for other clubs. A centre back is a priority as Haydn Hollis doesn’t seem to be picked anymore for league games and Elliott Hewitt can’t keep covering there as he is far better suited to playing in midfield.
We may have to consider the loan market for either the winger or centre-back due to the money it may cost in signing a first team striker, although we may sign the player from the club after they have released him like we did with Shaun Brisley and Mark Yeates.
However, the centre back who we buy must be good enough cover as our first choice pairing of Richard Duffy and Shaun Brisley are unbelievably solid and are unlikely to be replaced in the starting line-up.
Also, the defender we do buy must push Duffy and Brisley to their limits to remain in the first team constantly as Kevin Nolan always talks about competition for places. The players I have in mind but may not come off are Tom Davies and Dominic Hyam (both Coventry) and Joe Walsh (MK).
If we get the quality needed in the right areas and they settle in well at Notts, then a top three position is a very realistic target.
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Joe Jones
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.
- Nathan Jones of Luton Town won the League Two Manager of the Month award for October, while Tom Pope of Port Vale won the Player of the Month award.
- Plymouth manager Derek Adams offered to pay for the club's disability squad training sessions for the rest of the season after making an impression on him when he joined in at a recent session as part of the club's community programme.
- Barnet appointed Mark McGhee as their new manager after he left his role as Scotland's assistant manager after the end of their failed bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
- Shamir Mullings returned to Forest Green Rovers after his loan spell at Macclesfield was cancelled.
- Swindon Town winger Donal McDermott will be out for four to six weeks after suffering an ankle ligament injury.
- Carlisle United will be without winger Nicky Adams for the rest of the season after he suffered a knee injury in Saturday's win against Yeovil Town.
- Luton Town left-back Jack Senior signed a one-year extension to his contract, and will remain at Kenilworth Road until the summer of 2019.
- Colin Slater, BBC Radio Nottingham's former Notts County match commentator, has been named as an honorary vice president of the club.
- Cheltenham Town defender Jordan Cranston was ruled out for the rest of season with a hamstring injury.
- Coventry Rugby Football Club chairman Jon Sharp ruled out any possibility of footballing neighbours Coventry City moving to the Butts Park Arena.
- The cost of watching football in League Two has risen more than in any other English league for the 2017-18 season, BBC's Price of Football survey found.
All news stories sourced from BBC Sport and Sky Sports.
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Joe Jones
Ryan Yates has stressed that his main role for Notts County is as midfield enforcer, although he wouldn't mind to reach double figures in terms of goals.
The on-loan Nottingham Forest teenager has scored five times so far, making him second-top scorer behind Jorge Grant on 11.
Yates recently hit four goals in five games, including two in the 4-2 victory over Bristol Rovers in the first round of the FA Cup at Meadow Lane.
Despite his purple patch, he remains committed to his role in midfield, breaking up play.
“My dad told me to get 10 goals this year and I was like ‘woah’,” Yates told the Nottingham Post.
“I would love to get double figures because that for a midfielder is unbelievable.
“I know Jorge has already got that, but that would be fantastic for me also.
“But first and foremost my role is to break up the play, but if I can chip in with a few goals then great.
“I’ve had a few chances that I didn’t take and I was a bit gutted not to, so I can’t see why I can’t score more."
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Joe Jones
Oxford City's director of football has expressed his delight with their FA Cup second-round tie at Notts County being televised.
The National League South club will receive £72,000 as part of the deal, which sees the encounter at Meadow Lane shown on BT Sport 1.
City, who have progressed from the second qualifying round, have already earned £42,500 in the cup so far, and the winner of the game on Saturday 2 December will also pocket a further £27,000.
 “It’s obviously fantastic for us as a club, we’re delighted," Justin Merritt told the Oxford Mail. “We were hopeful of a highlights package, but to get a live game, it makes the world of difference to us.
“We’re a club that are going through a difficult period in its history. We’ve got a debt we’re servicing and we’re working every day trying to clear it all.
"But for us that just makes the sustainability of the football club a lot more achievable.
“It’s not like we will suddenly be investing money in players and so on, but we will look at the whole club, improve the facilities and make sure we can keep going.
“It’s really good to have excitement about the place and we will be talking about some positives rather than how tough it has been.
“We’re delighted. We want to give a good account of ourselves and to pull off another shock would be what dreams are made of.”
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Joe Jones
Soccer AM used to be a must-watch for all British and British-based football fans. When I was younger, I would get up before 9am and watch Tim Lovejoy, Helen Chamberlain and the rest of the gang serve up an entertaining slice of football pie to get me in the mood for the Saturday afternoon games. It was part and parcel of the whole football package.
But that was then - I've not watched the show for years, and by the sounds of it, many other fans have given up watching it as well. Maybe it's the fact television is no longer the dominant medium and things like "Third Eyes" can be delivered online in the blink of an, ahem, eye. Maybe it's the struggles of making a traditionally un-PC show PC in the current era, or maybe it's something else, but it's definitely not the force it used to be.
For the record, the last time I saw the show, it was a couple of years ago, and there was this rock band on who was playing a game where they had to guess the brand of water from sampling several shots of the stuff, or whether it was from the tap. I found it so cringeworthy I made a mental note never to watch it again.
Last weekend, Soccer AM was mentioned a fair bit by Notts County fans on social media and elsewhere, because six individuals who were supposedly supporters of the club appeared on the show.
Only problem is, the Notts fanbase is a fairly close-knit community where most people tend to know each other, or at least recognise who their fellow supporters are, and nobody had a clue who any of these "fans" were.
Closer inspection found that several of these guys were actually supporters of other teams, like Nottingham Forest, Reading and Sunderland, and needless to say, the Black and White Army was not best pleased.
Chris and I spoke about this at length in (open link) our latest PONcast (close link) and ended up going on a bit of a rant because, as much as the whole debacle has been played down, it's unacceptable.
Since the turn of the century, Notts have been a notoriously difficult team to support. Save for a relatively bright spell between 2009 and 2013 when we were promoted and put in a decent stint in League One, plus a couple of enjoyable cup days out, it's been nothing but misery.
And Notts fans, the real Notts fans, would support their team even though they were getting humiliated by non-league teams on national television, even though they were fighting relegation from the EFL, even though there have been various winding-up orders and, earlier this year, the real fear of the club ceasing to exist.
Now that the ship has steadied, now that there's a good chairman at the club, now there's a good young manager, now the infrastructure is good, now the team's flying high in the league, how have the long-suffering fans been recognised on national TV?
By bringing in a bunch of photogenic "lads" to parade as Notts "fans" despite supporting other teams and not giving the real fans a look-in.
And by the looks of it, it's not like there was a shortage of suitable Notts fans who were keen to go on the show.
Alan Hardy has defended their appearance on the show, even going on himself, and stressed that he had no control, that Sky had the ultimate say over which fans would appear on the show.
But whatever the reasonings were, the fact of the matter is, six guys went on a show claiming to be Notts County fans, all relatively young and photogenic, all wearing either Jake Bugg home shirts or Paragon away shirts and skinny jeans, none recognised by the bulk of the fanbase and several of those seemingly showing support for other teams on their own social media.
And even though it's the kind of thing that shouldn't really be a big deal - given Soccer AM is watched by something like 40 people and a goat nowadays - it feels like a slap in the face to the fans who have suffered for years for the sake of their beloved team, being overlooked in favour of a bunch of phonies.
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy has expressed his joy at Notts County's FA Cup second-round tie with Oxford City being selected for TV coverage and is hoping for his club to go further in the competition.
BT Sport will broadcast the game against the National League South side next month which will earn the Magpies £72,000, while the winners of the game will pick up an additional £27,000.
In addition to the benefits from that game, there is also the small matter of the draw for the third round, which could yield a tie against a Premier League giant.
“It is fantastic news for both clubs,” Hardy told the Nottingham Post. “The FA Cup is a magical competition and one I feel very strongly about because of its history and reputation.
“In my mind it is the greatest cup competition in the world for league clubs so to receive this kind of exposure is absolutely brilliant.
“You always hope that it will be your tie that is selected for TV coverage because obviously there is a huge financial benefit.
“The game is worth a lot of money to us and, as I have always maintained, a good cup run can do wonders for a football club, as it did for Lincoln City last season.
“I am sure it is going to be a great day and it is a chance for us to showcase our talent to the nation.
“The Premier League teams all come into the next round and it would be terrific for us to have the chance of securing a memorable day out at one of the elite.
“But we will not be taking Oxford City lightly as they will come here with nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
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Pride of Nottingham

Pride of Nottingham is an independent fansite devoted to Notts County, the world’s oldest professional football club. Created in 2013, it has served as a source of Magpie news, features, match previews, reports, analysis and interviews for more than three years.

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