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Joe Jones
Terry Hawkridge has revealed he "couldn't turn down" a move to hometown club Notts County.
The 27-year-old was born and bred in Nottingham, and counts regional clubs Carlton Town and Hucknall Town among his former employers.
Hawkridge admits he found it difficult to leave Lincoln City following their promotion-winning 2016/17 campaign, but insists he couldn't help but take the chance of joining the Magpies.
"There was a bit of interest towards the end of last year and when the chance came to join Notts I took it with both hands," he told the Nottingham Post. "It's where I grew up as a kid so it was something I couldn't turn down.
"But without a doubt it was difficult to leave Lincoln because of how far I came with those boys. We'd been on a journey and there was so much we did together, not just in winning the league but with the cup runs as well.
"When you win the league with a team, to then decide to leave it is always going to be a very difficult decision.
"But I spoke with (Kevin Nolan) and (Alan Hardy) here and their ambitions matched mine.
"I know how big the club is and I just couldn't turn it down. I am happy with the decision I made.
"Obviously it would be brilliant if I could do the same at Notts as I did at Lincoln and Scunthorpe.
"This is the club where I had two years from 12 to 14 until the youth team got disbanded and that was tough to take.
"But I am back here now and there's a good vibe around the place. We are all looking forward to next season. I hope we can achieve what we want to achieve."
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Joe Jones
Michael O'Connor has suggested that two or three more signings will see Notts County have enough quality to challenge for promotion next season.
The Magpies skipper is currently sidelined with a serious knee injury which he suffered in April last year and is likely to be out until next year.
However, he has noted the change in mood at the club, particularly following the bright end to the 2016/17 campaign, and believes the team is close to being a contender for the top seven.
"There is a really good buzz about the club, especially after how we ended the season last year," O'Connor told the Nottingham Post.
"I still think we are a couple of players short of really having a go, but the lads we already have here have shown what they can do. If you add two or three more signings to that then we will be challenging.
"But for me it's all about how you start the season. Every time I've had promotion it's always been on the back of a really good start. If you have a good start then confidence builds and you can really kick on from there."
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Joe Jones
Terry Hawkridge believes League Two will be wide open next season, but is confident Notts County will put together good runs to enjoy a fruitful campaign.
The winger is a new recruit at Meadow Lane, having joined this summer from Lincoln City, with whom he won the National League title in 2016/17.
He acknowledges that the promotion of Portsmouth, Plymouth Argyle, Doncaster Rovers and Blackpool has left the playing field more level for 2017/18.
"It's going to be tough, but the division is wide open next season," Hawkridge told the Nottingham Post.
"The big teams and the big spenders have gone up so it could be anyone's league.
"When I won the league at Lincoln last season that success was built on going on runs as many times as possible for as long as possible.
"From what I have seen so far we are capable of doing that because we have quality and experienced players."
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy has reiterated the need for Notts County to make the right signings for the team and insists they will continue to be meticulous in assessing potential new recruits.
The Magpies have made three additions to the team so far in Terry Hawkridge, Lewis Alessandra and Dan Jones, but some fans have questioned both the calibre of the signings and the relative lack of new arrivals.
Hardy insists both he and Kevin Nolan are very particular in ensuring new recruits will fit into the manager's system and have the right character.
In his weekly Nottingham Post column, he wrote: "Over the last few days we have been working towards adding to the squad, but it has proven to be an immensely frustrating period.
"As the manager, Kevin Nolan, explained in his question and answer session before Saturday's game against Rolls Royce, the spine of the team is very much our priority.
"A centre-back, central midfielder and centre forward are the primary targets, but they are arguably the most difficult and most expensive positions to recruit.
"There are so many players who are still out of contract, and every day we are inundated with calls from agents wanting us to take their clients.
"While it would be very easy to say 'yes, we'll take him, him and him', we don't want to settle for anybody.
"Kevin is very particular about who he wants to bring in and the research he and his staff put into potential signings is remarkable.
"We check their background with other managers and look at extensive footage to assess whether they fit the system Kevin wants to employ.
"In particular, however, we look at a player's character. The team spirit we have fostered over the last six months has been incredible so you have to know the player you are signing will fit in.
"There is a strategy and a reasoning for every signing. They all have to bring something different to the table because you don't want four players for one position."
To read the rest of Alan Hardy's column, click here.
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Joe Jones
Michael O'Connor will be shadowing Notts County manager Kevin Nolan and the other coaches to gain knowledge and experience ahead of doing his UEFA A Licence next year.
The Magpies captain is currently out of action as he recovers from a serious knee injury suffered earlier this year at the hands of Portsmouth.
He has not put a timescale on his recovery, as it still appears to be a lengthy road back, but in the meantime, he will also be gaining valuable information about the coaching side of the game.
O'Connor told the official Notts website: "I'm going to shadow the gaffer, Mark Crossley and Richard Thomas for a while.
"I'm going to do my A Licence next year, so I'll try and learn as much as possible from them.
"The gaffer wants me to go and watch some matches for him when I can drive. He's trying to keep me involved as much as possible, which is good."
Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Joe Jones
Notts County striker Jon Stead has been trying out his hand at interviews and vox pops as the 2017/18 home kit went on sale on Tuesday evening.
The club put up a special event at the Meadow Lane club shop for season ticket holders to get their hands on the new home shirt.
Now, most footie journos dream of being footballers, but pro player Stead seems to be curious on the opposite trajectory - here he is showing his microphone skills!
Tell you what Steady - we've got intership opportunities at Pride of Nottingham if you fancy working in the media...
 
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Joe Jones
Michael O'Connor has provided an update on his recovery from the knee injury suffered in the game between Notts County and Portsmouth in April.
The Magpies skipper is recovering from an operation to his right knee in which he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament, medial ligament and meniscus following a challenge by Pompey midfielder Gary Roberts.
Asked about his road to recovery, O'Connor told the official Notts website: "Things are going OK. The physio is happy enough.
"It's a slow process, this injury, especially at the start. The first 10-12 weeks after your operation are really important - not doing too much but trying to get the leg going again. It could be six months [before a return], it could be nine, it could be 12.
"Jimmy Spencer, who was here a couple of years ago, did his ACL and was back in six months, whereas Rob Milsom did his at Aberdeen and was back in 10 or 11 months. Everyone is different - it depends how your knee reacts."
The Nottingham Post, meanwhile, quotes O'Connor as saying it is the worst injury he has ever suffered, but he absolves Roberts of blame.
"It's the worst injury I've ever had by some distance," he said. "The worst I've had before was a groin operation I had five years ago. That kept me out 12 to 13 weeks so that's been the longest I've ever been out previously.
"But the first four or five days after the operation I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.It was so tough, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't move, my knee was 10 times bigger than what it should be and I had no quad muscle.
"It's been mentally tough. The recovery will be long, but I am not going to be stupid and rush it.
"But I hold no malice towards Gary at all. It's just one of those things. I don't hold anything against him. I am nearly 30 and I know how things work in football."
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TheSkipper
There is a growing trend in English football which I feel highlights the flaws in youth progression.
Many teams, from Premier League all the way down to League Two, tend to release promising young professionals only to re-sign them a few years later.
It feels like the transition into first-team football is majorly flawed - perhaps due to too much pressure to produce good talent?
We have seen this from the insane record-breaking transfer of Paul Pogba back to Manchester United, along with the free signing at Notts County of local player Terry Hawkridge.
A few weeks ago Michael Keane was also linked with a move back to Man United for another incredible fee, although has since signed with Everton.
And despite not being a youth, we have seen this pattern emerge with released players such as the recent saga between Notts and Forest Green Rovers for the services of Liam Noble.
Back in 2009/10 when Notts restored its own development of youth players, a batch of professionals was produced who all looked fairly able to make the set up into the professional game, with the likes of Haydn Hollis, Curtis Thompson, Kyle Dixon and Liam Mitchell among others.
Yet only Haydn Hollis and Curtis Thompson remain at the club, with other young players like Brad McGowan, Nathan Fox, Jordan Richards and even Montel Gibson all being released after failing to stake their claim for first-team football.
So why are we failing to produce natural talent?
I think clubs like Notts pile pressure onto young players who are simply not ready mentally for the dizzy heights of the professional game, with a lack of support and further development most likely attributing to the failure of these prospects.
It argues the case that clubs like ours really need to help with the mental side, but not just this - having youngsters on the bench is a waste and I strongly feel that they should be sent out on loan where other teams can help establish them further with proper game time.
Usually it's quite natural to see a player re-sign for his former club, yet in most cases these are seasoned professionals, players who know what to expect and still have links with the club.
I would agree that Hawkridge and Elliot Hodge are prime examples that good players can make the right progression and become useful first team members if they’re only looked after more wisely.
Luther Wildin and Jack McMillan are youngsters I was disappointed to see released, as they seemed very capable of making the step up and after the retained list was announced I felt exactly the same about Yohan Rutty-Smith.
Whilst academies are getting smarter with their setup across the Football League, more support needs to be given in the lower leagues to enable teams to produce better players.
I realise some fans will argue that naturally the players I mentioned are simply not good enough, yet when we fail to produce players who can make more than a few appearances, it does show that there is a lot more to be done.
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Joe Jones
Shola Ameobi has revealed that he was considering whether to call time on his career prior to joining Notts County, but says he knew it was "the right time to get back into the game" at Meadow Lane.
Between May 2016 and February this year, he was without a club having been released by Fleetwood Town, but was snapped up by former Newcastle United teammate - and Magpies manager - Kevin Nolan to try and help a side then in danger of relegation from the Football League.
However, five months down the line he has become a fan favourite at Notts and will be with the club going into the 2017/18 season, with quiet confidence of a prosperous season following an upturn in circumstances both behind the scenes and on the pitch.
“When I was back in Newcastle and coaching and doing other bits and bobs, you do start wondering if it the right time to stop,” Ameobi told the Independent.
“But I still felt the passion to keep training and I felt motivated, even though I didn’t have a club, so I think from my side I still felt I had something in the tank.
"I got up every day and made sure I did the right things. Ultimately, of course, it’s not really your decision but whether a club wants you.
“When the opportunity came along to play under Kevin [Nolan], I felt that was the right time to get back into the game. There was some negativity, but I never really felt any of that.
"As soon as I came here I felt almost at home. Not just the familiarity with the manager, but with the players, the staff and the fans. I felt the love right from the start.
"It helps that I’m wearing black and white stripes, because that is a familiarity I can cope with.”
To read the full Independent interview, "Shola Ameobi on football, faith and becoming a black-and-white hero… again", click here.
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Joe Jones
Notts County are good enough to launch a League Two playoff challenge next season, according to Shola Ameobi.
The Magpies finished last season strongly, losing just once at home since Kevin Nolan took charge of the first team in January.
Ameobi played a key role himself in driving the club out of relegation danger by scoring four goals following his arrival at the start of the year, and is now hoping for a top-seven finish.
"I am always looking to do the best we can," he told the Nottingham Post. "We had a great end to last season and we want to make progress from that.
"We don't want to be in another relegation fight and ideally you want to be in the top half of the league.
"You want to be fighting for those promotion and play-off spots and personally I think we are good enough to be in those positions.
"We want to be fighting for the play-offs and I know the manager will look to bring more players in that will help us try to achieve that."
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Joe Jones
Shola Ameobi has claimed that Notts County are on the "cusp of something great" and says it influenced his decision to remain at Meadow Lane.
The former Newcastle United striker signed on a free transfer in January and played a key role in the Magpies' bid to climb away from relegation last season.
Now the 35-year-old, who penned a new deal at the club in the summer, believes he is in the correct environment to make further progress in the upcoming campaign as Kevin Nolan's team target League Two glory.
"The fans have really been behind the team and myself from the get-go," he told the Nottingham Post.
"I felt the love from everyone, not just from the guys who feed us at the club, but right to the fans as well.
"I truly believe, that for me certainly, I have to be in the right atmosphere. If you are then it puts you in the best position to win.
"I felt that from day one. The manager has helped create that with the team and the lads all being together.
"I wanted to come back because I think we are on the cusp of something great."
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Joe Jones
Dan Jones has claimed that the high calibre of the Notts County backroom staff is conducive to players' progress.
The defender is back for a second spell with the Magpies, this time as a permanent signing after initially spending time on loan at Meadow Lane in 2009.
Jones insists that the working with the likes of Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith and Mark Crossley - all of whom players in the Premier League - along with their colleagues, is exciting and educational in equal measure.
He told the official site: "You've only got to look at the manager's career - how can you not respect that? We play football to try and get to the top level, and he's done that.
"Every day you've got to try and impress these people. If you don't want to do that, you shouldn't be playing sport. They know the game, and all the little tricks, inside out.
"It's great for me - I'm 30 years of age but I feel like I'm learning everyday. There's a real seriousness, but also a real enjoyment. Everything's intense."
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Joe Jones
Notts County have posted a video on their YouTube channel of new Magpies signings Lewis Alessandra, Terry Hawkridge and Dan Jones in the thick of the action as the team took on the Rolls Royce Leisure Select XI in their first friendly of the 2017/18 pre-season.
Here's the video shared here on Pride of Nottingham - see for yourself how the new boys got on in Hucknall.
 
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Joe Jones
Notts County assistant manager Richard Thomas has declared himself satisfied with the team's 6-0 win over the Rolls Royce Leisure Select XI on Saturday.
He told the official site: "It's a good start by the boys. They showed a lot of what we've been looking for in the first 10 days of training.
"The most important thing is the minutes in their legs. Everyone came through - no injuries - so it was a positive first game.
I thought they (the trialists) did well, considering some of them have only been working with us for a few days.
"Each and every one of them showed why we've got them in. Some stood out slightly more than others - maybe because of the way we played, or the situation.
"But they were productive in what they did and showed they have been listening to what we're trying to work on."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has expressed his joy with things moving forward in the 2017/18 season as the first Notts County pre-season friendly looms ever closer.
The Magpies will take on a Rolls Royce Leisure Select XI on Saturday afternoon, the first of more than 50 fixtures to take place until next May.
"It will be nice to be involved in competitive games again," Nolan told the official site. "Their players will give it their all and it's up to our lads to make sure they do a professional job.
"Everyone will get minutes against Rolls Royce to move them forward to next week's training sessions so we can carry on the work we have started since coming back.
"We know what we want and what we need to get out of our pre-season games.
"No disrespect to any team we play from now until the end of pre-season, but it is all about making sure we are prepared for the season.
"That means we have to be injury-free with the players hitting their targets in terms of minutes under their belt.
"Everything [for pre-season] has been planned for a few months now and hopefully at the end of it the players will be champing at the bit because we have a really tough start."
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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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