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Joe Jones
I must admit, it's a strange feeling to be sitting here and having virtually no issues with my beloved Notts County at present. Everything is going pretty much hunky dory and I have no complaints about how things are going at the club. It's very pleasant and refreshing to be in a state of no anxiety and worries after years of putting up with hell.
From mid-2013 until early 2017, supporting Notts was difficult. In the beginning anyway. It then became little short of torture, with the occasional reprieve here and there (usually cup games, or the summer when there was no football on).
Winston Churchill once uttered a memorable quote which went: "If you're going through hell, keep going". And frankly, that was what supporting Notts felt like for quite a while. And it's difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you're in the eye of the storm.
Hence why, after four years of hell, it's almost beyond belief that things have turned around in the space of three months. The players have gone from liabilities to star performers, the wins are coming, and a freefall into oblivion is now all but history.
We've been lucky. Very lucky. For the old regime to go out relatively seamlessly - for fans, anyway - and Alan Hardy to come in and effectively strike gold with the vast majority of decisions he's made, it's absolutely fantastic, but to think it almost didn't happen and that we could be in the same boat as Leyton Orient right now, it is unnerving.
But hey ho. At this stage I'm honestly not concerned about playoffs next season, promotion or anything like that. Would be incredible if things went that way, but at the moment I'm making the most of this serenity. The good atmosphere in the stands, the decent football, the good results, and the knowledge that this summer is likely to bring surprises of a good kind rather than anxiety and dread.
And next season, just so long as the team tries, the football is of decent quality, the results are more often than not positive, and I can get up on a matchday actually looking forward to the game instead of wishing I was having my teeth pulled without anaesthesia instead, then this old boy is happy.
So thank you, Alan, and thank you, Kevin, for being our club's salvation - and for stopping Notts fans from having football-related mental breakdowns.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has expressed his interest in forging closer links with Arsenal in light of Marc Bola's successful loan spell at Notts County.
The young left-back, a product of the Gunners academy, is developing well at Meadow Lane, and has said himself how being at Notts is helping him grow and prosper as a footballer.
Nolan is hoping that glowing reports all round will not only enable Bola to return to the Emirates Stadium as a better player, but that the Premier League club will entrust Notts with more loanees in future.
"I said to the boss (owner Alan Hardy) the other day that I want teams to think that we are the ones who will look at youngsters and not be afraid to put them in," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"If you are good enough, you are old enough, in my opinion. You will see that if I feel that the lad is ready then he will be going into the team.
"Marc Bola, for example, has flourished since he has been here. He will go back to Arsenal a better player.
"With the relationship we have with Arsenal now, if they have another four or five in the pipeline, when we do ring up about them, I hope there is no hesitation because they know they'll get looked after."
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Chris
The spirit shown by the Notts County squad against Colchester United was very impressive – from the kick off our team looked interested and keen to get a result. Whilst there was still some concern with the defence for me, for the most part we looked the better outfit.
I do however have one gripe with Adam Campbell, who simply allowed the game to pass him by.
In recent weeks I had been calling for him to be given a chance, and prior to Saturday I felt that he may be suffering from a lack of confidence, but even now I find it very hard to defend his performance against the U’s. It simply wasn’t acceptable for me under this passionate Kevin Nolan side.
Saturday was Campbell’s first start in the Notts XI since Accrington Stanley back at the turn of the new year – for over 3 months he has largely been an unused sub sitting on the bench and I would acknowledge that normally he offers 100% in terms of effort but I didn’t feel we saw half of that on Saturday.
It’s disappointing to watch a player casually walk around and generally refusing to move into space or to be that player that can help create a chance.
After 8 minutes, Notts took the lead and this gave a massive boost of confidence to the approach the Magpies took.
Yet during the celebration, I noticed that out of the various players who ran as flock to congratulate Haydn Hollis for his opener – Campbell strolled very slowly but remained out of the cheerful harmony between those really up for it.
It was hard to picture what his exact role was, if he was playing as our left-sided midfielder - his pace could have been interesting to see in a direct approach.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually think he has potential and I would recall his earlier performances when we as a club were doing well. That’s the Campbell I would have liked to see feature, the player who tries to get involved and always wants the ball played to his feet.
However, after Saturday it’s hard to defend him or to acknowledge any potential that would warrant a new contract.
He’s not the only player I felt played below an acceptable level, with a replacement fit on the bench – it’s not hard to figure out who I mean.
Yet from a team performance perspective this offender was contributing to the cause and generally did look like he was trying – which I would naturally give him credit for but in Adam’s defence, I simply can’t say that.
After the player who I’ll leave from naming put in a poor challenge, Adam stood glued as a spectator – as he did for the majority of the game.
Robert Milsom noticed the space that was made available from the lack of concentration, which I personally feel the watching Campbell should have noticed – perhaps he did?
I wouldn’t take anything away from Chris Porter's finish. It was class, yet considering the improvements made across the field in terms of performance and individual responsibility, this wasn’t on. Before you think I’m blaming him for the goal, this isn’t my point – it’s the lack of effort on his behalf that annoyed me.
There’s a lot of passion being shown throughout the squad and yes it’s a large improvement, even Jorge Grant's comments to the U’s keeper made me smile after Shola Ameobi had scored his first goal of the game.
I just feel it was a lost opportunity for Campbell to stamp his mark on returning to the starting 11. I’d like to have seen him running at players or just trying to get involved more, a player like him could attract space – whereas this isn’t the case when he’s static.
He spoke after the game about it being ‘good to be back playing’ but it didn’t look like it at all to me.
I know I’m not the only Notts fan who feels this, there were plenty of comments expressed at half time and even during the game. If I sound like this harsh, you should have heard the calls for him to exit the field from where I sat.
If he retains a place against Carlisle United, I would expect to see a large improvement – as it's hard to see how he would warrant a contract extension.
As an opinion that was expressed to me, he’s had two years now and he repeatedly fails to capture a steady flow of performances – which perhaps his work rate may have saved but if this is the level we have to accept we are best releasing him.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has revealed that Shola Ameobi was given the opportunity to be subbed off in Saturday's 3-1 win over Colchester United, but turned it down as he was so eager to bag a hat-trick.
The former Newcastle United forward scored twice against the U's, in a win which keeps the Magpies 13 points clear of the bottom two in League Two.
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: “You get that from him (Shola) day in, day out. Now you’re seeing a fit Shola.
“We’ve been able to manage him, keeping him on the training pitch as well as on the pitch on a matchday.
“I did ask him in the 90th minute if he wanted to come off but he said ‘No, I want my hat-trick!’. That just shows what he’s thinking of all the time – it’s first class.”
Ameobi's brace on Saturday was his first in nearly seven years, when he scored two in a 5-1 win for Newcastle over Sunderland in October 2010 to go alongside a hat-trick by none other than Nolan.
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Chris
Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane on Saturday 1 April to see Notts County take on Colchester United.
The Black and White Army was treated to a great performance from the Magpies, which culminated in a 3-1 victory thanks to goals from Haydn Hollis and Shola Ameobi.
The result meant that Notts maintained a 13-point gap between themselves and the bottom two in League Two, giving them yet another massive boost in their fight against relegation.
PON spoke to a number of Notts fans before the game to get their opinions on a number of subjects, including whether they thought the club was safe or to wait until mathematical certainty, and which out-of-contract players should be offered a new deal at the end of the season.
Find out what they said by watching the video below.
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Joe Jones
Haydn Hollis has hailed Notts County's performance in their 3-1 win over Colchester United, describing every player as "a different class", but urges all the players to keep their feet on the ground.
The Magpies put in arguably their best home display of the season in seeing off the U's and remain 13 points clear of the bottom two in League Two with just six games remaining.
Hollis, who opened the scoring early in the encounter, told the Nottingham Post: It was a top performance and one of the best we have given at home this season.
"They (Colchester) are a team looking to get into the playoffs and they've not really troubled us apart from the goal which has flown into the top corner. Apart from that, I thought everybody was a different class.
"We are not mathematically safe, but you'd like to think we are. The other teams would need to produce promotion form and you just can't see them doing that.
"And while we are producing it, we cannot get carried away. Keeping our feet on the ground has been one of the reasons which I think has brought us success.
"If I stand here and start bigging us up that's when you are in danger of losing your good work. We've just kept a level head and grounded. We have to stay like that."
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Joe Jones
Notts County put in an impressive performance to beat Colchester United 3-1 at Meadow Lane and remain 13 points clear of League Two's bottom two with six games remaining.
Haydn Hollis opened the scoring early on and Shola Ameobi bagged a brace to restore the Magpies lead and give them a healthy cushion on the way to victory.
The official Notts site has put up the match highlights - see for yourself how well Kevin Nolan's charges did.
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Joe Jones
Another matchday, another impressive Notts County performance as Kevin Nolan's genius continues to translate to his team, the Magpies claiming a 3-1 win over Colchester United in Saturday's League Two clash at Meadow Lane.
The hosts began brightly and were ahead after just seven minutes as Haydn Hollis nodded home after a goalmouth scramble which saw Shola Ameobi and Jon Stead come close right before the defender made sure of the goal.
Colchester were level midway through the first half, however, with a strike out of nowhere as Chris Porter let rip from long distance and found the top corner of the Notts net.
However, Notts went into the changing rooms back in front thanks to Ameobi, who struck a superb half-volley from the edge of the box into the net ten minutes before the break.
John McGreal sent his players out early for the second half, but they couldn't stop the hosts, who should have made it 3-1 when Jorge Grant's cutback was steered wide by Stead.
The third goal eventually came in the 73rd minute as Grant's pinpoint free-kick was headed in by Ameobi for his brace, and the home side held out until the final whistle.
Although Notts have not built on their 13-point gap between themselves and the bottom two, due to Newport's 1-0 win over Crawley, just six more points from their last six games will ensure that they cannot be caught up by the Exiles.
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Joe Jones
Notts County manager Kevin Nolan has spoken of how happy he is working at a club on an upward trajectory and with a supportive chairman.
One of Alan Hardy's first major moves since taking over the Magpies was to replace John Sheridan with Nolan, whose only previous managerial experience came at Leyton Orient.
The decision to bring Nolan in has paid dividends as he has masterminded a complete turnaround in form at Meadow Lane, taking the club from the brink of relegation to almost-confirmed safety in just two months.
In comparison, Orient look doomed as they lurch from one crisis to the other, switching managers at a regular rate, and Nolan has described the hotseat at the East London club as "impossible".
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "The (Orient) job is just unmanageable. People will ask if it's impossible and I would say, 'yeah'. You've seen how many managers have gone through the door now and it's constantly revolving.
"It will be like that while (owner Francesco Becchetti) is in charge. It's ridiculous to not give Danny (Webb, their last manager, who resigned on Friday) an environment to thrive in. He just hasn't learned from his mistakes.
"This time last year he was sacking me this week. There were seven or eight games remaining, and the team had a chance of making the play-offs, but he decided to go down a different route.
"Everyone just asked 'why?' because everybody inside the club knew it was the wrong thing to do except him.
That was what you were dealing with and I feel so sorry for the good people behind the scenes. You fear for them because jobs are on the line as the club look to be facing relegation.
"I am just glad to have got somewhere that's a fantastic environment to thrive in. I've a boss who is going on a journey and he's picked me to go with him. I am delighted to be here, and I will give it 110 percent.
"And if I do have a tough point in my career here, which is going to happen at some point, I know the first person behind me will be the chairman.
"That's what makes this job easier but makes me want to be successful so much more for him as well as me.
"Them partnerships and relationships I have, I am going to need them to lean on. I will need a smiling face when it's not going as well as it should be.
"I am just so delighted to be here and we will continue the process of turning baby steps into long strides so we'll be up, up and away."
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Joe Jones
Notts County have met Colchester United 42 times over the years, all league encounters except for one Sherpa Vans Trophy tie in 1988.
The Magpies are in front when it comes to head-to-head, having won 20 games to Colchester's 15, with seven draws.
All league encounters between the two have never taken place higher than the third tier.
Colchester United Football Club is a baby in English football club terms, having been born in 1937.
However, Colchester Town Football Club, the club's predecessor, was around since 1873.
Despite dwindling crowds in the mid-1930s, though, they refused to follow its neighbours Ipswich Town in turning professional, much to the disapproval of its fans and players.
As a result, Colchester United was formed, with the intention of playing professionally, and went on from strength to strength while its stubborn neighbour fell into decline and eventually folded.
Colchester United are responsible for one of the FA Cup's greatest ever upsets, when, in February 1971, they defeated the infamous Don Revie's Leeds United, an established top flight side who would finish second that season, by three goals to two. The U's were in the fourth division at the time.
The U's won the Football League Trophy (now the Johnstone's Paint Trophy) in 1996-97. and also compete in a competition called the Essex Senior Cup, a tournament contested by mostly non-league clubs within the region (Colchester usually field a youth/reserve team for this), winning this trophy back in 2009-10.
Micky Cook holds the all time club record for appearances with Colchester, having played nearly 700 games between 1969 and 1984.
Notable former players include Titus Bramble, Alec Chamberlain, Mark Kinsella, Kevin Lisbie and Newcastle cult hero Lomana LuaLua.
The town of Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who died in AD 79.
It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain, and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network.
Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state.
Team news
Marc Bola is an injury concern for Notts County as they prepare to host Colchester on Saturday.
The left-back, on loan from Arsenal, missed last weekend's win at Wycombe Wanderers due to a hamstring injury. He has resumed training and Magpies manager Kevin Nolan will give the teenager as long as possible to prove his fitness.
Should he not make it, Carl Dickinson, who impressed against the Chairboys, will continue in his absence.
A hamstring issue has kept Curtis Thompson out recently but he could return to the squad. However, fellow midfielder Mark Yeates must serve the second game of a three-match ban for a red card he received against Barnet.
Goalkeeper Sam Walker is in line to make his 150th league appearance for Colchester.
Chris Porter scored a brace in last weekend's win over Luton, which kept the U's in the play-off hunt so should lead the attack again, while midfielder Owen Garvan will be assessed as he has been carrying a knee problem.
Defender Tom Eastman and midfielder Doug Loft are stepping up their rehabilitation, but centre-back Jermaine Grandison has left the Essex club having not made an first-team appearance since signing a short-term deal after he sustained a hip injury.
Midfielder Sammie Szmodics is recovering from a broken leg, while leading scorer Kurtis Guthrie, midfielder Craig Slater, defender Frankie Kent and forward Denny Johnstone are all long-term absentees along with club captain Luke Prosser.
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Joe Jones
Carl Dickinson has revealed that he would get so miserable during Notts County's 10-match losing run in League Two that he couldn't even speak to his family after games.
The Magpies lost every single league fixture between November 12, a 4-0 defeat at Blackpool, until January 7, a 4-1 loss at Morecambe.
The rot was stopped with a goalless home draw with Mansfield Town on January 14, and 10 weeks later, Notts are a different proposition entirely, on the brink of safety with a 13-point cushion between themselves and the bottom two.
"It was horrible," Dickinson recalled to the Nottingham Post. "I would spend car journeys with my family when I wouldn't say a word to them because what we were going through would ruin my weekend.
"I wouldn't say anything to the missus or the kids and I certainly didn't want to be near them after a game if it had not gone well. It would kill me on the inside because the defeats were happening every week.
"I don't think my missus has ever seen me like it. It might be different for the others, but, for me, training is all designed to win a game of football at the end of the week.
"If you don't perform and don't win, it feels like you've gone through the week only to mess it all up when it comes to the crunch.
"I am a positive person, but when you've lost the following 24 hours ruin you. On the Sunday you are thinking about the game and I must admit the club was in a low place."
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Joe Jones
Notts County manager Kevin Nolan has claimed that any potential recruit will not be taken on should they have doubts about moving to Meadow Lane.
With the club on the brink of safety in League Two, the former Leyton Orient boss is now looking at how to shape his squad for next season, with just five players - Adam Collin, Michael O'Connor, Carl Dickinson, Matt Tootle and Jonathan Forte - on a contract past the summer.
Nolan is expected to offer deals to some of his current squad, with the majority available to leave in the summer, but is adamant that new signings will not be afforded any thinking time should he offer them a deal.
"When I am signing a player in the summer if the first one says 'can I have a little think about it' then they will get 'sorry, but it's a no from me'," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"We are not thinking about anything. We are going forward and if you don't want to come forward with us then good luck in what you do but it won't be with Notts County.
"That's the sort of mentality we want. We want players to come here and the reason why I recruited those players in January was because they wanted to be here.
"Over the season it shows because when the chips are down and things aren't going right, they are the lads who will drive you and pull you through the tough times.
"There won't be anybody coming to Notts County for a free ride next year. There will be lots of hard work and not much play.
"Whoever comes will have to know it will be tough. It has to be because the successful sides work harder."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has urged Premier League academy prospects to consider making switches to Football League teams, where they can get first-team action in challenging environments rather than remain in the "no-pressure" environment academies.
The Notts County manager recruited a number of top-flight youngsters on loan in January, as Arsenal's Marc Bola, Hull City's Josh Clackstone and West Bromwich Albion's Tahvon Campbell switched to Meadow Lane.
Bola has already spoken of how he is improving as a player on loan at Notts, and Nolan has echoed his sentiments, adding that the failure of Under-23 teams to get "anywhere near the final" of the Checkatrade Trophy is proof that their young players are not prepared for competitive action.
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "It's been shown in the Checkatrade Trophy that no Under-23s team has got anywhere near the final. When it's come down to it, they just haven't been prepared for it.
"I am not knocking academy football, but there's no pressure. We've got Marc Bola who, if he makes a mistake in an academy game, then it's okay don't worry about it. But if he makes a mistake here it could mean the difference between three points or not.
"He's relishing it and done really well. He's got a great head on his shoulders."
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy has spoken in favour of the EFL Trophy, believing in its goal of nurturing young English talent, but insists that it needs the support of every team in the Premier League.
The competition, known as the Checkatrade Trophy for sponsorship purposes, has come under intense criticism this season after Premier League academy teams were entered into the tournament.
A number of League One and Two clubs have fined for picking weakened teams, while Bradford City changed their goalkeeper after three minutes to comply with the rules.
However, Hardy believes that, with a few tweaks, it can become a worthwhile competition.
He wrote in the Nottingham Post: "The build-up to the final is already underway which, naturally, has sparked debate about this season's competition and whether it has been a success.
"The inclusion of Premier League academy sides has proved to be a hugely contentious issue, raising questions as to whether it's actually been worth it.
"I am quite clear where I stand on this: I support it 100 percent because developing young English footballers is hugely important.
"Wouldn't it be great to see real Premier League stars of the future 18 months or so before they make their debut?
"Unfortunately, only Chelsea out of the Premier League's so-called 'big teams' said they would enter a team for this season's competition, which was disappointing.
"Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Spurs decided not to field their academy sides and, for me, if the competition is to move forward, it has to be all or nothing.
"For us at Notts County, we lost money on our Checkatrade games once we had paid for stewarding and other matchday costs.
"In my opinion, it needs the full support of everybody in the Premier League and if that isn't the case, the competition needs to be reformatted."
To read the full column on the Nottingham Post, simply click here.
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Joe Jones
Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has expressed sadness at the plight of former club Leyton Orient.
The 34-year-old was appointed as player-manager at Brisbane Road in January 2016, but despite winning seven of his 15 games in charge, was downgraded to player when Andy Hessenthaler took the reins in April.
A further three months passed before Nolan left the club altogether, and Orient's loss was County's gain as he has so far taken the Magpies from the brink of relegation to the brink of safety.
Meanwhile, Orient have plunged into crisis under owner Francesco Becchetti, with the O's having been before the High Court over a tax debt to HMRC and all but consigned to the non-league next season.
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "I loved Orient and I am so gutted to see what is happening there now.
"I am devastated for those involved, because there are a lot of good people there. What's happening is tragic. I hope they do bounce back if they do go down.
"It's a tough league when you get relegated. It's just a sad, sad situation to see what's happening.
"That's gone and it's in my past now and I can't worry about it. I can only wish them all the best and that's genuinely from my heart."
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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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