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Meet Ronan Murray

Since coming to Meadow Lane two years ago, Ronan Murray has quickly established himself as one of Notts County’s first-choice players. The young Irishman originally signed to the club on a short-term contract as one of four successful trialists in 2013, but he went on to play a key role in helping the Magpies avoid relegation from League One with nine goals in 16 starts.
Of course, there was the odd setback, most notably the red card on the quarter-hour mark of that Peterborough United game, but the mark of a true professional is learning from your mistakes and proving doubters wrong – and Murray did just that.
 
Pride of Nottingham has spoken to the 23-year-old hotshot about Notts County’s season.
 
What have you made of the game so far?
Well I think we've played well, I think Paddy McCourt's done well for us, he's really been our best player. He looks bright, so hopefully he will continue in the second half and keep giving the ball to him basically.
 
What time do you think the full score will be?
Well hopefully we can get back into it, hopefully the gaffer can give them a good talking too and they'll come out flying in the second half really. As I say keep giving the ball to Paddy and Jam on the right and hopefully they can make things happen. Hopefully Bajner and big Garry up there and can do the business in the box. So, hopefully we can come back from this and we need it, we need it at home – like seven in the last eight are obviously not good enough so, we need to get the fans our side here.
 
Have you been enjoying your time at Notts?
Yeah, yeah, I'm loving it. Loving it really, this season hasn't really set off for me but hopefully I will have a good end to it.
 
Is there any news on your injury?
Yeah I just had a scan on it yesterday it, on my groin, so hopefully the results come back all clear and then I can crack on with training. There's just a few questions over it, scan is clear I can take it from there.
 
Meet the Fans [special] - Meet Ronan Murray
Watch the Video
 
[center]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFO4jiObYpQ
Pride of Nottingham would like to thank Ronan Murray for taking the time to speak to us, we wish him all the very best with his injury and hope that he finds his form again soon.
 
You Pies!!
 
 
Last Match Report - Meet the PoN - Q/A with Premiership Scout  
Chris

Colchester United 0-1 Notts County

Notts picked up a desperately-needed three points this evening as a Paddy McCourt goal in the second half was enough to seal a 1-0 win away at Colchester United. Within the opening ten minutes of the game, Gary Jones saw his effort deflected behind for a corner.
Moments later, Jamal Campbell-Ryce skipped past two defenders and struck a low shot that had to be tipped round the post by Sam Walker.
The Colchester stopper continued to shine as he denied JCR once again before saving a venomous drive by Blair Adams that looked destined for the top corner.
 
Notts risked conceding late on in the first half when slack defending left George Moncur with a free chance at goal, but Roy Carroll was equal to the effort.
Following the restart, the Northern Irish keeper had to be at his best to deny Gavin Massey, who had unlocked the Notts back line and raced through on goal.
The visitors were finally able to break the deadlock 68 minutes in when Campbell-Ryce curled a cross towards the back post, where McCourt was able to nod home.
Minutes later, Notts got out of jail again when a deflected Macauley Bonne strike was deflected and required Adams to clear off the line.
Following that attempt, the Magpies were able to see the game out and secure a much-needed three points.
Notts are by no means out of trouble, and there's a very tricky fixture away at Swindon Town this weekend, but it's a decent start - let's hope we're able to turn the corner now!
Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Colchester United vs. Notts County

Notts County have met Colchester United a modest 41 times over the years, all league encounters except for one Sherpa Vans Trophy tie in 1988. Notts hold the marginal upper edge, having won 19 games to Colchester's 14, with 8 draws. All league encounters between the two have never taken place higher than the third tier.
The recent history between those two sides is very positive for the Magpies - we have won the last six games against the Essex side, by an aggregate score of 17-3!
The last game was back in August last year, a 2-1 league win at Meadow Lane.
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.
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Colchester midfielder Tom Lapslie could return from an ankle injury, but Sammie Szmodics is unlikely to feature as he is still recovering from a foot problem.
George Moncur came off the bench in Saturday's loss at Doncaster and is pushing for a starting place after recovering from tonsillitis.
Notts have no new injury worries - Alan Smith, Will Hayhurst, Sean Newton and Gary Jones are all options if boss Shaun Derry wants to make changes.
Joe Jones

League One Preview

In this weeks PoN's preview to the League One games played on the 3rd of March, there's a crucial game being played which our fans will be hoping to see positive news from – This important tie is between Colchester and of course Notts County, this game could see either side make steady progress in their bid for survival.
Colchester against Notts County is a important game this week as Colchester try to move back out of the drop zone while Notts County are fighting to stay out of the drop zone.
 
* Important Game – ** Key Game
Tuesday 3rd March
Sheffield United v Peterborough – Kick Off 7:30pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
Barnsley v Coventry – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Bradford v Crawley – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
**Colchester v Notts County – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
Fleetwood v Scunthorpe – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Leyton Orient v Bristol City – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-3)
*MK Dons v Chesterfield – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
Port Vale v Oldham – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-0)
*Preston v Doncaster – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Rochdale v Crewe – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Swindon v Gillingham – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (3-1)
Yeovil v Walsall – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-2)
 
My Stand-out Games
Colchester v Notts County
MK Dons v Chesterfield
Preston v Doncaster
 
Colchester will be hoping to win as they fell into the drop zone on Saturday, a win against a struggling Notts County side, as results elsewhere favouring Colchester could move them back out of the drop zone.
Notts County will be hoping to win today as loss could put them in the bottom four and if results elsewhere go against them. Notts County will be hoping to pick up their first points in four matches.
MK Dons will be hoping to make up for Saturdays result against a struggling Coventry side with a win today against a Chesterfield side struggling to find their form from the first half of the season.
Chesterfield will be hoping to add another 3 points after their win on Saturday against Fleetwood, their first win in four games.
They will be hoping they can find there early season form to beat possibly the best side in the league in my eyes, only challenged by Bristol city.
Preston will be hoping to continue their excellent form which has seen them unbeaten in February and become possible automatic promotion contenders.
Doncaster will be hoping carry on from Saturday after beating Colchester, though in the previous two matches before they showed signs of their early season bad form losing against Bristol City and an average Port Vale side.
 
Thoughts on Colchester vs Notts County
This weeks match sees Notts County against Colchester with both teams struggling to find consistent form. I’ve predicted Notts County to just edge it.
The current results between the two teams show Notts County as overwhelming favourites winning six of their last seven meetings.
The last time Colchester beat Notts County at Meadow Lane was back in 2003 winning 2-3.
The overall head to head record shows Notts County being slight favourites winning 19, Colchester 14 and 7 draws.
Notts County have picked up 15 out of 15 points from the last five meetings in the league.
A tough match to predict but I’ve predicted 1-0 to Notts County.
 
 
Last Match Report - Q/A with Premiership Scout - League Link-Ups  
william1984

Notts County 0-1 Port Vale

Another matchday, another defeat. A decent enough performance by Notts who nevertheless find themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against Port Vale.
The visitors dominated possession in the opening five minutes at Meadow Lane, but it was Notts who had the first chance when Liam Noble’s 20-yard strike was caught by Chris Neal.
Vale took the lead on seven minutes when Byron Moore curled a pass into the box for Williamson to run onto.
 
Roy Carroll and Mike Edwards got in each other’s way as the ball ricocheted across the area to Mark Marshall and, faced with an open goal, the winger made no mistake as he volleyed home.
Minutes later, Michael Brown’s low strike from long range was well held by Carroll before Jamal Campbell-Ryce found Paddy McCourt in the box, but the subsequent low shot was well held by Neal.
Balint Bajner was next to threaten as his header was easily saved by the Vale keeper, and in the 34th minute McCourt cut inside to the area before unleashing a powerful drive which was also palmed away.
The veteran Northern Irishman continued to impress when he found Garry Thompson behind the defence but his low strike from 12 yards forced another good save.
Garry Thompson’s effort was then well saved before County wasted another chance as Bajner chested the ball down not far from goal but volleyed over.
In the second half, Blair Adams volleyed over after a McCourt free kick sparked a goalmouth scramble.
County went close again on the hour when Adams drilled the ball across the six-yard box. Garry Thompson tried to connect but could only deflect the ball straight to Neal.
Noble should then have scored when he rose to meet Mullins’s cross, but headed over from eight yards out.
The game almost swung back to the Magpies in the 71st minute when Campbell-Ryce broke free on the right of the area, but the Vale keeper was on top once again.
It wasn’t to be Notts’s day as, for all their bluster in the latter stages of the game, they were unable to find an equaliser as they gave away another three points.
They fall to 19th in the table and are three points from the drop zone. The way things are going, it’s time to think about a successive relegation battle.
Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Notts County vs. Port Vale

Notts County have met Port Vale a grand total of 93 times over the years, with the first two fixtures coming within a week of each other back in February 1921. The Magpies won the first game 2-1, but lost 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
Notts have the upper edge having won 39 games, lost 34, and drawn 20 against the Valiants, with the highest scoring matches coming in February 1927 (a 6-2 defeat) and April 1935 (a 5-3 defeat).
Last time these two played, in August last year at Vale Park, the Magpies won 2-0.
Port Vale is one of the few English league clubs not to be named after a geographical location.
The name Port Vale exists on maps pre–dating the formation of the club, which probably occurred in 1879, and is a reference to a valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal, associated with the city's pottery industry.
The club itself is actually based in Burslem, one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Port Vale have never been in the top tier of English football, and the last time they were in the second tier was back in 1999-2000.
In terms of silverware, the Valiants have won the Staffordshire Senior Cup twice, in 1920 and 2001, whilst being runners-up in 1900 and 2010, as well as several other regional cups like the Birmingham Senior Cup, one of the oldest county football competitions still active.
The club, despite being fairly small, enjoys the support of some world-famous celebrities. Robbie Williams is a huge fan, to the point that he held £240,000 worth of shares in the club and has a restaurant at Vale Park named after him.
For the videogame FIFA 2000, he provided an original theme song called It's Only Us, on the condition that Port Vale should be included in the game, which they were, located in the Rest of World section!
Also, in 2005, Williams founded Los Angeles Vale F.C., a Super Metro League team in the United States, named after Port Vale and based at his Los Angeles home.
Darts star Phil “The Power” Taylor is also a big fan, while Blue (that Noughties boy-band) singer Simon Webbe was part of their youth setup until a ligament injury hampered any prospect of a career in football.
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On-loan Brighton man Paddy McCourt may make his Notts County debut when Port Vale visit Meadow Lane. The Northern Ireland international could get a chance on the wing on Saturday.
The returning Jamal Campbell-Ryce, back on loan at County from Sheffield United, Haydn Hollis, Will Hayhurst, Balint Bajner and Billy Daniels are also options for Shaun Derry,
Meanwhile, Ronan Murray will probably remain on the sidelines through injury.
Shaun Harrad this week joined Cheltenham on loan while fellow striker Jimmy Spencer remains a long-term absentee after suffering a knee injury during pre-season.
Notts are chasing only their second double of the season - the only team they have beaten home and away this season so far has been Vale's local rivals Crewe.
Colin Daniel's return from injury means Vale travel with a fully-fit squad.
Daniel is back in contention after three weeks out with an ankle problem but a place on the bench is probably the best the forward can hope for with Valiants boss Rob Page likely to name an unchanged starting line-up for the third game in a row following back-to-back wins.
However, there is also plenty of competition to be named among the substitutes after Achille Campion, Greg Luer and Richard Duffy all missed out on the matchday squad last weekend.
Joe Jones

The Match Officials

Saturday 28th of February, The Magpies will host 12th place Port Vale. Notts County will be able to feature two new wingers in the form of Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Paddy McCourt, as they look to get back on track in the 2014/2015 season – The visitors may have to rethink their plans.
Port Vale have won only two of their last six games, having lost three and only drawn once, all is now to plan for within this League One fixture.
The Match Officials for the game against Port Vale will be Darren Drysdale, with his two assistants Matthew Buonassisi and Nick Hobbis. The fourth official will be Ian Rathbone.
 
Match Officials
 
Referee; Darren Drysdale
From – Lincolnshire
 
His matches involving Notts County and Port Vale in the last four seasons;
League One – Saturday 19th November 2011 – Huddersfield Town 2 Notts County 1 – 3 Yellow Cards and 1 Red Card
League Two – Saturday 18th February 2012 – Port Vale 2 Gillingham 1 – 2 Yellow Cards
League Two – Saturday 5th May 2012 – Port Vale 3 Oxford United – 5 Yellow Cards
League One – Tuesday 2nd October 2012 – Notts County 1 Stevenage 2 – 2 Yellow Cards and 1 Red Card
F.A Cup – Saturday 1st December 2012 – Rotherham United 1 Notts County 1 – 2 Yellow Cards
JPT – Tuesday 4th December 2012 – Port Vale 0 Bradford City 2 – 4 Yellow Cards
League One – Saturday 12th April 2014 – Notts County 4 Port Vale 2 – 1 Yellow Cards
 
Run down of his last four games this season;
League Two – Saturday 10th January 2015 – Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Oxford United 0 – 5 Yellow Cards
Championship – Tuesday 27th January 2015 – Rotherham United 4 Bolton Wanderers 2 – 2 Yellow Cards
League One – Saturday 21st February 2015 – Sheffield United 2 Coventry City 2 – 6 Yellow Cards and 1 Red Card.
League One – Tuesday 24th February 2015 – Preston North End 1 Walsall 0 – No Cards
In his last four games 13 yellow cards have been shown and only a single red card.
So far this season in a total of 20 games he has shown 67 yellow cards and 6 red cards.
That's roughly 3.3 yellow cards per game.
 
Assistant Referee; Matthew Buonassisi
From – Northamptonshire
 
Last 3 officiated games;
Tuesday 10th February 2015 – Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Portsmouth 0
Saturday 14th February 2015 – Southend United 1 Accrington Stanley 2
Saturday 21st February 2015 – Northampton Town 3 York City 0
 
Assistant Referee; Nick Hobbis
From – West Midlands
 
Last 3 officiated games;
Saturday 24th January 2015 – Northampton Town 3 Newport County 0
Saturday 7th February 2015 – Swindon Town 2 Barnsley 0
Tuesday 10th February 2015 – Chesterfield 0 Preston North End 2
 
Fourth Official; Ian Rathbone
From – Northamptonshire
 
Do you have an opinion on the game? - Match Thread
Also, please do leave us a comment below if you have time.
 
 
Match Thread - Q/A with Premiership Scout - Scouting Report  
Chris

League One News

Barnsley have appointed Oldham manager Lee Johnson as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
The clubs have agreed an undisclosed compensation deal for the 33-year-old and his assistant Tommy Wright.
The Tykes have been without a manager since sacking Danny Wilson on 12 February.
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MK Dons have signed Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker on loan until the end of the season, including play-off period.
The 19-year-old helped the Blues win the Under-21 Premier League last season and scored 26 goals.
Baker, who's an England Under-21 international, played four times during a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last month, starting two of those games.
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Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has left the club after Saturday's 3-0 defeat by MK Dons left them 15th in League One - the Posh have won just one of their last five matches in the league.
Coaches Gary Breen, Gavin Strachan and Jimmy Walker, video analyst Stewart England and sport scientist Marc Lindsey have also left the club, with academy manager Dave Robertson put in caretaker charge.
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Bradford City have signed Oliver Burke on a month-long loan deal from Nottingham Forest.
The 17-year-old winger was given his first Forest debut in a 4-4 Championship draw with Blackpool on 14 February.
He has been given permission to play in Bradford's FA Cup quarter-final against Reading on 7 March.
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Football League clubs have voted not to reintroduce artificial pitches.
A vote on the issue in November 2014 ended in a tie but clubs were balloted again last week and decided against the use of plastic playing surfaces.
A Football League spokesman said the "majority" of clubs "prefer to play their matches on grass pitches".
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Peterborough United will not approach Rotherham United boss Steve Evans over their vacant managerial post, says chairman Darragh MacAnthony.
The 52-year-old, who took the Millers up to the Championship last season, had been linked with the job after Darren Ferguson's dismissal on Saturday.
But Evans is contracted at Rotherham until 2017 and MacAnthony says he will not pay compensation for a new boss.
Joe Jones

Port Vale - Scouting Report

Port Vale head to Meadow Lane on the 28th of February. Notts County will have to be steady within their approach against the Valiants, as the visiting side are in decent form and have the ability to punish any side within League One with their clever brand of football.
The visitors currently sit 12th and are currently only 3 points away from the play-offs. They have won two of their last six games, drawing 1 and losing three. There is no doubt that they will be seeing this as a must win game.
 
Run down of their last six games.
Saturday 24th January – Port Vale 0 Crewe Alexandra 1
Saturday 31st January – Barnsley 2 Port Vale 1
Saturday 7th February – Port Vale 2 Bradford 2
Tuesday 10th February – Bristol City 3 Port Vale 1
Saturday 14th February – Walsall 0 Port Vale 1
Saturday 21st February – Port Vale 3 Doncaster Rovers 0
 
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Tom Pope 10, Ben Williamson 10, Mark Marshall 5 and Michael Brown 5.
Persistent Foulers; Chris Lines 1 Red Card and 2 Yellow Cards, Michael O'Connor 8 Yellow Cards, Carl Dickinson 8 Yellow Cards and Richard Duffy 6 Yellow Cards.
 
The Key Players.
Tom Pope, Ben Williamson, Michael Brown, Michael O'Connor and Richard Duffy.
Tom Pope is the traditional centre forward who likes to stay close to the defenders, he has the ability to draw away from play and put himself inside space, making himself available to tuck a shot into the back of the net.
His strike partner Ben Williamson offers Port Vale steady pace and a great eye for goal.
Where the two Michael's Brown and O'Connor are generally always behind the Vale's advancing play, both also have an eye for goal but also can pick out the right pass, as they push forward and into space. They're two players who require being marked as they are the creative force within the majority of their play going forward.
Richard Duffy is the player who's been there and done that, he gives Port Vale experience and leadership from the back.
He also shares the ability to score from set pieces or from distance.
 
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses.
Port Vale look to defend within their own half, where they like to stay close to the advancing player. They will generally pull numbers behind them in both their attacks and defending. When it comes to attacking their opposition, they play safe and build slowly by passing closely until they see space opening up which allows for them to try something different.
They're well organized and like to break their opposition down by using the flanks, set pieces and by running into the centre of the park.
Their main strengths are the support which their squad offer to each other, they always have someone in support of advancing players and they use their set pieces very well. Another clear to see strength is confidence, nobody seems short of this.
Confidence seems to be a big part of the football that they play, nobody seems afraid to take on players or to try a shot. In their recent game against Doncaster Rovers this is clear to see.
With regards to weaknesses Port Vale's main concerns lie within aerial threats, they seem very open and vulnerable from both deep dropping crosses, long distance shots or free kicks. Concentration by more than one defender seems to switch off when they're under extensive pressure.
If teams put them under pressure throughout the game and not just brief spells (they cope with this), then they do make mistakes.
This will allow our better players such as Liam Noble, Garry Thompson and even perhaps Bálint Bajner to come into the game.
 
 
Match Thread - Q/A with Premiership Scout - League One Preview  
Chris

League One Preview

In this weeks PoN's preview to the League One games played on the 28th of February, several key games have been identified – None more important than the Peterborough against Bradford game, which several teams within League One will be looking out for.
Peterborough against Bradford is an important game this week as Bradford try to stay in the play off spots and Peterborough will be hoping to improve on recent form and move away from the drop zone.
 
* Important Game – ** Key Game
Saturday 28th February
Bristol City v Rochdale – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
*Chesterfield v Fleetwood – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
Coventry v MK Dons – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-2)
Crawley v Sheffield United – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-3)
Crewe v Swindon - Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-2)
Doncaster v Colchester – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3-0)
Gillingham v Barnsley – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Notts County v Port Vale – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Oldham v Preston – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-2)
**Peterborough v Bradford – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
*Scunthorpe v Yeovil – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
Walsall v Leyton Orient – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
 
My Stand-out Games
Peterborough v Bradford
Chesterfield v Fleetwood
Scunthorpe v Yeovil
 
Peterborough will be hoping to improve on their recent form which has seen them drop to within eight points of the drop zone after only picking one win up in their last five matches.
Bradford on the other hand will be hoping to continue there recent good form which has seen them move into the play off places having not lost in their last five league games.
Chesterfield will be hoping to pick up three points against Fleetwood as they try to move back up the table, they want to get their first points in four games which has seen them drop from the play offs.
Fleetwood will hope to continue their winning form after a hard fought three points last weekend against Notts County which moved them back upto eighth place, just one point off the play offs.
Scunthorpe will be hoping to go back to winning ways this weekend after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of promotion chasing Preston, which ended Scunthorpe’s two game winning streak.
Yeovil will be hoping to pick up their first three points this weekend after only picking up one point in their last three matches, which has seen them move back to bottom of the table.
 
Thoughts on Notts County vs Port Vale
This weeks match see’s Notts county against Port Vale with both teams struggling for form, I’ve predicted Notts county to just edge it.
The current results between the two teams show Notts County as slight favourites, winning five of the last seven meetings.
The last time Port Vale beat Notts County at Meadow Lane was back in 2004 winning 1-2.
The overall head to head record shows Notts County being slight favourites winning 41, Port Vale 35 and 19 draws.
Notts County have picked up 9 out of 15 points from the last five meetings In the league.
A tough match to predict but I’ve predicted 1-0 to Notts County.
 
 
Last Match Report - Q/A with Premiership Scout - League Link-Ups  
william1984

Q/A with Premiership Scout

Pride of Nottingham had the opportunity to do a questions and answer session with a Premier League scout, so we put the questions to the floor of our community. Many fans decided to take part in the feature by submitting several questions, as a general insight this feature is very exciting to cover. It is one I am most proud of, along with the times we have spoken to our chairman Ray Trew.
We have more of Q/A's and exciting features in the pipeline, over the years we have been around PoN's made sure to deliver the best quality and content to the screen of the fans of Notts County.
It's an absolute privilege to be able to do this feature, I think you will all find it very insight as we don't just discuss Notts here on PoN. We discuss and cover general football too, our resident fans being a highlight of this. To expand through the Q/A please use the pagination in order to read all the questions, thanks for reading.
 
Northants Pie; What are the benefits and the downsides to the current academy system within the uk?
The benefits of the current Academy system are debatable in my opinion. It is good that clubs are properly scrutinised and regulated but it has produced a generation of young footballers who have had everything done for them from A to Z and they then find it difficult to cope once they are released and have to enter the real world.
 
Northants Pie; What do you believe are the main reasons for the grass roots game failing in the way it is?
I could go on for ages about the faults allied to grassroots football. In my view a lot of the problems arise with over-competitive parents running teams who take themselves too seriously. The great majority of them have never kicked a ball in their lives previously but try to compensate by living their dreams out in their kids. For example I recently saw a photograph of a local under 9's parks team where one of the parents described himself as "Technical Director".
 
Northants Pie; Will the EPPP have as big of a detrimental effect as first thought on the lower league teams and if so what should be done to equalise this effect?
EPPP is another factor where it would take me too long to give a chapter and verse summary, briefly it has given the so-called bigger clubs carte blanche to hoover up all the talent without paying significant degrees of compensation to smaller clubs like Notts, for example. However I understand that this is currently under review following many complaints from smaller clubs. My other big comment about EPPP is that it has produced armies of people filling out forms, drawing graphs on charts and producing other data which in my view is useless. Does it produce more goals or does it ensure that a side concede less. No definitely not.
 
Upthepies; What is your process like for finding suitable players for the club you work for? Do you travel much, focus on age ranges?
With my current club my brief is to concentrate on the 14 to 18 age range with a view to finding the late developers or lads who may not have been spotted previously. With my previous club as Chief Scout I covered all aspects of scouting duties, not only identifying players but compiling reports on forthcoming opposition, eg Formation, Shape, Pattern, Strengths, Weaknesses and what they do at set pieces. With my current club I try and concentrate on geographical areas where scouts from other clubs tend not to go. Previously I went to such diverse places such as Alloa Athletic, Raith Rovers and the southern end of the scale Eastbourne Borough, Gillingham and Bournemouth.
 
Liampie; who is the best player you have scouted and have you ever had one turned down who went onto bigger and better things?
Very difficult to answer your question without disclosing my current and previous club and the players concerned. One of my previous successes was recommending a player given a free transfer by a league 2 club who was then signed on my recommendation and went on to knock in 29 goals in his first season. Still waiting for another one like that!!
 
MagpieJue; What do you look for in a good player? Is it speed, stamina, how he holds his position over 90 minutes et?
Depends on what position the player performs in. However, my over-riding concern is a good first touch which is vital in any position. With attacking players it is also good movement on and off the ball, range of passing and the ability to do the simple things well. Bill Shankly once said that football is a simple game made complicated by ******* idiots. In defenders positional sense is vital, dealing with each situation on its merits and the ability to tackle without giving away silly freekicks. Pace is paramount in all outfield positions. Stamina helps of course............. no point watching a player who puts weight on during a game!!
 
Canadian; Why do Agent's have the tag line "Leeches"?
DangerousSausage; What are your experiences of agents?
Simply because the majority of them take money from players and clubs having only extended themselves by making a few phone calls and then demanding what are, in some cases, exorbitant fees. All players, if they are members of the Players' Union, the PFA, can get the latter to negotiate wages etc without the necessity to involve agents.
 
Canadian; Do you get along with Chairmen and board members?
As regards Chairman and Board members I wouldn't even know who they are with my current club. I did get on quite well with the Chairman of my previous club but did fall out with him quite strongly over what I considered unfair treatment of one of his managers.
 
Hissingdwarf; How far does the trust relationship with the manager go? Do you regularly suggest players and get regularly dismissed or do a majority of your suggestions get looked at seriously?
Hissingdwarf ; Do you follow a manager around, again building the trust relationship up, or are you a club man (or woman?) eg like assistants often leave when the manager gets the boot!
There has to be mutual trust between the Manager and his Chief Scout. the Manager is the final arbiter on whether a certain player should be signed. It is equally important taht a scout should say why a player should not be signed. Eg. Dubious habits away from the field as well as a lack ability on it. I was lucky to work with some decent people who valued my opinions. This didn't always lead to a certain player being signed of course because like I said previously the Manager has all sorts of things to consider such as budget, effect on current team members etc.
Many scouts do follow managers around. I didn't despite having the opportunity to do so once or twice.
 
Notts-Joe; What's differences have you have witnessed over years, anything you wished was still simple, less demanding or would like to bring back?
The main differences latterly are the advent of the computer and the large amount of extra paperwork it engenders. many good scouts have packed up in the last 2/3 years because of this. In cases with many clubs it has become a tick-box world. I recently got hold of a scouting report form from a very well known premiership club and I have never read so much garbage in all my life. Nowhere on the form did it pose the question "Can he play".
Far too many foreign players in the English game. The national side will never reach the heights whilst English lads are being denied the opportunities to shine due to the over influx of foreign players. In Scotland at least there is a conscious effort being made to remedy this.
 
Dripsey3; Do you scout outside the UK? Do certain players miss out because clubs feel they can't deal with the physical nature of the English game and the number of games that are played here?
No I never have scouted outside of the UK. In all countries these days there is a demand for players to have good degrees of fitness so I wouldn't subscribe to the view that the majority of them find it difficult to adjust to the English game. There is now an emphasis on correct diets, resting periods etc. worldwide. Maybe some find it difficult to adjust to the climate....!! The frantic pace of the game nowadays does promote the question as to why so many games are played and then have to be supplemented by play-offs. Your legendary manager Jimmy Sirrel never agreed with play-offs and nor do I.
 
Liampie; What is the difference between scouting for a premiership team compared to one within the football leagues? do you have to do things differently, if so what is that?
Very difficult at first to reconcile the standards of players by a premiership club and those needed by League 1 & League 2 clubs. It is a matter of setting sights higher...eg detecting players whose football brains work quicker and thereby read situations better, whether attacking or defending.
 
Dana Shoup; From Lower League Scouts, I've heard its endless and hard on family and friends. At the Premiership Level, do you feel the same way, I'd feel like at that level, I'd enjoy it because maybe i'd have more help and finances to get around and about? Whats the life like?
Dana Shoup; Also as a person who feels like on and off the field, i'm a very quick read of a player and their style. How much time do you truly need to feel like you have scouted a player well? I'd assume coaches, board, and everyone has different things they are looking for on a player personally. What do you look for in a player? Attitude on and off the field? Quick Learner? Ability to turn from offense to defense quickly?
Obviously at lower levels money is not readily available to facilitate travel, overnight accommodation etc, but in fairness I must say that on the two occasions visits to Scotland meant overnight stays my previous club did not jib about paying the expenses for such..... subject of course to not booking in at the most expensive hotel etc. So far with my present club this sort of occasion hasn't arisen. As regards what I look for in a player see my earlier comments to Magpie Jue.
However it is a hard slog where finances and assistance are at a premium and it hasn't helped with the additional paperwork now generally required. For example doing up a report on the forthcoming opposition nearly always takes around 3-4 hours on a Sunday morning and needs hard concentration to ensure that nothing is missed.
As regards looking at a player I would normally do this 3 or 4 times in order to gain a true reflection. I always watch a player both home & away. There are occasions of course where time does not permit this, particularly where a rival club may also be showing an interest in the player concerned.
 
Blackville; What sort of age do you look at or most common age group?
At present I am generally concerned with looking at the 14 to 18 age groups in order to find the late developer or lads who may have been previously overlooked. I try and follow up all tips but one can only be in one place at once. Often I have found referees to be a good source of information.
 
Tonyhatley; Have you ever seen a kid kicking a ball in a park or on the street and notified a club of his potential?
I did once when I was managing at a non-league level. The lad concerned went on to score 34 goals in one season at a reasonable non-league level. However, such cases are corn in Egypt!!
 
Tonyhateley; Who is the most famous player you have recommended to a club?
Obviously I cant answer this due t reasons of confidentiality and protocol. But there have been two or three.
 
Super Ram; Do you pretend to be watching a different player to the one you are really interested in to put other scouts off the scent?
DangerousSausage; I sometimes read about all the scouts that turn up to watch a player, and imagine them all sat in a line with notebooks. Do scouts sit together and compare notes, or is it a more cloak and daggers business where you try to avoid being spotted?
To answer both of you.. Sometimes but most scouts are no fools. It is 5 to 4 on that an accumulation of scouts at a particular game means that they are all looking at the same player.
There is generally a good camaraderie amongst scouts and a willingness to share information. There is a general misconception that just because we work for different clubs we don't talk to one another!!
 
Adelaidepie; If you see two players that look like having equal ability and talent and potential do you have to take into account which country they come from? In this i mean if for example one is from America and one from New Zealand, wold you judge them differently or the same? I assume that sometimes this can / could be taking into account?
No, there is no discrimination in respect of what you ask. However, the chances of this occurring are completely unlikely
 
Adelaidpie; Is there a country which may have produced some good players in the past but not in large qualities, say Australia, but you feel they maybe on the verge of producing a few better talented players now or soon? This country maybe showing a little more potential for example say Australia. Australia has produced players like Craig Johnson and Harry Kewell but maybe haven't produced players at this level since.
Whilst Australia and New Zealand are making steady progress in respect of the world stage. The nation coming up on the rails is India which is making strenuous efforts to become a world football power. I would reckon that in a few years time they will be a nation which will need to be heeded.
Some businessmen are putting considerable amounts of money into club promotion and betterment.
 
Pride of Nottingham would like to thank all the community members who took to asking questions and the scout for taking the time to do this feature with us. Be sure to leave a comment below! You Pies!!
Chris

League One Round-Up

Yet another disappointing result for Notts fans. Bristol City, perhaps surprisingly, lost away at lowly Colchester with Swindon also being upset at home by Crewe. MK Dons helped their promotion hopes and dented Peterborough's by winning 3-0.
Pride of Nottingham reflects at the business end of the League One table, as the Magpie fans will no doubt be looking ahead to Port Vale.
 
League One Results
Barnsley 2–0 Crewe Alexandra
Bradford 1–1 Walsall
Colchester 3–2 Bristol City
Fleetwood 2–1 Notts County
Leyton Orient 3–0 Oldham
MK Dons 3–0 Peterborough
Port Vale 3–0 Doncaster Rovers
Preston North End 2–0 Scunthorpe
Rochdale 1–0 Chesterfield
Sheffield United 2–2 Coventry
Swindon 1–2 Crawley
Yeovil 2–2 Gillingham
 
There were 8 home wins, 1 away win and 3 draws.
 
Upcoming fixtures
Tuesday 24th February 2015
Doncaster Rovers v Bristol City
Preston North End v Walsall
Rochdale v Sheffield United
Scunthorpe v Barnsley
Swindon v Bradford
 
 
League One update
There is no positional change with the top 5 places. Bristol City remain top, despite losing, with 64 points from 31 games. Then come MK Dons with 62 points from 32 games followed by Swindon with 57 points from 31 games. Preston remain 4th with 56 points from 30 games and Sheffield United are 5th on 49 points from 30 games.
Bradford move into the final play off spot on 45 points from 30 games replacing Doncaster who drop to 7th also with 45 points but from 31 games.
Fleetwood move up to 8th with 44 points from 32 games with Oldham falling to 9th with 43 points from 31 games. Chesterfield drop to 10th while Gillingham rise to 11th and Port Vale also climb to 12th, all on 42 points from 32 games.
Rochdale move up to 13th with 41 points from 29 games, above 14th placed Walsall also with 41 points but from 31 games and 15th placed Peterborough who have 41 points too from 32 games.
Scunthorpe drop to 16th with 40 points from 30 games.
Notts drop to 17th with 38 points from 31 games, the same as 18th placed Barnsley, while 19th placed Crewe also have 38 points but from 32 games.
Colchester climb from the relegation zone to 20th with 34 points from 32 games.
Coventry, although drawing away at Sheffield United, slip into the relegation places at 21st with 33 points from 31 games, level with 22nd placed Crawley who beat Swindon 2–1 having played 32 games.
Leyton Orient remain 23rd despite beating Oldham 3–0 with 32 points from 31 games.
Yeovil stay bottom with 29 games from 32 games.
-
12 points now separate 6th placed Bradford and 21st placed Coventry.
Notts County are at 17th and are now 7 points away from the play offs but more worryingly only 5 points above a relegation place, and will fall to 18th if Scunthorpe fail to beat Barnsley on Tuesday
 
 
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super_ram

Fleetwood Town 2-1 Notts County

Notts County fell to their second defeat in the space of five days - and their 10th in 14 games - after succumbing 2-1 at the hands of Fleetwood this afternoon.
The Magpies had a bright start to the game, opening the scoring after 11 minutes when Mike Edwards's knockdown fell to Garry Thompson, who let rip with a thundering strike that soared into the top corner.
 
Shaun Derry's charges could have pulled themselves further ahead when Chris Maxwell spilled a long ball punted into the box, with first Jeff Hughes and then Conor McLaughlin throwing themselves to block dangerous efforts from the visitors.
Just as it seemed that Notts were in pole position to add to their tally, the Fishermen drew level.
 
Nick Haughton picked out Antoni Sarcevic’s angled run into the right channel before drilling a low cross into the County box which Liam McAlinden calmly slotted home.
Haughton was also involved in his side's second and decisive strike as he charged as far as the byline before pulling the ball back across the goal for David Ball to tap in.
Town were dominant until Curtis Thompson was brought down by Stephen Crainey, who was given his marching orders by referee David Webb to leave Fleetwood a man down.
Notts then laid siege to the Cod Army goal in a bid to try and find an equaliser, but Chris Maxwell pulled off a handful of reaction saves to preserve the lead.
 
Ultimately, the final whistle blew to condemn the Magpies to their 10th defeat in 14 games in all competitions.
Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Fleetwood Town vs. Notts County

Saturday marks only the second time that Notts have met Fleetwood Town in a league match. The first meeting was at the start of this season, in August - when the Fishermen beat the Magpies 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
And the first ever meeting between the two sides was around eighteen months ago when Notts beat Fleetwood 3-2, again at our place, in the League Cup. You might remember it as the game that preceded THAT epic clash against Liverpool at Anfield.
In its current guise, Fleetwood Town has only been around since 1997, but the club has had predecessors in the form of Fleetwood FC, formed in 1908, and the original Fleetwood Town FC created in 1977.
 
The original Fleetwood FC were champions of the Lancashire Combination in 1923–24, and registered a hat-trick of Lancashire Combination Cup wins in 1932, 1933 and 1934. Manchester City legend Frank Swift used to play for them at the time.
This incarnation of the club folded in 1976 due to financial difficulties, before being reborn as Fleetwood Town FC. After some moderate success in the non-league, including a final appearance at the FA Vase in 1985, this guise also folded, in 1996.
Re-formed in 1997 as Fleetwood Wanderers, the club was placed back in Division One of the North West Counties Football League (now the tenth tier of the English League system) and a sponsorship deal saw the club's name immediately changed to Fleetwood Freeport F.C.
The club was promoted to the Premier Division of the North West Counties League in 1999 and subsequently renamed Fleetwood Town F.C, a name that remains today.
 
Their meteoric rise to the third tier of English football began just ten years ago, as the Fishermen went from playing in the North West Counties League in 2004 to the Conference in 2010, before making it to the Football League in 2012 and eventually being promoted from League Two at the end of last season.
Just to give you an idea how quickly they have developed in the last decade – the average Fleetwood Town attendance ten years ago was 134. Now it’s over 20 times that amount at 2819.
The Fishermen currently hold the record for a non-league player sale, as Jamie Vardy left the then-Conference club for Leicester City, who paid £1m for his services (potentially rising to £1.7m).
---
Fleetwood Graham Alexander has an almost fully-fit squad ahead of Saturday's game at Highbury.
Striker Jamille Matt and full-back Danny Andrew are the Cod Army's only long-term absentees.
Meanwhile, Ronan Murray will miss out for the Magpies after sustaining an injury in training last week.
Aside from that, Notts have no other fresh injury or suspension worries and could be unchanged for the third game in a row.
Joe Jones

Notts County 1-2 Sheffield United

Not a terrible performance from Notts on Tuesday, but nevertheless another defeat at home as our season continues to show signs of unravelling as Sheffield United come to Meadow Lane and secure a 2-1 win.
The first concrete chance of the game came in the eighth minute when Blair Adams sprinted down the left wing before sending a cross the way of Curtis Thompson, who backheeled the ball towards Mustapha Dumbuya.
The Sierra Leone international, however, wasn’t able to capitalise with his wayward effort.
United countered when Brayford marauded into the Notts box before setting up Jamie Murphy, but the forward scuffed his subsequent effort wide.
The 25-year-old soon made up for that miss by striking the opening goal for the Blades.
With Dumbuya backing off the ball, Murphy boredown on goal and lashed a shot into the far corner of the net past Roy Carroll.
 
Notts set about trying to find an equaliser and Garry Thompson tried after collecting a Liam Noble pass, but the ensuing effort flew over the bar.
Soon enough, the levelling goal came courtesy of Terry Kennedy’s deflection that landed to Noble several yards from goal, albeit facing the wrong way.
With everybody expecting him to hold up the ball and try a pass, he instead smashed a delightful back heel into the ball which duly nestled into the net, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Notts were quick off the starting blocks after the restart, Garry Thompson and Balint Bajner trying their luck against goal.
However, the hosts were let down by lacklustre defending when, with just over ten minutes remaining, Bob Harris surged down the left sent a cutback across goal.
Matt Done then bundled the ball into the net to put the Blades back in front and ultimately secure the win.
Now, the league is so tight that Notts, despite being 17th, are actually equidistant from both the drop zone and the play-offs, but it's still a case of needing to look down now rather than up.
Joe Jones

League One Preview

Once again PoN looks to the weekend fixtures in another League One preview. This weeks main game comes in the form of the MK Dons v Peterborough United game, the Don's are fighting for an automatic promotion place, whilst Peterborough United are showing contention for a play-off place provided they can keep up their current form which has seen them move for the middle of League One.
MK Dons against Peterborough is an important game this week as MK Dons try to overtake Swindon for 2nd spot again while Peterborough will be hoping to gain points on 6th place Oldham.
 
* Important Game – **Key Game
Saturday 21st February
Barnsley v Crewe – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
*Bradford v Walsall – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Colchester v Bristol City – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-2)
Fleetwood v Notts County – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Leyton Orient v Oldham – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
**MK Dons v Peterborough – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
Port Vale v Doncaster – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
Preston v Scunthorpe – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
Rochdale v Chesterfield – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-2)
Sheffield United v Coventry – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3-0)
Swindon v Crawley – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
*Yeovil v Gillingham – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-0)
 
My Stand-out Games
MK Dons v Peterborough
Bradford v Walsall
Yeovil v Gillingham
 
MK Dons will be hoping to win against Peterborough and that Swindon drop points against Crawley so they can re enter the automatic promotion places.
Peterborough on the other hand will be hoping for a win and teams like Oldham, Chesterfield and Doncaster drop points so they can enter the play-off spots.
Bradford will be hoping to win against Walsall and enter the play-off places. They need Chesterfield, Doncaster and Oldham to drop points, but with two games in hand over certain teams this is their chance to win and take advantage.
Walsall will be hoping to win against Bradford and hoping surrounding teams drop points as they try and improve on last weeks result, which saw them drop down the league.
Yeovil will be hoping to win against Gillingham as they try to close the gap on the teams hovering above the drop zone. Gillingham on the other hand will be hoping to continue their recent good form which saw them beat MK Dons last weekend and continue to gain on the play-offs.
Thoughts on Fleetwood vs Notts County
This week match sees Fleetwood against Notts County, a match that could go either way but I think will end in a draw.
The current results between the two teams show that it could go both ways having one win a piece.
The last time they played Fleetwood won 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
The overall head to head record shows that both teams have won a game each.
Notts County last beat Fleetwood in the league cup back in 2013, winning 3-2 at Meadow Lane.
Notts County have picked up 0 out of 3 points from the only meeting In the league.
A tough match to predict but I’ve predicted 1-1.
 
 
Match Thread - PoN's Live Centre - Stat Attack  
william1984

Stat Attack: Notts County vs. Sheffield United

Sheffield United’s first match against Notts took place on the 17th January 1891 in the FA Cup - and we won 9-1!
Since then, however, the Blades have undisputedly held the upper hand in head-to-head statistics: they have won 48 games against the Magpies. We’ve beaten then just 26 times, and there have been 14 draws.
Our last game was back in November, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
 
Their ground, Bramall Lane, is the oldest major stadium in the world still to be hosting professional football matches.
Bramall Lane opened in April 1855 – Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin were still alive back then!
Jessica Ennis-Hill, the darling of the 2012 London Olympics, has a stand named after her at United’s ground, following her gold medal in heptathlon two and a half years ago.
 
A game between Sheffield United and Oldham in February 1984 had to be postponed when a wartime bomb was found near Bramall Lane!
A number of films and television programmes have included references to Sheffield United over the past few decades:
The 1996 film When Saturday Comes stars Sean Bean as a part-time Hallam FC player who is scouted by Sheffield United, who then goes on to play in a FA Cup semi-final.
The character 'Gaz' in British comedy The Full Monty is seen wearing a replica United shirt at one part of the film, and promises his son a ticket for a game at Bramall Lane between Sheffield United & Manchester United.
Even Hollywood has got in on the act: a scene in Batman Begins features a child wearing a 1990s Blades shirt.
United have a decent cup pedigree - they won the FA Cup in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925.
They were also beaten finalists in the FA Cup in 1901 and 1936, and reached the semi-finals in 1961, 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2014 - and reached the semi-finals of the League Cup in 2003 and 2015.
Notable Blades fans include Game of Thrones actor Sean Bean, former Sports Minister Richard Caborn MP, singer Paul Heaton, musicians Joe Elliott, Antony Genn and Toddla T, athlete Jessica Ennis, boxer Kell Brook, cricketer Joe Root and Monty Python member and presenter Michael Palin.
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Team news to follow.
Joe Jones

League One Round-Up

There was no game for Notts this weekend but some very interesting results. The big League One game ended with league leaders Bristol City losing at home to play-off hopefuls Sheffield United. There was also a surprise home defeat by Chesterfield to lowly Leyton Orient, also 2nd placed Swindon losing at home to strugglers Scunthorpe United.
3rd placed MK Dons losing away at Gillingham. Oldham also slipped up at home to Colchester United. The biggest win was at Crawley, who beat rapidly falling Barnsley 5-1. Not so long ago Barnsley were above Notts in the top half but find themselves now in 19th place.
 
League One Results
Bristol City 1–3 Sheffield United
Chesterfield 2–3 Leyton Orient
Crawley 5–1 Barnsley
Crewe Alexandra 2–0 Fleetwood
Doncaster Rovers 3–0 Yeovil
Gillingham 4 – 2 MK Dons
Notts County v Preston North End – Postponed
Oldham 0–1 Colchester
Peterborough 2–1 Rochdale
Scunthorpe 3–1 Swindon
Walsall 0–1 Port Vale
 
6 Home wins, 4 away wins and 0 draws.
 
Upcoming fixtures
Tuesday 17th February 2015
Bristol City v Peterborough
Colchester v MK Dons
Doncaster Rovers v Crewe Alexandra
Notts County v Sheffield United
Scunthorpe v Chesterfield
 
Wednesday 18th February 2015
Leyton Orient v Bradford
 
League One update
The top 4 places remain unchanged despite the first three placed all losing and Preston not playing. Bristol City are top with 61 points from 29 games, Swindon 2nd with 57 points from 30 games, MK Dons 3rd on 56 points also from 30 games and Preston 4th with 53 points from 29 games.
Sheffield United move up to 5th with 45 points from 28 games taking the place of Oldham who drop to 6th with 43 points from 30 games.
Leading the chasing pack and staying in 7th place come Chesterfield with 42 points from 30 games above Doncaster who move up to 8th place, also on 42 points but from 29 games.
Bradford drop to 9th with 41 points from 28 games, level on points with Peterborough who move up to 10th having played 30 games. Also on 41 points but falling to 11th are Fleetwood along with Gillingham who climb to 12th both having played 31 games.
Walsall slip to 13th with 40 points from 30 games. Next come Port Vale rising to 14th with 39 points from 31 games, Rochdale have fallen to 15th with 38 points from 28 games.
Notts having not played a game, fall to 16th also on 38 points but from 29 games above Crewe who climb to 17th on the same points but from 30 games.
Rising to 18th come Scunthorpe with 37 points from 28 games, followed by Barnsley falling to 19th with 35 points from 30 games and Coventry remaining at 20th place with 32 points also from 30 games.
The relegation places are occupied by Colchester staying at 21st with 31 points from 30 games. Crawley rising to 22nd with 30 points from 31 games, Leyton lift themselves to 23rd with 29 points from 29 games but Yeovil drop to 24th and bottom with 28 points from 32 games.
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The gap between 6th placed Oldham and 21st placed Colchester is only 12 points.
Notts, although falling to 16th, are still only 5 points away from a play off place but are also only 7 points above Colchester and safety.
Notts welcome Sheffield United, 3-1 victors away at table topping Bristol City, to Meadow Lane this coming Tuesday evening.
 
 
 
League One News - League One Preview - League Link-Ups
 
super_ram

League One News

Notts have signed Lincoln City defender Sean Newton on loan until the end of the season.
The 26-year-old passed a medical on Friday and signed a deal that also sees Notts defender Jordan Cranston move to the Imps until the end of the campaign.
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Barnsley have sacked manager Danny Wilson and assistant boss Chris Hutchings.
The Tykes are 17th in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone and seven off the play-off places.
In a statement, the club called the current league position "unacceptable".
55-year-old Wilson led Barnsley to the Premiership in 1997.
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Barnsley have extended the loan of Manchester United midfielder Ben Pearson until 8th March.
The 20-year-old joined the Tykes in January and has sufficiently impressed in his five appearances to remain for longer.
He said: "I'm delighted to have signed another month. There are a lot of games coming up in February and I'm delighted to be involved.
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Peterborough United have tweeted a message of support to former player Britt Assombalonga after he was ruled out for a year with a knee injury.
The 22-year-old was stretchered off during Nottingham Forest's 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic on Wednesday.
He has now undergone surgery and Posh have wished him the best of luck in his recovery.
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Leyton Orient will be the subject of a new Italian reality TV show, where the winner will win a contract with the club.
Orient's owner, Francesco Becchetti, said the programme would help the club find new players and boost its profile,
The show will air on the Agon channel, owned by Becchetti.
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Former Leeds United midfielder David Norris is having a medical with Peterborough United, according to reports.
The 33-year-old was released by the Elland Road outfit at the end of January after having played just twice in 18 months.
--
Wolverhampton Wanderers have revealed they made a loss of £1.7m during their season in League One.
Commercial income fell £1m as a consequence of lower contracted sponsorship agreements for in the third tier.
--
MK Dons boss Karl Robinson has said the more successful his side become, the more they suffer from poor refereeing.
The 34-year-old believes his side have been on the wrong end of unfavourable refereeing decisions in four of their last five games.
"It always seems the closer we get to the top, decisions start to go against us," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.
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Port Vale have signed teenage Crystal Palace defender Ryan Inniss on a one-month youth loan.
"We're really happy to have made the addition of Ryan to our squad," said Vale boss Rob Page. "We're pleased to secure his services for the next month.
The former England youth international has already played in League One, having had loan spells with Gillingham and Yeovil.
Joe Jones

League One Preview

In this weeks PoN's preview to the League One games played on the 14th of February, several key games have been identified – None more important than the Bristol City v Sheffield United game, which several teams within League One will be looking out for. Bristol City against Sheffield United is an important game this week as it effects both the title race and the play off places.
Neither side will want to lose as it will effect their chances of promotion. However with Sheffield United playing in the F.A Cup, Notts County do not play until Tuesday night whereby both sides are set to have showdown at Meadow Lane.
 
* Important Game – ** Key Game
Saturday 14th February
**Bristol City v Sheffield United – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Chesterfield v Leyton Orient – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
Crawley v Barnsley – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Crewe v Fleetwood – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-2)
Doncaster v Yeovil – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Gillingham v MK Dons – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-3)
Oldham v Colchester – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
*Peterborough v Rochdale – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
Scunthorpe v Swindon – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
*Walsall v Port Vale – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-0)
 
My Stand-out Games
Bristol City v Sheffield United
Peterborough v Rochdale
Walsall v Port Vale
 
Bristol City will be hoping to win and that Swindon lose against Scunthorpe, also that MK Dons drop points against Gillingham so Bristol could possibly move seven points clear at the top of the league one table.
Sheffield United will be hoping to win against Bristol City, then Chesterfield, Bradford and Peterborough to lose or drop points to open a gap on the chasing teams for the play off spots.
Peterborough will be hoping to win against Rochdale to possibly move two places from the play off places while also leap frogging there opponents.
Rochdale will be hoping to win against Peterborough so they could also move within two places of the play off places, whichever team wins will have an advantage over the other for the play offs.
Walsall will be hoping to win against Port Vale and move into the play off places, while Port Vale will be hoping to close the gap on the play off places rather then getting dragged into a relegation battle anymore.
 
Thoughts on Bristol City against Sheffield United
This week as Notts County don’t play due to fa cup matches, i'm focusing on the Bristol city versus Sheffield United match.
This is a game that could go either way really, a draw seems on the cards on current form though I believe Bristol City will edge it.
The current results between the two teams show that Sheffield United are favourites.
Bristol City beat them earlier in the season at Bramall Lane 1-2 in the league.
The overall head to head record shows Sheffield United as favourites winning 24 Bristol 13 and 10 draws.
Sheffield United last beat Bristol city in the league on the 22/02/14 3-0.
Sheffield United have picked up 9 out of 15 from the last 5 meetings.
A tough match to predict but I’ve predicted a 1-0 victory to Bristol City.
 
 
Match Report - League One Round-Up - Week Days Preview
 
william1984

League One Round-Up

At last, a very welcome win for Notts albeit against bottom placed Leyton Orient. League One is now beginning to take shape with the top 4 clubs having a clear lead at the top. Bristol City have a game in hand which has opened up a gap in 1st place, closely followed by Swindon 4 points behind and MK Dons another point lower, still 3rd despite losing on Monday at Bradford.
Preston keep 4th spot and are a further 3 points behind. There is then a gap of 10 points to Oldham in 5th place with Sheffield United occupying the last play off place, though only on goal difference above Chesterfield.
A good run of results would see any team from the chasing pack making a push for the play-offs. Similarly at the the other end of the table, Colchester are now 4 points adrift of safety above Yeovil, Crawley and Leyton Orient.
 
League One Results
Monday 9th February 2015
Bradford 2–1 MK Dons
 
Tuesday 10th February 2015
Barnsley 1–2 Fleetwood
Bristol City 3–1 Port Vale
Chesterfield 0–2 Preston North End
Coventry 1-1 Scunthorpe
Crawley 0–5 Doncaster Rovers
Crewe Alexandra 1–0 Yeovil
Leyton Orient 0–1 Notts County
Oldham 2–1 Swindon
Peterborough 1–2 Gillingham
Sheffield United 4-1 Colchester
Walsall 3–2 Rochdale
 
There were 6 home wins ,5 away wins and 1 draw.
 
Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 14th February 2015
Bristol City v Sheffield United
Chesterfield v Leyton Orient
Crawley v Barnsley
Crewe Alexandra v Fleetwood
Doncaster v Yeovil
Gillingham v MK Dons
Notts County v Preston North End - Postponed. (Next match at home v Sheffield United - Tuesday 17th February 2015)
Oldham v Colchester
Peterborough v Rochdale
Scunthorpe v Swindon
Walsall v Port Vale
 
League One update
The top 4 places remain unchanged with Bristol City top on 61 points, followed by Swindon on 57 points and MK Dons on 56 points both having played 29 games.
Preston are 4th with 53 points from 29 games. Then 10 points lower, are Oldham moving up to 5th on 43 points from 29 games with Sheffield United moving up to 6th with 42 points from 27 games. Chesterfield are also on 42 points, dropping out of the top 6 having played 29 games.
At 8th and 9th come Bradford and Fleetwood each with 41 points but from 28 and 29 games respectively. Walsall are 10th with 40 points from 29 games and Doncaster follow at 11th with 39 points from 28 games.
Rochdale, Peterborough, Notts and Gillingham are next in 12tth to 15th place each on 38 points from 27, 29, 29 and 30 games respectively.
Port Vale have 36 points from 30 games at 16th followed by Barnsley at 17th and Crewe at 18th both with 35 points from 29 games.
In 19th place come Scunthorpe with 34 points from 27 games and Coventry are 20th with 32 points from 30 games.
The relegation places go to Colchester and Yeovil each with 28 points from 29 and 30 games respectively. Crawley with 27 points from 30 games and rock bottom Leyton Orient with 26 points from 28 games.
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14 points now separate 6th placed Sheffield United from 21st placed Colchester.
Notts have moved up to 14th but are 'a mere' 4 points from a play off place and have widened the gap from a relegation place to 10 points.
 
Match Report - Week Days Preview - League Link-Ups
 
super_ram

Leyton Orient 0-1 Notts County

No Bajner, no party, goes the saying. Well, tonight Balint Bajner was present against Leyton Orient, and his goal secured all three points for a Notts County side that looked to be going off the rails – which set off a party among the Magpie faithful and the hundred or so Bajnerites that travelled from Hungary especially to see their cult hero in action for his new team.
Early on in the game at Brisbane Road, Liam Noble slotted a pass through to Garry Thompson, who powered towards goal but blasted his effort just wide of the far post.
The visitors then threatened when a goalmouth scramble at the Notts end was eventually cleared away by Mike Edwards.
In the 20th minute, the Magpies broke the deadlock, and what a moment it was.
Bajner played a one-two with Garry Thompson before the Hungarian swivelled and slotted a low shot past Orient goalkeeper Alex Cisak.
The world’s best player then ran the full length of the pitch to celebrate with a group of fans that had travelled especially from Hungary.
 
Orient set about trying to level proceedings, and there were several problematic moments for Notts as the game edged towards half time, but Shaun Derry’s charges were able to hold out to go in a goal ahead at the break.
The hosts continued to exert pressure on the Magpies as the match went on, but serious chances were at a premium until the latter stages of the game when substitute Dean Cox forced Carroll into a smart save down low.
The 27-year-old then lofted a ball towards the back post, where Ryan Hedges, who was in a great position, fired wide.
Notts were however able to see the game out and secure all three points to climb to 14th in the table.
Joe Jones

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