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Joe Jones
Matt Tootle is looking forward to Monday's "massive" League Two home game against Portsmouth, claiming that the anticipated record crowd and buzzing atmosphere is a sign of "how far the club's come and where it's going".
The Magpies will be welcoming to Meadow Lane a Pompey side which could seal promotion out of the fourth tier, where they have been languishing since 2013 following catastrophic financial hardship which is now behind them.
Notts are also smiling after their own off-the-pitch problems came to an end when Alan Hardy took over the club this year, with manager Kevin Nolan all but guiding the side out of relegation danger and the future looking much rosier for the previously beleagured NG2 side.
Tootle is relishing not only the prospect of a big crowd and atmosphere, but also the opportunity for the team to test themselves against high-flying opposition.
The defender told the official Notts site: "It's a massive game, Monday. It will be a really good day for everyone and it will show how far the club's come, and where it's going.
"It's a good test for us. We beat Plymouth a few months ago, we beat Portsmouth away and we'll show on Monday that we're just as good, if not better than them.
"This should really be a top-of-the-table clash. It will be a great game and a great crowd - and I can't wait."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has claimed that while he has fond memories of being promoted at an away game, he does not want Portsmouth to be enjoying a promotion party of their own at Meadow Lane on Monday.
Pompey face Notts County in Nottingham in two days' time and, should they beat the Magpies and Luton Town drop points, they will be promoted to League One.
Nolan enjoyed a promotion party at Plymouth Argyle seven years ago as part of the Newcastle United squad, and remembers how the Pilgrims allowed them to celebrate at Home Park.
"We went to Plymouth and what happened there was fantastic," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"They got relegated on the same night we won the title, but they were brilliant to us as a club. They allowed the celebrations and put all the songs on for us and things like that. It was a first class attitude from them.
"If Portsmouth do get promotion then they will get a shake of the hand from me. We will maybe have a glass of champagne on their behalf, but we don't want that scenario to happen.
"I told the lads I don't want the party at our place. We've just got to make sure we keep the run going.
"The last I heard was they (Portsmouth) had sold nearly 5,000 tickets. It's going to be a good day, but what we have to do is make sure we don't get carried away with everything that's going on around the game.
"We have to make sure we do what we have been doing at home which is making it difficult for Portsmouth and deliver the kind of performances we have been producing of late.
"It's another one for the lads to put a statement out there which says I am ready for next year."
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Joe Jones
Notts County were denied a clear penalty in Friday's 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road.
Chris Dagnall cancelled out Adam Campbell's early opener for the Magpies, before captain Michael O'Connor restored the visitors' lead with a second-half finish against his former club.
However, County's hopes of recording a fifth straight win were dashed when James Jones made amends for gifting the visitors their early lead.
Kevin Nolan's charges should have had a penalty late on when Shola Ameobi was brought down by goalkeeper Ben Garratt in the box, but referee Gavin Ward ended up penalising the Newcastle striker instead.
See all the goals and the penalty shout for yourself with Notts County's official match highlights.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has hailed the Notts County fans for turning out in their numbers at Crewe Alexandra and giving them incredible support all through the game.
A total of 1,069 Magpies fans went through the Gresty Road turnstiles to see their team play out a 2-2 draw which puts them just two points from mathematical safety.
After the game, Nolan told the official Notts site: "I thought our fans were incredible all through the game. I thank them all for their support - the lads and I really appreciate it.
"If you get those numbers travelling with you you're going to start sneaking up that table and things start looking positive for next year.
"We gifted them two goals today and if we had eradicated those mistakes we would have had a relatively easy day, I think.
"Some of our play was really good today in difficult conditions - it was a bit windy out there - and I thought we were very worthy of a win.
"We're absolutely gutted it's a 2-2 draw but how good is it that we're talking like that now, instead of coming away thinking 'we've had another loss and we've got a lot of work to do'?"
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has expressed his bewilderment with referee Gavin Ward's decision not to award Shola Ameobi a penalty late on in Notts County's 2-2 draw at Crewe Alexandra.
With the League Two clash at Gresty Road delicately poised, the veteran striker was brought down by Crewe goalkeeper Ben Garratt, but instead the referee gave the hosts a free kick and booked Ameobi for diving.
Nolan could barely contain his frustration after the game, and the Nottingham Post quotes him as saying: "Your guess is as good as mine as to why the ref didn't give it.
"Whether we would have scored I don't know because our recent record of penalties isn't great.
"I am bewildered. I think the ref and his staff know it is the wrong decision. The fourth official has to help the referee. He could see it, we could see it, and everyone in the stadium could see it.
"It's so annoying because the officials are supposed to be a team and work together.
"This is another thing about that decision, they have to know the player. Shola is an honest player and plays the game in the right way.
"I don't think he's been sent off and he very rarely gets yellow cards. He's not a cheat so I don't know really what to say because I don't want to get into too much trouble."
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Joe Jones
Notts County were denied a clear penalty as they played out a 2-2 draw in Good Friday's League Two fixture at Crewe Alexandra.
The opener came in the ninth minute as the Magpies made the most of a howler in the hosts' defence.
James Jones's misplaced pass on the edge of the box was intercepted by Adam Campbell, who bore forward and slotted past goalkeeper Ben Garratt.
However, a defensive gaffe from Notts was responsible for the Railwaymen drawing level, as Haydn Hollis gave the ball away and George Cooper quickly spotted the run of Chris Dagnall.
The striker raced forward, almost half the length of the pitch, and slipped the ball under advancing keeper Adam Collin.
On 51 minutes Notts were back ahead when Garratt drilled a ball in Callum Cooke’s direction and the ball bounced off the loanee, setting Michael O’Connor behind the defence to bear down on goal and fire into the net.
The lead wasn't to last though as, 66 minutes in, Notts surrendered the ball in midfield, allowing Dagnall the space to have a go, and his deflection rebounded into the path of Jones, whose effort hit Collin and bounced over the line.
There was controversy in injury time when Shola Ameobi got through and looked to have been brought down in the box by Garratt.
As the Notts fans cried out for a penalty, referee Gavin Ward awarded a free kick to Crewe and booked the striker for diving as the game eventually finished all square.
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Joe Jones
Notts County’s head-to-head history with Crewe Alexandra dates back to September 1893, when the Magpies faced the Railwaymen at the Alexandra Recreation Ground. The result was a 2-0 win for Notts.
After several further meetings in the late 1890s, the fixture would experience a hiatus of 63 years; between 1896 and 1959, the two teams didn't play each other.
Despite our shared history going back so far, there have only been 42 meetings between the two sides. Notts have the upper hand with 21 wins to 13 defeats, and eight draws have taken place.
The Alex have been on the receiving end of several thumpings at the hands of the Magpies – in 1894, we beat them 9-1 and 5-1, in 1896 we won 6-0, in 1959 we recorded a 4-1 victory, 1970 brought a 5-1 victory, while in 2013, a 4-0 scoreline at Meadow Lane brought some light to a gloomy first half of the campaign.
The origins of the “Alexandra” moniker in the club name aren’t fully known. Whether they took the name from a hotel, patronised by those connected with the railway works and where they held their meetings, or whether it was after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married Queen Victoria’s eldest son, later King Edward VII, is open to speculation.
In 2013, the club won its first-ever major silverware after beating Southend United 2-0 in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.
Crewe are known as the Railwaymen because of the town’s links to the British train network. Crewe station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Nowadays, as well as serving the town of Crewe that has grown near it, it still operates as a major junction on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). It also serves as a major station on the WCML and as a major rail gateway for the North West.
The town of Crewe has an interesting roll call of local legends, including rugby player Mark Cueto, professional BMX racer Shanaze Reade, 1990s heartthrob Adam Rickitt (ask a female friend or relative between the ages of 30 and 40), Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, and Jimmy MacDonald, also known as the voice of Mickey Mouse.
Team news
Danny Hollands is set to miss the rest of the season for Crewe with a hamstring injury.
Forward Alex Kiwomya could be in contention to start, but Jon Guthrie's ongoing hernia problems mean he will remain on the sidelines.
Crewe are currently 17th in the table and will be looking to respond after back-to-back league defeats.
Notts, meanwhile, welcome back midfielder Mark Yeates after the winger completed a three-match ban.
Yeates is likely to return to the matchday squad, meaning Kevin Nolan will make a decision on whether Adam Campbell or Yeates will start.
Michael O'Connor is pushing for a starting place after impressing off the bench during their win over Carlisle last weekend, while Marc Bola is fit after recovering from a hamstring injury.
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy is looking forward to Easter Monday's Meadow Lane clash between Notts County and Portsmouth and hopes that more people go through the turnstiles than for the Mansfield Town game.
Pompey are gunning for automatic promotion from League Two this season, sitting third on 74 points - eight ahead of Luton Town with just five games left, and have a chance to confirm their ascent into League One in Nottingham.
The Notts owner is relishing the chance to see a top-three side try their luck at "our fortress", in what he expects will be a game with brilliant atmosphere.
Hardy wrote in the Nottingham Post: "[The win over Carlisle] set us up very nicely for the games over the Easter weekend which is a great time of the year for any football fan given the amount of fixtures.
"First we travel to Crewe on Good Friday where we hope to continue our momentum ahead of the Portsmouth game on Bank Holiday Monday.
"That game has got so many people talking around the city, not least because Portsmouth fans are travelling in their thousands as they look to win promotion to League One.
"Ticket sales have been magnificent and I am hoping that we will surpass our biggest attendance of the season so far which was against Mansfield Town back in January.
"More than 11,000 fans came through the gates for that derby, but I am expecting us to eclipse that total and I cannot wait to experience the atmosphere.
"For some time now, I have been longing to see a top-three team at our fortress because that's what Meadow Lane has become.
"We are unbeaten at home in 2017 and I don't think there will be too many teams across the divisions who can boast that kind of record."
To read Alan Hardy's latest Nottingham Post column in full, click here.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan wants the Notts County players who are out of contract at the end of the season to be exemplary off the pitch as well as on it.
With the exception of Adam Collin, Mark Yeates, Carl Dickinson, Michael O'Connor and Matt Tootle, every other player will see their current deals expire this summer.
Nolan is hoping to reward those players who have made themselves count over the last few months, but will also look at their attitude as a whole in training and during downtime.
"It's not just about a Saturday, it's about how you react to them, whether you are in the team or out of the team and whether you are in the squad or out of it," he told the Nottingham Post.
"All those type of things - including how they act around the club - will be monitored.
"That will all be taken into consideration when we are deciding if we want to keep players for another season or whether we will be saying thank you for their services and wishing them luck in their career.
"But we haven't got there yet. I am really pleased with what I have got and there are some tough decisions to be made."
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Joe Jones
Shola Ameobi has dropped a massive hint towards extending his Notts County contract beyond the end of the season after admitting it's "the place I am supposed to be".
The former Newcastle United striker penned a short-term deal in February, with ex-teammate and friend Kevin Nolan at the help of the Magpies.
Since then, he has won plaudits from both fans and pundits with four goals in 13 appearances, even prompting some Newcastle fans to joke about signing him back.
Speaking of his time at Notts, Ameobi told the Nottingham Post: "I am loving every minute of it and the big thing for me is that I've been able to come in and feel at home straight away.
"I can hear the love from the fans and it means a lot, not just for me but for the team because they are really behind us.
"It makes me feel that this is the place I am supposed to be. So as long as my body allows it, then (a contract renewal) is something I am hoping that can happen."
Earlier in the day, Nolan had dropped a hint of his own about hoping to renew Ameobi's contract at Meadow Lane.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has made a hint towards Shola Ameobi staying at Notts County beyond the end of the season.
The 35-year-old frontman joined the Magpies on a short-term deal in early February and has bagged four goals in 13 games for the club.
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "I'm quite certain that if I want to keep Shola then he will be here next year, because we're mates.
"He was not playing and no one had rang him up for his services for the last six months when I made the call.
"I think he's spoken quite openly that he was thinking of even hanging up his boots in January.
"What you are seeing now is a fully fit Shola Ameobi and what he can do. I know what he can do, that's why I brought him to the club.
"And it's not just what he does on the field, but off it too with his professionalism. He's a credit to himself as well as his family, and he's a credit to this club because he drives a lot of it in the dressing room and makes my life easier.
"I've got nothing but good things to say about Shola. He's happy, I'm happy so when we know we're happy we normally come to a good agreement."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has paid tribute to the stability behind the scenes as a major factor in Notts County's improvements on the pitch.
Since Alan Hardy took over the club in January, the Magpies have enjoyed steady progress which has turned them from down-and-out misfits into the in-form team of League Two.
There is even talk among the fans of a late, though somewhat-implausible-at-this-stage, tilt at the playoffs, which just goes to show how good things are now, considering the start of the year was a case of bracing ourselves for the non-league.
"The work that Alan is doing off the pitch is absolutely fantastic and what the lads are doing on the pitch is backing all that up," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"It makes for a much healthier environment when everything is getting sorted from top to bottom and you have a manager and chairman who are in tandem with each other.
"That's why you are seeing the performances from these lads. They are settled and know exactly what is expected of them."
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Joe Jones
Jess Clarke, one of the longest-serving players in the Notts County Ladies team, has completed a move to Liverpool Ladies for an undisclosed fee.
The 27-year-old, a striker who came through the youth setup at Leeds Carnegie Ladies, joined the Lady Pies in 2010, spending the last six seasons at the club.
Clarke was part of the 2015 Notts squad that reached two major cup finals, including the Women’s FA Cup Final, the first to be held at Wembley Stadium.
On the departure, Notts manager Rick Passmoor said: “Jess has been a fantastic asset to this team for the three seasons we’ve been here.
"She expressed a desire to move on to a new challenge – a request we reluctantly accepted."
On her move, Clarke told the Liverpool website: “I am delighted to join Liverpool Ladies and I’m really looking forward to working alongside the players and Scott.
“There is already a great squad of players here and I am confident that we will have a successful Spring Series.”
Liverpool Ladies boss Scott Rogers, meanwhile, said: "Jess will give us more options up front and I am confident that she can prove to be a really important addition to the squad.
“Jess is lightning quick, as well as being clinical in front of goal. She is also proven in the FAWSL, so I am delighted to have signed her ahead of the upcoming Spring Series."
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PON_News
With the season heading into the business end, March had plenty of chicanes for Juventus to navigate, but I'm glad to say we have done so successfully.
We are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after beating Porto 1-0 at the Juventus Stadium, which completed a 3-0 aggregate win, and we will be hosting Barcelona tonight!
In Serie A, we are still top of the table with 77 points from 31 games, with Roma six points behind. We only played three league games, claiming two wins (against AC Milan and Sampdoria) and a draw (against Udinese).
April has so far brought us a win and a draw in Serie A, claiming a point at Napoli and getting a 2-0 win over Chievo.
We also played Napoli in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, losing 3-2 to them in the second leg - Gonzalo Higuain scored our goals - but still reaching the final thanks to an aggregate win of 5-4.
There weren't many games in April due to the international break, which brought us bad news as winger Marko Pjaca injured his knee in Croatia's friendly loss to Estonia. He suffered a torn cruciate ligament and external meniscus, which will see him out of action for about six months.
But on the positive side, 19-year-old Boca Juniors midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has completed his medical at Juve ahead of a € 9m summer move. The Under-20 Uruguay International is one of the most promising midfielders in the world so his signing is great for the club.

In between the two Napoli games, Higuaìn spoke about his reasons for leaving the Partenopei and joining Juventus. He said: "I am happy with this choice because I reached a certain serenity, on and off the football. It was what I tried and I did. On a personal level, I feel I made the right step. "
Our MVP for March is Juan Cuadrado. It was a positive month, but April will be even more important in the season of our Juve!
Thank you to Leo from Daje Juve for this article. Follow them on Instagram by clicking here.
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Joe Jones
Notts County have secured a deal with Basford United that will guarantee the Magpies their own training pitch next season, Kevin Nolan has revealed.
The team have currently been using Basford's facilities and 4G pitch in the build-up to games, but this will change going into the new campaign.
"We have brokered a deal with Basford United and we will have our own pitch up there," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"Our groundsman will be working there. They (Basford) have been fantastic and so too have the boss (Alan Hardy) and Jason (Turner, CEO).
"It's another positive move for the club and epitomises what is going on at the club at the moment in terms of getting the right facilities.
"We have been training on 4G and while it's not great to be working on it all week, at least you can work on your qualities and know the weather will not have a massive effect.
"Next year we are hoping to have a great playing surface at Meadow Lane and we are hoping to replicate that at Basford.
"We are going to have our own pitch that we will be able to train on daily. It will be a grass pitch and we will also have the use of the 4G when needed.
"I am just delighted we have somewhere for next year when we will be on grass more often than not."
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