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Chris
Hello and welcome to episode 22 of the Pride of Nottingham PONCast, the number one Notts County podcast.
In this episode we look at Jamie Fullarton’s departure as Magpies manager and the appointment of ex-Swindon boss Mark Cooper.
We also discuss comments made by Liam Noble over the old manager, assess the impact of Mike Edwards, and much more.
Remember you can subscribe to our PONcast.
You can do so by using iTunes for IOS devices, downloading any of the main podcast apps from the Google play store or even listen to show using the TuneIn Radio app.
As always, let us know your thoughts on this week’s PONcast on the forum or on the Facebook page, and once again, thank you for joining us.
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The Pride of Nottingham PONcast - back with a vengeance!
Episode 22 features the departure of Jamie Fullarton and arrival of Mark Cooper, an interesting revelation from Liam Noble, the impact of Mike Edwards, and plenty more.
Regular playback (including direct download).
Website
http://poncast.co.uk/
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Chris
Like so many Notts County fans, I had big hopes for the 2015/16 season. I generally do get ‘excited’ at the start of any season, but this time round things felt different. Pre-season we seemed to be building a robust squad, unlike previous years – Ricardo Moniz took to assembling a squad, which at face value had a lot of character.
The arrival of so many unknown players really gave the spark to light up my hopes because they looked technically very good, albeit against lower non-league opposition at first.
However, for me the captures of Graham Burke and Adam Campbell really impressed.
Seeing Notts having signed two youngsters, who I was well aware, had potential really gave me more encouragement – whilst the arrival of Scott Loach announced at the Carlton friendly felt somewhat surreal, as it meant Notts would have two solid keepers, who within their own rights would be fit to start as a regular no.1 for most teams above League Two.
I headed to Stevenage at the beginning of the season with so much confidence for the year ahead; I never once felt that by this stage Notts would be sitting on 41 points, glued to 19th place and with the real possibility that they could slip further down.
However, despite the two previous campaigns ending in a fair amount of disappointment – the confidence of a new start really did resonate with me.
I should probably acknowledge at this point, it did take some initial time to process the fact we ended up being related back to fourth division of English football. However, the way seasons turn out is something which I do accept – It’s the passion and pride of supporting a lower tier club, one which the ‘local roots’ hold a firm grip with my family that I cherish.
So, back to Stevenage. Where did it all go wrong?
I left the game feeling very entertained, having witnessed Notts produce some of the best football I had done for years.
Yet somewhere along the lines (and I believe our home defeat to Mansfield didn’t help) the pride and togetherness of the players disappeared – as did the performances. Matters only made worse by the departure of Moniz and the arrival of Jamie Fullarton.
Whether certain players found it difficult to cope with expectations, I am unsure. If the fact we weren’t winning every other game or really contending for promotion put others off – I don’t think it makes much difference but from a point of view from the fan.
Rewinding back, you really can see how the 2015/16 campaign really unravelled before our very eyes.
I suspect it’s a combination of ‘confidence’, ‘expectations’, ‘disappointment’ and to a degree both prior managers making poor uninformed decisions when it came to their squad selections.
I’m just pleased that under Mark Cooper some of the positivity has been restored, as I will openly admit I have felt extremely uninspired during Jamie Fullarton’s reign. It’s with that I hope the turmoil and ‘toxicity’ (a word I heard a lot of around Meadow Lane during that period) doesn’t return, that we may finally be able to push on and secure a bright future eventually. Whilst talk of next season seems ‘bleak’ when there are so many unknowns, I am fully committed to fight for the love of the team I support.
Like Joe Jones, I find myself wanting to end the current campaign and for the next to begin. But I want us to try and do it the right way.
Joe Jones
Notts County and Northampton have met a total of 54 times over the years, the first fixture taking place on 22 November 1930, which resulted in a 2-2 draw at Meadow Lane in Division Three (South).
The Magpies have a superior head-to-head record – they have won 27 times, drawn 10, and lost 17.
Our last meeting was earlier in the season, on 21 November 2015 – this finished 2-1 to the Cobblers, as Jon Stead’s goal was sandwiched between strikes from Rod McDonald and Brendan Moloney.
Northampton were formed in 1897, after meetings between the town’s schoolteachers and local solicitor A.J. Darnell.
They play their home games at the 7,653 capacity all-seater Sixfields Stadium, having moved in 1994 from the County Ground which they shared with the owners, Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.  
They hold the record for the shortest time taken to be promoted from the bottom tier to the top tier and relegated back down to the bottom again, in the space of nine years.
They played their only season of their existence in the top division of English football when they reached the First Division in 1965–66 before then being relegated back to the Fourth Division by 1969–70.
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Northampton could secure automatic promotion from League Two with victory over Notts County today.
The Cobblers, who sit 13 points clear at the top of the table and have not lost in the league this year, will go up if they win and favourable results occur elsewhere.
Lee Martin and Joel Byrom could both return to the starting line-up this weekend after sitting out Monday's 2-2 draw at Mansfield Town with knocks.
Mike Edwards is back in contention under new boss Mark Cooper after struggling for games during former manager Jamie Fullarton's reign.
"If he's fit he has to play every game. I know if the ball is there he'll head it and kick it and that's a basic rule of defending," Cooper told the club's official site.
County are 19th in League Two after Monday's promising 0-0 draw with promotion-chasing Wycombe Wanderers.
Can Notts get a result at Northampton? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County have been selected to take part in an exclusive pre-season friendly tournament alongside some of the biggest clubs in the world.
The International Champions Cup will see teams including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain fight it out in front of Australian, Chinese and North American fans in the last week of July.
Juventus were set to take part in the Australian tournament alongside Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid and A-League side Melbourne Victory, but they have been forced to drop out due to other pre-season commitments.
As a result, they have chosen to give Notts the chance to represent them at Melbourne’s 100,000-capacity Cricket Ground, citing the two clubs’ shared heritage and bond stretching back over a century.
A Juve spokesman was quoted as saying: “We have discussed the move with the relevant people and they’ve agreed to let Notts take our place.
“Given that they played out a creditable 1-1 draw at the Juventus Stadium five years ago, both the ICC and us believe they will represent us proudly.”
An Australian FA spokesperson, meanwhile, was quoted as saying: “Danny Allsopp, one of Notts County’s finest strikers of the last few years, was born in Melbourne and played for several Melbourne teams.
“Also, their ladies’ team features Aivi Luik, an Australian international who played for Melbourne City, so the connections are certainly there.
“We know the Melbourne crowd will turn out in their thousands to see the world’s oldest football league club showcase their talents on the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch.”
Another factor that played in County's favour is the fact fellow East Midlands side Leicester City was selected to take part in the North American tournament.
There was no place for Nottingham Forest, however.
Will you be heading to Australia to watch Notts take on Spurs, Atletico Madrid and Melbourne Victory this summer? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Ahead of Notts County’s clash against Northampton Town, manager Mark Cooper has expressed his desire for the Magpies to be in the same position as the Cobblers in a year’s time.
The League Two leaders were going through a turbulent time at the start of the season, with players and staff unpaid for two months by the time they visited Meadow Lane.
Chris Wilder, the Northampton manager, publicly pleaded for David Cardoza to sell the football club to Kelvin Thomas, and a few days later, the deal was done.
There are parallels between the early-season Cobblers and Notts today, the latter having gone through an underwhelming season recently fraught with issues both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
Cooper said: “I will be saying to our players ‘this should be you - you should be in this position’.
“Maybe next year it might be us, where we are potentially one game away from getting promoted, and that is what we have to strive towards to get that success.
“But you have to put in an awful lot of hard work to get where Northampton are.”
Can Notts County get promoted next season? Let Pride of Nottingham know your thoughts by signing up o the websie, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County manager Mark Cooper has claimed that veteran defender Mike Edwards will play all the remaining games for the Magpies if he remains fit.
With Notts struggling for defensive solidity all season, Cooper picked the 35-year-old centre-back in the starting XI against Wycombe, and was rewarded with a clean sheet.
The Magpies boss said: "If (Edwards) is fit he has to play every game because I know if the ball is there, he will head it and kick it. That's the basic rule of defending.
"He knows the game, he knows how to defend, he knows when to get up the pitch and when to drop off.
"That's a start for us and the more of them we can get in the team again, the better."
How many more games will Edwards play for Notts this season? Let Pride of Nottingham know your opinion by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County defender Mike Edwards has urged everyone connected with the club to put aside all differences and stick together in a bid to finish the season on a high.
The 35-year-old returned to Mark Cooper’s starting XI at centre-back in Monday's goalless draw against Wycombe Wanderers, where he defended stoutly alongside centre-back partner Haydn Hollis.
Edwards said: "We are in this position for a reason, but we don't want to be there. We want to be higher up the table, but we need everybody to stick together.
"It has felt as if everybody has been pulling in different directions. It's been pulled apart a little bit but now we've got to stay together.
"We've got to look forward to finishing the season well so we can take it into the next campaign."
How high can Notts finish in the table? Let us know your thoughts by signing up to the Pride of Nottingham website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County defender Mike Edwards has praised the club’s fans for their support against Wycombe Wanderers, adding that they deserved a positive performance.
The Magpies ended a torrid March on a high note with a much-improved performance on Easter Monday which yielded a point and a clean sheet, 0-0 the final result.
"The fans were class on Monday," said Edwards. "With the results that have been happening we needed to give them a lift. I think the minimum you can do is give that desire and that determination.
"The lads scrapped away and in a few cases we showed some quality too.
"With a little bit more time and a bit more confidence, that style of play will come back. But first and foremost in any game, you have to tough it out."
Will Notts get a result against Northampton Town? Let Pride of Nottingham know your thoughts by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
While a goalless draw at home may look like a negative result at first glance, Notts County gave their fans plenty to cheer about for the first time in weeks with a gutsy performance, a clean sheet and a bright second half against playoff-chasing Wycombe Wanderers in Monday’s game at Meadow Lane.
The visitors could have been behind inside three minutes as miscommunication between Ryan Allsop and Anthony Stewart allowed Adam Campbell to sneak on to a ball over the top, but the Bournemouth loanee threw out a hand to save his side’s blushes.
Wycombe slowly edged their way into the game before a clash of heads between Aaron Pierre and Curtis Thompson caused a lengthy stop in play, though both players were able to continue after receiving treatment.
Graham Burke fired wide from 25 yards following the resumption of play, while moments later, Max Kretschmar’s 30-yard free kick was misjudged by Scott Loach, who almost parried the ball into his own net.
In the 36th minute Notts carried out a routine straight off the training pitch as a short corner was worked to Jon Stead in front of goal, but his effort hit Adam Campbell before being cleared away.
Mark Cooper’s side carried on pounding the Chairboys box after the restart, Stead and Hadyn Hollis both heading over from close range inside four minutes.
Gareth Ainsworth’s charges, meanwhile, didn’t threaten until 15 minutes into the second half, Kretzschmar’s speculative drive failing to test Loach.
A flurry of chances for the away side then saw Pierre denied by two brave blocks, while Paul Hayes produced an acrobatic volley from the edge of the box which Loach did well to hold.
Notts had the final say in terms of chances, but when Izale McLeod was put clean through on goal, his one-on-one opportunity ended with a lob the wrong side of the bar.
In injury time, meanwhile, Hollis’s close-range header was thwarted by a superb Allsop diving save.
Despite not being able to register a goal, the final whistle was met by cheers and positive chants from the Notts faithful, buoyed by having witnessed one of the first hearty Magpies performances in a long time.
How many more points will Notts earn between now and the end of the season? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County manager Mark Cooper has launched a scathing criticism of his side following their 4-0 defeat at Portsmouth, saying they concede "ridiculously bad goals" and that their footballing careers are at stake.
The four-goal thrashing at Fratton Park on Friday was preceded by a 4-1 defeat against Exeter City at Meadow Lane, leaving the Magpies in the lower reaches of League Two.
"I said to the players after the game on Saturday that it doesn't matter what formation, or what players are out there, you keep conceding ridiculously bad goals," Cooper said.
"For this to stop, it has to come from within. You must show desire and must take responsibility.
"I was surprised at how basic the goals were. If Richard Dryden had played centre-back we would not have conceded four and he's 45 or 46.
"They need to realise that careers are at stake and players' contracts are up. Whether they are going to stay here or move on, they have to be better."
Can Notts get a result against Wycombe Wanderers? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County midfielder Liam Noble has criticised his side's defending, saying it's unfair on goalkeeper Scott Loach and simply "not good enough".
The Magpies lost 4-0 at Portsmouth on Good Friday, while six days earlier they went down 4-1 at home to Exeter City.
Noble said: "As a team we can't defend. It's down to us and it has been for the last few games.
"As you saw the four goals could have been stopped. It keeps on happening and individuals need to look at themselves.
"As a team we are not good enough to defend. It's disappointing. It was Sunday morning stuff. It's unfair on Scott Loach, because he's conceded four yet again and there was nothing he could do about it.
"I thought we played well and were in the game, but we switched off. It's not good enough."
What can Notts do to improve their defending? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers have faced each other a total of 31 times over the years, with the first meeting coming as late as 1995, when the Magpies won 2-0 at Meadow Lane.
The Chairboys are way ahead in the head-to-head, having beaten Notts 15 times and drawn eight – we have beaten them just eight times.
We last faced off on 15 December 2015, a League Two game at Adams Park which ended in a 2-2 draw.
The fixture has been a high-scoring affair in recent years – our last five meetings have yielded 18 goals. Both sides have also scored in the last four – worth a BTTS bet perhaps?
In 1887, a meeting held at the Steam Engine public house in Station Road, High Wycombe saw the formation of Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
It is highly likely the club was named Wanderers after the famous Wanderers, winners of the first FA Cup in 1872. The club played just friendly matches between 1887 and 1896.  
Wycombe first entered the FA Amateur Cup in 1894 and the FA Cup in 1895. In 1895 the club moved to Loakes Park, which would become its home for the next 95 years.  
In 1896 the club joined the Southern League and competed in the Second Division until 1908, but in the summer of 1908 the club declined the invitation to retain their membership of the Southern League.  
The club decided to pursue amateur instead of professional football and joined the Great Western Suburban League and remained there until the outbreak of the First World War.  
After the hostilities had ended the club joined the Spartan League in 1919 and were Champions in successive years. In March 1921 the club's application to join the Isthmian League was accepted.
Wycombe enjoyed a fairytale season in 2000–01 as the club reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. First Division sides Grimsby Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Wimbledon were all beaten before a memorable quarter-final with Premier League Leicester City.  
In a game that has gone down in FA Cup history, striker Roy Essandoh headed an injury-time winner to seal a 2–1 win at Filbert Street as manager Lawrie Sanchez looked on from the dressing room, having been dismissed from the touchline during the game. The ensuing semi-final at Villa Park saw Liverpool pushed all the way, but the Reds claimed a 2–1 victory.
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Notts County manager could make changes to his side after describing their defending in Friday’s 4-0 defeat at Portsmouth as “park football”.
With Blair Adams likely to remain out with a foot injury, Rhys Sharpe, Wes Atkinson or Mike Edwards are options to come into the team in defence.
Goalkeeper Roy Carroll is still away on international duty with Northern Ireland so Scott Loach is expected to remain between the posts, with Kevin Pilkington on the bench.
Wycombe's promotion challenge has been dealt a blow with an injury to Sam Wood - the winger suffered a knee injury against Mansfield Town and early indications are the problem could keep him out for a few weeks.
Jerell Sellars replaced Wood in the eighth minute on Friday and the on-loan Aston Villa youngster could now make his full debut at Meadow Lane.
Wanderers will also be without Marcus Bean through suspension – the midfielder incurred a three-game ban for his sending-off at Carlisle United on 19 March.
Can Notts County get a result against Wycombe Wanderers? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
New Notts County manager Mark Cooper has launched into a scathing assessment of his side following their 4-0 defeat at Portsmouth, saying their defending wouldn’t have been seen in park football.
Though the Magpies played admirably in the first half at Fratton Park and were unlucky to concede just before the break, they were run ragged in the second half as Kyle Bennett, Christian Burgess and Marc McNulty weighed in with simple finishes.
The former Swindon boss said: "A lot of people told me before I came here that this team conceded a lot of goals and couldn't defend properly.
"I think you've just seen (on Friday) that the softest of goals unlocked us and changes the complexion of the game.
"All four goals aren't from brilliant play from Portsmouth but ridiculous defensive errors. The players need to take some responsibility; they've had three managers.
"The first goal, their lad has picked up the ball 15 yards into our half, run down the touchline, cut in and rolled the ball into the net - that wouldn't happen tomorrow on the park.
"It's like park football - it's not just defenders, the players need to take responsibility. I can't take any satisfaction from that other than 11 men stayed on the pitch."
Will Notts manage to keep another clean sheet this season? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County fans were in good spirits ahead of their side’s League Two clash with Portsmouth at Fratton Park, but by the end of it they were left to bemoan a poor display for which new boss Mark Cooper will need to pull out all the stops to sort out.
The hosts had a penalty appeal turned down after just three minutes, with Haydn Hollis’s challenge on Ben Davies in the box not being punished.
A slip up by the Pompey keeper allowed Izale McLeod the chance to volley into an open goal from 30 yards out, but the ex-Crawley man missed the target.
Notts were intent to stamp their mark on the game and in what proved to be quite a niggly first half, the visitors weighed in with a number of challenges, which saw the likes of Rob Milsom and Curtis Thompson receive bookings.
Unfortunately it wouldn’t prove to be so fruitful on the goal tally, because on the stroke of half time, Kyle Bennett was able to get deep into the Notts area and slot past Scott Loach.
Shortly after the restart Adam McGurk could have doubled the advantage, but his free header from Ben Davies' free kick sailed wide.
Notts were nevertheless undone again in the 48th minute courtesy of Bennett’s second, cottoning onto Gary Roberts' slide-rule pass and slotting past Loach.
Pompey then made it three goals to nil when Christian Burgess got in front of his man to head in Enda Stevens' quickly-taken free kick.
Paul Cook’s side made sure of a crushing win when top scorer Marc McNulty lobbed a header over Loach, once again completely unmarked.
4-0 was the final score, and it looks like Craig Westcarr’s prediction of this job being Cooper’s most difficult in his time as a manager looks to be correct.
What did you make of the performance? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.
Joe Jones
New Notts County manager Mark Cooper has called on his players to "put things straight" beginning in their League Two clash at Portsmouth.
The Magpies haven't won in seven games and currently sit 19th in the fourth tier, prompting bookies to make Pompey clear favourites to win the game at Fratton Park on Friday.
Cooper used this as a rallying call, telling the press: "I really am looking forward to it and I hope the players can deliver a good performance.
"There have been a lot of questions about them and a lot of things have been labelled at them. I said to them it's time to put one or two things straight. Answer a few questions and prove that you are not as bad as your league form suggests."
Can Notts defeat Portsmouth? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

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Pride of Nottingham

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

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