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Joe Jones
Three players have departed Meadow Lane today as Jimmy Spencer, Civard Sprockel and Julian Jenner have all left Notts County by mutual consent.
The latter two were recruited by previous boss Ricardo Moniz last summer and have struggled to hold down a place in the first-team.
Jenner has made 15 appearances for the Magpies this season, although just four of them have been starts, while his teammate has started seven games for the club.
Spencer, meanwhile, joined in February 2014 and scored five goals in 13 games, but suffered a knee ligament injury in July of that year and was out for eight months. He has started just one game this season.
Head of recruitment Guy Branston said: "Jimmy's aware there are clubs chasing his signature so he won't be without a club for too long. He's been a great pro throughout a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
"Civard and Julian have been true professionals throughout and have always tried their best to break into the first team.
"Unfortunately it hasn't worked out for either player in the way we had hoped, and all parties have agreed it is in the best interests for both to move on."
 
Would you have kept any or all of these three players? Join the Pride of Nottingham community, visit the forum and join the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts and Luton have faced off 67 times, with the first meeting coming in January 1912 when the Magpies secured a 4-2 away win in the FA Cup.
The record is heavily slanted towards the Hatters, who have 34 wins to Notts’s 14, 19 draws completing the head-to-head.
Out of the nine matches between the two that have taken place since the turn of the century, Notts have won three, drawn three and lost three.
Luton Town Football Club was formed on 11 April 1885, the product of a merger of the two leading local teams, Luton Town Wanderers and Excelsior.
The club was the first in southern England to turn professional, making payments to players as early as 1890 and turning fully professional a year later.
It joined the Football League before the 1897–98 season, left in 1900 because of financial problems, and rejoined in 1920.
Luton reached the First Division in 1955–56 and contested a major final for the first time when playing Nottingham Forest in the 1959 FA Cup Final.
The team was then relegated from the top division in 1959–60, and demoted twice more in the following five years, playing in the Fourth Division from the 1965–66 season. However, it was promoted back to the top level by 1974–75.
Luton Town's most recent successful period began in 1981–82, when the club won the Second Division, and thereby gained promotion to the First. Luton defeated Arsenal 3–2 in the 1988 Football League Cup Final and remained in the First Division until relegation at the end of the 1991–92 season.
Between 2007 and 2009, financial difficulties caused the club to fall from the second tier of English football to the fifth in successive seasons. The last of these relegations came during the 2008–09 season, when 30 points were docked from Luton's record for various financial irregularities.
Luton then spent five seasons in non-League football before winning the Conference Premier in 2013–14, securing promotion back into the Football League.
The club's nickname, "the Hatters", reflects Luton's historical connection with the hat making trade, which has been prominent there since the 1600s. The nickname was originally a variant on the now rarely seen straw-plaiters. Supporters of the club are also called Hatters.
Luton is associated with two very different colour schemes—white and black (first permanently adopted in 1920), and orange, navy and white (first used in 1973, and worn by the team as of the 2015–16 season).
During the 2014–15 season, Luton Town had an average home league attendance of 8,702 – the second highest in League Two behind only Portsmouth.
In the 2013–14 season, when the club were in the Conference Premier, the club had significantly higher support than the other clubs in its league, with an average home attendance of 7,387; more than twice compared to the second highest of 3,568.
The record for the most appearances for Luton is held by Bob Morton, who turned out for the club 562 times in all competitions between 1946 and 1964. Morton also holds the record for the most Football League appearances for the club, with 495.
Fred Hawkes holds the record for the most league appearances for Luton, having played in 509 league matches. Six players, Gordon Turner, Andy Rennie, Brian Stein, Ernie Simms, Herbert Moody and Steve Howard, have scored more than 100 goals for Luton.
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Luton will be without Danny Green and Josh McQuoid when they face Notts on Saturday. The former is out of action with ankle ligament damage sustained against Cambridge United, earlier in the month, while McQuoid underwent a knee operation this week and is expected to be out of action for at least a month.
Hatters manager Nathan Jones could have goalkeeper Mark Tyler and winger Ryan Hall back in contention but they are going to make a last minute decision on the pair.
Stanley Aborah remains a concern for Notts after sustaining a knee injury in training. He missed last weekend's home defeat to AFC Wimbledon and is still struggling with the problem.
Fellow midfielder Liam Noble is back in contention for a starting place after making his comeback from a four-match suspension as a second-half substitute against the Dons.
Winger Will Hayhurst has cruciate knee ligament damage and is unlikely to play again this season.
 
Discuss the build up to Saturday's game on the Pride of Nottingham forum.
super_ram
Here I go again, with a look at the upcoming games in League Two. Again I've highlighted a few games I think are important, although every game is important in one way or another. I've made Luton v Notts my key game.
*Important Game ** Key Game
Saturday 30th January 2016
*Accrington v Bristol Rovers – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-2)
Wimbledon v Yeovil – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)

League Two Preview Saturday 30th January 2016

Crawley v Mansfield – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Dagenham & Redbridge P – P Carlisle
Hartlepool v Exeter – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Leyton Orient v Cambridge – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
**Luton v Notts County – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
Morecambe v Newport – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
*Plymouth v Wycombe – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3-1)
York v Stevenage – Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
Tuesday 2nd February 2016

*Luton v Yeovil – Kick Off 19:45pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
Morecambe v Portsmouth – Kick Off 19:45pm – Score Prediction (2-2)
My first game features 6th placed Accrington against 4th placed Bristol Rovers. Accrington have games in hand having only played 24 games and have 42 points while Rovers have played 28 games, 4 more than Stanley but have 47 points so points are vital to both these teams in their quest for promotion. I've gone for a 2-2 draw.
My second important game is 2nd placed Plymouth at home to 9th placed Wycombe. Argyle will go top with a win as current leaders Northampton don't have a game this week. Wycombe at 9th with a win and favourable results, could climb into the play off places. My prediction is a 3-1 win for Plymouth.
Luton feature twice in my highlighted games as they have a midweek game as well as hosting Notts on Saturday. On Tuesday they are again at home, this time to Yeovil who are struggling in 22nd place. I've gone 2-0 for this one.
Once again I feature Notts as my key game.
**Luton v Notts County
Luton are at 13th and are 2 places and one point better off than Notts. They have also played one more game than Notts' 26.
Earlier this season on 12/9/2016 Notts beat Luton 3-2 at Meadow Lane.
Notts still have 20 games to make an impact on League Two but Jamie Fullarton really needs all 3 points to make up for last weeks let down and to stop Notts' season fizzling out completely.
Sorry folks but I've gone for a 1-1 draw.
Chris
The Magpies' take on Luton Town tomorrow at the Kenilworth Road Stadium, which will be the second time Notts have played them within the 2015/16 season. On Saturday 12th September 2015, Notts managed to defeat Luton Town at Meadow Lane after enjoying a 2-0 lead upto the 71st minute, when the Hatters responded and then quickly drawn level on the 76th minute.
Liam Noble sealed all three points by scoring in the final seconds, the final score 3-2 to Notts County.
In this feature, Notts-Joe has taken the time to put several questions to two Luton Town fans - Beanite and Matt kindly took the challenge to respond in-depth for our own faithful's and beneath you will be able to gauge tomorrow's opposition. Find out what they both fans have had to say!
Could you tell Pride of Nottingham a little bit about yourself, such as how long you have supported Luton Town?
Beanite: Although born in Lutonia I'm one of  the many exiled Hatters. Having lived in Hampshire for the last 30 years a home game for me is a 150 mile round trip. My first match was the 4-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in Feb 70. Who was to know then that the young defender we'd signed from Fulham would still to this day hold the record for scoring 5 goals in a match for England!
Matt: I'm a 29 year old season ticket holder who has been going to Kenilworth Road for 24 years. My first game was a drab 0-0 draw with Sunderland on a cold December day in 1992. Despite this, I was hooked, and was rewarded the following season with our fantastic run to the FA Cup semi-final, beating Newcastle and West Ham on the way before losing 2-0 to Chelsea at Wembley.
That's pretty much the high point of my Luton supporting life. There have been a few highs, namely our first season back in the Championship under Mike Newell (where I genuinely thought we could get promotion to the Premiership), the FA Cup ties with Liverpool, beating Norwich as a Conference side and the vast majority of our Conference Championship season where it just seemed as though we could turn up anywhere and win. However Luton's recent history is largely a tale of woe, synonymous with player sales, relegations and points deductions. However all that is now behind us and, with a new manager and shiny new stadium on the horizon, the future could very well be orange.
How do you feel your seasons going so far? What was your hopes at the start and have you since reflected on them?
Beanite: It's fair to say that we all had high hopes for the squad that John Still had assembled at the start of the season. Unfortunately he wasn't able to put out a good enough team & he has now returned to his roots, albeit with the gratitude from all Hatters for returning us to the FL.
Matt: In a word, horrifically. That may sound dramatic however such were the expectations at the beginning of the season given the quality of player we bought in, the results and more worryingly the performances were incredibly disappointing. If you had asked 100 Luton fans at the beginning of the season what their expectations were, I'm sure 99 would have said automatic promotion. It was only a catastrophic loss of form from February onward that saw us drop out of the top 3 (and then 7) last season and so the additions of Scott Cuthbert, Danny Green, Paddy McCourt and Craig Mackail-Smith would surely propel us to the summit. Or not.
As much as I like the guy and will forever be grateful for him hauling us out of the Conference, it was the right decision to part ways with John Still. The tactics (or lack thereof) were akin to what most people would call 'hoofball', which is not ideal when CMS and Jack Marriott up top are about 5'8. These tactics may have been acceptable had they produced results however the lack of wins, goals and entertainment duly saw Mr Still make way.
It will be interesting to see how Nathan Jones does with this group of players. I still believe the majority are 'above the level' players who were hamstrung by the previous management teams negative tactics. Jones is seen as a forward thinking coach and has said he wants to bring Tiki-Taka to Kenilworth Road. The early signs are encouraging, but time will tell.
Many Notts fans would have like to see Alan Sheehan return to Meadow Lane, what do you make of this signing for Luton and did it come as a surprise?
Beanite: TBH I'd never heard of him but then any player who scores his first goal against whatfor'd has got to be a top signing!
Matt: It did come somewhat out of the blue. Our defense has been shaky all season, particularly since Sumo (Steve McNulty) moved to Tranmere to be closer to his family. There was a huge gap in defense and a massive lack of leadership in his absence, so I wasn't surprised that Nathan Jones bought a center half in. It was slightly more surprising that he replaced Luke Wilkinson (sold to Stevenage) who had probably been the least best of a bad bunch when in came to center halves this season.
I'm yet to see Alan Sheehan play as I couldn't make it to his debut up in Mansfield, however I hear only good things. I've done a little bit of YouTube trawling and his left foot is a thing of beauty. Hopefully we can sort our issues at center half and move Sheehan too left back to get the most out of him.
Which of your 2015/16 signings have stood out? Are you disappointed personally by any?
Beanite: Two signings stand out for me, Jack Marriott from Ipswich and Magnus Okuronghae from Col Utd. I guess we are expected to feel disappointed with Craig M.S. but this chap works his proverbials off and playing him as a winger with hoof ball probably wasn't John Still's finest moment.
Matt: It's been a really mixed bag for our signings this season. Some, such as Jack Marriott and Danny Green have shone in patches. Others like Craig Mackail Smith and Paddy McCourt have rather flattered to deceive (although the former has spent most of the season trying to win headers against center halves and the latter has started one game since October), whilst others have been outright disappointing. Scott Cuthbert and Magnus Okuonghae, I'm looking at you.
I have faith however that they are decent enough players who were playing to instructions which rather hampered their abilities. Jack Marriott has pace to burn and has had a lot of success coming off of the bench. Cameron McGeehan has a lovely knack of being in the right place at the right time to score from midfield. I really think Nathan Jones' appointment will do them all (and indeed the entire squad) the world of good.
What did you make of the game between our two teams at Meadow Lane earlier on in the season? Did you think the result was fair and which Notts player stood out the most?
Beanite: A draw would have been a fairer result back in Sept. Stand out contributor on the day for you would have to be Ben Toner!!
Matt: I was unfortunate enough to be at Meadow Lane to watch us lose to yet another late goal. This was exacerbated by the fact I had spent the previous two days in Doncaster at the races and had about us much luck as Scott Cuthbert did trying to keep up with Izale McLeod.
It was a frustrating performance as we went 2-0 down with barely a whimper. It was only after the second goal that we started to play and scored two pretty good goals. I swear Jonathon Smith has never hit a ball that well in his life. Seriously, watch him try and make a 5 yard pass if he plays Saturday.

When the sucker punch came it wasn't unexpected. We had already dropped points to Oxford, Pompey and Bristol Rovers because of late goals and you could see it coming as soon as Cuthbert bundled McLeod over. It was the right result and I couldn't complain with the final score.
Obviously McLeod stood out for Notts having run Cuthbert and Wilkinson ragged all game, although most center forwards have this year. The left midfielder who may have been Aborah, also gave our right back a torrid time all game, and he wasn't seen in the first team for many months after that.
What line-up do you feel will be selected on Saturday for Luton and who are your main threats?
Beanite: It's hard to guess the line up with a new manager but the main threats to watch out for would be Justham, O'Donnell, Cuthbert, Sheehan, Howells, Smith, Lawless, Ruddock, Marriott and CMS.
Matt: It's difficult to judge what formation we will go on Saturday. Jones' first game he went 4-4-2 with a fully fit squad and we drew. We then had 6 players injured and through necessity switched to a 4-5-1/4-3-3 with wingers for the game at Mansfield and won 2-0. My gut feeling is that you don't change a winning side we will line up the same as at Mansfield with the possible exception of Alan Sheehan moving out to left back and Magnus Okuonghae coming in to partner Scott Cuthbert. That would see us line up a bit like this.
                          Justham
O'Donnell Cuthbert Okuonghae Sheehan
                    Lawless Smith
                        McGeehan
Ruddock-Mpanzu               McCourt
                    Mackail-Smith
The main threats will come from the wings. Paddy McCourt looks rejuvenated under Nathan Jones and had a great game up at Mansfield. However most of our hopes with be on Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu. Pelly was signed on loan and then permanently from West Ham as a center half in our Conference title season and was immense. He then spent the bulk of the next 18 months injured or "a week away from fitness" as John Still kept telling us. When he did play he had moved to central midfield and then out to the wide right position. He's fast, powerful and strong as an ox. He grabbed an assist and a great goal up in Mansfield and if he's on song your left back is in for a long afternoon. Outside of that, McGeehan has 9 goals despite being played out of position on the left wing for most of the season and Jack Marriott loves coming off the bench to run at tired defenses.
Who do you feel will gain promotion from League Two and who do you think will be relegated?
Beanite: Aided by a £10m grant from the local taxpayers it would be criminal if Northampton don't go up. Plymouth and Oxford both play fairly high tempo football so it's hard to see the present top 3 change. One or two teams always come from nowhere towards the end of the season so why not a Luton v Notts PO for the final place?
Newport and Yeovil for the drop as York always seem to get the luck when it matters and D&R will probably have 4 or 5 ex-Hatters in the team shortly.
Matt: I think Northampton and Oxford are nailed on now. Northampton in particular have been very impressive and Oxford have recruited well. Plymouth will probably take the last automatic place. The playoffs are a lottery and a lot will come down to who takes momentum into them. I think Accrington are a really good side but it depends whether Windass and Crook leave in this window or the summer. Wycombe will be there or thereabouts, as will Pompey. However I'll go for Bristol Rovers who I've been impressed with in both games against Luton.
Relegation-wise I think York are doomed and the John Still effect at Dagenham might see them jump above Yeovil and send them down.
Lastly, what do you feel te score will be?
Beanite: A close game with the home team shading it by the odd goal! Safe trip to all the Magpies making the journey South.
Matt: Tough one. From what I saw earlier in the season, defending is neither of our strong points so their could be goals. That said we haven't conceded in the two games under Nathan Jones. I'm going to say 3-1 Luton with 2 goals from Cameron McGeehan and a 25 yard free kick from Luton legend, Alan Sheehan ;-)
Pride of Nottingham would like to thank both Beanite and Matt for taking the time to do this feature - If you haven't already joined us, why not consider it? You can do so by visiting - Here | Also, don't forget to check our other content - Here.
Joe Jones
Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has claimed that his ambition at the club is “to produce a football team which the fans are proud of”, but that it will take time to achieve this.
The 41-year-old Scot began life at the Magpies helm in promising fashion with a solid 1-0 win at Crawley, but this was followed up by a lacklustre 2-0 defeat against AFC Wimbledon at Meadow Lane.
Fullarton told reporters on Thursday: "My aim, and it is my sole aim, is to produce a football team which the fans are proud of. 
“I want to win every game and I want everybody to perform to such a high level that everybody involved with the club is so proud of us.
 "But there has been a change in environment and it is different to what's gone before. It's not a reflection on anybody else, it's just fact. 
“It is going to take time to adjust to the demands and the ways of working, which will then bring not only results but performances. 
"It's not an excuse, but it will take time to bed in. In the meantime we've got to keep the plates spinning in terms of winning games and that's the aim.
"The lads have been fantastic in their attitude and they have shown the intent to do what I am asking, but I've got to work quickly to help them understand it. Once they do, they can then do it in an uncontrolled environment in a game. 
"I want it to become habitual rather than having to think about it. But we want to fast track it as much as possible and that's why we are working hard every day. 
"I think the phrase 'work everyday as if it's going to be your last, but plan if you are going to be there forever' is very apt."
 
Can Fullarton turn Notts into a team to make the fans proud? Join the conversation on the Pride of Nottingham forum.
Joe Jones
Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has not ruled out adding fresh faces to his squad ahead of Monday's transfer deadline.
The 41-year-old has not made any new signings since arriving at Meadow Lane as Ricardo Moniz's successor, though there have been departures in the shape of Nicky Wroe joining FC Halifax.
Fullarton told reporters on Thursday: "We are still working through that aspect of making sure that anything we do improves us. It has to be the best decision for the football club and the team. Everything that I do is based around that.
"As long as you make the decisions for those two reasons - the club and the team - then you are all the better for it. But I am not ruling anything out."
Belgian defender Gill Swerts could be the next player to leave Notts as he is believed to be attracting interest from Cyprus.
 
Who should Fullarton sign ahead of the transfer deadline? Should Swerts be kept on? Join the conversation on the Pride of Nottingham forum.
Chris
As the weekend’s game against Luton Town quickly approaches, Pride of Nottingham felt it would be a good idea to get the views from within our own camp ahead of the match. Notts-Joe has taken the time to put several questions to Jaymee Comrie, a loyal Notts fan and follower of PON.

Here’s what he had to say to the following six questions. You Pies!!

How do you feel the season has gone so far and which players have made a difference for Notts?

Before this season begun I had nothing but resounding confidence and pessimism. A great pre-season (apart from the last couple of games) and a fantastic budget from the sponsorship that was announced, along with the list of players coming in - overall such confidence was buzzing from around the club itself.

Most excited I've been for a season to start for couple year now even with the fact that we'd be starting in a lower division. I got my season ticket and the first away game at Stevenage was one I wasn't going to miss. It couldn't have started any better really, BUT very soon after that the wheels had well and truly fell off.

Disappointing result after result saw us slowly creep further and further from our overall objective, nevertheless I stuck it and kept going for the team. This season so far as a whole has been a bizarre one to say the very least.

At home we had some fantastic results and some great performances from the players. Moniz had assembled a team that were more than capable of competing with the big boys AT HOME. However, with only 1 win away since that fantastic afternoon in Stevenage, it seemed Moniz hadn’t got a clue about how to continue his success at home. It always seemed one step forward and two steps back, which is the answer to the question really, this season has been nothing but step back after step back.

Disappointing as it may be have some players that still fill me with excitement every time I see the ball at their feet. Stanley Aborah, Curtis Thompson, Graeme burke, Adam Campbell to name a few. We do have some good players but these always seem to be coupled with the bad, which we just seem to be missing the experience to bring them all together really.

Which opposition has impressed you the most and why?

No team really stands out, most teams have been able to pass the ball comfortably and dazzle us with good attacking football.

If I'm pushed it would have to be AFC Wimbledon. A team I certainly underestimated as well did Notts, but couldn't be happier for them to be where they are after everything that had happened to them.

What tasks do you feel Jamie Fullarton will need to carry out to ensure we start to play football that is more creative?

I would like to see more attacking minded line-ups to be fair. I'd rather lose to a team whilst trying to make a go at it, than fielding a 4-5-1 team with the sole mentality to counter at home. No fan should have to witness the scenes from last Saturday ever again.

Overall I'll be happy if he shows attacking intent with some additions that everyone wants to see, so Snijders, Da Silva, Murray etc.

Which former player is your all-time favourite and how can the current 2015/16 squad learn from him?

Bishop for me, I know there's an endless list to choose from, but he always comes to mind when I think of a strong hold up player with fantastic leadership skills. Okay, he was a bit of a hot head but I would kill for a player of his quality at the lane now, certainly something we desperately need.

Which players will be key for County against Luton Town?

I'm really not expecting much against Luton, which is why I wouldn't mind Jamie to have a 'Hail Mary' crack at them and try to throw them off a bit. Bang all our small, pacey players on, Campbell & Burke on the wings, Murray & Spencer upfront and Aborah and Thompson in CM and just run at them.

So what if we concede 4 or 5, what else have we got to lose.

What do you think the score and scorers will be?

If we play how we've played all season from home and the new gaffer doesn't plan to mix things up then 2-0 or 3-0 to Luton I'm afraid.

Sheehan to bag all of them just because it’s County.
Pride of Nottingham would like to thank Jaymee for getting involved – If you would, why not join our community – Here. You can also find the latest content by visiting – Here.
Chris
Hello and welcome to episode 21 of the Pride of Nottingham PONCast, Notts County’s number one podcast.
In this episode we analyse our last game, Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat against AFC Wimbledon.
We also discuss comments made by new manager Jamie Fullarton over his transfer window plans, the lack of injury updates, and Leigh Curtis’s thoughts on Stanley Aborah.
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.
Regular playback (including direct download).
Website
http://poncast.co.uk/
Be a part of our community if you're not already - Join Us | Also, don't forget to subscribe to PrideofNottinghamTV - Here.
Alex West
So, what can be said about the once voted 'most stressful club' some years ago? Well, the last few years have brought us relegation battles, false promises from rich owners, and more managers than Betty has made hot pots.
 
It's been a season so far of ifs and buts, hasn't it? It certainly has for me. What if Ricardo Moniz was given sole responsibility for player recruitment? What if he was allowed to choose his own backroom team? What if Izale McLeod was given a strike partner instead of putting his perfect match on the left wing? 
Maybe things would be better - maybe they would be worse? Who knows? The most alarming and most frustrating element of the season is: what is our agenda? What direction and philosophy is the club trying to follow? We were promised a quality core of players surrounded by up and coming talent – yet the opposite has happened.
These questions haven’t been answered - which is probably the most frustrating thing for every Notts fan that 'packs' out Meadow Lane every other Saturday afternoon.
There has been an evident divide among Notts fans regarding the chairman, Ray Trew. It’s hugely apparent that he does have the ambition to take this club forward, by substantially backing Moniz in the summer with quality acquisitions in McLeod, Jon Stead, Scott Loach and of course, the foreign contingent which everybody was so excited about. 
However, it’s fair to say that performances have been inconsistent at best. We've had truly awful performances against teams we should be competing with on all levels - Carlisle, Wimbledon, Cambridge, Mansfield and of course the horror show at Salford. But on the flip side, we have seen the best attacking football seen for years against Barnet, Huddersfield, Crawley, Luton and Premiership side Aston Villa.
 
So what have we learnt from the squad we have? How can we describe the quality of players we possess? Personally, we potentially have one of the best XI in the division with one of the division’s most lethal finisher, arguably the best goalkeeping duo and quality across the middle in the shapes of Stanley Aborah, Liam Noble, Robert Milsom and Curtis Thompson.
 
We have good quality in both youth and depth that very rarely challenge the starting XI with Genaro Snijders, Wes Atkinson, Rhys Sharpe, Lartey Sarpong, Scott Loach, Jimmy Spencer, Ronan Murray, Graham Burke, Gill Swerts, Kyle de Silva and Filip Valencic all warming their cobbles on the bench with a hot cup of the Kop’s famous Bovril.
 
So why the poor league position? Why another manager that couldn't last a season? Does it come from above? Are Trew and Winter getting involved into footballing affairs instead of letting the manager do his job? And on that note we welcome Jamie Fullarton - is he the 'Yes Man' that RT has been after? Maybe. Or maybe, RT has seen something in Fullarton that no one else has. 
Sacked from Bolton for 'mismanagement' of the youth team and known for his aggressive and disciplinarian management style. Not the appointment Notts fans were shouting about when the shortlist consisted of proven high quality managers with names of John Sheridan, Mark Cooper and Lee Clarke who have all been successful at this level. To say Jamie needs to win over the fans quick is the understatement of the season.
 
Fullarton is up against it already with his bizarre team selection and awful defensive tactics on Saturday accompanied by the worst performance of the entire season. Now we go to Luton, another team in this division that should be challenging the top 6. 
Myself, and 8 others, will be checking into the Comfort Hotel and no doubt come 3:45pm, be moaning and groaning at another bemusing team selection and awful first half of football. Or knowing Notts, be 3-0 up with the best attacking and fluid football we have seen for years. Who knows! It is Notts after all…
 
See you all Saturday.
COYP
 
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Joe Jones
Notts County defender Blair Adams has thanked Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray for helping restore his confidence after former boss Ricardo Moniz froze him out of the Magpies first team.
The 24-year-old played for Notts in Saturday's 2-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon, his first game for the Magpies since returning from a three-month loan spell with the Stags.
Murray admitted that he wanted to sign the left-back on a permanent deal, but new Notts manager Jamie Fullarton decided to keep his player at Meadow Lane.
Adams said: "I was in talks to extend my stay and to be honest I thought I would be going there. But at the last minute, I've ended up coming back for the new manager to have a good look at me in training. I must have done something right because he has kept me here
"I've had a smile on my face which I had lost earlier in the season because it was hard coming in under the previous manager knowing I wouldn't be in the team. It was so good to get back in the team because it got rid of a lot of frustration
"But I would just like to thank Mansfield and Adam Murray because he has been one of the best managers I've worked with. He gave me my confidence back and I was enjoying each game. I would like to wish them all the best because they were absolutely brilliant with me."
Adams, who arrived from Coventry City in 2014 and has made 43 appearances for Notts, is now hoping to finish the season by playing as many games as possible before resolving his future in the summer when his contract at Meadow Lane runs out.
"I just want to keep my place in the team for as long as possible now," he continued. "I've played left wing, and while I can play there and have done plenty of times, I don't think it's my strongest position.
"I played in midfield plenty of times under Shaun Derry last season, but at the moment it's just about playing and enjoying myself. Once we get to the summer, then we will see what happens.”
Should Blair Adams continue to feature in the Notts first team? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the discussion.
super_ram
Ah well, back to square one as Jamie Fullarton's first home game in charge of Notts ends in a very disappointing 2–0 defeat to Wimbledon.

Here are the League Two results for the weekend:

Saturday 23rd January 2016

Bristol Rovers 1–1 Plymouth
Cambridge 1–1 Hartlepool
Carlisle 1–1 York
Exeter 2–1 Accrington
Mansfield 0–2 Luton
Newport 2–2 Dagenham & Redbridge
Northampton 3–1 Morecambe
Notts County 0–2 Wimbledon
Portsmouth 0–1 Oxford United
Wycombe 0–2 Leyton Orient
Yeovil 2–1 Crawley

Today there were 3 home wins, 4 away wins and 4 draws.

League Two Update

Northampton's 3–1 home win over Morecambe sees them open up a 2 point lead at the top of League Two with 58 points and a game in hand, over Plymouth who drop to 2nd, on 56 points after drawing 1–1 with 4th placed Bristol City, while Oxford remain 3rd with 51 points after winning away at 5th placed Portsmouth who have 44 points.

Accrington lost 2–1 to 13th placed Exeter but stay 6th from only 24 games on 42 points. The same total as 7th placed Wimbledon who won 2–0 away at Notts County, who have played 27 games.

Leyton Orient move up to 8th from 27 games and level on 40 points now with 9th Wycombe where they won away 2–0 this weekend.

At the other end of the League Two table York stay bottom with 17 points from 26 games despite getting a 1–1 away draw at 10th placed Carlisle who remain just outside the play off places with 39 points from 25 games.

A 2–2 draw between Newport and Dagenham & Redbridge sees the latter club fall into the other relegation spot at 23rd with 20 points from 27 games with the former club remaining 20th with 24 points from 26.

Yeovil move out of the relegation zone up to 22nd with 20 points from 22 games after beating Crawley 2–1, who fall to 16th with 34 points from 28 games.

Hartlepool have 24 points, the same as Newport but are 1 place lower at 21st from 24 games after drawing 1–1 at 12th placed Cambridge on 38 points from 28 games.

Notts County have dropped down to 17th with 33 points the same as 18th placed Barnet who have played 28 games, which is two more than The Magpies.

The gap between 7th placed Wimbledon with 42 points and 17th placed Notts is now 9 points although The Wombles have played an extra game. Notts also have a 13 point cushion from the bottom end.

Upcoming fixtures

League Two – Tuesday 26th January 2016

Leyton Orient v Newport
Morecambe v Mansfield

Notts' are next in action on Saturday 30th January 2016 away at Luton with a 3:00pm kick off.

The Hatters are two places higher and have 34 points, only one point ahead of Notts, so a must win game if Notts intend to seriously push on for promotion.

Will there be any changes to The Magpies personnel before the transfer window closes? Can Jamie Fullarton come up with another away victory?
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Chris
Jamie Fullarton’s first Notts County home game saw the Magpies take on phoenix club AFC Wimbledon, a side bidding to make it eight games unbeaten away.

Pride of Nottingham spoke to several Notts fans before the game about how they think Jamie Fullarton had done so far at the Meadow Lane helm, whether Liam Noble and Blair Adams should be in the squad, whether more signings needed to be made and what they thought the day’s result would be.
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shepshedpie
A cracking game in prospect with the Notts Youth team in 7th place taking on local rivals Burton Albion who were 8th. Notts were five points behind the leaders but with a game in hand - so a win was needed to keep up with the league leaders. Back in August Burton had won the first meeting between the teams 2-0 so Notts were looking to avenge that defeat. Although cold it was a lovely sunny morning at Arnold FC's ground with Burton Albion's first team manager, Nigel Clough, in attendance.

In a keenly contested game it was Burton who took control of the game in the early stages with Notts battling hard to get into the game and it was against the run of play on 32 minutes when Notts took the lead. A high ball was dropped by the Burton keeper straight at the feet of Notts top scorer, Montel Gibson, who made no mistake despatching the ball into the empty net.

Seven minutes later Notts went further ahead when an absolutely unstoppable rocket from Kieran Blaney found the top corner of the net. There was no further scoring in the first half so the young 'Pies went to their half-time refreshment with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

The second half saw Notts facing into both the sun and the wind. Burton came out for the second half and put Notts under pressure right from the start of the game. On 51 minutes Burton forced themselves back into the game when they took advantage of a defensive error to make the score 2-1.

Six minutes later and Burton completed their comeback when a corner was headed powerfully into the net for 2-2. It looked bad for Notts as the momentum had swung completely in Burton's favour.

Once again Notts fought hard to wrestle control from Burton and on 60 minutes they regained the lead when a free kick from Jack McMillan cleared the wall and beat the 'keeper for a 3-2 lead.

Notts took control of the game once again and on 77 minutes Jordan Aghatise sealed the victory with a fourth goal for the young 'Pies slotting home in a goalmouth scramble following a corner. Notts confidently saw out the remaining time to clinch another three points in their bid to climb the table.

This was a cracking game of football to watch. It was keenly contested by both teams and the Notts lads never stopped fighting especially when Burton seemed to be getting on top coming back from 0-2 down to level at 2-2 - but Notts somehow stepped up to another gear.

Next Saturday Notts are away at Grimsby Town.
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Joe Jones
Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has blamed fine margins for his side’s League Two defeat against AFC Wimbledon.
The Dons recorded a 2-0 victory at Meadow Lane to extend their unbeaten run to six games, with striker Tom Elliott and winger Andy Barcham bagging the goals to give the new Magpies boss a loss in his first home game.
Fullarton said: "Major incidents in games change how they pan out. They scored a fantastic goal after about ten minutes just moments after we had hit the post. If that goes in, you are on the front foot.
"But their goal took the wind out of our sails a little bit because we had been playing with a good bit of intensity. 
“We had a positive action in everything we did, but sometimes you just have to hold your hands up. It was a fantastic goal by them so you have to give them credit.
"While we never created many clear-cut chances, the intent was there to win the game.
"But it's back to work this week, and win, lose, or draw it's important to remain on an even keel."
Notts slip to 17th in League Two following their defeat.
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Joe Jones
Jamie Fullarton’s first home game in charge of Notts County ended in a limp defeat as AFC Wimbledon outplayed the hosts their 2-0 win at Meadow Lane on Saturday.
The Magpies started brightly enough and saw Blair Adams head against the post following a pinpoint cross from Wes Atkinson.
In the ninth minute, however, Neal Ardley’s charges took the lead in exhilarating fashion as a good team move which included a deft backheel was finished off by Tom Elliott’s powerful drive past Roy Carroll.
Notts laboured in a bid to get themselves level, which proved tricky given the referee was guilty of a number of disputable decisions, but Izale McLeod missed a good chance early in the second half.
The Dons then hit the woodwork themselves when Lyle Taylor flicked into the path of Andy Barcham, who smashed a shot against the bar.
Boss Neal Ardley would have wondered whether they would rue such a miss, but Barcham made amends when he doubled their lead from just inside the box on 83 minutes.
Fullarton’s side threw everything forward in a bid to get a result, but the Dons comfortably held out to make it eight games unbeaten away from home and condemn the former Nottingham Forest youth coach to his first defeat.
 
What did you think of the result? Let us know by joining the Pride of Nottingham forum and getting involved in the conversation.

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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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