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Kevin Nolan: 'Notts County exceeding expectations and enjoying ride'

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Notts County have exceeded expectations so far this season and is eager for the players to just continue as they're doing and enjoying the ride.
The Magpies continue to sit top of League Two after more than a third of the way into the season, with 37 points - two more than second-placed Luton Town - from their first 18 games.
“When I first walked in in January, we wanted a very good season this year and we wanted to sustain what we produced at the end of last season," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
“We wanted to get into the middle third and then next year to have a real go for promotion or the play-offs.
“All pressure is off us in that respect. We are having a fantastic run and enjoying where we are.
“We are embracing the position and if we can keep on doing that, keep winning, then who knows, we might get promoted.
“But we are 17-18 games in and there is a long way to go yet. All we can do is enjoy it while we are here, keep working hard and hopefully maintain what we are doing.”
Joe Jones

Jorge Grant off-the-pitch stresses forgotten thanks to impressive Notts County display

Jorge Grant has spoken of how a stressful week ended on a positive note thanks to football.
The Notts County midfielder, who has recently got on the housing ladder, had to deal with flooding in his home due to plumbing issues.
However, you wouldn't have known due to his impressive performance on the pitch, scoring twice to help Notts beat Cheltenham Town 3-1 and keep the Magpies top of League Two.
“The drain is fixed which is good news, but there are a lot more problems than I expected,” Grant told the Nottingham Post.
“But that comes with buying a house and it’s nice for the week to end the way it has.
“It has been stressful because my mum and dad live away so I’ve had to deal with it myself.
“I’ve got a few friends who have helped me out. When it first happened, I had never been in that position before.
“But when you start playing football you forget about everything. And we really enjoyed ourselves out there.”
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Joe Jones

Match Reaction: Notts County 3-1 Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Notts County have extended their lead at the top of League Two thanks to their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
The Magpies took the lead on the half-hour mark through Jorge Grant following Jon Stead's layoff but Carl Winchester hit back within five minutes to equalise.
However, a quickfire double from Notts in the opening stages of the second half - through Grant and Shaun Brisley - gave Nolan another home win.
Here is how the Notts fan base, players and boss reacted to the solid victory.
Kevin Nolan
"I'm absolutely delighted with the three points and I thought they were well-deserved.
"You're seeing things which we're trying to recreate from the training ground, like passing patterns, which make the lads feel more familiar when they are in those positions on a matchday.
"They are taking a lot on board. I'm delighted with some of the play in the last few weeks and there's still more to come."
Jorge Grant
"I thought we were good. They had some spells where they created chances but that's going to happen. We were strong in those situations and got our rewards when we scored.
"We're dealing with the pressure better than we have before and it was another good performance from us.
"Teams know what they're going to get and they have to bring their 'A' game, otherwise they're not going to win."
The players on social media
 
 
 
 
The fans
TheSkipper: Good win yesterday, second half Notts stole the show and played some very good football. First half we don't need to mention. I am still unsure how exactly we scored but I did think Cheltenham came back well. Even in the second half they didn't look like they was out of it, probably one of the better games at Meadow Lane.
Countyman: I barely noticed Hewitt's absence and I thought Milsom did a more complete job, did we miss Elliot at all? No. We have played some good football this season, at times we may have been lucky but yesterday was not one of them games. We deserved the points! Well done Notts.
Jay Dalton: Notts will be champions or automatic I still believe they will be champions notts full of confidence all playing as a team no doubt Nolan has bought the believe in notts and got them playing proper football dead ball specialist grant again brilliant stuff first half bit lack lustre second half stepped up a gear and super notts shone through non stop attacking coyp Nolan's super notts black white army!
Steve Brewer: Hey they were the worse team I have seen yet. Should have been well out of sight. But as usual we make a game of it. Saying that we do look like league leaders. The big No. 9 was awesome. Grant class. Hawks was good and so was Toots. Goalie is in for the season. Sorry Collin but he is well better. Luton looming
Chris Buckley: We looked alright first half, but after they scored we just seemed awkward. We came out much stronger in the second half, several players clicking together to put on a very good display. Quite a crucial win in terms of staying top. Overall a good team performance and ultimately 3 points which will do nicely. #COYP
Geoff King: At one one and kicking towards the kop I expected we'd take the three points and in the end so it proved
John Weatherbed: One of the best games I have seen in a long time... Well done to all.. Was good to hear the support singing ???? around the ground.
Tracy Rigby: Awesome! Thank you Kevin Nolan in believing and showing the lads the way to win and you was a winner as a player and your a winner as a manager!
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Joe Jones

Meet the Fans: Notts County 3-1 Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Notts County continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee.
However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons.
Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally with a free kick.
Just a few minutes later, Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table.
Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the game and interviewed several Magpies fans ahead of kickoff.
Questions asked include what the fans thought of the club having had the most managers over the last 20 years and Alan Shearer's comments regarding Kevin Nolan's future at the club.
Share your thoughts about this week's Meet the Fans on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Chris

Faces of PON: Notts County 3-1 Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

A brace from Notts County top scorer Jorge Grant helped keep the Magpies at the top of League Two as they beat Cheltenham Town 3-1 at Meadow Lane.
The loanee opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when he guided the ball into the far corner following good work from Jon Stead which culminated in a layoff into the centre.
Cheltenham, however, were level just five minutes later as Carl Winchester steered home a low effort beyond Ross Fitzsimons with what was the Robins' first shot on target.
Notts rode their luck but went on to retake the lead when Grant's 25-yard free-kick took a wicked deflection to wrongfoot Scott Flinders for his 13th goal of the season.
The Magpies then made the game safe when a well-worked corner ended with Richard Duffy flicking towards the back post for Shaun Brisley to head home.
PON's Chris photographed Notts County fans before, during and after Saturday's victory - see if you're in this week's Faces of PON!
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Chris

Tactical Talk: Notts County 3-1 Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Notts County have extended their lead at the top of League Two thanks to their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
The Magpies took the lead on the half-hour mark through Jorge Grant following Jon Stead's layoff but Carl Winchester hit back within five minutes to equalise.
However, a quickfire double from Notts in the opening stages of the second half - through Grant and Shaun Brisley - gave Nolan another home win.
Here is Chris's detailed analysis of the Meadow Lane encounter.
Was the result fair?
The first half had 'draw' written all over it, but the second-half performance was very impressive when things clicked, and the victory is well deserved. I do feel sorry for Cheltenham in some senses, yet this is football but it was nice to see a team continue to give Notts a game even after going 3-1 down.
How did Notts play?
There’s very little to write about within the first half, it was scrappy and uneventful mostly. Out of nowhere Notts took the lead – at a time whereby it looked very likely to end a draw. After Cheltenham scored, our defence looked totally depleted and nervous.
Second half started very lively, and the midfield pushed to take the lead and then after the game just seemed much different. It certainly wasn’t pretty at times, but overall it was a very good team performance and a well deserved three points.
How did Cheltenham play?
Their defence was rocky due to trying to be more offensive, I could see this being the case myself and I mentioned it within the scouting report.
I disagree that they ‘played badly’, I thought they moved the ball around well and certainly gave Notts a game even after going 3-1 down. They just seemed unlikely to score, yet their goal was a brilliant move and certainly if they had of clicked themselves it could have been more difficult. Yet overall it was a decent performance, we just outplayed them in the second half but credit to Cheltenham they never gave up.
Did our tactics work out?
I think the way both teams started it just cancelled each other out. Prior to our goal we looked the most likely to score, but everything was just a bit uneventful due to a lack of quality on goal. In the second half things changed, and as a result Notts played with more tempo which forced the play.
How did the referee perform?
He was a bit baffling at times, yet I’m always going to say it – he’s the typical standard for League Two. My gripe is I felt he always seemed keen to have words with Notts players, whilst after going 3-1 up – it was like he couldn’t award any genuine foul in our favour simply because we looked likely to score. I counted at least five punishable challenges which were never given, luckily it didn't cost us in the end.
Who do we play next?
Yeovil Town – They’re not the same side that we played a few seasons ago, although they are a decent outfit and one that does tend to raise to playing games against teams such as Notts.
How should we play them?
We just have to assert the same level of pressure as we did against Cheltenham in the second half, our performance similar to how we did against Exeter City.
Be confident in possession, wise on the ball and move into the areas whereby we can make the most of the space gained – if we put them under pressure I honestly think they will cave in but that said we need to avoid causing problems within our own defence.
Yeovil are a side which will easily make the most of opposition indecisions at the back, and any worrying will lift them.
If we can avoid making too many changes, this will also aid us but that said I do expect to see at least three – I just wouldn’t go beyond five at all.
Our midfield can play in such a style that it can take the pressure of ourselves, whilst enabling confidence upfront. It’s important we strive for this, as any of our strikers could make the most of this.
Cheltenham fan views (from The Robins Nest Forum)
Runlistening: Conceding 2 goals in 2 minutes again.. how does this keep happening? I know this was always going to be a hard game but soon as we concede 1 you know another one is going in in 1-2 minutes...
Longmover: Whatever they have been instructed to do isn't working, It's the management job to get the instructions to stick, they're (Gary Johnson's) players, he bought them in.
Oldun: Oh good show! Lose to top of table team and its knives out for Gary. Now there's a surprise! Only six subs, very weak bench due to injuries and suspensions (all Gary's fault) Deflected second goal. (Gary's fault) By the way... Luton scored seven today, which shows how terrible it was not to win last week. Gary will have to go; we really can't carry on like this, not winning every time we play. And I hate sarcasm too.
Another_FoD_Robin: So if we have six players on the bench Oldun whose fault is it? I thought as a football manager you bring players in and take players out. I accept budget and we can't take into account some bad luck but the bottom line is GJ is meant to bring players in to strengthen the squad. Or to ensure players coming in can do a job. GJs job is to motivate and instruct what to do during games. So on the back of game management - the players need to take responsibility too. I as an amateur player understand how to manage a game so please explain to me why players who are professional struggle. The little things add up...
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Chris

Match Highlights: Notts County 3-1 Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Notts County continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee.
However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons.
Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally before Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table.
Relive the key moments from an exciting game with Notts County's official YouTube highlights, which we have posted here for your viewing pleasure.
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Joe Jones

Jorge Grant hails Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi following Notts win over Cheltenham

Jorge Grant has paid tribute to Notts County strikers Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi following their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
The midfielder took his tally for the season to 13 with his fourth brace of the season, with Shaun Brisley adding a third to keep the Magpies top of League Two.
"Shola and Steady were unbelievable today," Grant told the official Notts site. "The ball stuck to them and they allowed the midfielders to come up and work off them.
"The set from Steady for the first goal was perfect for me to run on to and hit first-time, so I have to give him credit for that because he's done it twice in the last couple of weeks.
"I thought we were good. They had some spells where they created chances but that's going to happen. We were strong in those situations and got our rewards when we scored.
"We're dealing with the pressure better than we have before and it was another good performance from us.
"Teams know what they're going to get and they have to bring their 'A' game, otherwise they're not going to win."
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Joe Jones

Notts Alumni: Jimmy Sirrel

The word "legend" is bandied around all too lightly nowadays. But if you ask any Notts County fan to name one individual and one individual only who deserves the tag of "legend", chances are they will name Jimmy Sirrel.
Born on 2 February 1922 in Glasgow, James Sirrel's professional football journey began when he was 24, when he joined Celtic in 1946.
He made just 13 appearances in three years before joining Bradford Park Avenue in 1949, where again he found game time limited, playing just 12 matches.
In 1951 Sirrel joined Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made 55 appearances before signing for Aldershot in 1954, and he retired from playing in 1957.
Modest a footballing career as it may have been, Sirrel's coaching career would be anything but, as he moved to Brentford as trainer in 1965 before becoming caretaker manager in February 1967.
After being appointed to the role full-time, Sirrel spent two full seasons at the helm of Brentford, but soon enough, he would up sticks to Nottingham, where his career would go to dizzying new heights.
On 19 November 1969, Sirrel entered the Meadow Lane gates for the first time as he would become the manager of Notts County, a team struggling in the Fourth Division.
From previous managers Jack Wheeler - who would serve as his assistant - and Billy Gray, Sirrel had inherited a team including Don Masson, David Needham, Bob Worthington and Les Bradd, and he set about reinvigorating the players and the team.
Sirrel's first season in charge of the Magpies ended with a respectable seventh-placed finish, but this was only a precursor to what was to come as, the following season, the team stormed to the Fourth Division Championship.
Notts boasted a mean defence which would concede just 36 goals that season, while up top, the front line scored an average of 2.47 goals per game.
By no means had Notts reached their limit - the following season, promotion to the Second Division was missed by just three points, and even though 1972-73 began slowly for the Magpies, sititng 16th by the end of the year, they would lose just twice more en route to second place and a spot in the Second Division.
Already Sirrel had transformed Notts from fourth-division strugglers to a side punching their weight in the second tier, and when he decided to try his luck at top-tier Sheffield United in 1975, his place as a Magpies legend was already assured.
Unfortunately for Sirrel, the Blades role would not go to plan as they were relegated that season and, with little money to spend, was unable to stop the side mounting a promotion challenge - but he still made his mark by designing the United badge that's currently being used today.
Eventually, Sirrel opted to return to Notts - who were struggling to avoid relegation back into Division Three - in 1977, and breathed new life into the club by saving them from the drop.
It took a while to get Notts back up to scratch, but the crowning moment came in 1980-81 when a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge gave the Magpies top-flight football for the first time since 1926.
Finishing 15th in his first season, Sirrel inspired his team to emphatic wins over Aston Villa, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.
In 1982, Sirrel became general manager, with Wilkinson taking over as boss, but he was back in the dugout in 1985 with Notts on the brink of back-to-back relegations under Larry Lloyd.
Unfortunately, he was unable to prevent the drop, but did manage to halt the free-fall that County were in by consolidating in the Third Division for two more seasons, before retiring at the end of the 1986-87 season, eighteen years after he arrived at the club, his name in the club's annals assured.
Sirrel was a regular spectator at Meadow Lane beyond his retirement and had the County Road Stand named after him, which he described as "a bloody honour" upon receiving the call from Derek Pavis.
He was even called back into the dressing room and onto the pitch to boost spirits when Notts nearly slipped out of the Football League in 2005, such was his esteem at the club.
On 25 September 2008, Sirrel sadly passed away aged 86, which led to an outpouring of grief from the Notts community and beyond. His funeral, on 7 October, was attended by fans and fellow peers from the world of football, who turned out to pay their respects.
Jimmy Sirrel is the epitome of a Notts County legend, and his name continues to be chanted by the Black and White Army today, testament to just how revered he is at NG2.
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Joe Jones

ARLukomski's Match Vlog: Notts County 3-1 Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Notts County continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee.
However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons.
Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally before Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table.
ARLukomski, a Notts vlogger and Pride of Nottingham contributor, discussed the fixture ahead of kickoff, gave his thoughts as the game went on, and talked about the performance and result after the final whistle.
Follow ARLukomski on his YouTube channel by clicking here.
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ARLukomski

Kevin Nolan "absolutely delighted" with Notts County win over Cheltenham Town

Kevin Nolan has declared himself "absolutely delighted" with Notts County's 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
A Jorge Grant brace either side of a Carl Winchester daisy-cutter and a Shaun Brisley header saw the Magpies run out comfortable winners.
Other results also went County's way and resulted in them sitting two points clear at the top of the League Two table come 5pm.
"I'm absolutely delighted with the three points and I thought they were well-deserved," Nolan told the official Notts site.
"You're seeing things which we're trying to recreate from the training ground, like passing patterns, which make the lads feel more familiar when they are in those positions on a matchday.
"They are taking a lot on board. I'm delighted with some of the play in the last few weeks and there's still more to come."
Speaking about Cheltenham's performance, Nolan added: "They had a couple of chances after half-time which I wasn't too happy about but we got away with it.
"They had a lot of threats, which we dealt with very well. They're a big side who put the ball in good areas, do all the right things and play some good stuff at times.
"Their goal was excellent, although it was poor from our point of view.
"But the way we responded in the second half was brilliant - hats off to the lads. We now need to follow up that performance with another one down at Yeovil on Tuesday night.
"We're going to have to be at that standard again if we are to get three points."
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Joe Jones

Match Report: Notts County march on with victory over Cheltenham Town

Notts County continue to march on in their quest for promotion from League Two with a solid 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town in Saturday's game at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies were quick out of the starting blocks against the Robins, who were 16th in the table at kickoff, with Terry Hawkridge forcing a chested block from goalkeeper Scott Flinders after just three minutes.
Jorge Grant and Ryan Yates then weighed in with efforts which were blocked as the visitors struggled to weather the hosts' attacking play, while Shaun Brisley hit the side netting.
Jon Stead was next to threaten as he rifled narrowly wide after turning to collect a far post header back across goal, and Matt Tootle's swerving drive forced another save from Flinders.
Eventually Kevin Nolan's charges broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark as Carl Dickinson’s crossfield pass into the box was headed down to Stead, who sized up a shot but instead decided to lay the ball off for Grant.
It proved the correct decision as the Nottingham Forest loanee side-footed the ball into the top corner of the Cheltenham net to put the Magpies ahead.
However, the visitors drew level out of the blue just five minutes later, the Notts defence guilty of switching off as Carl Winchester and Kyle Storer exchanged passes before the former drilled a low effort into the bottom corner.
It could have gotten even worse for Notts in the second half as Cheltenham turned the screw and Harry Pell hit the top of the crossbar from a cross with Ross Fitzsimons struggling to scramble back.
The new Notts, however, have more grit about them and, on 52 minutes, the unplayable Grant grabbed his 13th of the season when his 25-yard free kick took a heavy deflection and wrong-footed Flinders en route to the back of the net.
And just two minutes later, a two-goal lead was established through Shaun Brisley, who finished off a move begun by a corner flicked on at the near post by Richard Duffy into his fellow defender's path, heading home to send Meadow Lane into a frenzy.
Notts continued to push forward and Jorge Grant came close to sealing what would have been a well-deserved hat-trick when he weaved through the Robins defence but couldn't get the ball past Flinders.
And although Cheltenham mounted a late fight-back, they couldn't get so much as a second goal to make things nervy as the Magpies saw the game out and built up their lead at the top of the table.
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy eager to foster stability at Notts County with long-term Kevin Nolan tenure

Alan Hardy has expressed his hopes of having Kevin Nolan at Notts County for the long term as part of the team's journey out of the fourth tier and into the upper echelons of the Football League.
His comments come in the wake of Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer claiming that Nolan would not remain at Meadow Lane for long should the Magpies be promoted from League Two.
In addition, a Press Association Sport study found that, when it comes to managerial changes over the past 20 years, Notts top the standings.
In his weekly Nottingham Post column, Hardy wrote: "As chairman, I hope Kevin is our manager for years to come given the outstanding job he has done and how he has settled into life at Meadow Lane.
"It would be extremely foolish of me to think that other clubs would not sit up and take notice of him because what he has done here has truly been remarkable.
"I have always said he is a Premier League manager in the making because he has this uncanny ability to relate to his players.
"And, while I would love to keep him here under lock and key at Meadow Lane, there is going to be a day when a big club comes calling.
"I’ve already told him that, should such a situation arise, then I would not stand in his way because who am I to deny him what would be a fantastic opportunity?
"I’ve no doubt he can go on to reach the very top level but, in saying that, we are on a journey together which is why I decided to hand him a new contract.
"Stability is incredibly important at this football club and it seems ironic we are talking about this in a week when the hiring and firing culture hit the headlines.
"According to a Press Association study, which looked at managerial changes over the last 20 years, we came top of the table with 23.
"I don’t think I am speaking out of turn here by saying this is not a league table for us to be shouting from the rooftops about.
"We all know that having a revolving door in terms of players and managers does more harm than good, and that’s something I recognised before I even bought the club.
"As chairman I have a responsibility to stop a revolving door policy and I think you can see that what I want to achieve with Kevin is no short-term plan.
"It is very much for the long-term and it is essential we have continuity and, more importantly, stability.
"As the study proved, clubs who change their manager constantly very rarely encounter success. And it is success we want here at Notts County."
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Notts County vs. Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years.
The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1.
Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.
The Magpies have won each of their last three league games against Cheltenham, scoring 10 whilst conceding three.
The Robins have only beaten Notts County once at Meadow Lane in the Football League, a 3-2 win in November 2005.
Cheltenham Town were founded in 1887 by Albert Close White, a local teacher.
However, the town has prior football history - in 1849, the first use of three official referees in a match, two in field and one in tribune, was recorded in Cheltenham.
Promoted to The Football League as Conference Premier champions in 1999, Cheltenham have played as high as League One, the third tier of English football, spending a total of four seasons there.
Their best FA Cup run saw them reach the last 16 (fifth round) in 2002.
The last piece of silverware won by the club was the National League title in 2015–2016.
Its league status was lost with relegation in 2015, only for the team to return, as runaway champions, a year later.
Two former Notts managers, Steve Cotterill and Martin Allen, have also done time at the Gloucestershire club.
Team news
Elliott Hewitt is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the season in the 1-1 draw at Stevenage, where he also scored the Magpies' equaliser.
Rob Milsom, Liam Walker and Curtis Thompson are all possible replacements.
Adam Collin remains sidelined for at least another five weeks after suffering a knee injury against Barnet last month so Ross Fitzsimons is expected to continue deputising in goal.
Bristol City loanee Joe Morrell will return to the Cheltenham starting line-up after missing the last two matches due to international duty.
Morrell was selected for the Wales Under-21s squad but missed the Bosnia and Herzegovina game with illness and was an unused substitute for the Romania clash four days later.
Midfielder Kevin Dawson serves the second of his three-match suspension for his red card in the FA Cup first round defeat against Maidstone earlier this month.
Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring in the 2-2 home draw with Luton and will undergo surgery next week.
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Joe Jones

Scouting Report: Notts County vs. Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Here we are in mid-November and Notts County continue to hold top spot in League Two.
Up next for us is a home encounter with Cheltenham Town, who currently sit 16th in the table.
How are the Robins likely to line up? What tactics could they use? What's their style of play and how should Notts counter it?
Here is a thorough analysis by PON's Chris about the weekend's game and the opponents.
History
Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years.
The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1.
Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 7th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Swindon Town 1
Saturday 14th October – Port Vale 3 Cheltenham Town 1
Tuesday 17th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Grimsby Town 3
Saturday 21st October – Cheltenham Town 1 Lincoln City 0
Saturday 28th October – Wycombe Wanderers 3 Cheltenham Town 3
Saturday 11th November – Cheltenham Town 2 Luton Town 2
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Mohamed Eisa 7, Kevin Dawson 6, Brian Graham 5 and Danny Wright 5.
Persistent Foulers; Kevin Dawson 3 yellow cards and 1 red card, Brian Graham 4 yellow cards, Harry Pell 4 yellow cards and Jordan Cranston 3 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Harry Pell is the standout player for me, he’s a comfortable and confident player on the ball – who likes to make direct runs into space which allows the game to open up for Cheltenham Town. He also has a good eye for finishing and can be a treat from set pieces.
Upfront Mohamed Eisa also has an eye for goal, however he’s also very skilful on the ball and likes to take on runs when possible – he naturally draws defenders onto him and this generally doesn’t affect his game.
Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring and he will be missed by the Robins - he is pacey, likes to get on the ball as much as possible and influences the game positively with his passing ability.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Cheltenham Town tend to press their opposition which leads to some good displays, however they’re largely inconsistent in terms of their performance and often get punished due to individual mistakes.
On the ball they are confident and build nicely as a unit, they make use of numbers and aren’t afraid to commit players to their attacks.
However, this leaves them vulnerable at the back and due to their attacking style – this tends to invite play onto themselves.
Good teams often find plenty of space and opportunities to shot on goal, but in certain situations this can cancel out play leading to scrappy play.
There’s a good amount of pace within the Robins’ side and this certainly something which opposition teams can struggle against – whilst their attitude to never surrounding does mean that they can often make up for the individual mistakes which leads to them conceding.
The good football that they do express can result in them controlling the game, yet this is something which doesn’t happen as often as their manager Gary Johnson may like.
Notts will have to be physical to assert authority on the ball, whilst maintaining confidence under any direct pressure.
Our midfield will be key to unlocking chances, however I fully expect them to be required to help with defensive duties and as such it’s important we don’t over stretch ourselves.
Corners will be a useful tool for the Magpies’ and if we make use of the space which opens up from set plays, I can certainly see this as being a useful form of attack for Notts.
There’s no doubt Cheltenham are a decent outfit within League Two and as such, we shouldn’t underestimate them.
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Chris

Ross Fitzsimons grateful to Notts County for backing

Ross Fitzsimons has expressed his gratitude towards Kevin Nolan and the rest of the Notts County setup for giving him a chance to play first-team football.
The 23-year-old signed on a free transfer in the summer having left Chelmsford City and, prior to his current run of games, had seldom been given an extended run in a club's first team.
However, the goalkeeper has become first-choice since Adam Collin picked up a knee injury against Barnet last month, playing in all but two of Notts' games since.
"I've been close to it before at previous clubs but I have never had the initial break where someone has told me 'Go and play'," Fitzsimons told the official Notts site.
"But straight away after Adam was injured the manager said 'I want you playing' and put his belief in me.
"I owe so much to the manager and his staff - they could have brought in a goalkeeper on an emergency loan who has played 50 games or more.
"But their backing has done my confidence the world of good. I'm getting belief in myself and I think this is one of the happiest times in my footballing career."
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Joe Jones

Lewis Thompson: Comparing Adam Collin and Ross Fitzsimons

Whichever goalkeeper you prefer, there is no doubt that Notts County have two very capable players in contention for the number 1 jersey in Adam Collin and Ross Fitzsimons, the debate on who should start has valid points for both keepers.
However, I aim to explain the difference between the two and who I feel should be the first choice keeper for the Magpies.
The knee injury to Collin during the 2-1 win over Barnet within League Two saw Fitzsimons step into the main role and during a heavy spell of pressure, he made several outstanding saves which kept Notts in the game.
This was the first time that I had seen Fitzsimons in action and I was genuinely impressed with his reactions, as the game was played largely on the back foot for Notts after Collin was substituted.
If he'd been on the field for longer, I would easily have considered him as one of the key candidates for Man of the Match.
And I thought if this was the standard he set, well I really couldn’t see how Collin could force his way back into Kevin Nolan’s squad at all.
Yet I wanted to write about this subject, but only after having enough time to fairly judge what Fitzsimons brings to the table.
Fans who feel that the two keepers are like-for-like are wrong in my opinion, I feel Collin’s experience and age makes him a more polished keeper at this level.
However, I certainly see the potential within Fitzsimons and I think overall he’s the much better shot stopper.
That said, I disagree that he is better currently and I feel he’s lacking the understanding with the back four that Collin has established over the course of this and last season.
I can fully understand why Nolan prefers Collin in goal, but being an unpopular figure at Meadow lane I don’t expect many other fans to give him the credit he deserves.
There’s still time however for Fitzsimons to establish himself further, all depending on when Collin returns to action.
It is quite possible that we might not see him for a few more months - I believe he was expected to be out for a minimum of 8 weeks which has recently passed.
And there is still little news coming out regarding how serious his knee ligament damage is.
If Fitzsimons can work on his consistency - as the past few games I feel he’s been quite shaky and I would also say he has shined as much between the sticks as I assumed he would have done - there might be a chance he will retain the position even after Collin’s return to match selection, but I don’t think this is all that likely considering.
Collin is more experienced, he’s switched on and alert. This season alone he seems a much different character than he was in his debut season and I think the weaknesses such as his communication have largely been worked on.
He seems more confident which I imagine can be hard when the Notts defence switches off, but again we have two capable keepers and the prospect of Fitzsimons is one I feel will only grow in strength during the coming games.
I would also like to point out that the position is the most scrutinized positon on the pitch, with fans perhaps being unforgiving of minor mistakes.
Fitzsimons has a valuable learning experience and I do feel he will take it, it just may take some time for him to establish the position for his own.
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TheSkipper

Kevin Nolan: 'English managers often get overlooked for top jobs'

Notts County manager Kevin Nolan has claimed that English managers are often overlooked for top jobs in the Premier League.
There are only five England-born bosses in permanent top-flight jobs, with none in charge of the so-called 'big six'.
“There are lots of quality English managers, I feel they are overlooked,” Nolan told BBC Radio Nottingham.
“It seems if you are an English manager you have to ply your trade into the Championship and get yourself into the Premier League.
“Sean Dyche has done really well at Burnley and now he is starting to getting the credit he deserves.
“I feel I am part of a new generation that has to change minds and mindsets.
“The most important thing for me is getting this job right and not looking at next year or the year after.
“If I do a good job here and do it right, then all that will come in time. That means you build a reputation where you can put your CV and say ‘what’s different to his CV to mine’ – and not just because he has a sexier name.
“I still see myself as an apprentice as a manager but, for me, I truly believe that if I do my job and do it to my best, then those opportunities will come.
“I know there are a lot of sceptics out there saying it won’t happen because I am English, but you have believe in yourself."
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Joe Jones

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan looks ahead to Cheltenham Town clash

Kevin Nolan has urged Notts County to keep calm and not deviate from the norm when it comes to preparing against Cheltenham Town.
The Magpies face the Robins - who sit 16th in League Two - on Saturday afternoon at Meadow Lane, and Nolan admits his charges will have to "earn what we get".
"The way Gary's teams play, he won't be giving us anything for free," Nolan told the official Notts site. "We will have to earn what we get.
"We have to respect the fact teams are going to raise their game against us because we are top of the league but, for me, nothing changes.
"The players will be given details about strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, but it's about us and focusing on becoming better as a squad and team."
Moving on to who could replace the suspended Elliott Hewitt, Nolan continued: "There are a number of players who can come into that position now. That's what's great about this squad.
"If you get a knock and miss a game you might not get your place back for three or four weeks and you end up sitting on the bench waiting for your chance.
"Rob Milsom had the same situation a few weeks ago when he picked up an injury, which allowed Elliott to come in - and he's done fantastically well.
"But it's not as clear-cut as one coming in for the other. We have plenty of options and can change systems.
"We're looking at a number of things we can do for the weekend and whoever is lucky enough to get the shirt will want to put in a strong performance so they keep their place for the next game."
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Joe Jones

Opposition View: Notts County vs. Cheltenham Town, Saturday 18 November 2017

Here we are in mid-November and Notts County continue to hold top spot in League Two.
Up next for us is a home encounter with Cheltenham Town, who currently sit 16th in the table.
Ahead of the game at Meadow Lane, Pride of Nottingham spoke to Robins fan Dave to get an insight on this weekend's opposition.
About Dave: I've been a fan since 1995, and my favourite player is Scott Brown.
1) Cheltenham dropped out of the Football League in 2015 but came back up the following season with a 101-point haul in the National League. What went wrong in the relegation season and how was it put right so soon?
We survived narrowly in 2013-14, a season which followed two playoff position seasons and afterwards we lost key players, there were also managerial changes, and yeah, it was a case of a club in disarray going down. But the following season Gary Johnson signed a two-year deal, there was a squad clear out with good, hungry players brought in, and everything just clicked to get us back up.
2) Martin Allen, who's remembered fondly at Notts County, managed Cheltenham for a while - how did he do with you?
Allen managed the club during a very tumultuous time when we had money problems, narrowly avoiding administration and having to put all players up for sale, but he wasn't particularly good - we got relegated to League Two under him, had a bad spell and then he was put on gardening leave due to allegations of racism, of which he was formally cleared but ended up leaving by mutual consent. So that was that.
3) Cheltenham were drawn against Spurs in the third round of the FA Cup in 2012 - what cup memories do you have with your club?
Both that game against Spurs and the one against Everton were exciting ties but sadly we got hammered in both encounters. My favourite cup memory is actually the 97-98 FA Trophy win, completely different kettle of fish to today but still a very enjoyable occasion.
4) Who would you describe as Cheltenham's biggest footballing rivals?
Traditionally it's been Gloucester City, but given we're several leagues apart, the only time we'll get to meet is in the cups, like the Gloucestershire Senior Cup. In the League it's Forest Green Rovers.
5) Who are your team's danger men?
Carl Winchester is our midfield lynchpin, a nimble player who can pick a pass and has also weighed in with a couple goals. Mohamed Eisa, meanwhile, is a great finisher, has plenty of pace and has done well in front of goal.
6) Score and scorer prediction
I reckon a 1-1 draw, with Eisa getting our goal.
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Joe Jones

ARLukomski: Who Notts County should move for in the January transfer window

It’s a good time to be a Notts fan. We’re top of the league. Our manager recently signed a new contract. And we are through to the second round of the FA Cup.
Alan Hardy has already said that we have an eye towards the January transfer window and this is something that excites many in the Notts fan base because despite being top of the league, we are looking to get even better, and we are trying to sustain our position in the top three of League Two.
The stepping stones look already in place with the capture of Liam Noble on a free transfer. That ticks off one position which was needed; a creative midfielder. Hopefully, Kevin Nolan can bring about the best in Noble and we can see a different player to the one we saw here just over a year ago.
Now we’ve got the creative midfielder out of the way, there are three key areas Notts need to strengthen to help keep our place amongst the automatic promotion places.
Firstly, and most importantly, a pacey striker is a must. Age is also a factor - he must be young. All our main strikers are over thirty.
We have already expressed our interest in Mansfield striker Danny Rose, but that speculation was quickly swept under the carpet by Steve Evans. We were also linked with Andy Cook in the summer from Tranmere, but the former Barrow striker stayed at Prenton Park.
One player I would like us to sign is Kristian Dennis and although this may require a fee, Chesterfield are in dire straits and Hardy has already said he is willing to back Nolan in the transfer window for a striker. And I would still like to see us go in for Jerry Yates I’d rather the striker sign permanent than it be a loan.
Other strikers we could potentially look at are Corey Whitely from Dagenham & Redbridge, who is currently second top scorer in the National League with eight goals.
Sitting just behind him on seven is Oladapo Afolayan of Solihull Moors. Solihull are currently bottom of the National League but Afolayan has done well to score this many in a poor side, at this stage of the season. However, this might be tricky as the Moors frontman is also being targeted by Barnsley and Bolton.
Alan Hardy said we are also looking to bring a winger to the club in January. This is crucial as it will provide good cover for Terry Hawkridge, Lewis Alessandra and Jorge Grant.
The winger must also have a killer instinct, a good cross on him, and is good at beating defenders. Some of the wingers I mentioned in my article about who I thought we should have signed in the summer are still available and haven’t played much this season.
Milan Lalkovic has only made one appearance for Portsmouth this season. Surprisingly, Pompey’s top scorer from last season, Kal Naismith, has only made nine appearances. This is lower than all the other wingers at Pompey: Matty Kennedy (13), Jamal Lowe (15), Kyle Bennett (14) and Gareth Evans (11). Although this may be a long shot, there is no harm in trying. Also mentioned in my summer article were Luton wingers Lawson D’Ath and Luke Gambin.
The third part of our January transfer window business is the need for some cover at centre back. Most of the options I mentioned for the summer transfer window signed for other clubs. A centre back is a priority as Haydn Hollis doesn’t seem to be picked anymore for league games and Elliott Hewitt can’t keep covering there as he is far better suited to playing in midfield.
We may have to consider the loan market for either the winger or centre-back due to the money it may cost in signing a first team striker, although we may sign the player from the club after they have released him like we did with Shaun Brisley and Mark Yeates.
However, the centre back who we buy must be good enough cover as our first choice pairing of Richard Duffy and Shaun Brisley are unbelievably solid and are unlikely to be replaced in the starting line-up.
Also, the defender we do buy must push Duffy and Brisley to their limits to remain in the first team constantly as Kevin Nolan always talks about competition for places. The players I have in mind but may not come off are Tom Davies and Dominic Hyam (both Coventry) and Joe Walsh (MK).
If we get the quality needed in the right areas and they settle in well at Notts, then a top three position is a very realistic target.
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ARLukomski

League Two news roundup: 9-16 November 2017

What's been happening in League Two over the last week?
Here is Pride of Nottingham's round-up of the biggest League Two news from the last seven days.
- Nathan Jones of Luton Town won the League Two Manager of the Month award for October, while Tom Pope of Port Vale won the Player of the Month award.
- Plymouth manager Derek Adams offered to pay for the club's disability squad training sessions for the rest of the season after making an impression on him when he joined in at a recent session as part of the club's community programme.
- Barnet appointed Mark McGhee as their new manager after he left his role as Scotland's assistant manager after the end of their failed bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
- Shamir Mullings returned to Forest Green Rovers after his loan spell at Macclesfield was cancelled.
- Swindon Town winger Donal McDermott will be out for four to six weeks after suffering an ankle ligament injury.
- Carlisle United will be without winger Nicky Adams for the rest of the season after he suffered a knee injury in Saturday's win against Yeovil Town.
- Luton Town left-back Jack Senior signed a one-year extension to his contract, and will remain at Kenilworth Road until the summer of 2019.
- Colin Slater, BBC Radio Nottingham's former Notts County match commentator, has been named as an honorary vice president of the club.
- Cheltenham Town defender Jordan Cranston was ruled out for the rest of season with a hamstring injury.
- Coventry Rugby Football Club chairman Jon Sharp ruled out any possibility of footballing neighbours Coventry City moving to the Butts Park Arena.
- The cost of watching football in League Two has risen more than in any other English league for the 2017-18 season, BBC's Price of Football survey found.
All news stories sourced from BBC Sport and Sky Sports.
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Joe Jones

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