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Faces of PON: Notts County 1-1 Forest Green Rovers, Saturday 7 October 2017

Rob Milsom's stoppage-time header has helped Notts County preserve their unbeaten home record as they were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Forest Green Rovers at Meadow Lane on Saturday.
The Magpies midfielder connected with Matt Tootle's cross and nodded beyond Rovers goalkeeper Sam Russell in the 96th minute to dramatically cancel out Omar Bugiel's first-half opener for the visitors.
Notts were incredibly average throughout the game and were very lucky to escape with a point, though the result saw them slip to second in League Two as Exeter City reclaimed top spot.
Pride of Nottingham was at the match and took photos of the fans before, during and after the game.
Have you made it into this week's Faces of PON? Check out our gallery and find out!

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Chris

Match highlights: Notts County 1-1 Forest Green Rovers, Saturday 7 October 2017

Rob Milsom's stoppage-time header has helped Notts County preserve their unbeaten home record as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Forest Green Rovers at Meadow Lane on Saturday.
The Magpies midfielder met Matt Tootle's cross to nod past FGR goalkeeper Sam Russell in the 96th minute, a goal which cancelled out Omar Bugiel's first-half opener for the visitors.
Notts were lacklustre throughout the game and were very lucky to escape with a point, though the result saw them slip to second in League Two as Exeter City reclaimed top spot.
The club have posted the match highlights on their official YouTube channel so, should you wish to see them again, here they are for you.
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Joe Jones

ARLukomski's Match Vlog: Notts County 1-1 Forest Green Rovers, Saturday 7 October 2017

Notts County managed to claim a draw from the jaws of defeat on Saturday as their League Two game with Forest Green Rovers ended all square at Meadow Lane.
The division's bottom side took the lead on the half-hour mark through Omar Bugiel and held on to their advantage until deep - and I mean really deep - into injury time, when Rob Milsom equalised for a final score of 1-1.
The Magpies barely deserved to come away with anything following a very lacklustre performance against Mark Cooper's side but their point keeps them in the top two, though Exeter City are now back in first place.
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

Rob Milsom: 'Notts County cannot drop standards'

Rob Milsom has conceded that Notts County did not play well against Forest Green Rovers and is glad to have got something out of the game.
The midfielder's first goal for the club deep into stoppage time at the end of the second half got the better of opposition goalkeeper Sam Russell to salvage a 1-1 draw for the Magpies.
"It was an important goal and we needed it because we didn't have the best of performances," Milsom told the official Notts site. "I'm glad we've got something out of the game.
"We rightly got a kick up the backside at half-time because it wasn't good enough in the first half.
"We've set ourselves standards now and we can't drop off. We had a poor result last weekend and needed to make amends today.
"We weren't brilliant in the second half either but we kept going and hopefully that point can mean something come the end of the season."
Though Milsom admitted the Magpies were well below par, he praised their ability to still claim a result.
"It's just about grinding results out – clean sheets are very important, as is going to the end," he added.
"I lost count of the amount of times at Rotherham when we scored in the last minute of games to pick up a draw or a win.
"We've got a great team spirit and we went right to the end. If you keep pushing, you will get the goal and that's what happened.
"We have to try and rack up as many points as we can until Christmas and we can assess things from there. We aren't getting ahead of ourselves.
"The gaffer has said we will work hard in training this week to put a few things right so we can come back and put in the type of performance we were putting in a few weeks ago."
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Joe Jones

Notts Alumni: Dave Watson

As Notts County alumni go, David "Dave" Watson has to go down as one of the most well-travelled players with one of the most comprehensive careers to have donned the black and white stripes.
Born in Stapleford on 5 October 1946, Watson worked as an electrician before getting his footballing break with the Magpies in 1966.
Watson made 26 appearances for Notts over two seasons before being signed by Rotherham United, then under the management of future Scotland and Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty, in a player exchange deal which saw Keith Pring and £1,000 going from Millmoor to Meadow Lane.
Watson was thrust into a relegation battle with the Millers in 1967–68 which was unsuccessful, and as Docherty left and Jim McAnearney came in, the then-22-year-old was made club captain and used both up front and in defence.
After four seasons at Millmoor, making 141 appearances and scoring 21 goals, Watson caught the attention of Sunderland manager Alan Brown who paid £100,000 for his services in December 1970.
Watson was initially used up front, but when Bob Stokoe took over in November 1972, the player was deployed at centre-back, a position which he would dominate throughout the remainder of his career.
Sunderland ended up reaching the 1973 FA Cup final where they pulled off one of the biggest shocks of all time, beating First Division giants Leeds United - then one of the big English clubs - 1-0, and Watson was singled out for praise by Stokoe for his subduing of strike duo Allan Clarke and Mick Jones.
Watson's performances for Sunderland saw him called up to the England team less than a year after the FA Cup win, making his debut in a friendly against Portugal in Lisbon at age 27.
In the summer of 1975, Watson joined First Division side Manchester City for a fee of £175,000 in a deal which saw Jeff Clarke move the other way.
The Citizens won the League Cup in 1976 beating Newcastle United 2–1, the defender playing on with blood pouring from a head wound and being interviewed in the dressing room afterwards while receiving stitches.
All in all Watson spent four seasons at Maine Road, which saw Man City miss out on the title in 1976–77 by one point - his performances saw him voted player of the year that season.
In 1979, Watson decided to have a go in a foreign league, joining Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, but his time at the German club was short due to incurring an eight-week ban for pushing an opposition player in just his second game.
He was fined by his club and refused to travel to an away match against Schalke 04 because of an injury before turning up to play for England and, unsurprisingly, he returned to these shores by October, with Southampton signing him for £200,000.
Watson played 31 games in 1979–80 and 44 games in 1980–81 as the Saints finished 8th and 6th respectively, and he lined up alongside five previous or future England captains - Mick Channon, Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan, Mick Mills, and Peter Shilton.
In 1982, Watson moved to Stoke City, where he set a record of becoming the first man to make England international appearances while in the books of five different clubs.
Up next were two spells in the United States with Vancouver Whitecaps, being voted into the NASL All Stat team of 83, and Fort Lauderdale Sun, who ended up as USL champions, either side of a season at Derby County.
And eventually, Watson's career came full circle as, in 1984, he rejoined hometown club Notts County as a player/coach, 16 years after first departing Meadow Lane, and making 25 appearances for the Magpies in his second spell.
That wasn't the end of his career just yet though - Watson made 14 appearances for Kettering Town in 85-86 before finally hanging up his boots.
Alongside his club career, Watson was also a rock for England, making 65 appearances for the Three Lions and scoring 4 goals.
In a cruel twist of fate, however, his England career coincided with one of the nation's most barren spells at international level - following the 1970 World Cup, the Three Lions did not reach another tournament until Euro 1980.
Though Watson did at least get to represent his country in "Europa 80" in Italy - an eight-team tournament with two groups where the winner of each would be catapulted into the final - he missed out on the 1982 World Cup, with manager Ron Greenwood selecting only three specialist central defenders, Phil Thompson, Terry Butcher and Steve Foster.
To this day, Watson remains the most-capped England player never to play in a World Cup finals match.
After his footballing career, Watson started a marketing business in Nottingham, where he lives with his wife Penny, while their son Roger (aka Dj Hal) is a successful DJ, musician, and producer.
A prodigal son of Nottingham and one of the best English defenders of his day, Dave Watson is one of the most distinguished Notts County alumni of all time.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Notts County didn't turn up today'

Kevin Nolan has described himself as "relieved" after his Notts County charges claimed a point in a barely deserved 1-1 draw with Forest Green Rovers today.
The Magpies put in a flat performance as League Two's bottom side led for the majority of the game, through Omar Bugiel's strike on the half-hour, and more than held their colour at Meadow Lane.
Just as everyone in the home stands had all but resigned themselves to defeat, Rob Milsom netted in the 96th minute - with five minutes of added time previously announced - to claim a result.
"I'm relieved," Nolan told the official Notts site. "Fair play to the lads, they persevered and got their rewards in the end with a well-worked goal.
"I don't think we turned up today, which is disappointing. A lot of lads didn't have one of their better days but the togetherness they showed got us over the line and earned a point, which they can take a massive lift from.
"A lot of people would have been coming here today expecting us to win 3-0 or 4-0 but this is a very tough league and anyone can beat anyone.
"We weren't great – we know that – but we kept ourselves in the game and put the chance away when it came to turn a defeat into a point.
"I'm frustrated because I know we are a lot better than what we've shown today but when you score in the 94th minute, it shows the lads have an inner steel about them and I am delighted with that."
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Joe Jones

Match Report: Notts County leave it late to claim draw against Forest Green Rovers

Notts County have stolen a point against Forest Green as Rob Milsom struck in the 96th minute to give his side a 1-1 draw in Saturday's League Two encounter at Meadow Lane.
The hosts, playing in front of a bumper crowd of 13,267, had their first chance four minutes in when Carl Dickinson sent a free kick wide of the near post.
Following a cagey start, Notts almost took the lead in the 25th minute as FGR defender Mark Roberts headed the ball back towards his own goalkeeper, who scrambled back but was lucky to see it go wide.
The Magpies picked up the pace afterwards but were left rattled when Forest Green broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark through Omar Bugiel, who sneaked in at the back post to prod home Christian Doidge's cross.
Luke James then forced Adam Collin into a save with a diving header as Mark Cooper's charges, who are without a league win since August, looked to double their lead.
Kevin Nolan shifted his formation round during a break in play and Notts almost drew level in first-half stoppage time, only for Jon Stead's scuffed effort from Jonathan Forte's low cross to be kept out by Sam Russell.
Following the restart, Jorge Grant sidefooted wide from 12 yards out, while a penalty appeal was turned down in the 53rd minute when the ball hit Isaiah Osbourne's arm.
As the game went on, County found clear-cut chances hard to come by in what was shaping up to be a frustrating afternoon, while Forest Green were hardly dominating in the final third either.
Ameobi then wasted the hosts' best opportunity when he headed wide of the post from Grant's cross in what seemed to be the last chance of the game.
However, there was to be a late twist as Dickinson sent the ball up the field, Ameobi knocked it on towards Matt Tootle, and the Slug crossed towards the centre where Milsom nodded beyond the reach of Russell.
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Joe Jones

Notts County defender Carl Dickinson compares Kevin Nolan to Tony Pulis

Carl Dickinson has compared Notts County manager Kevin Nolan to Tony Pulis due to their emphasis on organisational play and set pieces.
The 30-year-old won promotion to the Premier League under Pulis with Stoke City in 2008, where the club has remained since.
Now at West Bromwich Albion, Pulis continues to impress, having turned a yo-yo team into an established top-tier side.
“A lot of things the manager has done reminds me of Tony Pulis, especially the organisational part,” Dickinson told the Nottingham Post.
“Pulis was massive on set-plays and organisation and I can see the similarities between them.
“That’s one of the reasons why we were so successful that year at Stoke, and why he’s been successful since.”
Dickinson also spoke of how Nolan has ushered in a camaraderie that was lacking under previous regimes.
“I think the spirit we have is one of the reasons why we are being so successful at the minute,” he added.
“There is a lot of team bonding under the gaffer whereas previously I couldn’t remember doing anything.
“It speaks a lot for where we were before the gaffer came in. We are a tight-knit group, and we have a laugh, but when it comes to training and matches, we are all 100 percent focused and have each other’s backs.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Michael O'Connor is in a good place'

Kevin Nolan has given a positive assessment of Michael O'Connor's rehabilitation from a serious knee injury.
The midfielder, who recently turned 30, needed surgery to repair his cruciate ligaments and on his meniscus, an injury picked up against Portsmouth in April last season.
Nolan says he has been happy with the progress made so far by the club captain and hasn’t ruled out a return by the player at the end of the season.
“Occy is in a good place,” the manager told the Nottingham Post. “We are on target. He has been absolutely meticulous in all his rehab.
“Johnny Wilson (head of medicine) has been absolutely brilliant with his plan. Occy has followed it to a tee and hats off to both of them because everything is on schedule.
“I am hoping it has given him a massive chance of putting the black and white kit on by the end of the season. He’s just got to keep working hard.
“We’ve tried to keep him busy by getting him watching games.
“We asked him to go up in the stands when we are here (Meadow Lane) and if he sees anything then he can radio down to give us information.
“We want him as involved as much as possible. He came with us to Exeter and spent a couple of days doing his rehab down there.
“Occy is a great lad and we are all rooting for him to get back as quickly as possible.
“But we really have to be really careful because it’s his future. We will give him the best care we can.”
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Notts County vs. Forest Green Rovers, Saturday 7 October 2017

Notts County and Forest Green have literally only met the once, in the third round of the FA Cup on 19 January 2010, and it ended in a 2-1 win for the Magpies at Meadow Lane.
Stephen Hunt opened the scoring for the hosts in the 50th minute and, although Isaiah Rankin drew level on 63 minutes, Lee Hughes grabbed the winner one minute later.
Tomorrow thus marks the first ever league meeting between the two.
Forest Green Rovers were founded in October 1889 by Reverend E. J. H. Peach, the local Nonconformist church minister, representing the Forest Green area of Nailsworth in Gloucestershire.
The name Rovers was adopted in 1893, and the following year the club were founder members of the Mid-Gloucestershire League, the first association football league in the county outside Bristol.
After the league folded in 1902, Forest Green become members of the newly formed Stroud League and also members of the Dursley and District League which they won in 1903, the club's first silverware.
After a break for the First World War, Rovers enjoyed a period of great success winning two football leagues and three cups in both 1921 and 1922.
They then joined the newly formed Gloucestershire Northern Senior League with Cheltenham Town among others in 1922.
Rovers joined the newly formed County League in 1968 and played under manager Peter Goring for the next 11 years, moving up again to the Hellenic League in 1975 under his stewardship.
In 1982, Rovers achieved fame at Wembley winning the FA Vase 3-1 and at the same time winning the Hellenic League and moving into the Southern League Midland Division.
Seven years later a struggling Rovers outfit was renamed Stroud FC but this alienated a lot of people connected with the club, until the arrival of Trevor Horsley in 1992 saw the name changed back to Forest Green Rovers.
After finishing eighth in the Southern Division under Frank Gregan in 1995–96, they won the division the following season, earning promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League.
The 1997–98 season then saw FGR them win the Southern League Premier Division, securing a second successive promotion and entry to the Football Conference.
FGR finished in the relegation zone in 2005 and 2010, but both times were handed a reprieve when Northwich Victoria and then Salisbury City were demoted for non-footballing reasons.
The club was then taken over by Ecotricity owner Dale Vince, at which point the team improved until finally sealing promotion into the Football League last season.
Notts legend Lee Hughes spent the 2014-15 season at Forest Green, scoring 15 goals in 42 games. At present, ex-Magpies midfielder Liam Noble, ex-loanee Drissa Traore  and former manager Mark Cooper ply their trade there.
Team news
Shola Ameobi is back in contention for Notts County after his return in the defeat at Mansfield Town.
The veteran striker had been sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury but played 20 minutes of the 3-1 loss at Field Mill.
Dan Jones is still struggling with a hamstring injury having missed the Magpies' last two games.
Aside from the defender, boss Kevin Nolan now has a fully-fit squad as they top League Two on goal difference.
Forest Green boss Mark Cooper has no new injury or suspension worries following his side's midweek EFL Trophy win against local rivals Cheltenham.
Defender Manny Monthe remains sidelined after fracturing a cheekbone in training last week and midfielder Liam Noble is also unavailable due to "a medical matter".
Cooper made just two changes on Tuesday night as defender Lee Collins and striker Omar Bugiel missed out and both players could return to the starting line-up.
Bugiel turned down an international call-up from Lebanon to stay and play for his club instead of his country's Asian Cup qualifier against North Korea in Beirut on October 10.
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Joe Jones

Scouting Report: Forest Green Rovers (H), 7 October 2017

Notts County entered October at the top of League Two, although they were left reeling from a 3-1 derby defeat at Mansfield Town, with the scoreline only marginally better thanks to Carl Dickinson's late consolation.
However, being brought back down to earth could be beneficial in the long term as it showed the Magpies players that great form and momentum can come crashing to a halt, so back to the drawing board.
Up next for Notts is a home game against the league's basement side, Forest Green Rovers, promoted from the National League last season.
Here is the scouting report for Saturday's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane courtesy of PON tsar Chris.
History
Notts County and Forest Green have literally only met the once, in the third round of the FA Cup on 19 January 2010.
Stephen Hunt opened the scoring for the Magpies in the 50th minute and, although Isaiah Rankin drew level on 63 minutes, Lee Hughes grabbed the winner one minute later.
Tomorrow thus marks the first ever league meeting between the two.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 9th September – Forest Green Rovers 1 Exeter City 3
Tuesday 12th September – Forest Green Rovers 0 Lincoln City 1
Saturday 16th September – Port Vale 1 Forest Green Rovers 1
Friday 22nd September – Forest Green Rovers 0 Swindon Town 2
Tuesday 26th September – Cambridge United 3 Forest Green Rovers 0
Saturday 30th September – Forest Green Rovers 0 Accrington Stanley 1
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Christian Doidge 4, Reece Brown 2, Omar Bugiel 2 and Liam Noble 1.
Persistent Foulers; Charlie Cooper 4 yellow cards, Dale Bennett 3 yellow cards, Mark Roberts 2 yellow cards and Liam Noble 2 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Stand-out player for Forest Green Rovers is easily Liam Noble, however it’s expected that the former Magpies midfielder won’t return to action for the Green Devils against Notts. He is easily their best player, capable of driving his team forward and in terms of his set pieces.
Luke James is an half decent winger and striker who enjoyed a spell with Hartlepool United, he can pull the strings and find space – however he can be pretty lacklustre as a striker.
Lastly Christian Doidge is a very capable player, who has a fair bit of pace and likes to get behind the opposition defence – he is a forward thinking player and offers them a lot of movement up top.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Forest Green Rovers appears to be quite happy to allow teams to attack, going forward themselves they look a fairly useful side and can build useful chances. The majority of their attacks are formed via the use of the centre of the park, whilst hitting sides with a fair amount of pace.
They like to be patient within their build-up play, but can overthink when they have forced their way into dangerous areas.
The Green Devils have a very strong midfield in my opinion which can control games quite well on their day, however upfront they do appear to be somewhat disjointed.
Perhaps this could go down to confidence, or the fact they’re a struggling side adapting to life within the Football League.
However, defensively they are very poor – with little to no marking at all. They invite play upon themselves and sit back rather dangerously, whilst from a defensive point of view their organisation is extremely negative.
Notts just need to hold the ball within the midfield, draw Forest Green Rovers out of position and carefully inject pace into direct runs – it would be to our benefit to make use of the flanks until we have gone beyond their midfield.
Chances will be presented to the Magpies, yet FGR may force more shots from distance as they have a tendency of parking the bus.
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Chris

Mark Cooper: 'Former Notts County chairman made things difficult'

Former Notts County manager Mark Cooper has claimed that the chairman at the time of his managerial tenure at Meadow Lane "made it difficult" for him.
The 48-year-old had been hired by Notts in March 2016 to try and arrest an alarming slide down the League Two table.
Cooper, who famously operated under an undisclosed points target while at Meadow Lane, managed to secure safety for the Magpies in the end.
However, he departed the club as the final whistle blew on their final game of the 2015-16 season, a 5-0 defeat to Carlisle United, and subsequently joined then-Conference side Forest Green Rovers.
With the Gloucestershire-based club now in the Football League and preparing to take on Notts this weekend, Cooper spoke of how he enjoyed his time in Nottingham, but had a dig at the previous chairman.
“I really enjoyed my time there, it’s a cracking club,” he told the FGR website.
“It’s the oldest club in the Football League, they are nice people there with a great stadium and when there’s a few fans in, they really get it rocking.
“I really enjoyed it but it’s just unfortunate that the chairman made it difficult at the time.”
Cooper also echoed Kevin Nolan's sentiments in claiming that FGR have everything to win and nothing to lose when they take on the division's top side.
He continued: “We’re going to a team that are top of the league, there’s going to be a massive crowd and have had a brilliant start under Kevin and they'll fancy themselves to continue that.
“They had a bit of a hiccup on Saturday in the derby but there's no pressure on us. Nobody expects us to go there and get anything. We are certainly going to go and have a go and try to play and see what happens.”
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy: 'I was more excited about Kevin Nolan award than he was'

Alan Hardy has revealed that he was more excited about Kevin Nolan winning September's League Two Manager of the Month award than the man himself was.
The Notts County boss was rewarded for a near-perfect September, with six wins out of seven and an ascent to the top of the table, with the EFL accolade.
As well as praising Nolan's humility and selflessness, Hardy also gave an insight into some of the gaffer's managing techniques.
Hardy wrote in the Nottingham Post: "I think I was more excited than he was about this outstanding achievement which was just reward for the team’s magnificent form throughout September.
"Picking up the phone I resembled a kid at Christmas, but he was very clear in that he only wanted to talk about winning things in May and not in October.
"While we are the league leaders, the gaffer is eager for everybody to keep their feet on the ground.
"He will ensure that everybody remains measured and, while the plaudits keep on coming, he will not allow it to go to anybody’s head.
"What I find fascinating about his work is that he takes games in blocks and sets himself targets.
"He is very logical in the way he looks at things and constantly measures whether they are above his target for the blocks of games he has grouped together.
"He doesn’t just do that with points either, but also clean sheets, goals scored and the number conceded.
"He is so meticulous in his preparations and everybody is absolutely delighted with the way we have started the season under his leadership.
"He deserves his recognition, but what I love about him the most is the way he deflects praise on to the wider team.
"He always says it’s not just about him, but about the assistant manager Richard Thomas, coach Mark Crossley, the medical staff and, crucially, the players."
To read the full column on the Nottingham Post, click here.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan bags League Two Manager of the Month award for September

Kevin Nolan has been named the League Two Manager of the Month following a near-perfect September for Notts County.
The Magpies had seven tricky games to contend with in the month, but Nolan led them to six wins, only falling at the final hurdle with defeat at bitter rivals Mansfield Town.
At present, Notts remain top of League Two with eight wins from 11 league games, a remarkable turnaround from the side that notched up a horror 10-match losing run late last year and heading into 2017.
Nolan told the official club site: "This is an extremely proud achievement for me, my staff and my players, who have all made a massive contribution.
"There's no way I could do this job without Richard Thomas, Mark Crossley and everyone who has supported me behind the scenes. They all thoroughly deserve this recognition.
"I would also like to thank the chairman once again for the amazing backing he has given me, not only this season but since our arrival in January."
Nolan fended off competition from Exeter’s Paul Tisdale, Accrington’s John Coleman and Coventry’s Mark Robins in what is the first manager of the month award of his career.
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Joe Jones

Pride of Nottingham's PONcast: Episode 27

Hello and welcome to episode 27 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, hosted by the East Midlands' very own Ant and Dec (but with more facial hair - much more) Chris and JJ.
In this week's episode, we analyse Notts County's humbling 3-1 defeat at Mansfield Town in the Nottinghamshire derby - both on and off the pitch - before going on to review what has been an otherwise impressive September for the Magpies
We also look ahead to October's first League Two fixture, a home clash with bottom side Forest Green Rovers which, despite seeming straightforward on paper, will prove a tough mental test in terms of keeping complacency at bay for Kevin Nolan.
Other topics covered include the speculation linking Liam Noble to a potential departure from FGR, attacking legend Les Bradd's 50-year anniversary of his Notts debut, and plenty more.
All this and more only in episode 27 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast!
Share your thoughts about this week's PONcast 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

Kevin Nolan: 'Forest Green Rovers will want to produce an upset'

Kevin Nolan has stressed that Notts County must not underestimate Forest Green Rovers as they have "absolutely nothing to lose" and will be eyeing the scalp of the League Two leaders.
The Magpies remain top of the division on goal difference following their 3-1 derby defeat at Mansfield Town a week ago.
On Saturday, Meadow Lane will host an encounter between Notts and FGR, who currently sit at the basement of the league.
“It has been a difficult season so far for them,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “I watched them against Swindon when it was on television and I felt they were unlucky not to get something out of the game.
“But, for me, it’s not about Mark Cooper, Forest Green, or the links we have with them, it’s about us. It’s about what we do and as I have said consistently over time, on our day we are a match for anyone.
“If we turn up on Saturday then we have a fantastic chance of winning all three points. That’s what we will be going out to do.
“It doesn’t matter what division, how many times have you seen bottom beat top?
“In our league, anyone can beat anyone and that’s why I say to these boys, there is not a time you can switch off and hope to get through a game and win.
“You have to be at it every game. You cannot have five, six, seven or eight players off their game.
“If we have that on Saturday, we will be punished by Forest Green because they have got some good players and good strengths.
“And listen, they are coming to the league leaders. They have absolutely nothing to lose, and they are going to want to produce an upset.
“There has been so many times when my mates have rung me and said ‘I can’t believe this team has beaten one at the top’ and the result has let them down on their accumulator.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we will face a top team who are in the league for the first time and are wanting to impress.
“And what better place is there to get that lift by beating the team who is at the top of the league?
“That’s what we have to deal with. We are there to be shot at. And it’s how long we can handle that for and how long we can stay there for.
“I am sure I will see a lot from my players in the next 48 hours, and I am hoping it’s going to be positive again because the reaction they have given me so far has been absolutely amazing.”
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Joe Jones

Opposition View: Notts County vs. Forest Green Rovers, Saturday 7 October 2017

Notts County entered October at the top of League Two, although they were left reeling from a 3-1 derby defeat at Mansfield Town, with the scoreline only marginally better thanks to Carl Dickinson's late consolation.
However, being brought back down to earth could be beneficial in the long term as it showed the Magpies players that great form and momentum can come crashing to a halt, so back to the drawing board.
Up next for Notts is a home game against the league's basement side, Forest Green Rovers, promoted from the National League last season.
Pride of Nottingham spoke to FGR fan Connor to get an insight on Saturday's opposition.
About Connor: In my early 20s, been a fan since 2012, and my favourite player is Dale Bennett.
Forest Green are in the EFL for the first time in their history. Tell us about their rise and how it feels at present.
It's incredible really, uncharted territory for the town of Nailsworth and the region of Gloucestershire. For years and years FGR was just a local non-league club that you'd pop down to support alongside a couple hundred other people, but since Dale Vince took over the club it's been an incredible rollercoaster ride and we're making the most of it, even if things are a little murky at present.
Much is made of the club's green credentials - and opposition fans seem eager to mock this aspect. What do you make of it?
At first it did seem like a bit much when Vince made all those changes to the club but it's a noble cause, it's for the good of the environment and so most of the fans have happily got behind it. As for the opposition fans mocking us, we've got used to it now. It's pathetic and cute at the same time, won't say much more than that.
Mark Cooper used to be Notts manager but the manner of his departure left many fans unimpressed. How is he doing at FGR?
Cooper was a popular choice at the time and managed to get us promoted. However, his relationship with the fans isn't very good at present, and he appears to have lost the dressing room too. The biggest mistake was giving him a five-year contract, because sacking him would cost the club a lot in compensation, but likewise Cooper isn't exactly under that much pressure to deliver.
Liam Noble was famously the subject of interest from Notts in the summer but he won't be playing - what's happening with him?
The official line is that Noble is going to be absent because of a medical issue. The club's PR hasn't been very good in the last couple months so fans are speculating as to what exactly it might be. But the general consensus is that it's something potentially sensitive and confidential so aside from unbased speculation, there isn't really anything more to it.
Who are your danger men?
Christian Doidge got 27 goals in 44 games last season and got off to a good start this season with 4 in his first 5, though his form has tailed off since then. Dale Bennett is one of the most consistent players in our line-up, is skilled and always gives 100%. And then we have Keanu Marsh-Brown and Noble, neither of whom are playing at the minute sadly.
Final score?
With how things are at the minute at FGR and bearing in mind County's form, I'd be delighted to take a draw. I'll go with 1-1.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan pleased to welcome Shola Ameobi back into Notts County fold

Kevin Nolan has expressed his delight with Shola Ameobi's return for Notts County, but insists he will not rush him back into action.
The former Newcastle United forward had not played for the Magpies since injuring his hamstring in the win over Morecambe.
However, Ameobi was given more than 20 minutes on the pitch in the derby with Mansfield Town, and Nolan says his return gives him more attacking talent at his disposal.
“Shola’s return is great as it gives us more options,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
“We are now at the point where, with the exception of Dan Jones, we are a fully-fit squad.
“He (Shola) has done a lot of work, but we are not going to rush him because we don’t want a recurrence of his injury.
“We are delighted how quick he has come back and it just shows that the work he did in pre-season enabled him to be strong and ready to go against Mansfield.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan backs Notts County players to "prove a lot of people wrong again"

Kevin Nolan has backed his Notts County players to put the 3-1 defeat at Mansfield Town behind them and "prove people wrong again".
The Magpies enjoyed a flawless September right up to the final fixture of the month, where a Danny Rose brace and Richard Duffy's own goal sadly brought the visitors back to earth.
Despite the defeat, Notts remain top of League Two, and Nolan admits he gave them a pep talk following the loss at Field Mill, with a view to the Forest Green Rovers clash and the subsequent games in October.
“I said to the lads at the end of the game that I was very proud of them,” he told the Nottingham Post.
“They have been absolutely magnificent and to be top of the table after 11 games is a wonderful feeling.
“Let’s not get carried away with just one game. Let’s just think about what we have done in the last 10 because we were magnificent.
“Nobody over those games can ever say we didn’t deserve to win. All I am trying to get across to the players is that when you do win, and you don’t deserve it, that is when you are a proper side.
“When I was playing and you had the likes of Man United coming to you, they wouldn’t be brilliant but would go away with a win or a loss.
“That’s what we have got to learn so we leave some grounds thinking ‘how did we get away with that?’.
“Defeat against Mansfield will give the lads determination to prove a lot of people wrong again.”
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy urges families and Forest fans to come down to Notts this weekend

Notts County owner Alan Hardy has urged families across the region to head down to Notts County during their community day on Saturday.
The Magpies host Forest Green Rovers at Meadow Lane this weekend as part of a special day which will see a wide range of activities take place.
Among them will be games, face painting, the chance to look at an ambulance and fire engines while there will also be singing choirs.
Tickets for the game are just £10 for adults, while under-18s’ tickets are £5, under-12s’ are £1 and under sevens can go free.
“It promises to be a fantastic occasion and we have so many wonderful activities for children and adults to take part in on the day,” Hardy told the Nottingham Post.
“Whether you are a family of football fans or not, come down and experience what we are offering.
“We hope to create a carnival atmosphere in what is a big game for us. And who knows - if you are not a football fan, we may convert you into one!
“We have pulled out all the stops to make it accessible to everybody and with the team at the top of the league and looking to get back to winning ways, it’s going to be an exciting day.
“We have had a tremendous amount of interest and I cannot wait for what should be a splendid occasion full of atmosphere.
“I am also hoping that Forest fans will come along to see how the likes of Ryan Yates and Jorge Grant are getting on given they have played a major part of our success so far.
“There are no Championship games or Premier League matches to watch, so come and pay us a visit and help play a part in our bid to get back to winning ways.”
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Joe Jones

Les Bradd to donate £1 from every sale of new book to CEO Sleepout

Notts County have announced that club record goalscorer Les Bradd will donate £1 from every sale of his forthcoming book to the beneficiaries of Thursday's CEO Sleepout.
The legendary Magpies striker began his 11-year stint at Meadow Lane 50 years ago this week following his £1,000 move from Rotherham United.
Over the late 60s and throughout the 70s, Bradd thrilled the Black and White Army as he notched up an amazing 125 goals in 398 appearances in the famed Notts shirt.
In Far Post: A Striker’s Tale of Scoring Goals and Breaking Records, Bradd takes an in-depth look at his own career and gives an exclusive insight into his relationship with club legends like Jimmy Sirrel, Tony Hateley and Don Masson.
And the 69-year-old has confirmed that a cut of each book sale will go towards CEO Sleepout, a charity championed by Football In The Community that will see executives sleep outdoors overnight to raise money in the fight against homelessness and poverty.
"To see the effort that everyone at FITC has put into making the sleepout a success has been heart-warming" Les told the official Notts site.
"Last year was a fantastic event as business owners across the county met and raised money for the homeless. I knew I wanted to support the event in any way possible.
"I hope the sales of my book can in some way support the lives of those most in need within the city."
On general sale from Saturday, you can pre-order your copy of Les' book today at lesbraddbook.co.uk or alternatively, you can visit the Meadow Lane club shop.
In addition, Les will be signing copies of the book in the club shop on Saturday at the following times: 9.30am-10.15am, 1pm-1.30pm and 5pm-5.30pm.
Notts chairman and owner Alan Hardy is taking part in the CEO Sleepout - you can donate to his cause here.
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Joe Jones

Joe Jones: Kevin Nolan must ensure no complacency sets in during "easy" October

Two months into the season and Notts County are flying high. Top of League Two, joint-second highest goals scored on 21, joint-third lowest goals conceded on 11 (and just over half of those came in our two "blip" games).
What makes it all the more impressive is that there have been some really tough games in August and September - very much make or break. And credit to Kevin Nolan and the players (and Alan Hardy) it's been a case of "make".
August gave us two teams relegated from League One - one a bitter local rival - and a solid team boasting the very awkward Adebayo Akinfenwa. September, meanwhile, gave us the remaining two relegated sides, the Prawn bogey team, and two more East Midlands rivals.
And despite this run, Notts got through these months in fantastic fashion.
Now, into October. On paper, this month is a lot, lot more straightforward. The first three teams (Forest Green, Barnet and Crewe) are all in the bottom six at present, before the long-haul Carlisle away day and, to finish off the month (once we get past the meaningless EFL Trophy game with Mansfield), Newport at home, a team that, to their credit, has begun the season well, but remain short of quality.
The key words here are "on paper". Fixture-wise, this month will need Nolan to really put his "no complacency" mantra into practice. And my view is that the first two months of the season, where the manager has seen players out of the starting XI or even the squad for dropping standards, will have served as good preparation for the next four weeks.
Maybe the defeat at Field Mill could also prove to be a blessing in disguise. The whole of September was outstanding and, in a way, us fans got a little "used" to winning. Maybe the players ended up taking the foot off the pedal in terms of mentality and, lo and behold, the Stags had our pants down. A rude awakening, but one that will jolt the team back into the right frame of mind.
Already there's talk on the forum of FGR being a team that we "are going to slaughter". Based on form, league standing and player quality, it would seem the case, but already we have lost half the battle by thinking this way. Remember, Mark Cooper is an ex-Notts manager and historically they have got their own back on their former employers.
Arguably the biggest sub-plot of the weekend's game, that of Liam Noble returning to his old stomping ground, seems to have been put on ice given that FGR have ruled him out sans return date due to medical issues, but if he does end up playing, there's that age-old "former player returns to haunt his former club" which fate almost always springs up (hell, we saw it ourselves when Terry Hawkridge bagged his first for Notts against, who else, Lincoln).
So in a nutshell, an easy month on paper is very much a potential pitfall, so Nolan will arguably be given an even sterner test this month - motivating a player to be 100% against a Coventry or Exeter is not as difficult as getting the same percentage against a Barnet or Newport.
Over to you boys - don't get complacent, or the amazing start we've had so far in 2017/18 will end up being an irrelevant memory like all the great starts we've had in recent years.
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Joe Jones

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