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Kevin Nolan: 'Jon Stead does not get the credit he deserves'

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has claimed that Jon Stead does not get the credit he deserves.
The veteran striker impressed in the 4-1 win over Lincoln City at the weekend, scoring one and assisting Matt Tootle.
Stead went on to make his 100th Magpies appearance in the 3-0 victory at Exeter City on Tuesday, and Nolan paid tribute to the forward, who turned down a move to the United States to extend his Meadow Lane contract in the summer.
Asked whether Stead is given enough credit, Nolan told the Nottingham Post: “No, not at all.
“He knows I have got confidence in him. He knows how much I regard him not just as a player, but as a person.
“On and off the field he is what we are all about. He’s an absolute pleasure to work with day in, day out.
“I now think he is getting his just rewards. What he did on Saturday was absolutely brilliant. To score and then set one up was great.”
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Joe Jones

Match Reaction: Exeter City 0-3 Notts County, Tuesday 26 September 2017

Notts County have cemented their hold on top spot in League Two thanks to a clinical 3-0 win over Exeter City on Tuesday night.
In a clash that pitted the top two teams in the division against each other, it was the Magpies who came out on top to extend their lead to three points thanks to Lewis Alessandra's early goal and substitute Jorge Grant's second-half brace.
Here is what the Notts boss, some of the players and several fans had to say following the game.
Kevin Nolan
“I think it was the most complete performance because we were away from home, we got the clean sheet, and scored three goals.
“We came here on a Tuesday night, made five changes and if it doesn’t work people start to question you.
“It’s certainly up there and I love winning every game. It means so much to me to have another fantastic result like this.
Jorge Grant
"Confidence is high but we have to keep level heads. We've had a great start but it's still early on in the season.
"We can't get too high when we win but, at the same time, we can't get too low when we lose."
Players on social media
 
 
 
 
The fans (from PON's match discussion of the Exeter game)
Upthepies: Surprise start to the game to go 1-0 up minutes into the first half. I thought the team defended bravely after a shaky period, the players re-group at half time. I don't know what Kevin Nolan said but whatever it was they came back out more determined. Richard Duffy was class tonight! Yet Ryan Yates stole the show for me. He worked very hard and his engine never stopped.
Liampie: Wow, 3-0 win over a very decent team. it sounded like we played very well in the second half especially. So pleased right now!
Chris: At the moment everything's going our way! 3-0! Two goals by Jorge Grant and of course the opener by Lewis Alessandra. Mark Stallard and Charlie Slater labelling the game 'the performance of the season by Notts', well the first half sounded like a write off towards the end but Notts have remained focused and sealed a good display.
Who r ya?? You Pies!!:  Omg what a win and performance , strong in defence good going forward getting those goals , Gorge Grants on fire league 2 defences are terrified lol COYP
Countyman: I just want to say it, WE ARE STILL TOP OF LEAGUE TWO. 3-0 win over Exeter? Fantastic!
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Joe Jones

Tactical Talk: Exeter City 0-3 Notts County, Tuesday 26 September 2017

Notts County have cemented their hold on top spot in League Two with a clinical performance to beat second-placed Exeter City 3-0 at St James Park on Tuesday night.
Lewis Alessandra set the Magpies on their way with an opportunistic lob after just two minutes before substitute Jorge Grant added a further two goals in the second half.
The result, a sixth successive league victory for Kevin Nolan's men, sees them three points clear at the top of the table.
Here is an in-depth analysis of the game from Chris.
Was the result fair?
I take a lot of joy from saying this, Notts County wholeheartedly deserved to win at Exeter yesterday! The home side simply failed to take their chances in the first half, and a superb second half performance sealed the victory for the Magpies – there’s no luck involved at all, the better team went home happy.
How did Notts play?
Notts played very well, the first half had patches but at the back Richard Duffy ensured that Adam Collin was well protected. From the off, Notts looked bright and eager to prove to League Two that they’re a serious outfit meaning to do the business this campaign. A very strong, spirited second half saw the Magpies play some good stuff.
How did Exeter play?
I wouldn’t suggest they played badly, however their hyping up of the game really didn’t help them. It gave The Grecians the pressure, especially being on home turf and despite some good chances in the first half – they just simply weren’t able to tuck of their opportunities a way.
Did our tactics work out?
The five changes meant that Notts had several pairs of fresh legs playing, a decision which in all fairness could have backfired – however with this Notts squad we all know that players are more likely to respond positively. From the off, Lewis Alessandra proved this point and it shows just how universal the team tactics are right now. Kevin Nolan did his homework by injecting height into the squad, so tactically we were spot on.
How did the referee perform?
The referee did alright, and for once I find myself thinking that we actually had a sensible referee. Due to this the game played out quite smoothly, and although some decisions may have been missed – I think it worked in favour of both teams rather than any decisions to favour a single team.
Who do we play next?
Next up is six fingers, seven toes and no thumbs – aka Mansfield Town. This game has more momentum behind it than the Exeter City game, thus making it far more important and no doubt a tricky local derby.
How should we play them?
Notts have been building nicely from the back in recent games, it’s important that we play with the right balance against Mansfield – as I feel they will try to press us more and ultimately attempt to close us down.
It’s important that we keep the play simple, passing short and avoiding anything fancy.
When Notts assumes control by passing around the centre of the park, spreading the ball out wide – it creates so much space that opposition sides don’t know whether to drop deeper or push up tighter.
This is a vital aspect, as will allowing Jon Stead to gather players to make him tightly – in all fairness it would be useful to have Shola Ameobi back as his holding up of the ball and clever flicks would had a lot to our game plan.
However, we just have to be sensible within our play and use the creativity that players like Rob Milsom and Jorge Grant have to offer.
Exeter fan views (from Exeweb)
grecian-near-hell: Personally I didn't rate Notts County that highly, I thought they were slow and ponderous with too many wayward passes for a table topping team, and will be found out (like ourselves) shortly. That said we were worse. I didn't think we had any shape about us, the defence could so easily have been ripped apart with a far worse scoreline than 3-0 had NC had speedy wingers/forwards.Regrettably I think TAH has had his day he's got the turning circle of a juggernaut and last night neither of the Troy's appeared to have any understanding of what the other was doing. Like NC too many wayward passes from defence and midfield to runners who weren't there.
Jayden Stockley really needs to contact David Wheeler to find out how he seemed to float so long after he jumped for the ball, too often last night Stockley had jumped too soon and was on the way down before the ball got to him either from kick offs or crossing and on a couple of occassions this could have bought us a goal - he really does need to parctice his heading and jumping, but that's the (alleged) £400k difference I suppose.
The midfield also had a nightmare, as mentioned too many passes going astray Lee Holmes not weaving his magic.
The match although billed as top of the table did not live up to expectations which was a shame bearing in mind the good sized crowd for a midweek match.Oh well live and learn and we move on matches like last night emphasised why we are a fourth division side with players to match.
DanceMagnet: A simple question, Mr Tisdale. When you're up against two slow defenders in Nicky Hunt and Richard Duffy, why do you start with no pace up front? Instead you play Stockley and Reid together when it was blatantly obvious at Coventry that partnership wasn't working and would likely suit there central defenders more than somebody capable of running at them.
It was also pretty obvious from the start that the midfield needed strengthening. Why that did not happen at half time (at the latest) I'll never know. Boating should have been on then. Instead, we have to wait until we go two down until we make a substitution - too bleeding late, mate.
Mr Jan Yeo: We were punished for some sloppy play, but I didn't feel we were far away from that being a completely different result. Seen us play a lot worse and still get something from the game.
County were good and played us off the park for long periods. We seemed to struggle initially to break them down but definitely had a few decent spells that would've seen the game completely change if the ball had fallen right. We can't win them all and aren't the best in the league, so I'm not too surprised. We'll bounce back soon enough.
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Chris

Match Highlights: Exeter City 0-3 Notts County, Tuesday 26 September 2017

Notts County have tightened their grip at the top of the League Two table as they powered their way to a 3-0 victory over Exeter City in the battle of the top two on Tuesday night.
The Magpies began the match at St James' Park on the back of five successive wins, and left with a sixth against the second-placed Grecians, who they had deposed last weekend.
Substitute Jorge Grant's double, coupled with Lewis Alessandra's second-minute opener, condemned Exeter to a second defeat in four days and put Kevin Nolan's side three points clear.
The official Notts YouTube channel now has the highlights up from the game, so if you fancy reliving the amazing win - and you know you do - then simply check out the video below.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Notts County played like men'

Not for the first time this season, Notts County manager Kevin Nolan has expressed his delight with another amazing performance from his charges.
What appeared to be a difficult proposition in League Two second-placed side Exeter City away on a Tuesday night ended up in a 3-0 win for the Magpies.
The win, brought about by Lewis Alessandra's early opener and a Jorge Grant brace, ensures that Notts pull away from the Grecians at the top of the table.
"Hats off to the lads - they were absolutely fantastic," Nolan told the official Notts site. "I'm absolutely delighted for them - they got exactly what they deserved tonight.
"Making that number of changes, you do have a little bit of a worry. But I trust these lads massively and they keep repaying me.
"We played like men tonight. We came here and believed. This is a difficult place to come to and we've got three points and another clean sheet.
"I keep saying there's more to come and I think you've seen glimpses of that over the last couple of games. I'm sure we can still get better - it's about me keeping feet on the ground.
"You won't see me celebrating too soon. What you'll see is us getting back to business tomorrow.
"The chairman's been absolutely fantastic in letting us stay over again tonight so the lads aren't getting home at 5am.
"They'll be in the gym tomorrow doing their cool down, making sure they're ready to go to Mansfield on Saturday and try to get another three points.
"If we can go there and get a result, everybody will be thinking 'what a week that is.'"
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Joe Jones

Notts County, Mansfield Town to compete for Matt Salmon Trophy

Notts County and Mansfield Town will compete for a new trophy in honour of former Stags physiotherapist Matt Salmon.
Matt, who had a work experience spell at Meadow Lane before spending three and a half years at the Stags, sadly died in May following a battle with cancer aged just 25.
Matt's wife and family have been invited to Saturday's League Two match at the One Call Stadium as special guests to mark the introduction of the Matt Salmon Trophy.
Notts chairman Alan Hardy told the official Notts site: "This was the very least we could do for Matt.
"We were all devastated to learn of his passing - it was incredibly sad. I knew he was poorly, but had no idea of the level of his condition.
"He was only at Meadow Lane for a short while but his reputation lives on. He had a wonderful time with us and learned a lot under Johnny Wilson and the rest of the medical staff. They still speak highly of him today.
"We're both East Midlands rivals at heart but ultimately we're all football people within our region and in that sense we're on the same side."
Mansfield Town chief executive Carolyn Radford added: "Matt was an incredible person, the type to do anything for anyone. He brought so much to his role at Mansfield Town. He was completely indulged in his work and loved his role at the club.
"It's fitting that we remember Matt in such a way and we thank Alan and everyone at Meadow Lane who have shown real integrity and warm spirits in the organisation of this trophy."
Joe Jones

Match Report: Notts County cement hold on top of League Two after thrashing Exeter City

So the crunch clash of the top two teams in League Two ended up being somewhat one-sided. And luckily for us, it was Notts County who emerged triumphant with a frankly frightening 3-0 win at Exeter City.
The nerves of the travelling Magpies fans - plus those following on the radio or online - were eased within the opening 90 seconds of the game.
A long kick from goalkeeper Adam Collin was flicked on and Lewis Alessandra, spotting Grecians goalkeeper Christy Pym off his line, lobbed a fine first-time effort over the head of the stranded stopper and into the net.
Exeter had an appeal for a penalty turned down minutes later when Jake Taylor broke into the box and went down under a tackle from Nicky Hunt, but referee Kevin Johnson deemed it a fair challenge.
The pendulum then swung back Notts's way as they won a number of corners, with Richard Duffy flicking one over at the near post.
Pierce Sweeney then misjudged a long ball that allowed Terry Hawkridge to break into the box but he fluffed his lines by firing over.
To their credit the hosts mustered several dangerous efforts on goal, as Jake Taylor rifled straight at Collin, while Lee Holmes stung the palms of the goalkeeper with a fierce effort from distance.
Exeter's best chance came shortly before the half-hour mark when Craig Woodman's cross was nodded down by Jayden Stockley and Taylor smashed his effort straight at Collin.
Notts rode out the storm and, in the 62nd minute, doubled their lead as a corner kick caused havoc in the six-yard box and the ball was turned in by the incredible Jorge Grant, who had been on the pitch for five minutes.
Jonathan Forte was narrowly off target for County, while Stockley headed high for Exeter, but Grant bagged his second eight minutes from time after beating the offside trap to volley home.
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Joe Jones

Chris Buckley: Let's keep spurring Notts County on as momentum keeps building

Yesterday whilst appearing as a guest on BBC Nottingham’s Match Talk, I was asked the question by David Jackson - "is it time to believe in promotion yet?"
It’s a question which I have asked fans myself, and it's one which the majority seem unsure how to answer.
Myself, I always remain optimistic about any season, especially as the table is still taking shape - but the 2017-18 season does seem special.
I also recall a discussion that was started by PON member Liampie which asked “Should we avoid getting carried away?”
At the time I felt similar, although I would say I was more quietly optimistic.
I could already sense a ‘positive vibe’ around Meadow Lane that just felt that season could be very different, I always tend to warn caution to the fans I know – yet it’s difficult when things are going in your favour for once to play down the fact Notts could gain promotion.
It’s still very early days within League Two, however I do believe we as supporters should try to really get behind the team.
In our match against Lincoln City, it was brilliant to see so many fans being vocal about encouraging the Kop to sing and once the home support had silenced the away end (the opposition fans didn’t really do much did they?) – it was one of the most enjoyable experiences that I had had in a number of seasons.
Not just purely because our lads controlled the second half well, or due to Lincoln continuing to try to get something from the match – despite all hopes.
It was more so because everyone around me - and I moved around the Kop as I watched the game - was fully enjoying themselves and I honestly feel it made a huge impact on the way that Notts played.
It’s also good to see that we have a bench made up of players who could start regularly and the fact we have a manager who can make several changes now that he knows who forms the best starting 11.
Another point made by David Jackson was the amount of luck which we had, as any fan will know we have had a tendency to attract opposite previous seasons.
Yet the striking difference this term is how hard-working we are as a team, this was visual against Swindon Town – a game which the majority felt we didn’t quite have the power to shrug them off, but we did manage to keep them mostly quiet.
I felt extremely proud during that game, as for once it seemed like we had a team which would protect the lead at all cost. A team that would run, scrap and work hard for their manager.
It’s still very early days, and I would echo the discussion myself and Joe Jones had in the latest Pride of Nottingham PONcast – things can change differently, yet whilst the squad works hard and puts in those determined performances – no matter what happens on the pitch, we will always be better off, and I think that is the prime example of what we have witnessed so far during the 2017-18 season.
Kevin Nolan has done a fantastic job keeping the players focused, he takes things game-by-game.
The Exeter win will have instilled further hope and ambition within my fellow supporters. However, let’s make this season less about luck and more about the passionate, free-fighting squad that gets the right results.
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Chris

Pride of Nottingham's PONcast: Episode 26

Hello and welcome to episode 26 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, presented by Chris and JJ.
In this week's episode we recap, review and analyse Notts County's impressive 4-1 win over Lincoln City, the result of which put the Magpies top of League Two.
We then move on to previewing today's crunch clash with second-placed Exeter City and determining how Notts should line up and play against the Grecians.
Other topics covered include just how crucial Kevin Nolan's new contract is to the stability of the club, whether the seemingly imminent early closure of the transfer window is a good thing, and plenty more.
All this and more in the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, episode 26!
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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Joe Jones

Lincoln City confirm Billy Knott red card at Notts County has been upheld

Lincoln City have confirmed that Billy Knott's red card against Notts County has not been overturned.
The 24-year-old was given his marching orders by referee Sebastian Stockbridge 28 minutes into the Magpies' 4-1 win at Meadow Lane after catching Ryan Yates in the face with a high boot.
The appeal was considered by the FA on Monday afternoon and, the following day, a statement on the Imps site announced that the dismissal has been upheld.
As a result Knott will serve a three-match suspension, starting with tonight’s game with Barnet.
He will also sit out Saturday’s Lincolnshire derby at Grimsby Town and the home clash with Chesterfield on October 7.
Knott voiced his opinion on Twitter following the decision.
In Monday's press conference, Imps boss Danny Cowley had told the press: “It’s difficult for referees, I accept that, but on this occasion it’s really clear to me.
“The ball is low, the player [Yates] is not in Billy’s eye line, he’s just helping it on. If you look at the footage and how both players land, you can see that Ryan Yates comes into Billy.
“It was a harsh punishment to take on Saturday and ultimately it has cost us three points in my opinion because I thought we were in a really strong position in the game.
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Joe Jones

Opposition View: Exeter City vs. Notts County, Tuesday 26 September 2017

How good does it feel to be a Notts County fan right now?
Kevin Nolan has masterminded an epic climb to the top of League Two, the foundations of the club appear steady from top to bottom, and every so often a nice little bit of PR in the form of, say Matt Tootle's goal celebration, gives the club exposure on a global scale.
But it's still early days, and tonight, the Magpies will be given their harshest test, taking on previous fourth-tier leaders and current second-placed side Exeter City away at St James' Park.
Ahead of tonight's clash, Pride of Nottingham has spoken to Grecians fan Nathan Smith (Twitter: @Nathanecfc) to get an insight on the opposition.
About Nathan: I'm 16 years old, I started supporting Exeter when I was around 5 and I was taken to a game for my birthday and since then, I've been a fan! My all time favourite player would probably be Richard Logan as was one of those players that just scored the important goals. For example, the winner against Rotherham which sent us into League One.
Q1- You had financial troubles in the mid-00's how did you overcome these?
It all started in 2003 when the club was raided by police and took the chairman, his wife and the vice chairman in for questioning. This led to future chairman Dr David Treharne and other members of the trust going into Ivor Doble (who was the majority shareholder at the club) and paying £20,000 to purchase the club. Doble agreed and the deal was announced on the 5th of September. Despite the takeover, Exeter had to enter a CVA in order to reduce the £4.5 million debt left behind by the owners. A campaign called 'Red or Dead?' was started to help pay off the debts and the fans managed to raise £140,000. The 2005 FA cup games vs Manchester United meant that the clubs debts had been basically cleared due to the tv and ticket revenue.
Q2- You famously have links to the Brazil team, how have you kept this link alive?
The link between Exeter and Brazil obviously goes a long way back and most recently, the club went on a tour of Brazil in 2014. We played 3 different teams, including Fluminense at the same venue in which Exeter played Brazil back in 1914. Unfortunately, the tour did not go exactly to plan as some of the squad caught a illness which led to Tisdale having to name himself on the bench for the opening game!
Q3- Tell us about your FA Cup matches with Manchester United in 2005?
To be 100% honest, I didn't go as 3 year old me probably wasn't that keen! But, I do know that the games where huge for the club as they wiped off most of the clubs debts + getting a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign is a huge achievement for a conference side. For the replay, we saw a young Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney take the stage and they ran out 2-0 winners.
Q4- You were bottom of the League Two table last November, but you ended up making the play-offs. How did the turnaround come about?
At the start of the season, we were absolutely awful at home, while our away form while not being great, kept us near the teams above us. The two reasons we ended up in the play offs was our fantastic away form, in which we broke our personal record for most away wins in a season, and we also changed the way we played at home. We were very guilty of keeping the ball for the sake of keeping the ball and teams with a bit of power would just bully us and roll us over. We became more direct, relying on the aerial strength of David Wheeler and we also became very hard to score against, as we went through a period in December/January of barely conceding.
Q5- Who are your teams dangermen?
Reuben Reid is the top goalscorer in the league with 7 goals which makes him our biggest danger man. He is a clinical finisher in front of goal with great strength and decent pace. Lee Holmes is another danger man as despite not having a lot of pace, the winger is comfortable on both sides of the pitch and can easily take on the opposition full back. We have one of the better centre back pairs in the league but captain Jordan Moore-Taylor picked up a knock vs Coventry so I'm not sure whether he will play. The other half of the pair, Troy Brown is one of Tisdale's success stories as he arrived slightly overweight after two straight relegations with two different clubs. He has become a strong centre half with a powerful header and he is physically great. I'd also watch out for 16 year old Jack Sparkes who can make an impact if selected.
Q6- What do you think the score and goalscorers will be?
I'm going to go with a 1-1 draw with Jayden Stockley getting our goal.
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Chris

Kevin Nolan eager to keep complacency at bay despite congratulatory messages

Kevin Nolan has revealed that he is getting congratulatory messages from former colleagues for having led Notts County to the top of League Two, but remains committed to keeping complacency at bay.
The Magpies' blip at Coventry City on the first day of the season is now a distant memory as the club gears up for an early top-of-the-table clash against Exeter City.
Notts could secure a sixth consecutive league win should they triumph at St James' Park tonight, but despite the early pats on the back from several former West Ham teammates, Nolan says he must "keep reminding everybody" about it being early days.
“Ginge (James Collins) messaged me the other day to say he was delighted for me and I get them often off AC (Andy Carroll) too," the Magpies boss told the Nottingham Post.
“There are people who are genuinely pleased with the way it’s going for me at the minute.
“But I know I can’t take my foot off the gas pedal. I have got to keep trying and strive to be better as a manager and a person really.
“It’s just about making sure I keep my feet on the ground and not get carried away with the hype.
“If, at the end of the season, I am sitting where I am now then I can take all the accolades but this job is very much still in its infancy.
“I am really desperate to succeed at it. I am still an apprentice trying to learn his trade and hopefully I’ve started off well.
“I know there will be some bumps, but when I do get hit with one, hopefully I will be able to bounce back and am ready for it.
“There are players here who were part of (the 10-match losing streak), but the shift in mentality from then to now has been absolutely brilliant. But we just have to keep working hard and not get carried away with what is happening.
“As I said, and I’ve got to keep reminding everybody, that I took over a team that was second-bottom but 10 games earlier they were sixth and could have gone second. So that’s how easy it can all change.”
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Exeter City vs. Notts County, Tuesday 26 September 2017

Notts County and Exeter City have met a total of 44 times over their history.
The first meeting came at St James’ Park in Division Three (South) on 1 November 1930, and it which finished as a 3-3 draw.
The Magpies have an excellent record against the Grecians; out of those 43 games, Notts claimed a result in 36, with 17 wins and 19 draws.
Our recent form (last five) is not too bad, with two wins, two draws and one defeat.
Exeter was formed in 1901 as St. Sidwell's United and played in the Southern League from 1908 until 1920, when that league's top division was absorbed into The Football League as its new Division Three.
The club was the first ever team to play the Brazilian national team in 1914, a match which was commemorated in a 2014 friendly game against Fluminense.
City took 60 years to achieve their first ever promotion, finishing fourth in Division Four in the 1963–64 season.
Since then, the club have mostly yo-yoed between the third and fourth divisions, spending five years in the Conference between 2003 and 2008; having been promoted a further four times (in 1976–77, 1989–90, 2007–08 and 2008–09) and relegated five times (in 1965–66,1983–84, 1993–94, 2002–03 and 2011–12).
Famous fans include Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, Adrian Edmondson, Mark Nicol and Noel Edmonds.
Singer Joss Stone signed up as a member of the Supporters' Trust, being introduced to fans on the pitch as a new member during a League Cup match against Liverpool.
In 2002 pop singer Michael Jackson was made honorary director of Exeter City. He visited St James Park with celebrity friend Uri Geller, who was also a director.
The crew of the HMS Defender also adopted Exeter City as their home team and use their strip if playing games whilst on tour.
Team news
Exeter captain Jordan Moore-Taylor could miss the game with Notts as he went off following a heavy challenge in the 2-0 defeat at Coventry on Saturday, the Grecians' first defeat of the season.
Troy Archibald-Henville and Dean Moxey will compete for a starting spot if Moore-Taylor fails to recover in time.
Jayden Stockley is pushing for his first start since rejoining Exeter from Aberdeen last month.
Notts might be without Dan Jones as the left-back had to come off with a hamstring injury at half-time during the 4-1 home win against Lincoln on Saturday.
Shola Ameobi's hamstring injury is not as serious as initially feared and the striker, who has missed the last three matches, should not be out much longer.
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Joe Jones

Scouting Report: Exeter City (A), 26 September 2017

So Notts County have taken their place at the top of the pile in League Two following their marvellous 4-1 win over Lincoln City at the weekend.
They now face their biggest mission, taking on second-placed Exeter City away at St James' Park on Tuesday night.
Here is Chris's scouting report for our midweek game this week.
History
Notts County and Exeter City have met a total of 44 times over their history.
The first meeting came at St James’ Park in Division Three (South) on 1 November 1930, and it which finished as a 3-3 draw.
The Magpies have an excellent record against the Grecians; out of those 43 games, Notts claimed a result in 36, with 17 wins and 19 draws.
Our recent form (last five) is not too bad, with two wins, two draws and one defeat.
Run-down of their last six fixtures
Saturday 26th August – Cheltenham Town 3 Exeter City 4
Saturday 2nd September – Exeter City 1 Newport County 0
Saturday 9th September – Forest Green Rovers 1 Exeter City 3
Tuesday 12th September – Barnet 1 Exeter City 2
Saturday 16th September – Exeter City 3 Crewe Alexandra 0
Saturday 23rd September – Coventry City 2 Exeter City 0
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Reuben Reid 7, Lee Holmes 2, Jake Palmer 2 and Jayden Stockley 2.
Persistent Foulers; Lloyd James 4 yellow cards, Jordan Tillson 3 yellow cards, Hiram Boateng 2 yellow cards and Reuben Reid 1 yellow card.
The Key Players
The standout player for Exeter City is Reuben Reid who is a versatile player able to drift onto the wing, whilst remaining a lethal finisher upfront – his experience within League Two is one of their main focus points.
In midfield the duo of Lloyd James and Jake Taylor offer them a lot of creativity, with the pair easily being the driving force behind the team.
Jordan Tillson also likes to get forward from defence and is a very robust player at the back – who is tactically aware at most times.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Exeter City use a mix of passing on the ground and using the air to confuse their opposition, they appear very comfortable attacking in both fashions – yet they look more dangerous when they attack through the centre of the park.
Going forward they are very confident, and can force play by passing in awkward positions which makes it harder to defend from an oppositions point of view.
They move strategically going forward which invites play for their strikers, and look to draw their counter-parts out as a way to get on goal sight.
Defensively they look awkward when teams assert pressure, and against taller opposition teams they can tend to leak goals – however they generally avoid relapses in their concentration and organise themselves very effectively.
Notts will have to stand tall upfront, walking hard to make use of whatever chances may fall their way. Space will be given outside their area which Notts could use to their advantage, yet space within the penalty area should be limited due to the tightness that Exeter leave. Corners would be best to use a second player to drill in the pass – rather than going direct and any chance on goal sight must be taken.
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Chris

Steven Taylor: 'Kevin Nolan helped flush out Newcastle misfits'

Former Newcastle United captain Steven Taylor has spoken of a team meeting at St James' Park where Kevin Nolan helped flush out players who did not want to be at the club following relegation.
Following the Toon's drop from the Premier League in 2009, they were thrashed 6-1 by Leyton Orient in a pre-season friendly.
Notts County boss Nolan, plying his trade for Newcastle at the time, led a heated discussion following that defeat alongside then-manager Chris Hughton, and the question placed to the players was simple.
Taylor told Sky Sports: "We played Leyton Orient in the last game of pre-season before we went into the Championship and we got battered in that game.
"We got absolutely hammered and we had a meeting the next day and Kevin Nolan and Chris Hughton said 'listen, if you don't want to be here, put your hand up'.
"A few players put their hand up and in the space of a week those players had gone.
"People were putting their hands up, yeah, because I think they had their moves sorted, so they knew anyway that they were going.
"I think players know who the ones are who are going to leave and it was kind of making sure we knew.
"The players… it didn't hurt enough and that was the biggest thing for us.
"Alan Shearer came in and he tried to get rid of the players he didn't think were going to be here the following season.
"It was a learning curve and I think it was a good thing for us to get rid of the players who didn't want to be there.
"It was the best thing for Newcastle at that time, getting rid of those kind of egos and getting players for the Championship to get us back to where we wanted to be."
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Joe Jones

Chris Buckley: Billy Knott red card cannot be blamed for Lincoln City loss

One of the main talking points between Notts County v Lincoln City was the 28th minute incident, where Billy Knott dangerously went in studs showing on Ryan Yates – which earned The Imps player a red card.
However, despite the media and Lincoln manager Danny Cowley labelling it as the ‘changing moment’ – I would honestly disagree.
The first half wasn’t productive for either sides, the way Lincoln set themselves up cancelled out both teams and the game ended largely even despite them going down to 10 men – which for me was the correct decision.
Danny Cowley believes his players have ‘personal space’ on the pitch, but as an ex-footballer he should know there is no such thing.
He said: “It’s quite clear that Billy Knott is about to hook the ball on and Ryan Yates, ridiculously bravely, throws his head into Billy’s personal space and there’s a bit of contact.” – yet what you see is a player going for a ball before any movement is made by any Lincoln player.
What is ridiculous is the fact this bad challenge is being used as a very weak excuse as to why his side lost a football match.
Knott dangerously kicks high, his studs are raised and it’s clear that with such a tight amount of space that any sort of high movement would be dangerous – I find it ludicrous that a manager wouldn’t acknowledge this, let alone believe he stands a chance at having the decision rescinded.
Let’s face it, the red card wasn’t remotely the defining moment in the game but of course bitter people will suggest this.
Despite going down to 10 men Lincoln still enjoyed spells of the first half, where I actually felt that they didn't appear to be without a player at all – they seemed to cope fine and even after Jon Stead scored they looked decent in control.
I was taking pictures when they scored, however I spoke to several fans and they all praised Lincoln for getting back into the game.
The defining moment was after they scored, Notts County simply got on with it and took control of the game by pulling themselves 2-1. This for me is the ‘defining moment’, as it appeared Notts had broken the chains which restrained them within the first half.
You could argue that it created space, yet I encourage people who read this – go back and look at how Lincoln organised themselves.
And the Pride of Nottingham Man of the Match Jon Stead deserves a lot of praise with how he dealt with being heavily marked – perhaps if Lincoln hadn’t decided to stick multiple players on him they would have handled the space better.
Seriously, I believe there was a positive reaction to Lincoln scoring and I know Kevin Nolan has mentioned that he sees we have 6-7 leaders on the pitch but it was almost like the opposition side didn’t exist, regardless if they was one man down.
After Matt Tootle scored, Lincoln seemed to be broken. Perhaps it was frustration or simply that Notts did truly shown their class within the squad half – yet whatever we threw at them they simply didn’t defend well.
There’s little excuses beyond how Lincoln defended, hence why I feel that the red card is their way of clutching onto defeat.
After the match, I walked back to the train station with a group of 100+ Lincoln fans due to the Nottinghamshire police pushing into their path and I didn’t hear any complaints about the red card or the referee.
The only comment I heard was about how it would have been nice for them to end the game with 11 players on the pitch, yet notably accepted that they Notts ‘were one of the better teams’ The Imps had played.
I actually felt they gave us a decent game, and played some good stuff attacking wise but from a defensive point of view they panicked, simple as that.
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Chris

Tactical Talk: Notts County 4-1 Lincoln City, Saturday 23 September 2017

Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two after a resounding 4-1 victory against 10-man Lincoln City.
The Magpies rode out a tricky start at Meadow Lane to edge into a numerical advantage when Billy Knott was sent off for a high boot into the face of Ryan Yates.
Notts then took the lead through Jon Stead and, despite being pegged back by Harry Anderson's equaliser, went on to strike thrice more, through Matt Tootle, Jorge Grant and ex-Imp Terry Hawkridge.
Here is an in-depth analysis of the game from Chris.
Was the result fair?
Notts asserted domination after Lincoln pulled level, and despite all the whining about the red card and refereeing decisions, it was the correct decision. Ultimately Notts responded well after losing the lead. And I have explained further why the result was fair in my feature, "Billy Knott red card cannot be blamed for Lincoln City loss".
How did Notts play?
First half was disappointing, the players refused to keep the ball on the ground and this better suited Lincoln. I feel we were cancelled out, largely by negative game play but in the second half Notts managed to assert control of the game and from there it was one of the best second half performances I have seen at Meadow Lane for a long time.
How did Lincoln City play?
Firstly, I felt they played well. Attacking wise they reminded me of Notts with how we tend to force play but they worked the ball very nicely and created chances. It was obvious that they wanted the play to be primarily thought-out in the air, however several rash challenges and blatant cheating ultimately saw their performance spiral to a very low point. Why the Lincoln goalkeeper decided to go down at two periods to allow his team to have a ‘team talk’ is beyond me.  
Did our tactics work out?
First half no, second half play was adjusted and the wider positions gave Notts what they needed. The players also focused on passing rather than hoofing and it was like watching a different game. Line-up wise it was spot on but Notts just need to remember to keep the ball down in the future.
How did the referee perform?
He was alright, I think some of the decisions he made was swayed by both teams players and Lincoln fans might moan about Matt Tootle but there were times several of their players did the exact same thing. I don’t think the official controlled the game very well, especially for since it was a local derby.
Who do we play next?
Next up, Exeter City – a game which they have been hyping quite a lot. It’s one of those games which will easily define the 2017-18 season for Notts.
How should we play them?
I don’t want to see Kevin Nolan opt for a defensive line-up, as I feel this would play into the hands of Exeter who will be heavily focused on attacking.
To control the game, we should build slowly, pass the ball around into positions whereby we can guarantee more time to pick out the right pass. It’s important that we make a lot of movement as we move forward, as this will create better chances.
Again the midfield will have to do a lot of running and hard-work, as this will help the defence handle Exeter.
We just have to build careful and be prepared for them to throw everything at us, I think they start a lot like Swindon Town did – using a mix of pace and creativity to form good chances, so we must be alert at the back.
Lincoln fan reaction (from the Lincoln Vital page)
Scotimp: Danny said he wants to be around the top ten at the halfway stage. We are 12th, having played some very difficult games - we have played the top 2 away, for example, and the teams who are 3rd and 5th at home. We have also played the teams in 9th and 10th away. We are 4 points off the play-offs. We are in the Football League. We are not Tranmere. I'm pretty pleased with all of that.
Croozey: I don't think we need a squad of 25. Two more would be enough. But I think in January we could see some of the current squad moved on and replaced.
Hulloutpost: We dominated the game until the outrageous sending off against a team second in the league, high in confidence and with some very experienced/decent players. We are not far away from giving somebody a spanking and the sooner it comes the better. We have had a similar start (bit patchy and inconsistent but some good stuff also) to what we had last season and whilst this is undoubtedly a tougher league I have seen enough to know that we have better players than last year. Given a better rub of the green and a bit more sharpness on our part and we will be fine going into the January transfer window. I expect us to kick on at that point.
85 Horace Green: I was sat quite high up and admittedly saw the last three County goals from a distance, but it didn't look to me as if Farman was at fault for any of them. He does flatter to deceive sometimes but I'm not sure today was his fault at all.
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Chris

Faces of PON: Notts County 4-1 Lincoln City, Saturday 23 September 2017

Notts County have recorded a fifth win on the spin and climbed to the top of League Two thanks to a 4-1 hammering of local rivals Lincoln City at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies were under pressure early on but Billy Knott's red card for a wild challenge on Ryan Yates gave Kevin Nolan's team a man advantage.
Jon Stead volleyed in the opening goal but the Imps hit back in the early stages of the second period as Harry Anderson's header pulled them level.
Notts were soon back in front, with Matt Tootle rifling the hosts into the lead once again and celebrating in sluggish style, before Jorge Grant's stunning free kick made it 3-1.
Terry Hawkridge then got one over his old employers by rounding off the scoring with a late goal.
Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane to see County's amazing win over Lincoln - have a look through our fan photo gallery and see if you've made it in this week's Faces of PON!
COME ON YOU PIES!

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Chris

Match Reaction: Notts County 4-1 Lincoln City, Saturday 23 September 2017

Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two after a resounding 4-1 victory against 10-man Lincoln City.
The Magpies found themselves with a man advantage for two thirds of the game after Billy Knott was sent off in the 28th minute for a high boot on Ryan Yates.
Goals from Jon Stead, Matt Tootle, Terry Hawkridge and a spectacular 25-yard free-kick from Jorge Grant then sealed the win for Notts against their East Midlands rivals.
The result means five wins in a row and eight unbeaten in League Two for County, who now sit ahead of Exeter City.
Here is some of the reaction from some of the Notts players, the manager, and the Black and White Army.
Kevin Nolan
"I thought Lincoln started very well and put us on the back foot. They had a couple of good chances but once the sending off came, we dominated.
"It's all about how we react to the red card. You've seen it before - we've gone down to 10 men and won games.
"Just because it's 11 v 10 it doesn't mean you're going to win the game. I thought my lads handled it really well.
"We've been working hard and we're starting to click. You saw a lot of good combinations today. These boys have a lot of quality.
"When it went to 1-1 we could have buckled and felt the pressure of the crowd but we didn't - we thrived on it and showed our quality.
"Lincoln are a top side - they're going to be in and around it this year. It was a tough game today and there are a number of other top teams who we're going to have to battle it out against.
"But I think today, especially in the second half, you could see what we can do when we click."
Terry Hawkridge
"We knew it was going to be a tough game because Lincoln are a good team. We showed our class in the second half and got the goals we needed.
"We used the sending off to our strengths and we moved the ball well in the second half. We tired them out and the goals came.
"They were all good goals. For a right back, it's a great finish from Toots and Jorge probably shouldn't be scoring a free-kick from there but he's put it right in the top corner! Steady's was a good finish, too.
"It's a good win but it's still early doors and we have to now focus on the Exeter game on Tuesday night.
"It's going well but we're only nine games into the season. We have a long way to go and we just need to keep building on what we've been doing.
The players on social media
 
 
 
 
 
The fans (from PON's Lincoln match discussion)
Who r ya?? You Pies!!: What can I say we're top of the league what can I say we're top of the league, enjoyed that great atmosphere lots of banta, must say didn't see 4-1 coming but we played some nice stuff in parts second half and a couple of real good goals to boot, you pies!
Chris: I could completely forget about the first half, it was just very poor and despite taking the lead it just wasn't memorable at all. Lincoln City had the right idea at first, however their constant time wasting and diving became frustrating to watch. Their keeper was a shambles but I don't really want to dwell on this negative side. Second half was much better! I keep saying we are a capable team and very good when we pass the ball on the ground. Them pulling level was a warning sign for us, yet pulling back ahead gave us confidence. The passing at times was a joy to watch, as was each of the three goals in the second half. I don't think we can say Lincoln was a poor side, they just didn't help themselves and really they seemed to give up. I do feel the red card was somewhat soft, yet if you go by the rules he had to go. It was dangerous and he shown his studs, horrible challenge.
Countyman: Its about time we thrashed someone in this division, great all round performance by Notts. WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!
Upthepies: As written by Chris the first half was a write off, neither said played well but the referee didn't help. Second half very entertaining, Lincoln City deserve praise for pulling level but its good to see Notts showing determination to get the lead back. Once we had it, it was never going to change. First time for a number of seasons where the majority of players seemed eager to score, anyone could have done today.
Liampie: Thought both teams was pretty poor first half, no real goal threat from either. Notts deserved the win and some of the possession was great! i dont think the red card changed much, lincoln played as if they had 11 men but was not able to defend properly when it mattered. solid win really.
Heraldmagpie: Its about time we won by more than a couple of goals. Notts shown their class in the second half, after Lincoln had scored I thought here we go but we came back into it.
happy to enjoy the ride and see where we end up. But this is very much a team to be proud of right now. YP"
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Joe Jones

ARLukomski's Match Vlog: Notts County vs. Lincoln City, Saturday 23 September 2017

Notts County have recorded a fifth win on the spin and climbed to the top of League Two thanks to a 4-1 hammering of local rivals Lincoln City at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies were under pressure early on but Billy Knott's red card for a wild challenge on Ryan Yates gave Kevin Nolan's team a man advantage.
Jon Stead volleyed in the opening goal but the Imps hit back in the early stages of the second period as Harry Anderson's header pulled them level.
Notts were soon back in front, with Matt Tootle rifling the hosts into the lead once again and celebrating in sluggish style, before Jorge Grant's stunning free kick made it 3-1.
Hawkridge then got one over his old employers by rounding off the scoring with a late goal.
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

Meet the Fans: Notts County 4-1 Lincoln City, Saturday 23 September 2017

Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two thanks to an emphatic 4-1 win against 10-man Lincoln City.
The Magpies enjoyed a numerical advantage for a large chunk of the game after the Imps had Billy Knott sent off for a high boot on Ryan Yates in the 28th minute.
Notts then went ahead before the break when a Jon Stead volley took a deflection and spun into the corner of the net.
Lincoln hauled themselves level early in the second half through Harry Anderson’s looping header, but Matt Tootle rifled in a stunning second to restore the Magpies’ advantage after 55 minutes.
Jorge Grant’s superb free-kick put County firmly in control and Terry Hawkridge wrapped up the points two minutes from time.
Pride of Nottingham spoke to a number of Notts County fans at Meadow Lane before the game.
We asked them a few questions, including who their unsung hero is so far this season, how crucial Kevin Nolan's contract extension is, and whether an early closure to the summer transfer window is good or bad.
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

Match highlights: Notts County 4-1 Lincoln City, Saturday 23 September 2017

Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two after a resounding 4-1 victory against 10-man Lincoln City.
The Magpies found themselves with a man advantage for two thirds of the game after Billy Knott was sent off in the 28th minute for a high boot on Ryan Yates.
Goals from Jon Stead, Matt Tootle, Terry Hawkridge and a spectacular 25-yard free-kick from Jorge Grant then sealed the win for Notts against their East Midlands rivals.
The result means five wins in a row and eight unbeaten in League Two for County, who now sit ahead of Exeter City.
The official Notts YouTube channel has put up the highlights - go on, relive them and marvel at just how good we are right now!
CMON YOU PIES!
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Joe Jones

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