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Kevin Nolan "absolutely delighted" with Notts County display

Kevin Nolan has declared himself "absolutely delighted" with Notts County's gutsy display in their 1-0 win at Port Vale on Saturday.
Lewis Alessandra came on as a substitute and bundled the ball into the hosts' net with his first touch of the game for what would turn out to be the winner.
Even when Shaun Brisley was taken off through injury and the Magpies had already made all their substitutions, the 10 men still managed to impose themselves on their opponents.
"It wasn't the greatest spectacle but when you go away, get a clean sheet and a win it's just fantastic," Nolan told the official Notts site.
"And then you hear all the fans singing at the end, not remembering much from the game but knowing they've won!
"Port Vale are under a bit of pressure so we knew they were going to come out all guns blazing and trying to put their stamp on the game. But I thought we rode that out well and didn't give them many opportunities.
"Thankfully, when the chance came our way, Lewis was on hand to put it in the back of the net. We're absolutely delighted.
"We were ready for going down to 10 men. We've practiced it, so as soon as it happened the lads knew exactly what their roles and responsibilities were.
"We don't leave any stone unturned and it's a credit to the lads that they've taken it on board. I thought they saw the game out really well."
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Joe Jones

Match Report: Lewis Alessandra strikes to give Notts County victory at Port Vale

Notts County have got their September off to an ideal start with a clean sheet and three points from a tough League Two fixture, winning 1-0 at newly relegated side Port Vale in Burslem.
The prettiest game it was not. But the result is what counts, and Kevin Nolan's charges could not have asked for a better result, particularly given they played the latter stages of the game with ten men.
Neither side managed to stamp their mark on the game in the first half, the only effort of note coming from David Worrall's strike on 24 minutes which cannonned off the woodwork.
With Nolan opting again to use Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi up front, while Vale used Tom Pope as a lone striker, perhaps it wasn't much of a surprise that chances were few and far between.
There was more in terms of goalmouth action in the second half, as Dan Jones had to be alert to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Tom Pope and then clear Gavin Gunning’s header off the line.
The breakthough - which would turn out to be the winner - came in the 67th minute, as Jorge Grant's cross was met by substitute Lewis Alessandra, who bundled home from close range to send the Black and White army barmy.
Notts were then reduced to ten men when Shaun Brisley suffered an injury and had to be helped off the pitch, with all three of their substitutions having already been made.
Even when eight minutes of injury time was awarded, giving the Valiants plenty of time to try and find an equaliser, the hosts had little in response, ensuring that the full-time whistle would bring joy to the travelling pack.
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Joe Jones

Shaun Brisley unconcerned about last-minute Port Vale spending

Notts County defender Shaun Brisley has claimed that Port Vale's last-minute spending will not have any bearing on the Magpies' tactics ahead of today's League Two meeting at Vale Park.
The Valiants strengthened their ranks with the arrival of Harry Middleton from Doncaster Rovers and Burnley defender Tom Anderson, both expected to make their debuts against Notts.
Brisley told the Nottingham Post: “I don’t think it matters who teams sign. When you get out on to the pitch it’s just 11 v 11.
“We’ve just got to focus on ourselves and make sure we do what we are good at. We’ve got a good squad here with such strength in depth.
“So we don’t need to worry about anybody else, we’ve just got to take care of ourselves.”
Brisley also opened up about County's improvements with each passing game and believes things will continue to get better as the season rolls on.
He added: “We’ve started well apart from the opening loss to Coventry. It was a bit of a weird day and we were second best, which is the best way to put it.
“But there was a good reaction from the lads at Scunthorpe and we’ve improved each game as we’ve gone.
“Hopefully we will carry on and continue to get even better. You can see in the performances each week since Coventry and we are looking a good outfit.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Notts County strike force best at club in a long time'

Kevin Nolan has hit out at suggestions that Notts County need reinforcements up front, describing the current strike force as "the best at the club in a long, long time."
Many fans over the last few weeks have called for the Magpies to recruit a new forward, given the mixed form of the ones currently in the role, as well as their advancing ages, while Callum Saunders is believed to be more of a reserve-level player.
However, Nolan thinks the current batch of marksmen are the envy of the rest of League Two, and revealed that many suitable strikers they've been in touch with over the summer either wanted huge money, priced themselves out of a move, or did not feel they could replace the first-team trio.
He is quoted by the Nottingham Post as saying: “We’ve got the best strike force in a long, long, time at this club so everyone should be happy.
“It baffles me because I think if it was any other club in this division, they would be delighted with the strikers we have. They wouldn’t be worrying, but apparently we are.
“I did ring a lot of strikers over the summer and the quality we were looking at either went for big money, or pricing themselves out of a move.
“If people think that I haven’t spoken about strikers, then they are completely wrong. But the reason why nobody has come in is because they don’t feel as if they can replace Jon Stead, Shola Ameobi or Jonathan Forte.
"Then we’ve got Callum Saunders and Alan Smith which is great back-up.
“I know there is a lot of talk about me playing Jonathan Forte but I didn’t have that complaint back in January when I first walked in through the door.
“I am frustrated about being asked about a striker, because I feel we have enough.
“It’s quite funny because everybody who has been promoted, apart from one team in the last 10 years, hasn’t had a 20-goal striker.
“I’ve done my research and I know what I need. If I needed a 20-goal striker, Alan (Hardy) would have given me one – that’s how he works.
“I am delighted with the squad I have. It is hungry, and I feel the more time they spend together, they will get better.
“But if we have to revisit signing players again in January then we will, but it will be our decision and our decision only.”
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Port Vale vs. Notts County, Saturday 2 September 2017

Notts County have met Port Vale a grand total of 101 times over the years, with the first two fixtures coming within a week of each other back in February 1921. The Magpies won the first game 2-1, but lost 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
Notts have the upper edge having won 45 games, lost 36, and drawn 20 against the Valiants, with the highest scoring matches coming in February 1927 (a 6-2 defeat) and April 1935 (a 5-3 defeat).
Last time these two played, at Meadow Lane in League One in February 2015, Vale won 1-0.
Port Vale is one of the few English league clubs not to be named after a geographical location.
The name Port Vale exists on maps pre–dating the formation of the club, which probably occurred in 1879, and is a reference to a valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal, associated with the city's pottery industry.
The club itself is actually based in Burslem, one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Port Vale have never been in the top tier of English football, and the last time they were in the second tier was back in 1999-2000.
In terms of silverware, the Valiants have won the Staffordshire Senior Cup twice, in 1920 and 2001, whilst being runners-up in 1900 and 2010, as well as several other regional cups like the Birmingham Senior Cup, one of the oldest county football competitions still active.
The club, despite being fairly small, enjoys the support of some world-famous celebrities. Robbie Williams is known to be a huge fan, to the point that he held £240,000 worth of shares in the club and has a restaurant at Vale Park named after him.
For the videogame FIFA 2000, he provided an original theme song called It's Only Us, on the condition that Port Vale should be included in the game, which they were, located in the Rest of World section (back in the days when the smaller teams weren't included).
Also, in 2005, Williams founded Los Angeles Vale FC, a Super Metro League team in the United States, named after Port Vale and based at his Los Angeles home.
Darts star Phil “The Power” Taylor is also a big fan, while Blue (that Noughties boy-band) singer Simon Webbe was part of their youth setup until a ligament injury hampered any prospect of a career in football.
Team news
Port Vale will be without veteran midfielder Michael Tonge through suspension for the visit of Notts as he is serving a three-match ban for his sending off in last weekend's home loss to Crewe.
Goalkeeper Rob Lainton is hoping to return after four games out with a thigh injury but defender Tyrone Barnett (hamstring) is not yet fit despite making good progress.
Striker Rekeil Pyke (hamstring) will also be assessed while forward Anton Forrester (thigh) and midfielder Danny Pugh (knee) are longer-term absentees.
Notts will be without the suspended Matt Tootle after defender was sent off late on in the 2-2 home draw with Accrington Stanley, and he will serve a one-match ban at Vale Park.
Magpies manager Kevin Nolan will probably choose between Carl Dickinson and Nicky Hunt to replace Tootle at full-back.
Striker Jonathan Forte continues to push for a starting place after impressing from the bench in recent matches.
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Joe Jones

PON's Team of the Month: August 2017

August is over and done with, Notts County's first month of the season is now just a memory, and we move on to September's fixtures with the Magpies nicely nestled in seventh place in League Two.
However, much like any other job where its employees are routinely recognised and rewarded, it's worth recognising the players who have impressed in the black and white in August.
Jorge Grant has already been named the player of the month by Notts County, the fans picking him head and shoulders over everyone else (64.8 percent compared to second-placed Terry Hawkridge with 20.1 percent).
But here at Pride of Nottingham we have decided to name the standout players for each position in August - so to all those picked, well done and keep up the good work going into September and for the rest of the season!
Goalkeeper: Adam Collin
Left-back: Dan Jones
Centre-back: Shaun Brisley
Centre-back: Richard Duffy
Right-back: Matt Tootle
Left wing: Jorge Grant
Centre-mid: Ryan Yates
Centre-mid: Elliott Hewitt
Right wing: Terry Hawkridge
Striker: Jonathan Forte
Striker: Shola Ameobi
 
 
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy: 'Notts County missed out on three loan targets'

Alan Hardy has revealed that Notts County moved for three youngsters towards the end of the summer transfer window.
Deadline day came and went without the Magpies making an additional signing, and the club owner claimed that they saw no reason to make a last-minute acquisition.
However, he later wrote in the Nottingham Post that Notts had nonetheless still been in the hunt for a player "who we thought would improve us".
Hardy said: "I’ve had several meetings with the manager and the outcome of them all was that he was in no way desperate to make any new signings, and that he’s been very happy with the start to the season.
"The team’s recent performances justify his relaxed attitude towards making further additions. We have a very good squad and the past three or four games have proved it.
"That’s not to say that we didn’t try to bring in players who we thought would improve us.
"We attempted to sign a young player from Everton following his magnificent performance against us in the Checkatrade Trophy.
"But the deal just proved too expensive, both in terms of the loan fee and his wages.
"We also considered a move for a Sheffield Wednesday player who we feel has great potential, but the deal became very complicated because of his contract situation.
"It was also widely reported that we were interested in Tyler Walker but Nottingham Forest weren’t receptive to our loan bid following his recent performance against Newcastle.
"Of course, it’s frustrating to miss out on targets. But the money we have saved can now be used in the January window, when I’m very confident we will be looking to progress from a position in the top half of the table to make a concerted push for our ultimate goal."
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Joe Jones

Samwatto2008: Ray Trew vs Alan Hardy

As we come up to the eight-month mark since Alan Hardy’s takeover I thought I’d shine a light on his achievements so far at Notts County and highlight some key parts of his ownership in the club.
A bit of background on the main reason for the takeover. In February 2010 Ray Trew picked up the club with its priceless heritage and the Meadow Lane ground for £1 after Munto Finance, a firm that claimed to be backed by Middle East fortunes, turned out to be a complete pack full of lies.
During his ownership he oversaw Notts winning the League Two title in the 2009-2010 under Steve Cotterill. After the celebrations from promotion, though, it all sort of went wrong for Trew in terms of management.
Between 2009 and January 2017, Notts had gone through 13 managers. By 2016 I'm sure many other Notts fans would agree the situation at the club had become an absolute circus.
Trew eventually cut his losses and agreed to sell the club to Hardy for a reported £3.5m. Along with the keys to Meadow Lane, Hardy also inherited a commitment to HMRC to pay off the accumulated debts.
To put a long story short, finishing 17th in the league just a season before with relegation seemingly on the cards in 2017 and a bunch of outstanding cheques, Hardy had taken on an impossible task of retaining County's Football League status.
So, with the club taken over successfully and fans in desperate need of a statement for survival, what was Hardy’s statement?
His first step was to appoint a new manager as John Sheridan was shown the door for gross misconduct and verbal abuse of an official, bringing in Kevin Nolan, a quality midfielder for the likes of Bolton, West Ham and Newcastle but relatively untested as manager, save for a short spell at Leyton Orient.
At a time where relegation was looking like a real possibility the communication between Nolan and Hardy had to be flawless with no complications. With the takeover and new appointment happening in the January transfer window it was important for Notts to give their squad a real boost for the second half of the season.
Marc Bola, Jorge Grant, Josh Clackstone, Tahvon Campbell and Shola Ameobi were recruited, with all but Shola signing on loan.
So Hardy was already being praised for the money he had put into the club and the statement him and Nolan had made with the signings by the fans but how did things start to pan out?
Nolan managed to start off his Notts managerial career with a home draw against local rivals Mansfield Town. In 21 league games in charge he managed to secure 10 WINS, 4 DRAWS and 7 DEFEATS, for a side doomed for relegation that isn’t half bad. Nolan had turned a relegation battle into a mid-table team in 21 games and the fans were loving it.
Attendances started to rise and rise. With Hardy doing constant offers to bring new fans and existing fans to believe and support in a new Notts team. Hardy continues to impress fans by constantly investing in the club and making the Notts County experience enjoyable for all.
With the 2017-18 season looking promising we only have him to thank for his decision making and passion for this club.
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samwatto2008

Notts County news recap: August 2017

The first month of the new season is now in the past, and as always there has been plenty of eventful activity and news at Notts County.
In this article, Pride of Nottingham recaps all the biggest stories from Meadow Lane and elsewhere in the Magpie world in August 2017.
August 1
Just one day after clinching the triple signing of Branislav Pindroch, Pierce Bird and Callum Saunders, Notts County added two more recruits in Elliot Hodge and Nicky Hunt.
August 3
Notts County announced their squad numbers for the 2017/18 season, while Richard Duffy was confirmed as club captain for the upcoming campaign.
August 4
Notts County announced the arrival of a second Nottingham Forest player on loan, Ryan Yates joining alongside teammate Jorge Grant.
August 5
Notts County's League Two season got underway, but they were put to the sword at Coventry City, who beat the Magpies 3-0.
August 7
Kevin Nolan revealed that a "frank discussion" had taken place between himself and Notts County striker Jonathan Forte.
August 8
Notts County put in a much-improved performance at Glanford Park in their defeat to Scunthorpe United in the EFL Cup, taking them all the way to penalties.
August 10
Pride of Nottingham announced their sponsorship of Notts County forward Jonathan Forte's home kit for the 2017/18 season.
August 12
Notts County unveiled their brand new home dressing room, owner Alan Hardy describing it as top-flight standard.
Notts got off the mark in League Two after claiming a 2-0 win over a rough Chesterfield side at Meadow Lane.
August 16
Pride of Nottingham announced their partnership with Mapperley-based computer store BettaBytz Computers, owned by Notts County fan Kevin Searcey.
Notts County took on Everton Under-21s in the EFL Trophy and claimed a 2-1 win over the academy side.
August 19
Notts County claimed their second League Two win in a row - and third in all competitions - but were made to sweat as they relinquished a two-goal lead before charging ahead in a 4-2 triumph at Wycombe Wanderers.
August 24
Pride of Nottingham announced that they were seeking sponsors and business partners.
Jake Bugg announced that he would be playing an intimate set at Meadow Lane in September.
August 25
Notts County rounded off their August fixture list with a 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane, letting a two-goal lead slip for the second game in a row.
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy delighted with Notts County summer transfer business

Alan Hardy has declared himself delighted with Notts County's transfer business in the summer window and feels there was no need to add to it on deadline day.
The Magpies have recruited 11 players on a permanent basis over the summer, as well as two loanees, all prior to 31 August.
Most of them have played a role in the opening-month haul of two wins and a draw from their first four League Two games.
There was talk of a striker playing for a Championship club having trained with Notts and was looking to sign, but ultimately the window shut without any late additions.
Hardy wrote on the official Notts website: "My second transfer window at the helm is now at an end – and what a different experience it was to my first!
"Back in January we faced a mad dash to exit our transfer embargo before bolstering the squad with a number of late signings to give Kevin Nolan the best possible chance of keeping us in the EFL.
"He comfortably achieved that, as he promised he would, setting us up nicely for the summer.
"This window, we were keen to get the bulk of our business done early to allow our new signings to settle in properly before the season began and to help the manager and his coaching staff formulate a strong plan for the season ahead.
"I'm delighted with the way our business has panned out and I believe our position in the top seven is a good reflection of the positive strides we've made in the transfer market.
"No doubt many of you will have been keeping an eager eye on our website and social media today in the hope of some exciting news, but Kevin and I are happy with our squad and saw no reason to add to it today.
"We will continue to explore targets with a view to January but, as always, our selection process will be carefully thought-out with the best interests of the club at heart.
"We have faith in this group and believe they are getting better day after day.
"Your support, which has been magnificent so far this season, will be vital in helping the players reach their full potential.
"Stick with us and let's see how far we can go. COYP!"
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Joe Jones

Opposition View: Port Vale (A), 2 September 2017

Notts County have ended August in a healthy league position of seventh in the table following two wins, a draw and a defeat from their first four League Two fixtures.
This weekend, in the first match of September, the Magpies travel to Vale Park for yet another difficult proposition in these early weeks, against recently relegated Port Vale.
As baptisms of fire go, having three teams that were in League One last season as your opponents in the first five league fixtures of the season has to be right up there.
Nonetheless, Notts are in a healthy position both on the pitch and off it going into Saturday's game.
Pride of Nottingham spoke to Valiants fan Robbie Earle's Perm ahead of the fixture to get an insight into the opposition.
About REP: I've been a supporter since 1982, I fell asleep during my first game against Scunthorpe apparently! My dad was a Vice President and dragged me along as a very small child. Favourite player without a shadow of a doubt was the legend that is Robbie Earle, I have his shorts from the play off final victory over Bristol Rovers from 1989!
You've twice been in administration this century - what happened and how did you as a club overcome it?
The first followed the collapse of ITV Digital and our slightly hookie chairman sticking all his eggs in one basket with it after he had axed our legendary manager John Rudge. The second was simply repulsive. We were being run by a 'fans' consortium', Valiant 2001, who sourced money from the average fan and then basically used their positions for their own their own benefit from 2003 to 2012 in various guises. They brought a number of odious characters to the board during that time and clung to power so desperately even though they did not have the finances to support the club and ignored many fans' protests, the fans they were supposed to represent! One member became CEO and took out a significant salary annually and even got his share money back before admin struck, others bought in with nil-paid shares (they never paid for them) but ultimately every single board member (Micky Adams briefly aside) should hang their heads in shame during those 9 years.
You were relegated last season - what went wrong? - What steps has the club taken in the summer to have a team with the potential to bounce back?
Things were going well until October when the playing side began to fall apart and Bruno Ribeiro, who was brought in by our owner last summer to reinvigorate the club after a particularly dull and uninspiring time under Rob Page. Sadly as seemed obvious to all the vast numbers of players from overseas struggled to adjust as the temperatures dropped and Bruno resigned on Boxing Day. That lead to Michael Brown taking over the role of manager on a temporary basis until the summer and finally being appointed full time this summer. This ultimately is where the problems went from bad to worse, we have signed a crazy amount of players over the last 14/15 months and Brown's signings have in the main been injury prone, aging or unproven youngsters. Tactics have largely been completely baffling and his training regime has led to many muscle injuries. Fans started to turn a couple of weeks ago during our abysmal defeat to Chesterfield but Brown and his assistants Morgan and Kelly seem slightly oblivious hoping more signings and a settled side will improve us. We have cried out for quality over quantity during the reign of Page, Ribeiro and Brown and all three have simply ignored this which has lead in my opinion to our decline.
We in Nottingham have "noisy neighbours" in Forest - how does it feel as a Port Vale fan to have Stoke City FC on your doorstep?
Its a little inconsequential at the moment to be honest. We had the upper hand for much of the 1990s but since the early 2000s our paths haven't crossed. Fans still sing songs about Stoke and that little diver Mark Stein but in all honesty we are light years apart currently which is a huge shame as, when I was growing up, the intensity in the city between the two teams was superb.
Robbie Williams is arguably your most famous fan - do you have any stories, or have heard any stories, about him at Port Vale?
Quirkily, he actually went to the same school as me and saved me from being beaten up by some older kids during my first year! I also sat on the same row as him away at a Stoke game in the early 90s. Other than that not too much as he doesn't attend or openly support Vale so much anymore. That said during the 90s and at the height of Take That's powers he generated record club shop sales by wearing replica shirts etc which young girls the world over then ordered and of course he put in £249k to the club when the 'fans consortium' Valiant 2001 (the maximum amount allowed at the time) came to power, sadly that and his proxy vote on the board was then used by the repulsive board members to protect their positions of power.
What games are you looking forward to the most this season?
Coventry to be honest, one of my closest friends is a huge Coventry fan and finally I'm hoping we will get to attend both games together as it hasn't happened over recent seasons. Other than that any local game where there is a good atmosphere created by the crowd is always worth attending, so roll on the 2nd September!
Score/and scorer(s)
I can't see anything other than ANOTHER defeat if Brown is still in charge sadly as you appear well organised with a strong spine, 0-2 with Lewis Alessandra and Michael O'Connor, a real favourite of mine, scoring. (We wish he was playing but he's out for the long term - Ed) Hopefully you will leave that terrible excuse for a human being Dan Jones a long way away from Vale Park.
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Chris

Jon Stead: 'I understand why fans want me dropped from Notts County starting XI'

Jon Stead has claimed that he knows exactly where Notts County fans are coming from when they say he should be out of the starting XI.
The veteran striker got off the mark in the 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley, scoring from the spot, but many supporters believe he should be dropped to the bench in lieu of Jonathan Forte.
In response, Stead told the Nottingham Post: “It’s not a tricky situation for me at all because I totally understand where fans are coming from.
“Forts has come into games and got two goals. I get what they’re saying.
“All I can do is my best on the pitch and work hard. I think I showed a real willingness to work hard and create things when I can against Accrington.
“If it means I’ve got to harass and chase and do the ugly side when we’ve got good players who come off the bench and take advantage, then I feel I’m doing my job.
“Forts has been fantastic. He’s probably disappointed not to start but while I’ve got my place I’ve got to do everything I can to keep it.
“A goal certainly helps that. I think I’m doing the rest of the bits for the team, tiring opponents out to hopefully give Forts a bit more joy when he comes on.
“It’s pleasing to score but the result overshadowed the goal.”
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Joe Jones

Chris Buckley: 2 pressing concerns about Notts County squad that must be addressed

Four games into the 2017/18 League Two season I can honestly say how good it is to be back, with the club in a new direction and the players largely showing that we can move forward as a club – especially after the disappointing opening day defeat against Coventry City.
Performances against Scunthorpe United in the League Cup and against Wycombe Wanderers in the league highlight the much-improved atmosphere and work ethic at Notts.
With many of the new signings getting to grip with the expectations of Kevin Nolan, the togetherness in the early games shows just how different things are – whilst to a degree it shows just how much further the club could go.
I’d even say that the Magpies have exceeded my expectations, and I’m not overly disappointed about missing out on going top due to the draw against Accrington Stanley.
Yet despite it being very early into the new season, there are some concerns which will hopefully be dismissed after 7-10 games.
The first concern is the squad size - well, more the fact we seem to have signed players that are more ‘quantity’ rather than ‘quality’.
This said, some seem to be able to be future first-team players, yet it’s just difficult to see how they will do it here at Notts – as there seem to be limited chances and it’s important for young professionals to gain match time.
I realise that there’s a section of fans that believe many of the younger signings are simply development players, yet for me I would have rather seen us opt for the quality that can bring further stability back to the club – maybe even reinforce the chances of gaining promotion this season.
Another concern is the inability to reward players who perform well, whilst backing inconsistency – this is a two-sided coin but for me having players fighting to start is only a good thing. Yet the competiveness isn’t good when there’s little to no rewards.
Take the Jonathan Forte situation for example – this has the potential to be a much bigger problem and if it happened under the previous regime I would be certain it would have more of an impact on the team morale.
I saw a poll on Twitter, I think it was started by NewarkPie, and the response in favour to see the out of favour player Forte start.
Now, I do think Nolan is trying to foster some consistency and keep certain players’ morales high – yet the whole ‘I had a frank and honest conversation’ is pretty weird.
Considering Jon Stead, he hasn’t really contributed anything and the fact that the majority of fans seem concerned that he’s simply lost his legs. Personally, I thought he would gain motivation from simply sitting a game or two out.
Can we really keep starting every game with him and Shola Ameobi up top? Coventry was a stark reminder that even in League Two you require pace to stand a chance.
And this is where having young faces and hungry professionals eager to step in would be a realistic way forward. Up front we have little options on paper - despite Jonathan Forte showing us that he can score, will he make any impact playing the odd 15 minutes here or there?
Nobody knows what Callum Saunders has to offer, yet I don’t think he’s even made the bench in a league game – someone correct me if this is wrong.
And the fact that a large portion of fans want Notts to sign a striker, even going as far as saying the club should wave their chequebook at players (*cough* JJ *cough*). We have seen in previous seasons that this simply isn’t an easy thing to do.
So in a nutshell, I hope the club can avoid issues regarding players who are phased out of the first time or have limited chances to play, whilst ensuring that the quantity we have are in a position to be quality, another situation which we require to be wary about.
Overall it’s very early doors, and this complete performance by Notts doesn’t seem that far a way. Yet we need to be more lethal upfront, and more clinical at the back.
Additionally it would be welcoming to see Notts being able to pass and retain the ball, as this would have ensured the outcome of the Accrington game would have been much different.
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Chris

Kevin Nolan: 'Jon Stead already full of confidence'

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Jon Stead is a confident player already and scoring his first Notts County goal of the season will not necessarily have given him a jolt of confidence more than what he previously had.
The veteran striker has come under criticism from a section of Notts County fans, who would like to see one of the club's other strikers - Jonathan Forte the name most mentioned - given a go in the starting XI.
He got off the mark in the 2-2 draw against Accrington Stanley with his penalty, but while the common consensus is that forwards get a boost of confidence once breaking their duck, Nolan says it's not the case with Stead.
“The goal won’t do anything for his confidence. He’s a confident lad already and he’s been brilliant,” the Notts gaffer told the Nottingham Post.
“He had an indifferent game at Coventry, like everyone did. He played really well against Scunthorpe and Chesterfield and did fantastically well against Wycombe.
“He was a big part of a lot good stuff we did in the first half there.”
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Joe Jones

League Two news roundup: 22-29 August 2017

Here is Pride of Nottingham's roundup of all the biggest news stories from League Two over the last week.
- Coventry City assistant manager Steve Taylor is "recovering well at home" after being treated for a bleed on the brain. He was taken to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire on Friday after falling ill during a training session.
- Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans claimed that the club received bids for several of their first team squad players, including Rhys Bennett and Alex MacDonald, but have all been turned down.
- Luton Town signed Cambridge United midfielder Luke Berry just a few days after he handed in a transfer request at the Abbey Stadium.
- Chesterfield signed 17-year-old centre-back Marshall Willock from non-league Solihull Moors as "one for the future", but Paul McGinn left the Proact after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.
- Wycombe Wanderers signed teenage striker Josh Umerah on loan from Charlton Athletic.
- QPR made an approach for 26-year-old Exeter City winger David Wheeler, who has made 151 league appearances for the Grecians, scoring 33 goals.
- Accrington Stanley signed defender Jordan Thorniley on loan from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
- West Ham youngster Jaanai Gordon is reportedly training with Cheltenham Town ahead of a possible move.
- Blackpool forward Jamille Matt joined Two Grimsby Town on a season-long loan.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Adam Collin has been fantastic for Notts County'

Kevin Nolan believes that Adam Collin has come in for too much criticism over his time at Notts County, admitting that he is "delighted" with the goalkeeper.
The 32-year-old joined the Magpies after leaving Rotherham United and has been first choice at Meadow Lane virtually ever since, though whether he should remain as such has been open to a lot of discussion among fans.
However, the Notts boss has praised his stopper, noting how he pulled off a save in injury time against Accrington Stanley to ensure a share of the spoils for the hosts in a 2-2 draw at Meadow Lane.
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "We nearly lost the game after being so in control and playing so well. We’ve nearly had the fans going home saying ‘3-2, what a waste that was’.
“We’ve gifted two goals and we’ve relied on a moment of brilliance from our keeper again to get us a point.
“Adam has been fantastic since I came in in January. He’s a bit harshly treated sometimes I feel. He takes ownership and responsibility. He commands his area. I’m delighted with what he’s doing.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: "The complete performance can't come soon enough"

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Notts County might have suffered from a "bit of anxiety" over the last two games, but suggests that a complete performance is on the cards sooner rather than later.
The Magpies frittered a two-goal lead against Accrington Stanley on Friday for a 2-2 draw, a week after they did the same at Wycombe Wanderers, though they then rallied round for a 4-2 win.
Nolan believes that the positive end to the 2016/17 League Two season may have played a part in this anxiety, but is eager for the players to look on the positive side and build on from there.
He told the Nottingham Post: “Friday felt like a loss and everyone is down, but they’ll realise it’s been a good start with seven points out of 12.
“We’re playing good stuff at times. It took us too long to get into our stride, but when we showed that quality it had an effect on Accrington.
“It just feels like they’re playing with a bit of anxiety. That comes from what they’ve done.
“There’s now an expectancy that they have to go out and win games at home because of what they’ve done at the end of last season.
“No one will gift us anything. We are working hard, but it’s something we’ve got to get better at. We can't gift goals.
“We are getting there. The complete performance can’t come soon enough. I thought we were going to get it (on Friday), but we’ve given two points away.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'All match officials should be full-time professionals'

Kevin Nolan has urged the authorities to look into making all match officials professional following the officiating performance in Notts County's 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley.
Both the Magpies manager and opposite number John Coleman were left confused by some of the decisions made by ref Carl Boyeson and his assistants in Friday night's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane.
Referring to Sean McConville's kick on Dan Jones, which the fourth official missed, Nolan suggested that there needs to be more of a level playing field in terms of the whole ensemble's fitness and wavelength.
“I’ve turned and said to the fourth official that he’s got to help the ref there. They should be a team as officials,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
“He’s got to tell the ref that it was a deliberate kick. My lads might have reacted to that and suddenly it can all get out of hand.
“He got away with one. Even their assistant manager is shouting to the lad ‘Sean, calm down, relax, don’t do stupid things’.
“I feel sorry for ref there. It’s a tough job. These lads are professional athletes, as fit as anything. Referees struggle quite a lot I feel. They need help.
“We have to send in a report week in, week out after each game. I wonder if it’s worth doing.
“I don’t know if they can all go professional. We need a lot more of them to be full time. I don’t know whether it can be funded, but they need help.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Jonathan Forte not unlucky to have been named on bench'

Kevin Nolan has hinted towards Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi remaining the first-choice strike partnership at Notts County, claiming that Jonathan Forte was not unlucky to have been named on the bench for the 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley.
Forte had scored in his previous two appearances before Friday’s League Two fixture at Meadow Lane, but was nonetheless not picked in the starting XI as the Magpies shared the spoils with Stanley.
“I don’t think he (Forte) was unlucky. I explained the reasoning to him on Thursday why he didn’t start and he took it on the chin,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
“We played so well in the first half at Wycombe. We’ve got three good strikers in good form.
“I just feel that we beat Chesterfield and won at Wycombe. I don’t feel we needed to change. The two lads have done a fantastic job upfront. It’s my decision. That’s it.
“Sometimes you can get carried away when lads have played well. Forte scored a great goal against Everton Under-21s and scored at Wycombe.
“It could have happened again for him off the bench against Accrington, but we didn’t produce for him. We didn’t give him the ammunition.
“I’m delighted with all three of them. They did the right things at the right time but we didn’t feed them properly.
“Steady is off the mark which is great for us. Shola is yet to get off the mark, but their keeper has made some fantastic saves. That said, it’s not good enough us saying their keeper has played really well.”
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Joe Jones

PON get Shola Ameobi Panini sticker signed for charity

Collecting football stickers. The staple of many a young football fan (and plenty of grown-ups too). A difficult but enjoyable mission which, if/when completed, gives you a massive of achievement.
Chasing stickers is hard enough as it is - but imagine doing this while also getting all the players to sign the ones with their face on it. Pretty much a case of God Mode difficulty level.
This is exactly what Stickerchase are doing at present, however, and it's being done for a good cause.
Their mission is to get the 2014 Panini World Cup sticker album signed by all the players in the collection, all before the start of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Once completed, it will be auctioned off, and proceeds will go to Sport Relief.
We at Pride of Nottingham are delighted to have done our bit, with Chris getting a sticker of Shola Ameobi - who played for Nigeria at the Brazil World Cup - signed by the Notts County striker himself.
How did he find out about Stickerchase and get involved? He said: "I posted a picture of me with Shola Ameobi on Twitter, pretty straightforward really - I had kept hold of it for sometime and thought 'Shall I post it?'
"I have pictures I've never shared on social media, even with Jack Grealish and Callum McGregor but I thought why not with regards to Shola.
"Then out of the blue I receive a tweet and a DM from @StickerChase asking if I could help them, I didn't need to see much after noticing it was for charity and Sport Relief - I just gladly agreed."

He was sent the sticker and, on Friday night in County's 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley, was able to get the signature from the big man himself, which he will send back off to Stickerchase.
At present, they stand at 74 stickers out of 615 and have just over nine-and-a-half months left to complete their mission.
So if you want to find out more about their project, and maybe even think you or your friends might be able to help, click here to check out their website.
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Joe Jones

Jon Stead would welcome further new signings at Notts County

Jon Stead has suggested that Notts County are "not a million miles away" from being the finished product, and would welcome new signings in the dressing room.
The Magpies have brought in 11 players on a permanent basis and two loanees this summer, while every squad member offered a new contract went on to put pen to paper.
On the pitch, Notts have enjoyed a decent start to the 2017/18 League Two season, claiming two wins and a draw from their first four fixtures.
The last game, however, saw the team relinquish a two-goal lead to Accrington Stanley, who left Meadow Lane with a point in a 2-2 draw.
Stead told the Nottingham Post: “We’re satisfied but we wanted more. We put an expectation on ourselves probably more so than the manager does.
“We want to be competing at the top end. We’ve got a point against a very good Accrington side when I don’t think we’re anywhere near where we can be as a squad. We take the point and go again.
“We’re not a million miles away. If we can strengthen the squad then anyone would want that. You always want to be better.
“We’ve got a good group though with lads who are chomping at the bit and not playing. We’ve got good competition.
“That’s not something I’ve seen since I’ve been here. We’ve got a fantastic dressing room too.
“That side of it is the best I’ve seen here and it’s driven by the manager and the characters he signs.”
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Joe Jones

Meet the Fans: Notts County 2-2 Accrington Stanley, Friday 25 August 2017

A topsy-turvy August on the pitch for Notts County has ended on a somewhat sour note as the Magpies were held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley on Friday night.
In the first League Two fixture of the bank holiday weekend, rescheduled due to a clash with the neighbours over the Trent, the Magpies edged into a 1-0 half time lead at Meadow Lane lead thanks to Jon Stead's penalty.
Things got even better for Kevin Nolan's charges as they doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Jorge Grant, but for the second consecutive game, this was to be wasted.
First, Mark Hughes looped home a volley, then in injury time, after a player from each side had been sent off, Mallik Wilks struck the equaliser.
Notts were unable to conjure up another fightback like at Wycombe Wanderers, and in fact were lucky not to concede a killer third in the dying stages of the game.
Pride of Nottingham was at the Lane for the game, and interviewed a number of home fans prior to kickoff, asking them about the Notts team spirit, their favourite goal so far this season, and more.
Share your thoughts about this week's Meet The Fans video 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

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