Jump to content
Show all categories

Articles

Our website articles
Chris
Notts County continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee.
However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons.
Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally with a free kick.
Just a few minutes later, Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table.
Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the game and interviewed several Magpies fans ahead of kickoff.
Questions asked include what the fans thought of the club having had the most managers over the last 20 years and Alan Shearer's comments regarding Kevin Nolan's future at the club.
Share your thoughts about this week's Meet the Fans on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Chris
A brace from Notts County top scorer Jorge Grant helped keep the Magpies at the top of League Two as they beat Cheltenham Town 3-1 at Meadow Lane.
The loanee opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when he guided the ball into the far corner following good work from Jon Stead which culminated in a layoff into the centre.
Cheltenham, however, were level just five minutes later as Carl Winchester steered home a low effort beyond Ross Fitzsimons with what was the Robins' first shot on target.
Notts rode their luck but went on to retake the lead when Grant's 25-yard free-kick took a wicked deflection to wrongfoot Scott Flinders for his 13th goal of the season.
The Magpies then made the game safe when a well-worked corner ended with Richard Duffy flicking towards the back post for Shaun Brisley to head home.
PON's Chris photographed Notts County fans before, during and after Saturday's victory - see if you're in this week's Faces of PON!
Share your thoughts about this week's Faces of PON 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Chris
Notts County have extended their lead at the top of League Two thanks to their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
The Magpies took the lead on the half-hour mark through Jorge Grant following Jon Stead's layoff but Carl Winchester hit back within five minutes to equalise.
However, a quickfire double from Notts in the opening stages of the second half - through Grant and Shaun Brisley - gave Nolan another home win.
Here is Chris's detailed analysis of the Meadow Lane encounter.
Was the result fair?
The first half had 'draw' written all over it, but the second-half performance was very impressive when things clicked, and the victory is well deserved. I do feel sorry for Cheltenham in some senses, yet this is football but it was nice to see a team continue to give Notts a game even after going 3-1 down.
How did Notts play?
There’s very little to write about within the first half, it was scrappy and uneventful mostly. Out of nowhere Notts took the lead – at a time whereby it looked very likely to end a draw. After Cheltenham scored, our defence looked totally depleted and nervous.
Second half started very lively, and the midfield pushed to take the lead and then after the game just seemed much different. It certainly wasn’t pretty at times, but overall it was a very good team performance and a well deserved three points.
How did Cheltenham play?
Their defence was rocky due to trying to be more offensive, I could see this being the case myself and I mentioned it within the scouting report.
I disagree that they ‘played badly’, I thought they moved the ball around well and certainly gave Notts a game even after going 3-1 down. They just seemed unlikely to score, yet their goal was a brilliant move and certainly if they had of clicked themselves it could have been more difficult. Yet overall it was a decent performance, we just outplayed them in the second half but credit to Cheltenham they never gave up.
Did our tactics work out?
I think the way both teams started it just cancelled each other out. Prior to our goal we looked the most likely to score, but everything was just a bit uneventful due to a lack of quality on goal. In the second half things changed, and as a result Notts played with more tempo which forced the play.
How did the referee perform?
He was a bit baffling at times, yet I’m always going to say it – he’s the typical standard for League Two. My gripe is I felt he always seemed keen to have words with Notts players, whilst after going 3-1 up – it was like he couldn’t award any genuine foul in our favour simply because we looked likely to score. I counted at least five punishable challenges which were never given, luckily it didn't cost us in the end.
Who do we play next?
Yeovil Town – They’re not the same side that we played a few seasons ago, although they are a decent outfit and one that does tend to raise to playing games against teams such as Notts.
How should we play them?
We just have to assert the same level of pressure as we did against Cheltenham in the second half, our performance similar to how we did against Exeter City.
Be confident in possession, wise on the ball and move into the areas whereby we can make the most of the space gained – if we put them under pressure I honestly think they will cave in but that said we need to avoid causing problems within our own defence.
Yeovil are a side which will easily make the most of opposition indecisions at the back, and any worrying will lift them.
If we can avoid making too many changes, this will also aid us but that said I do expect to see at least three – I just wouldn’t go beyond five at all.
Our midfield can play in such a style that it can take the pressure of ourselves, whilst enabling confidence upfront. It’s important we strive for this, as any of our strikers could make the most of this.
Cheltenham fan views (from The Robins Nest Forum)
Runlistening: Conceding 2 goals in 2 minutes again.. how does this keep happening? I know this was always going to be a hard game but soon as we concede 1 you know another one is going in in 1-2 minutes...
Longmover: Whatever they have been instructed to do isn't working, It's the management job to get the instructions to stick, they're (Gary Johnson's) players, he bought them in.
Oldun: Oh good show! Lose to top of table team and its knives out for Gary. Now there's a surprise! Only six subs, very weak bench due to injuries and suspensions (all Gary's fault) Deflected second goal. (Gary's fault) By the way... Luton scored seven today, which shows how terrible it was not to win last week. Gary will have to go; we really can't carry on like this, not winning every time we play. And I hate sarcasm too.
Another_FoD_Robin: So if we have six players on the bench Oldun whose fault is it? I thought as a football manager you bring players in and take players out. I accept budget and we can't take into account some bad luck but the bottom line is GJ is meant to bring players in to strengthen the squad. Or to ensure players coming in can do a job. GJs job is to motivate and instruct what to do during games. So on the back of game management - the players need to take responsibility too. I as an amateur player understand how to manage a game so please explain to me why players who are professional struggle. The little things add up...
Share your thoughts about this tactical analysis piece 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Notts County continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee.
However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons.
Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally before Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table.
Relive the key moments from an exciting game with Notts County's official YouTube highlights, which we have posted here for your viewing pleasure.
Share your thoughts about the game 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Jorge Grant has paid tribute to Notts County strikers Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi following their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
The midfielder took his tally for the season to 13 with his fourth brace of the season, with Shaun Brisley adding a third to keep the Magpies top of League Two.
"Shola and Steady were unbelievable today," Grant told the official Notts site. "The ball stuck to them and they allowed the midfielders to come up and work off them.
"The set from Steady for the first goal was perfect for me to run on to and hit first-time, so I have to give him credit for that because he's done it twice in the last couple of weeks.
"I thought we were good. They had some spells where they created chances but that's going to happen. We were strong in those situations and got our rewards when we scored.
"We're dealing with the pressure better than we have before and it was another good performance from us.
"Teams know what they're going to get and they have to bring their 'A' game, otherwise they're not going to win."
Share your thoughts about this news story 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
The word "legend" is bandied around all too lightly nowadays. But if you ask any Notts County fan to name one individual and one individual only who deserves the tag of "legend", chances are they will name Jimmy Sirrel.
Born on 2 February 1922 in Glasgow, James Sirrel's professional football journey began when he was 24, when he joined Celtic in 1946.
He made just 13 appearances in three years before joining Bradford Park Avenue in 1949, where again he found game time limited, playing just 12 matches.
In 1951 Sirrel joined Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made 55 appearances before signing for Aldershot in 1954, and he retired from playing in 1957.
Modest a footballing career as it may have been, Sirrel's coaching career would be anything but, as he moved to Brentford as trainer in 1965 before becoming caretaker manager in February 1967.
After being appointed to the role full-time, Sirrel spent two full seasons at the helm of Brentford, but soon enough, he would up sticks to Nottingham, where his career would go to dizzying new heights.
On 19 November 1969, Sirrel entered the Meadow Lane gates for the first time as he would become the manager of Notts County, a team struggling in the Fourth Division.
From previous managers Jack Wheeler - who would serve as his assistant - and Billy Gray, Sirrel had inherited a team including Don Masson, David Needham, Bob Worthington and Les Bradd, and he set about reinvigorating the players and the team.
Sirrel's first season in charge of the Magpies ended with a respectable seventh-placed finish, but this was only a precursor to what was to come as, the following season, the team stormed to the Fourth Division Championship.
Notts boasted a mean defence which would concede just 36 goals that season, while up top, the front line scored an average of 2.47 goals per game.
By no means had Notts reached their limit - the following season, promotion to the Second Division was missed by just three points, and even though 1972-73 began slowly for the Magpies, sititng 16th by the end of the year, they would lose just twice more en route to second place and a spot in the Second Division.
Already Sirrel had transformed Notts from fourth-division strugglers to a side punching their weight in the second tier, and when he decided to try his luck at top-tier Sheffield United in 1975, his place as a Magpies legend was already assured.
Unfortunately for Sirrel, the Blades role would not go to plan as they were relegated that season and, with little money to spend, was unable to stop the side mounting a promotion challenge - but he still made his mark by designing the United badge that's currently being used today.
Eventually, Sirrel opted to return to Notts - who were struggling to avoid relegation back into Division Three - in 1977, and breathed new life into the club by saving them from the drop.
It took a while to get Notts back up to scratch, but the crowning moment came in 1980-81 when a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge gave the Magpies top-flight football for the first time since 1926.
Finishing 15th in his first season, Sirrel inspired his team to emphatic wins over Aston Villa, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.
In 1982, Sirrel became general manager, with Wilkinson taking over as boss, but he was back in the dugout in 1985 with Notts on the brink of back-to-back relegations under Larry Lloyd.
Unfortunately, he was unable to prevent the drop, but did manage to halt the free-fall that County were in by consolidating in the Third Division for two more seasons, before retiring at the end of the 1986-87 season, eighteen years after he arrived at the club, his name in the club's annals assured.
Sirrel was a regular spectator at Meadow Lane beyond his retirement and had the County Road Stand named after him, which he described as "a bloody honour" upon receiving the call from Derek Pavis.
He was even called back into the dressing room and onto the pitch to boost spirits when Notts nearly slipped out of the Football League in 2005, such was his esteem at the club.
On 25 September 2008, Sirrel sadly passed away aged 86, which led to an outpouring of grief from the Notts community and beyond. His funeral, on 7 October, was attended by fans and fellow peers from the world of football, who turned out to pay their respects.
Jimmy Sirrel is the epitome of a Notts County legend, and his name continues to be chanted by the Black and White Army today, testament to just how revered he is at NG2.
Share your thoughts about this Notts Alumni article 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
ARLukomski
Notts County continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee.
However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons.
Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally before Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table.
ARLukomski, a Notts vlogger and Pride of Nottingham contributor, discussed the fixture ahead of kickoff, gave his thoughts as the game went on, and talked about the performance and result after the final whistle.
Follow ARLukomski on his YouTube channel by clicking here.
Share your thoughts about this vlog 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has declared himself "absolutely delighted" with Notts County's 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
A Jorge Grant brace either side of a Carl Winchester daisy-cutter and a Shaun Brisley header saw the Magpies run out comfortable winners.
Other results also went County's way and resulted in them sitting two points clear at the top of the League Two table come 5pm.
"I'm absolutely delighted with the three points and I thought they were well-deserved," Nolan told the official Notts site.
"You're seeing things which we're trying to recreate from the training ground, like passing patterns, which make the lads feel more familiar when they are in those positions on a matchday.
"They are taking a lot on board. I'm delighted with some of the play in the last few weeks and there's still more to come."
Speaking about Cheltenham's performance, Nolan added: "They had a couple of chances after half-time which I wasn't too happy about but we got away with it.
"They had a lot of threats, which we dealt with very well. They're a big side who put the ball in good areas, do all the right things and play some good stuff at times.
"Their goal was excellent, although it was poor from our point of view.
"But the way we responded in the second half was brilliant - hats off to the lads. We now need to follow up that performance with another one down at Yeovil on Tuesday night.
"We're going to have to be at that standard again if we are to get three points."
Share your thoughts about this news story 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Notts County continue to march on in their quest for promotion from League Two with a solid 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town in Saturday's game at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies were quick out of the starting blocks against the Robins, who were 16th in the table at kickoff, with Terry Hawkridge forcing a chested block from goalkeeper Scott Flinders after just three minutes.
Jorge Grant and Ryan Yates then weighed in with efforts which were blocked as the visitors struggled to weather the hosts' attacking play, while Shaun Brisley hit the side netting.
Jon Stead was next to threaten as he rifled narrowly wide after turning to collect a far post header back across goal, and Matt Tootle's swerving drive forced another save from Flinders.
Eventually Kevin Nolan's charges broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark as Carl Dickinson’s crossfield pass into the box was headed down to Stead, who sized up a shot but instead decided to lay the ball off for Grant.
It proved the correct decision as the Nottingham Forest loanee side-footed the ball into the top corner of the Cheltenham net to put the Magpies ahead.
However, the visitors drew level out of the blue just five minutes later, the Notts defence guilty of switching off as Carl Winchester and Kyle Storer exchanged passes before the former drilled a low effort into the bottom corner.
It could have gotten even worse for Notts in the second half as Cheltenham turned the screw and Harry Pell hit the top of the crossbar from a cross with Ross Fitzsimons struggling to scramble back.
The new Notts, however, have more grit about them and, on 52 minutes, the unplayable Grant grabbed his 13th of the season when his 25-yard free kick took a heavy deflection and wrong-footed Flinders en route to the back of the net.
And just two minutes later, a two-goal lead was established through Shaun Brisley, who finished off a move begun by a corner flicked on at the near post by Richard Duffy into his fellow defender's path, heading home to send Meadow Lane into a frenzy.
Notts continued to push forward and Jorge Grant came close to sealing what would have been a well-deserved hat-trick when he weaved through the Robins defence but couldn't get the ball past Flinders.
And although Cheltenham mounted a late fight-back, they couldn't get so much as a second goal to make things nervy as the Magpies saw the game out and built up their lead at the top of the table.
Share your thoughts about this match report 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Alan Hardy has expressed his hopes of having Kevin Nolan at Notts County for the long term as part of the team's journey out of the fourth tier and into the upper echelons of the Football League.
His comments come in the wake of Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer claiming that Nolan would not remain at Meadow Lane for long should the Magpies be promoted from League Two.
In addition, a Press Association Sport study found that, when it comes to managerial changes over the past 20 years, Notts top the standings.
In his weekly Nottingham Post column, Hardy wrote: "As chairman, I hope Kevin is our manager for years to come given the outstanding job he has done and how he has settled into life at Meadow Lane.
"It would be extremely foolish of me to think that other clubs would not sit up and take notice of him because what he has done here has truly been remarkable.
"I have always said he is a Premier League manager in the making because he has this uncanny ability to relate to his players.
"And, while I would love to keep him here under lock and key at Meadow Lane, there is going to be a day when a big club comes calling.
"I’ve already told him that, should such a situation arise, then I would not stand in his way because who am I to deny him what would be a fantastic opportunity?
"I’ve no doubt he can go on to reach the very top level but, in saying that, we are on a journey together which is why I decided to hand him a new contract.
"Stability is incredibly important at this football club and it seems ironic we are talking about this in a week when the hiring and firing culture hit the headlines.
"According to a Press Association study, which looked at managerial changes over the last 20 years, we came top of the table with 23.
"I don’t think I am speaking out of turn here by saying this is not a league table for us to be shouting from the rooftops about.
"We all know that having a revolving door in terms of players and managers does more harm than good, and that’s something I recognised before I even bought the club.
"As chairman I have a responsibility to stop a revolving door policy and I think you can see that what I want to achieve with Kevin is no short-term plan.
"It is very much for the long-term and it is essential we have continuity and, more importantly, stability.
"As the study proved, clubs who change their manager constantly very rarely encounter success. And it is success we want here at Notts County."
Share your thoughts about this news story 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years.
The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1.
Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.
The Magpies have won each of their last three league games against Cheltenham, scoring 10 whilst conceding three.
The Robins have only beaten Notts County once at Meadow Lane in the Football League, a 3-2 win in November 2005.
Cheltenham Town were founded in 1887 by Albert Close White, a local teacher.
However, the town has prior football history - in 1849, the first use of three official referees in a match, two in field and one in tribune, was recorded in Cheltenham.
Promoted to The Football League as Conference Premier champions in 1999, Cheltenham have played as high as League One, the third tier of English football, spending a total of four seasons there.
Their best FA Cup run saw them reach the last 16 (fifth round) in 2002.
The last piece of silverware won by the club was the National League title in 2015–2016.
Its league status was lost with relegation in 2015, only for the team to return, as runaway champions, a year later.
Two former Notts managers, Steve Cotterill and Martin Allen, have also done time at the Gloucestershire club.
Team news
Elliott Hewitt is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the season in the 1-1 draw at Stevenage, where he also scored the Magpies' equaliser.
Rob Milsom, Liam Walker and Curtis Thompson are all possible replacements.
Adam Collin remains sidelined for at least another five weeks after suffering a knee injury against Barnet last month so Ross Fitzsimons is expected to continue deputising in goal.
Bristol City loanee Joe Morrell will return to the Cheltenham starting line-up after missing the last two matches due to international duty.
Morrell was selected for the Wales Under-21s squad but missed the Bosnia and Herzegovina game with illness and was an unused substitute for the Romania clash four days later.
Midfielder Kevin Dawson serves the second of his three-match suspension for his red card in the FA Cup first round defeat against Maidstone earlier this month.
Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring in the 2-2 home draw with Luton and will undergo surgery next week.
Share your thoughts about this preview 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Chris
Here we are in mid-November and Notts County continue to hold top spot in League Two.
Up next for us is a home encounter with Cheltenham Town, who currently sit 16th in the table.
How are the Robins likely to line up? What tactics could they use? What's their style of play and how should Notts counter it?
Here is a thorough analysis by PON's Chris about the weekend's game and the opponents.
History
Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years.
The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1.
Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 7th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Swindon Town 1
Saturday 14th October – Port Vale 3 Cheltenham Town 1
Tuesday 17th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Grimsby Town 3
Saturday 21st October – Cheltenham Town 1 Lincoln City 0
Saturday 28th October – Wycombe Wanderers 3 Cheltenham Town 3
Saturday 11th November – Cheltenham Town 2 Luton Town 2
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Mohamed Eisa 7, Kevin Dawson 6, Brian Graham 5 and Danny Wright 5.
Persistent Foulers; Kevin Dawson 3 yellow cards and 1 red card, Brian Graham 4 yellow cards, Harry Pell 4 yellow cards and Jordan Cranston 3 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Harry Pell is the standout player for me, he’s a comfortable and confident player on the ball – who likes to make direct runs into space which allows the game to open up for Cheltenham Town. He also has a good eye for finishing and can be a treat from set pieces.
Upfront Mohamed Eisa also has an eye for goal, however he’s also very skilful on the ball and likes to take on runs when possible – he naturally draws defenders onto him and this generally doesn’t affect his game.
Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring and he will be missed by the Robins - he is pacey, likes to get on the ball as much as possible and influences the game positively with his passing ability.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Cheltenham Town tend to press their opposition which leads to some good displays, however they’re largely inconsistent in terms of their performance and often get punished due to individual mistakes.
On the ball they are confident and build nicely as a unit, they make use of numbers and aren’t afraid to commit players to their attacks.
However, this leaves them vulnerable at the back and due to their attacking style – this tends to invite play onto themselves.
Good teams often find plenty of space and opportunities to shot on goal, but in certain situations this can cancel out play leading to scrappy play.
There’s a good amount of pace within the Robins’ side and this certainly something which opposition teams can struggle against – whilst their attitude to never surrounding does mean that they can often make up for the individual mistakes which leads to them conceding.
The good football that they do express can result in them controlling the game, yet this is something which doesn’t happen as often as their manager Gary Johnson may like.
Notts will have to be physical to assert authority on the ball, whilst maintaining confidence under any direct pressure.
Our midfield will be key to unlocking chances, however I fully expect them to be required to help with defensive duties and as such it’s important we don’t over stretch ourselves.
Corners will be a useful tool for the Magpies’ and if we make use of the space which opens up from set plays, I can certainly see this as being a useful form of attack for Notts.
There’s no doubt Cheltenham are a decent outfit within League Two and as such, we shouldn’t underestimate them.
Share your thoughts about this Scouting Report article 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Ross Fitzsimons has expressed his gratitude towards Kevin Nolan and the rest of the Notts County setup for giving him a chance to play first-team football.
The 23-year-old signed on a free transfer in the summer having left Chelmsford City and, prior to his current run of games, had seldom been given an extended run in a club's first team.
However, the goalkeeper has become first-choice since Adam Collin picked up a knee injury against Barnet last month, playing in all but two of Notts' games since.
"I've been close to it before at previous clubs but I have never had the initial break where someone has told me 'Go and play'," Fitzsimons told the official Notts site.
"But straight away after Adam was injured the manager said 'I want you playing' and put his belief in me.
"I owe so much to the manager and his staff - they could have brought in a goalkeeper on an emergency loan who has played 50 games or more.
"But their backing has done my confidence the world of good. I'm getting belief in myself and I think this is one of the happiest times in my footballing career."
Share your thoughts about this news story 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
TheSkipper
Whichever goalkeeper you prefer, there is no doubt that Notts County have two very capable players in contention for the number 1 jersey in Adam Collin and Ross Fitzsimons, the debate on who should start has valid points for both keepers.
However, I aim to explain the difference between the two and who I feel should be the first choice keeper for the Magpies.
The knee injury to Collin during the 2-1 win over Barnet within League Two saw Fitzsimons step into the main role and during a heavy spell of pressure, he made several outstanding saves which kept Notts in the game.
This was the first time that I had seen Fitzsimons in action and I was genuinely impressed with his reactions, as the game was played largely on the back foot for Notts after Collin was substituted.
If he'd been on the field for longer, I would easily have considered him as one of the key candidates for Man of the Match.
And I thought if this was the standard he set, well I really couldn’t see how Collin could force his way back into Kevin Nolan’s squad at all.
Yet I wanted to write about this subject, but only after having enough time to fairly judge what Fitzsimons brings to the table.
Fans who feel that the two keepers are like-for-like are wrong in my opinion, I feel Collin’s experience and age makes him a more polished keeper at this level.
However, I certainly see the potential within Fitzsimons and I think overall he’s the much better shot stopper.
That said, I disagree that he is better currently and I feel he’s lacking the understanding with the back four that Collin has established over the course of this and last season.
I can fully understand why Nolan prefers Collin in goal, but being an unpopular figure at Meadow lane I don’t expect many other fans to give him the credit he deserves.
There’s still time however for Fitzsimons to establish himself further, all depending on when Collin returns to action.
It is quite possible that we might not see him for a few more months - I believe he was expected to be out for a minimum of 8 weeks which has recently passed.
And there is still little news coming out regarding how serious his knee ligament damage is.
If Fitzsimons can work on his consistency - as the past few games I feel he’s been quite shaky and I would also say he has shined as much between the sticks as I assumed he would have done - there might be a chance he will retain the position even after Collin’s return to match selection, but I don’t think this is all that likely considering.
Collin is more experienced, he’s switched on and alert. This season alone he seems a much different character than he was in his debut season and I think the weaknesses such as his communication have largely been worked on.
He seems more confident which I imagine can be hard when the Notts defence switches off, but again we have two capable keepers and the prospect of Fitzsimons is one I feel will only grow in strength during the coming games.
I would also like to point out that the position is the most scrutinized positon on the pitch, with fans perhaps being unforgiving of minor mistakes.
Fitzsimons has a valuable learning experience and I do feel he will take it, it just may take some time for him to establish the position for his own.
Share your thoughts about this feature article 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.
Joe Jones
Notts County manager Kevin Nolan has claimed that English managers are often overlooked for top jobs in the Premier League.
There are only five England-born bosses in permanent top-flight jobs, with none in charge of the so-called 'big six'.
“There are lots of quality English managers, I feel they are overlooked,” Nolan told BBC Radio Nottingham.
“It seems if you are an English manager you have to ply your trade into the Championship and get yourself into the Premier League.
“Sean Dyche has done really well at Burnley and now he is starting to getting the credit he deserves.
“I feel I am part of a new generation that has to change minds and mindsets.
“The most important thing for me is getting this job right and not looking at next year or the year after.
“If I do a good job here and do it right, then all that will come in time. That means you build a reputation where you can put your CV and say ‘what’s different to his CV to mine’ – and not just because he has a sexier name.
“I still see myself as an apprentice as a manager but, for me, I truly believe that if I do my job and do it to my best, then those opportunities will come.
“I know there are a lot of sceptics out there saying it won’t happen because I am English, but you have believe in yourself."
Share your thoughts about this news story 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.
Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

About PON

Pride of Nottingham

Pride of Nottingham is an independent fansite devoted to Notts County, the world’s oldest professional football club. Created in 2013, it has served as a source of Magpie news, features, match previews, reports, analysis and interviews for more than three years.

Useful Links

Support PON

Enjoy our content? Want to help us grow? Your donation will go a long way towards improving the site!

donate-pon.png

Meet the Team

Chris Chris Administrators
super_ram super_ram Global Moderators
DangerousSausage DangerousSausage Global Moderators
CliftonMagpie CliftonMagpie Global Moderators
TheSkipper TheSkipper Media

Social Media

Home
Dashboard
Sign In Register
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Pride of Nottingham uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. To approve, simply continue using the site or click 'I accept' Terms of Use.

  I accept