Notts County travel to the Sixfields Stadium to take on Northampton Town this afternoon.

The Magpies recent form over the last five games is (LLLLD) which sees them sit bottom of the League Two table, but a win today could see them move out of the relegation zone.

Notts must make the most of this game as they only have 2 points from 8 games played, whilst Macclesfield Town and Morecambe - who play each other today - have 2 and 3 points respectfully.

Northampton are currently 20th, having conceded 13 goals and scoring 8, four of which has come from their Dutch striker Kevin van Veen.

Their current form being (LWDWL) which is a lot healthier than County's but the game provides each team with a good chance of climbing up the table.

A win for Notts could see them climb as high as 22nd in the League Two table, a draw may see them move to 23rd depending on if Macclesfield Town lose.

A win for Northampton, meanwhile, could see them move to 17th depending on the scores, there's a lot more motivation for them to push higher up the league but Notts could escape the relegation zone if get the right result.

Other fixtures to keep an eye on

Crewe Alexandra vs Port Vale
Morecambe vs Macclesfield Town
Stevenage vs Grimsby Town
Yeovil Town vs Swindon Town

TheSkipper's prediction 

I foresee the game being one of two half's, I think Notts will be likely to come out very slow and sluggish.

Within the first 20 minutes Harry Kewell's men must develop a feel for the game and understand how to counter any threats that Northampton Town may give to the Notts County defence.

For me, making use of Enzio Boldejiwn will provide other Notts players a chance to get into good space whilst using him as an outlet to break down today's opposition.

I feel the game will be tight but I have a good feeling! I am hoping the final score will be 2-1 to Notts.

If the club can claim their first win, it would be the best possible result but I worry about leaking goals still.

SkyBet odds

Northampton win 1/1, draw 5/2, Notts win 13/5

(Odds accurate as of 1:20pm Saturday 22 September)

Key men

Kevin van Veen - The Dutch born player is a tidy finisher, at the age of 27-years-old his experience within the Eerste Divisie will make him the most interesting Northampton Town player to watch.

Jon Stead – He's literally in form right now, plus Harry Kewell giving him the captains armband has instilled a new lease of life. His passion, experienced head and current performances can be a major plus today. 

Final thoughts

With the fixtures containing several games which could see the pathway for Notts to escape the relegation, this weekends results are paramount to the club.

The gap could increase further and the pressure of securing their first league win of the 2018-19 season will only get harder.

I think the away form this season has been quite poor, so a draw would be a positive outcome but a win would hopefully kick start this dreadful season.

Northampton have an unknown squad to me, so the tactics leading into the game will be the key to who takes control of the game.

Lewis Alessandra and David Vaughan could be the key players to assist any goal chances, with Enzio Boldewijn being the player Notts should look to break down today opposition.

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Notts County have met Northampton Town 55 times in their history.

Notts: 27
Draws: 11
Northampton: 17

Notts met Northampton for the first time on November 22nd, 1930 in Division 3 South, drawing 2-2.

The last time Notts met The Cobblers was in the 2015-16 season with Town winning 2-1 at Meadow Lane and the reverse fixture finishing 2-2 at Sixfields with Thierry Audel and Jon Stead getting the goals for a Notts team under the stewardship of Mark Cooper.

Notts did the double over Northampton in the title winning 2009-10 season, winning 5-2 at Meadow Lane and 1-0 at Sixfields.

Since 2000, the two teams have met 15 times with Notts winning 5, drawing 4 and losing 6.

Stats

Northampton have only won once this season with the sole win coming away at Colchester. Matt Crooks and Billy Waters were the goalscorers in a 2-1 win.

They are on a run of three winless games and haven’t won at home this season.

Notts still haven’t won this season but there were some positives to take out of the home draw with Stevenage.

The attack looks like it’s getting better and Enzio Boldewijn and Kane Hemmings are improving.

History

There only season in the top flight, came in the 1965-66 season.

They moved to their current home at Sixfields in the 1994-95 season.

The Cobblers are two-time winners of the Fourth Division and have also won the Third Division once. Town have also won the Southern League once.

Northampton hold the record for being promoted from the 4th tier to the first and relegated back down to the fourth again at only nine years (promoted from fourth division 1960-61, relegated to fourth division 1968-69).

Seasons in each division

Division 1 (or Premier League): 1
Division 2 (or Championship): 3
Division 3 (or League One): 49
Division 4 (or League Two): 38

Northampton were in the Southern League and Midland League before being elected to the Football League in 1920.

Team news

Northampton Town will be without suspended defender Aaron Pierre, who was sent off just before the hour mark of last weekend's 2-0 loss to Port Vale and must serve a one-match ban.

Striker Junior Morais is definitely sidelined while Daniel Powell is also set to miss out - both have hamstring issues - and Shaun McWilliams is a doubt with a foot injury.

The Cobblers have only won one match so far this season and manager Dean Austin could make changes after being frustrated by their performance against Vale.

New signings Jamie Turley and Cedric Evina both made their debuts against Stevenage but the former only lasted 45 minutes after appearing to hurt his ribs.

If he is not fit, Matt Tootle is likely to come into the starting line-up having replaced Turley in his own return from injury.

Midfielder Andy Kellett could come back into contention following injury but Dan Jones serves the last game of his three-match ban while Richard Duffy and Ben Hall are still expected to be unavailable.

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Notts County will face Stevenage FC on Saturday for the first time this season at Meadow Lane. Notts County’s recent form over 5 games (LLLLL) sees them at the bottom of the table with just 1 point from the opening day against Colchester.

Meanwhile, Stevenage sit in a comfortable 11th with their recent form being (WDLLW). With inconsistent results, Stevenage will be looking to capitalize and be taking all three points at Meadow Lane from a run down Notts County side.

So far Stevenage have scored 7 goals conceding just 6 times in 7 games. With Notts scoring 7 goals and conceding an eye watering 21 goals in just 7 games. A win for Stevenage could see them move up to as high as 3rd place with results going their way. However, a win for Notts would move them up to 22nd providing results go their way.

Other fixtures to keep an eye on

Mansfield vs Exeter City
Crawley Town vs Morecambe
Macclesfield Town vs Lincoln City
Newport County vs Yeovil Town

Sam’s prediction

I think it will be a tough game with spirits still low in the camp. We have to turn this form around sooner or later or were going to have a right mess on our hands. With three games coming up that are all winnable, the rest of the month sees us face the likes of Crewe and Northampton, so this really is 9 points we have to fight for. We need to start with a win here. Im favoring a draw at 2-2 but my heart wants me to say a 2-1 win to Notts with Stevenage scoring first. Scorers being Hemmings and Brisely. We must defend corners and set pieces better. A clean sheet would do nicely too if we can manage that, but I think that’s asking for too much.

SkyBet odds

Notts County 7/5 – Draw 12/5 – Stevenage 19/10 (Fav)

Key men

Alex Revell – Revell has scored two times so far this season but also racking up 2 assists. This tells me that he will be a handful for our defense as his instinct is not only to shoot but to find that final ball to get the team the three points. Stevenage have a habit of scoring late on and Revell will be the man to help drive the team across the line.

Enzio Boldewjin – The quick pacey winger will be a match for the Stevenage full backs, especially if he keeps swapping wings. His trickery and ability to cut inside and gets shots off from inside and outside the area should worry the Stevenage defense.

Final thoughts

Stevenage have a habit of scoring late so we must not switch off in the second half and take our foot off the gas. They have a strong defense with some good prospects and experience in there. Paul Farman, Scott Cuthbert, Luther Wildin all apart of the back 4 that Stevenage operate. Notts County must find the weak points within their side and break them down quickly, apply quick pressure and press the ball high but remain vigilant to counter attacks from the likes of Danny Newton, Jimmy Ball and Alex Revell.

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Notts have met Stevenage only 13 times including once in the FA Cup.

Notts wins: 6

Draws: 2

Stevenage: 5

Notts met Stevenage for the first time on September 17th, 2011 in League One, running out 2-0 victors at Broadhall Way.

In 2017-18, Notts took four points from Stevenage with the sides drawing 1-1 at Broadhall Way, with Notts winning the reverse fixture 2-0 after goals from Jorge Grant and Shola Ameobi.

Since 2015-16, where both teams have been in League Two, Notts have the upper hand with three wins to Stevenage’s one. The other two games being draws.

Stats

Stevenage got back to winning ways last Saturday with a 1-0 win at home to Macclesfield. This season they have won, drawn and lost each of their three away games. They currently sit in 11th place.

Notts are still looking for their first win. In 2013-14, Notts went winless for the first seven games (including losing their 7th game 5-1 like this season), gaining only one point. They then won their 8th league game of the season, which was at home. They then went on to win their next home game (10th league game of the season) at home to Crewe (who we also play on Matchday 10 this year). Reason for hope?

History

The club were founded in 1976, meaning they are one of the youngest clubs in the football league.

Stevenage have won the FA Trophy twice (2006-07, 2008-09)

They and Kidderminster Harriers set the record for highest attendance for an FA Trophy final with 53,262.

Boro were the first team to win a trophy at the new Wembley Stadium in that match against Kidderminster, winning 3-2 with current Millwall striker Steve Morison scoring the winner with two minutes left.

Graham Westley has had three spells in charge of Stevenage. His first spell between 2003-2006, he helped steady Boro. His second spell he helped earn them two promotions in a row, from the Conference to League One. His third spell was mixed, with the team getting relegated to League Two in 2013-14. They then made the play-offs in 2014-15 but were knocked out by Southend.

Time in each division

First Division (or Premier League): 0

Second Division (or Championship): 0

Third Division (or League One): 3

Fourth Division (or League Two): 5

Non-League: 30

Team news

Notts have quite a few injuries with Andy Kellett, Noor Husin, Matt Tootle, Richard Duffy, Ben Hall and Branislav Pindroch all out injured, while Dan Jones is suspended.

On the plus side, manager Harry Kewell will be in the dugout as he paid a £500 fine to the FA after admitting that his behaviour towards the referee against Exeter City was improper.

There are doubts ahead of the game over three Stevenage forwards - Danny Newton, Kurtis Guthrie and Alex Revell are all nursing knocks.

Otherwise, Boro's squad has a clean bill of health as they look to build on the 1-0 home win over Macclesfield Town last time out.

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Exeter City otherwise known as The Grecians were founded in 1901 as St Sidwell’s United and then renamed to Exeter City in 1904.

The club is owned by the fans who take part in the Exeter City Supporters Trust and play their home games St James Park which holds 8,451.

They currently occupy 9th position in Sky Bet League Two with the Grecians keen to kick on from last season securing a play-off final place for 2 years in a row under their old manager Paul Tisdale.

Exeter’s first meeting with Notts County ended in a 3-3 draw in 1930. Since then The Grecians and The Magpies have met a total of 46 times in their club’s history.

Notts have managed 18 wins while only losing 9 against Exeter with 19 of these games being all square at the full-time whistle.

Exeter managed a 4th place finish last year in League Two losing out to Coventry City in the play off final. Jayden Stockley was their top goal scorer with 25 goals in all competitions.

Exeter have had recent transfer success in the recent years being known to sell their own home-grown talent to big teams such as Chelsea and Brentford. Ethan Ampadu and Ollie Watkins left last year in the summer to better their careers while Exeter profited massively from this. Watkins reported fee was in the region of 1.75 million pounds while Ampadu’s fee was to be agreed via a tribunal.

Exeter return to St James Park to face The Magpies after losing 0-3 to Lincoln City. Their recent league form consists of 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses in the last 5 games in the league campaign. Matt Taylor's men will be looking to capitalize on Notts County’s poor form and secure another 3 points against the troubled Magpies.

Odds for the game: Exeter 13/10    Draw 9/4    Notts County 2/1

Promotion: Exeter 4/1    Notts County 9/2

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Head to head

Notts County and Forest Green Rovers have met three times in competitive action and the Green Devils have not beaten the Magpies yet.

The first game came in the third round of the FA Cup on 19 January 2010, and it ended in a 2-1 win for the Magpies at Meadow Lane.

Last season was the first that both teams were in the same league, with their first league encounter finishing 1-1 thanks to Rob Milsom's injury-time equaliser (and he's now back with us so wonder if he can repeat it).

Stats and trivia

Notts County have failed to win all six of their games in all competitions this season.

They started decently enough with a 0-0 home draw against Colchester United but went on to lose their next four in League Two, though they did only lose to Middlesbrough on penalties in the EFL Cup.

Likewise, Forest Green are out of the cup but they remain unbeaten in the league.

That said, they have drawn four on the trot in the league.

Their last win in any competition came on August 14 in the EFL Cup against Swindon Town but haven't won in the league since the opening day.

Opposition history

Forest Green Rovers were founded in October 1889 by Reverend E. J. H. Peach, the local Nonconformist church minister, representing the Forest Green area of Nailsworth in Gloucestershire.

The name Rovers was adopted in 1893, and the following year the club were founder members of the Mid-Gloucestershire League, the first association football league in the county outside Bristol.

After the league folded in 1902, Forest Green become members of the newly formed Stroud League and also members of the Dursley and District League which they won in 1903, the club's first silverware.

After a break for the First World War, Rovers enjoyed a period of great success winning two football leagues and three cups in both 1921 and 1922.

They then joined the newly formed Gloucestershire Northern Senior League with Cheltenham Town among others in 1922.

Rovers joined the newly formed County League in 1968 and played under manager Peter Goring for the next 11 years, moving up again to the Hellenic League in 1975 under his stewardship.

In 1982, Rovers achieved fame at Wembley winning the FA Vase 3-1 and at the same time winning the Hellenic League and moving into the Southern League Midland Division.

Seven years later a struggling Rovers outfit was renamed Stroud FC but this alienated a lot of people connected with the club, until the arrival of Trevor Horsley in 1992 saw the name changed back to Forest Green Rovers.

After finishing eighth in the Southern Division under Frank Gregan in 1995–96, they won the division the following season, earning promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League.

The 1997–98 season then saw FGR them win the Southern League Premier Division, securing a second successive promotion and entry to the Football Conference.

FGR finished in the relegation zone in 2005 and 2010, but both times were handed a reprieve when Northwich Victoria and then Salisbury City were demoted for non-footballing reasons.

The club was then taken over by Ecotricity owner Dale Vince, at which point the team improved until finally sealing promotion into the Football League in 2017.

Team news

Notts defender Richard Duffy hobbled off at Lincoln City with a foot injury and is likely to miss out alongside Matt Tootle who has a shoulder injury.

New manager Harry Kewell will not take the reins against FGR, with Jon Goodman and Mark Crossley overseeing proceedings.

Farrend Rawson missed Tuesday's EFL Cup tie with a foot issue but is expected to be back for FGR.

New signing Nathan McGinley could also make his debut at Meadow Lane after the defender joined from Middlesbrough on Wednesday.

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Head to head

Notts County and Lincoln City have met a total of 68 times in competitive matches over the years.

The first fixture took the place all the way back in November 1893, a Division Two game in Nottingham which resulted in an away win for the Imps.

The record currently stands at 35 wins for Notts, 16 defeats, and 17 draws.

Last season Notts ran out 4-1 winners against Lincoln at Meadow Lane, lost 2-1 in the EFL Trophy and drew 2-2 at Sincil Bank in the league.

History

Lincoln City were officially formed in 1884 as an amateur association - even though there had been a team playing since the 1860s - and turned professional in the 1891-92 season.

The following season, Lincoln became one of the 12 founder members of the Second Division alongside Small Heath, Sheffield Utd, Darwen, Grimsby, Ardwick, Burton Swifts, Northwich Victoria, Bootle, Crewe, Burslem, Port Vale and Walsall T. Swifts.

In 1895, Lincoln moved to Sincil Bank from the John O'Gaunts ground. They drew their first game at Sincil Bank 0-0 with Gainsborough Trinity and also drew their first League game 1-1 with Woolwich Arsenal.

Lincoln never won a major trophy in their history but did secure the EFL Trophy last season, beating Shrewsbury Town 1-0 at Wembley in the final.

They also got their hands on the Division 3 (North) title three times, in 1932, 1948, and 1952, as well as winning League Two in 1976 and claiming the premier non-league title in 1988 and 2017.

Two seasons ago, the Imps made history by becoming the first non-league side to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup since Queens Park Rangers in 1914.

Lincoln developed from the Roman town of Lindum Colonia, which developed from an Iron Age settlement.

Its major landmarks are Lincoln Cathedral, a famous example of English Gothic architecture, and Lincoln Castle, an 11th-century Norman castle.

Stats

Lincoln are winless in their last five meetings with Notts County in League Two (D2 L3), last winning in December 2008 in a 1-0 victory.

Notts County have only won one of their last six visits to Sincil Bank in League Two (D3 L2), having won six visits in succession in the Football League before this run.

Lincoln City striker John Akinde has scored three goals from three shots on target in League Two this season.

Notts County have lost each of their last three league games, conceding 3+ goals in each match.

The Magpies last lost more in succession in January 2017 when they suffered 10 consecutive defeats in League Two,

Jon Stead was directly involved in three of Notts County's six league goals against Lincoln last season, scoring two and assisting one.

Team news

New Lincoln loan signing Sam Slocombe is pushing fellow goalkeeper Grant Smith for a starting place ahead of the visit of Notts County.

The 30-year-old joined from Bristol Rovers earlier this week and was on the bench for Tuesday's 2-1 win over Bury, with the club unsure how long a thigh injury will keep out first-choice Josh Vickers.

Harry Anderson could get a recall to the starting line-up after coming on at half-time and assisting in their second-half comeback.

For Notts, Matt Tootle remains a doubt having missed the last three matches with a toe injury.

On-loan Brighton centre-back Ben Hall is still out with a groin problem which had prevented him featuring this season.

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Head to Head

Notts have met Newport 50 times including both the old club and new club.

Notts wins: 26

Draws: 10

Newport: 14

Notts first met The Exiles on October 18th, 1930 in which they came away from Somerton Park with a 3-2 win.

Last season, Notts took four points from Newport with them dominating The Exiles at Meadow Lane 3-0, with a 0-0 draw at Rodney Parade in the return fixture.

The six meetings between the two, since Notts came back into League Two, have seen Notts win three, Newport win two and there has been one draw.

Stats

Newport are unbeaten in their last four at home which extends back to last season. They are also unbeaten in their last three in all competitions and earned a good point away at table-topping Exeter on Saturday.

Notts are still yet to pick up their first win and look very fragile.

History

Newport were founded in 1912 and the original club, dissolved in 1989 and were reformed in the same year, where they started in the Hellenic League.

They were Welsh Cup winners in 1980 and this allowed them to qualify for the European Cup Winners Cup, where they got to the quarter-finals before losing 3-2 on aggregate over two legs to German side Carl Zeiss Jena. 

The Exiles’ biggest victory is a 10-0 win over Merthyr Town on April 10th 1930 in the Third Division South.
Their biggest defeat is a 13-0 loss to Newcastle United on October 5 1946 in the Second Division.

Their mascot is Spytty the Dog.

They have played at numerous stadiums during their history: Somerton Park (1912-1989), Newport Stadium (1994-2012), Rodney Parade (2012-present). They have also had spells in Gloucester and Moreton-in-Marsh. 

Seasons in each tier of English Football.

First Division: 0
Second Division: 1
Third Division: 40
Fourth Division: 24
Non-League: 29

Team News

Andrew Crofts could be in line for a return for Newport whilst centre-back Mark O’Brien has recovered from an injury in pre-season. Robbie Willmott and David Pipe are injury doubts.

Notts are without Matt Tootle (toe) and Ben Hall (groin) who are set to miss the game on Tuesday. Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain recently returned to training.

Head to head

Notts County and Coventry have met just 40 times over the years.

The first encounter took place on the 6th November 1920, the match at Meadow Lane ending in a 1-1 draw.

The last one was just over a month ago, on April 7, and in the League Two encounter at Meadow Lane, the Magpies ran out 2-1 winners.

However, the reverse fixture, on the opening day of the 2017-18 season, saw Coventry beat Notts 3-0 at the Ricoh Arena.

There have plenty of high-scoring games between the two, with several 5-1s, 3-0s and 4-2s over the years.

Notts County have the upper hand in the head-to-heads – 20 victories over the Sky Blues, 12 defeats and 8 draws.

In their last eight league encounters with the Sky Blues, Notts have won four, drawn two and lost two.

Standings and form

Coventry's form over their last 10 league games is decent, with five wins, three defeats, and two draws.

Mark Robins's side only made sure of their playoff place on the last day of the regular season, drawing 0-0 with Morecambe to see them finish sixth in the table.

Coventry have scored 64 goals this season, level with Exeter and Lincoln - Notts have scored the most in the playoffs with 71 - but have conceded the least, 47.

Team news

Robins has tinkered with his side in Coventry's last three games, using three different forward line-ups, with Marc McNulty, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Maxime Biamou playing their parts.

After playing with one up front and a packed midfield in their defeat to Lincoln, Robins has since reverted to a 4-4-2 formation, with improved results.

Kevin Nolan, meanwhile, has a fully-fit squad to choose from, though he did state that Mason Bennett would not be involved as he continues his rehabilitation at parent club Derby County.

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Head to head

Notts County and Luton Town have faced off 71 times in their history.

The first meeting came in January 1912 when the Magpies secured a 4-2 away win in the FA Cup.

The last one was in December, a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road.

Luton dominate the head-to-head with 35 wins over Notts, 21 draws and 15 defeats.

The Magpies have lost only once in their last five home league meetings with Luton, a 2-0 reverse in March 2009.

The Hatters are unbeaten in the last three league clashes between these two sides since losing both meetings in the 2015-16 campaign.

Stats

A win for Notts will see the Magpies finish on 79 points, their highest points tally since winning the League Two title with 93 points back in 2009-10.

Luton have won nine league games by three or more goals this season, more than any other side in League Two.

Danny Hylton has been directly involved in seven goals in his last seven games for the Hatters in League Two (six goals, one assist).

History

Luton Town Football Club was formed on 11 April 1885, the product of a merger of the two leading local teams, Luton Town Wanderers and Excelsior.

The club was the first in southern England to turn professional, making payments to players as early as 1890 and turning fully professional a year later.

It joined the Football League before the 1897–98 season, left in 1900 because of financial problems, and rejoined in 1920.

Luton reached the First Division in 1955–56 and contested a major final for the first time when playing Nottingham Forest in the 1959 FA Cup Final.

The team was then relegated from the top division in 1959–60, and demoted twice more in the following five years, playing in the Fourth Division from the 1965–66 season.

However, it was promoted back to the top level by 1974–75.

Luton Town's most recent successful period began in 1981–82, when the club won the Second Division and gained promotion to the First.

Luton defeated Arsenal 3–2 in the 1988 Football League Cup Final and remained in the First Division until relegation at the end of the 1991–92 season.

Between 2007 and 2009, financial difficulties caused the club to fall from the second tier of English football to the fifth in successive seasons.

The last of these relegations came during the 2008–09 season, when 30 points were docked from Luton's tally for various financial irregularities.

Luton then spent five seasons in non-League football before winning the Conference Premier in 2013–14, securing promotion back into the Football League.

The club's nickname, "the Hatters", reflects Luton's historical connection with the hat making trade, which has been prominent there since the 1600s.

The nickname was originally a variant on the now rarely seen straw-plaiters. Supporters of the club are also called Hatters.

Luton is associated with two very different colour schemes - white and black (first permanently adopted in 1920), and orange, navy and white (first used in 1973, and worn by the team as of the 2015–16 season).

Team news

Notts go into their final game of the regular season guaranteed a top-seven finish as they hope to join the Hatters in League One next season, and Kevin Nolan is mulling over which players to use for the game.

Leading scorer Jorge Grant is fit again after an ankle injury but might only be on the bench again on Saturday, as he was for the defeat at Grimsby last weekend, if Nolan opts to rest his stars.

Defender Matt Tootle, meanwhile, should have recovered from illness.

Promoted Luton could have Scott Cuthbert back in their starting line-up at Meadow Lane.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has picked an unchanged side for the last four games but might decide to freshen up his team for the final match of the campaign.

Cuthbert has recovered from a groin injury and made his return to action as a late substitute against Forest Green last weekend.

Luke Gambin and James Justin might also come into Jones' thoughts but Lawson D'Ath (knee) remains a serious doubt and Luke Berry (fractured leg and dislocated ankle) is out.

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Head-to-head and stats

Notts County and Grimsby Town have met a total of 81 times over the years.

The first fixture came on 5 October 1893. Notts won the Division Two clash 2-0 at Trent Bridge.

The Magpies have 27 wins, while the Mariners have 33, and 21 games have been drawn.

Notts have however failed to beat Grimsby in their last four attempts, with three draws and one defeat.

The last game was at Meadow Lane in December, a goalless draw.

Notts have also failed to score in their last two games against Grimsby - they failed to score in three consecutive games against them since January 1988.

Grimsby are now unbeaten in four league games on home soil despite winning just one of those games.

Notts have won each of their last three League Two games scoring nine goals.

The Magpies last went on a longer winning run in September last year (run of six straight victories).

History

Grimsby Town FC was formed in 1878 after a meeting held at the Wellington Arms public house in Freeman Street, Grimsby.

Several attendees included members of the local Worsley Cricket Club who wanted to form a football club to occupy the empty winter evenings after the cricket season had finished

The club was originally called Grimsby Pelham, this being the family name of the Earl of Yarborough, a significant landowner in the area.

In 1880 the club purchased land at Clee Park which was to become their ground until 1889 when they relocated to Abbey Park, before moving again in 1899 to their present home, Blundell Park.

The club is the most successful of the three professional league clubs in historic Lincolnshire, being the only one to play top-flight football.

It is also the only club of the three to reach an FA Cup semi-final (doing so on two occasions) and is the only one to succeed in two finals at the old Wembley Stadium.

It has also spent more time in the English game's first and second tiers than any other club from Lincolnshire.

Notable managers include Bill Shankly, who went on to guide Liverpool to three League titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup triumph and Lawrie McMenemy who, after securing promotion to the then third division in 1972, moved to Southampton where he won the FA Cup in 1976.

Alan Buckley is the club's most successful manager; he had three spells as team manager between 1988 and 2008, guiding the club to three promotions and two appearances at Wembley Stadium during the 1997–98 season winning both the Football League Trophy and the Football League Second Division playoff Final.

In 2008 Buckley took Grimsby to the capital again, but lost out to MK Dons in the final of the Football League Trophy.

The Mariners had also reached the Football League Two Play-Off final in 2006 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, but lost the match 1–0 to Cheltenham Town.

Later trips to the Wembley in 2013 and 2016 saw them defeated in the FA Trophy final by Wrexham and FC Halifax Town respectively.

Grimsby managed to reach the Conference play-off final in both 2015 and 2016, after losing to Bristol Rovers they defeated Forest Green Rovers to earn promotion back to the Football League.

Initial relegation from back in 2010 made them the fourth club to compete in all top five divisions of English football (after Carlisle United, Oxford United, and Luton Town).

Team news

Notts are monitoring the fitness of top-scorer Jorge Grant, who missed the 4-1 win over Yeovil Town with an ankle injury, while Matt Tootle should be back after illness.

Ben Davies and Simeon Jackson are in contention should changes be required, but defender Zak Mills is out with a hernia.

Siriki Dembele caught the eye for the reserves in midweek and could challenge Harry Cardwell in attack.

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Head to head

Notts County and Yeovil Town have met 16 times over the years.

The first game took place at Meadow Lane on 4 November 1961, with the Magpies beating their opponents 4-2 in the FA Cup.

That was the only meeting of the two pre-21st century - the 15 meetings following that game all took place between 2004 and this year.

The last meeting came on 21 November last year, a 1-1 draw at Huish Park.

Yeovil have the upper edge in the head-to-head with seven wins, five defeats and four draws against Notts.

Notts have won just one of their last nine league games against Yeovil, and are winless their last four matches against the Glovers/

Yeovil have lost just one of their last four league trips to face Notts, despite failing to score in each of their last two visits to Meadow Lane.

Stats

The Magpies have won back-to-back league games for the first time since they won six games in a row ending in September.

The Glovers have lost consecutive league games without scoring a goal in either. They last lost three in a row without scoring in March 2015.

Jonathan Forte has scored three goals in his last two league games, as many as he managed in his previous 23 combined.

History

Yeovil Football Club was founded in 1890, and shared their ground with the local rugby club for many years.

Five years later they were renamed Yeovil Casuals and started playing home games at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground.

In 1907 the name Yeovil Town was adopted, which on amalgamation with Petters United became Yeovil and Petters United. The name reverted to Yeovil Town prior to the 1946–47 season.

The Somerset outfit have spent most of their existence in the lower leagues, though they briefly made a name for themselves in the 1948-49 season when they beat Sunderland 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round.

In the 1980s, Yeovil were founder members of the Football Conference, where they remained for the next two decades, save for a few relegations to the Isthmian League which usually resulted in an instant return to the above tier.

Yeovil Town earned promotion to the Football League in the 2002-03 season, by winning the Football Conference by a record 17 points margin, accumulating 95 points and scoring 100 goals, remaining unbeaten at Huish Park.

In their second ever season in the Football League, the Glovers went one better by achieving promotion to the third tier as champions of League Two.

Then, in the following years even reached the League One playoffs, beating Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals in 2006-07 before losing to Blackpool in the final at Wembley.

Six years later, however, Yeovil achieved what had been deemed unthinkable a decade earlier - they reached the second tier of English football after beating Brentford in the 2013 League One play-off final.

Their stay in the Championship was brief, however, and they went on to suffer back-to-back relegations, leaving them in the bottom tier of the Football League where they still ply their trade.

Team news

Jon Stead could return to the Notts starting line-up, having made his return from injury at Colchester United last Saturday as a substitute.

That game came too soon for Terry Hawkridge but the winger could feature this weekend.

Yeovil are still without former Notts man Francois Zoko, who has one game left to serve on his suspension, while it may be too early for Sam Surridge.

Nathan Smith, Artur Krysiak, James Bailey, Dan Alfei remain sidelined, as does Jake Gray, while goalkeeper Stuart Nelson will not play again this season.

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Head to head and stats

Notts County have met Colchester United 44 times over the years, all league encounters except for one Sherpa Vans Trophy tie in 1988.

The Magpies are in front when it comes to head-to-head, having won 22 games to Colchester's 15, with seven draws.

The first fixture between Notts and Colchester took place on 23 February 1959 at Layer Road, a Division Three clash which finished 4-1 to the U's.

The last fixture was earlier this season, Notts running out 2-1 winners at Meadow Lane thanks to goals from Shola Ameobi and Ryan Yates.

All league encounters between the two have never taken place higher than the third tier.

Notts have won 10 of their last 12 meetings against Colchester, whilst the U's have failed to keep a single clean sheet in their previous 20 matches against the Magpies.

The Magpies have won three of their last four trips to Colchester in the EFL, though that single defeat did come in their most recent visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Colchester have lost three of their last four League Two matches on home soil, failing to score in all three of those defeats.

Notts County have lost back-to-back League Two games on the road. The Magpies last lost three consecutive away league matches within a single season in February 2017 (run of seven straight defeats).

History

Colchester United Football Club is a baby in English football club terms, having been born in 1937.

However, Colchester Town Football Club, the club's predecessor, was around since 1873.

Despite dwindling crowds in the mid-1930s, though, they refused to follow its neighbours Ipswich Town in turning professional, much to the disapproval of its fans and players.

As a result, Colchester United was formed, with the intention of playing professionally, and went on from strength to strength while its stubborn neighbour fell into decline and eventually folded.

Colchester United are responsible for one of the FA Cup's greatest ever upsets, when, in February 1971, they defeated the infamous Don Revie's Leeds United, an established top flight side who would finish second that season, by three goals to two. The U's were in the fourth division at the time.

The U's won the Football League Trophy (now the Johnstone's Paint Trophy) in 1996-97. and also compete in a competition called the Essex Senior Cup, a tournament contested by mostly non-league clubs within the region (Colchester usually field a youth/reserve team for this), winning this trophy back in 2009-10.

Micky Cook holds the all time club record for appearances with Colchester, having played nearly 700 games between 1969 and 1984.

Notable former players include Titus Bramble, Alec Chamberlain, Mark Kinsella, Kevin Lisbie and Newcastle cult hero Lomana LuaLua.

Trivia

The town of Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who died in AD 79.

It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain, and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network.

Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state.

Team news

Colchester will make another check on the fitness of Tom Lapslie and Brennan Dickenson ahead of their home game against Notts.

Midfielder Lapslie and winger Dickenson have both missed the last two matches with knocks.

Defender Ryan Inniss will definitely miss out for Colchester as he has a knee injury, while Cole Kpekawa has left the club after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.

Notts pair Jon Stead and Terry Hawkridge are back in contention after missing the midweek win against Coventry due to knocks.

Ben Hall, Carl Dickinson, Noor Husin, Rob Milsom, Liam Walker and Lewis Alessandra all made way on Tuesday night, but are pushing for recalls.

Nolan has reported no new injury worries as his side chase back-to-back league wins for the first time since September.

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Head to head

Notts County and Coventry have met just 39 times in the last 98 years.

The first encounter took place on the 6th November 1920, the match at Meadow Lane ending in a 1-1 draw.

The last one, meanwhile, was at the start of the 2017-18 season, and it proved a rude awakening for the Magpies as they fell to a 3-0 loss at the Ricoh Arena.

There have plenty of high-scoring games between the two, with several 5-1s, 3-0s and 4-2s over the years.

Notts County have the upper hand in the head-to-heads – 19 victories over the Sky Blues, 12 defeats and 8 draws.

The Magpies are unbeaten in their last seven home league matches against Coventry.

Coventry's last away league win at Meadow Lane was in August 1963, when they won 3-0.

Stats

Notts County are winless in their last four League Two matches (D2 L2), failing to score in each of their previous two games - they last went longer without a league goal back in November 2016 (a run of four).

Coventry lost 6-2 to Yeovil last time out; prior to this game the Sky Blues hadn't conceded more than two goals in a League Two game this season, whilst the six goals conceded were more than they had let in in their previous seven league matches,

Maxime Biamou has scored each of Coventry's last three League Two goals, including a brace last time out in their 2-6 defeat against Yeovil Town.

History

The club was founded in 1883 from employees of the cycle (and later car) manufacturer Singer Motors and changed its name from Singers FC to Coventry City FC in 1898.

In 1891-92, the club turned professional and won three separate cups that season (The Birmingham Cup, The Wednesbury Cup and The Walsall Cup).

Local businessman David Cooke (later to become chairman) produced a 'Three Cups Tobacco' to celebrate the event.

In 1898, as well as renaming the club, there was a move to a site of Highfield Road in the Hillfields district of the city, the stadium they called home for the next 106 years.

The club became a registered Limited Company in 1907 recording a capital of £2,000 in 5-shilling shares.

Coventry City were originally known as 'the Bantams' (a nickname shared with Bradford City) before adopting their sky blue identity in the early 1960s.

Coventry were first called the Bantams in December 1908 after the local newspaper noted that they were one of the few clubs who did not have a nickname.

Being the lightweights of the Southern League, the Bantams was suggested and stuck with the press and supporters.

They remained as the 'Bantams' until the summer of 1962 when Jimmy Hill re-christened them the 'Sky Blues' and the club switched to an all sky blue kit.

In 2001, Coventry were relegated from the Premier League after 34 years in the first tier. At the time, only Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal could boast longer tenures in the top flight.

A year later, they were relegated to the third tier in English Football for the first time in 48 years, and now, they have slipped down into the bottom tier, compounding a Portsmouth-like fall from grace.

Coventry’s current stadium, the 32,609-capacity Ricoh Arena, was opened in August 2005.

Following a rent dispute with the ground's owners the club opted to play their home games at Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium starting in the 2013–14 season, a move which didn’t prove popular with Sky Blues fans.

On 21 August 2014, it was announced that an agreement had been reached allowing the club to return to the Ricoh Arena for the next two years with the option of another two years.

It has been reported that there will be a relocation to another site within the city, as the tenancy with the Ricoh Arena expires in August 2018.

The last update on this has seen mediation talks take place between the Sky Blues, rugby club Wasps and Coventry City Council, but as of yet there has been no resolution.

The club’s proudest moment was undoubtedly the 1987 FA Cup final at Wembley, which was won by the Sky Blues thanks to an enthralling 3-2 win after two hours of football.

Following Tottenham Hotspur player Gary Mabbutt’s own goal in extra time, which set Coventry on the way to their win, a fanzine was created called GMK – Gary Mabbutt’s Knee.

Team News

Notts County manager Kevin Nolan is expected to make changes against Coventry.

Seven changes were made at Accrington Stanley on Monday given the quick turnaround in Easter games, as he Carl Dickinson, Matty Virtue, Liam Walker, Noor Husin, Rob Milsom, Ben Hall and Jonathan Forte, who started as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Rhe likes of Shaun Brisley, Dan Jones, Elliott Hewitt, Terry Hawkridge, Liam Noble, Shola Ameobi and Jon Stead will all be vying for recalls, and Jorge Grant is also a starting option after starting the last two matches on bench.

Coventry have problems in goal as they prepare for the trip to Meadow Lane.

Goalkeepers Lee Burge and Liam O'Brien, who each conceded three goals on Monday as the Sky Blues were beaten 6-2 at home by Yeovil, are both nursing injuries and will be assessed.

Corey Addai, who has been on loan at non-league Dulwich Hamlet, is on stand-by to play.

Midfielder Carl Baker is also being monitored as he seeks to shake off an illness, while Maxime Biamou staked his claim for a starting place with both of Coventry's goals against Yeovil following his introduction from the bench.

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Head to head

Notts County have played the current incarnation of Accrington Stanley just 16 times in their history, with the record standing at 6 Notts wins, 5 defeats, and 5 draws.

The first fixtures against the "new Stanley" were in August and December 1958, when both sides played in Division Three. The Magpies drew 1-1 in the first match, before losing 3-0 in the second.

A hiatus of 48 years followed before the teams met again in the fourth tier, now League Two, on 9 September 2006. The result was a 3-2 win to Notts.

Our recent record against Stanley is poor - 4 defeats and 3 draws in the last 7, and no win over them in the league since 2010.

Stats

Stanley have won each of their last eight home league games, the longest run in League Two this season.

John Coleman's have also won their last five league games outright to extend their run in the league to one defeat in their past 15 outings.

History

The original town's team, Accrington, were amongst the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888, before resigning from the league after just five years.

A team called Stanley Villa already existed at the time, named as such because they were based at the Stanley Arms on Stanley Street in Accrington.

With the demise of Accrington, Stanley Villa took the town name to become Accrington Stanley.

The club re-formed after World War I and entered the League in 1921 with the formation of the old Third Division North, along with the other top northern non-League clubs.

This original incarnation was dissolved in 1966, before re-emerging two years later. In 2005–06, Stanley won the Football Conference and were promoted to League Two.

Ironically, Oxford United, the team they switched places with, was the team that had been elected to replace the former Accrington Stanley as members of the Football League in 1962 when they were struggling with debt.

Accrington Stanley is perhaps most well known for being mentioned pejoratively by two young boys talking about their professional football prospects in a late 1980s advert by the Milk Marketing Board.

Famous people from Accrington include Vicky Entwhistle and Julie Hesmondhalgh from Coronation Street, Yes singer Jon Anderson, cricketer Mike Atherton, Diana Vickers from The X Factor, and Mystic Meg.

Team news

The League Two leaders will check on Janoi Donacien ahead of the game against Notts, as he was struggling with illness.

Ben Richards-Everton came in for the first change to Accrington's starting XI in five games and contributed to a fifth straight win.

Notts boss Kevin Nolan made two changes to the side on Friday - Lewis Alessandra and Dan Jones replacing Carl Dickinson and Jorge Grant - and promised further alterations on Easter Monday.

Dickinson and Grant are pushing for immediate returns, while Jonathan Forte and Michael O'Connor are also in line to feature.

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Head to head

Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers have faced each other a total of 35 times over the years, with the first meeting coming as late as 1995, when the Magpies won 2-0 at Meadow Lane.

The Chairboys have beaten Notts 16 times and drawn nine games, while we have beaten them 10 times.

Notts have won the last two meetings against Wycombe by an aggregate scoreline of 5-2, at Adams Park in March 2017 (1-0) and in August 2017 this season (4-2) also away.

History

In 1887, a meeting held at the Steam Engine public house in Station Road, High Wycombe saw the formation of Wycombe Wanderers FC.

It is highly likely the club was named Wanderers after the famous Wanderers, winners of the first FA Cup in 1872. The club played just friendly matches between 1887 and 1896.

Wycombe first entered the FA Amateur Cup in 1894 and the FA Cup in 1895. In 1895 the club moved to Loakes Park, which would become its home for the next 95 years.

In 1896 the club joined the Southern League and competed in the Second Division until 1908, but in the summer of 1908 the club declined the invitation to retain their membership of the Southern League.

The club decided to pursue amateur instead of professional football and joined the Great Western Suburban League and remained there until the outbreak of the First World War.

After the hostilities had ended the club joined the Spartan League in 1919 and were Champions in successive years. In March 1921 the club's application to join the Isthmian League was accepted.

Wycombe enjoyed a fairytale season in 2000–01 as the club reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. First Division sides Grimsby Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Wimbledon were all beaten before a memorable quarter-final with Premier League side Leicester City.

In a game that has gone down in FA Cup history, striker Roy Essandoh headed an injury-time winner to seal a 2–1 win at Filbert Street as manager Lawrie Sanchez looked on from the dressing room, having been dismissed from the touchline during the game.

The ensuing semi-final at Villa Park saw Liverpool pushed all the way before claiming a 2–1 victory.

Team news

Notts welcome back defender Ben Hall and midfielder Liam Walker, who missed last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Chesterfield.

Both players were both away on international duty with Northern Ireland and Gibraltar respectively.

Midfielder Michael O'Connor could return to the first-team fold almost a year on from suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Wycombe will hope to be able to call upon the services of midfielder Luke O'Nien, who sat out the goalless draw against Port Vale last Saturday with an injury.

Middlesbrough loanee Nathan McGinley is expected to recover from illness to be available.

Defender Dan Scarr will miss out with an ankle problem with fellow centre half Anthony Stewart and midfielder Sam Saunders also unlikely to play a part at Meadow Lane.

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Head to head

Notts County have played Chesterfield a total of 67 times over the years.

The first meeting came on 29 November 1930 in the FA Cup at the Spireites' old ground, Saltergate, and finished 2-1 to the Magpies.

The head-to-head record favours Notts, with 28 victories, 20 defeats and 19 draws.

The last time the two teams met was earlier this season in League Two on 12 August 2017 at Meadow Lane, Jorge Grant bagging a brace in that game.

County's last visit to the Proact Stadium came in September 2014 when strikes from Blair Adams and Georg Margreitter meant the points were shared between the two sides.

October 2011 was when County last won away at the Spireites thanks to an own goal from Drew Talbot to go with earlier efforts from Ben Burgess and Alan Judge.

Chesterfield have not beaten Notts at home in a league game since August 2009.

The Magpies have won four of their last six league matches against the Spireites.

County's 2-1 win in their last away at outing at Forest Green was their first in seven in all competitions - they haven't won consecutive matches on the road since September.

Kristian Dennis has scored 15 of Chesterfield's 37 goals in League Two this season (40.5%), the highest proportion of any player in the competition.

History

Nobody knows the date when the first incarnation of Chesterfield Football Club was formed.

A Derbyshire Times newspaper report from 2 January 1864 noted a scheduled game between "Chesterfield and Norton football clubs", suggesting that a club in the town was active from at least 1863.

By contrast, club historian Stuart Basson had placed a formally constituted Chesterfield FC as being established as an offshoot of Chesterfield Cricket Club in October 1867.

The early history of the club is dotted with tumult and instability - the club lost the right to play at Saltergate following worsening relations with Chesterfield Cricket Club, while in 1915 the subsequent incarnation of the club, Chesterfield Town, was put into voluntary liquidation.

To fill the footballing gap left in the town, Chesterfield Borough Council reformed the club on 24 April 1919, giving it the name Chesterfield Municipal F.C.

After the Football Association and Football League made it clear that they were against a council-run club, the entity became independent, reflected in the name change to Chesterfield F.C. in December 1920.

The club have been successful in terms of minor silverware, winning the Fourth Division (and its subsequent reincarnations) a record four times, while also claiming the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1982 and the Football League Trophy in 2012 (and finishing runners-up in 2014).

The 1996–97 season saw Chesterfield beat six clubs including Nottingham Forest to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup for the first time. The semi-final match against Middlesbrough was drawn 3–3 after extra time; Chesterfield lost the replay 3–0.

The club's nickname, The Spireites, comes from the Church of St Mary and All Saints in Chesterfield, famous for its crooked spire.

Famous Chesterfield players include Ernie Moss, Kevin Davies, Gary Stone, Jason Lee, Walter McMillen, Sam Hardy, Gordon Banks, Herbert Munday, Steve Ogrizovic, Barry Sunday, Freeman Hardy and Willis Edwards.

Famous fans include glamour model Jo Guest, presenter Robert Primrose Wilson, and ex-Arsenal goalkeeper John Lukic.

Team news

Chesterfield will welcome back Louis Reed, who served a two-match ban after picking up 10 yellow cards.

Louis Dodds is hoping for a start after coming off the bench at Cheltenham last week following a calf complaint.

Ian Evatt (knee), Jordan Sinnott (ankle) and Robbie Weir (knee) remain on the comeback trail.

Notts will be without on-loan defender Ben Hall, who is away on international duty with Northern Ireland Under-21s, so Shaun Brisley is likely to come into the side.

Midfielder Liam Walker is also absent as he's away with Gibraltar.

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Head to head

The first fixture between Notts County and Mansfield Town was in October 1937, a 2-0 win for the Magpies in Division Three (South).

Mansfield now have the upper edge, with Notts on 18 wins, 19 defeats, and 14 draws.

Between 1989 and 2001, the two sides met six times – and Notts won each time.

County's record over the last 10 meetings, however, is poor, standing at two wins, six defeats, and two draws.

This record is embellished by the fact Notts have beaten Mansfield twice in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in the last two years.

In reality, the Magpies haven't got a league win over the Stags since August 2005.

The Stags have lost none of their last seven league visits to Meadow Lane, keeping clean sheets in each of their last four.

The Magpies have already lost twice to Mansfield this season (once in a league game, once in a EFL Trophy game), last losing three matches to an opponent in a single season in 2002/03 against Wigan Athletic.

Mansfield's last three league games have all finished 1-1, with the Stags taking the lead on each occasion.

Opposition history

The Stags were formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans, changing their name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910.

Mansfield won the Football League Trophy in 1987, in their first game at Wembley Stadium.

After a 1–1 draw with Bristol City, they won the cup 5–4 in the deciding penalty shootout, thanks to Kevin Hitchcock saving two penalties.

That remains the only cup win in their history, though they did win the Division Four title in 1974-75, Division Three two seasons later, and the Conference in 2012-13.

Famous people from Mansfield include Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington, media presenter Richard Bacon, FA Cup-winning goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic and award-winning fashion designer Elspeth Gibson.

Team news

Kevin Nolan could name an unchanged team from last week's late 2-1 win at Forest Green which extended his side's unbeaten run to three games.

However, the gaffer could also be tempted to restore Matty Virtue to his starting line-up in place of winger Terry Hawkridge.

New Mansfield boss David Flitcroft could be forced to reshuffle his side as they look to bounce back from last week's draw with Colchester United.

Captain Zander Diamond was forced off with a hamstring injury while Jacob Mellis suffered a knock to his ankle in the same game.

However, neither injury is as bad as was first feared and Flitcroft hopes both players could be available for the derby.

Will Atkinson and Paul Digby are among those pushing to start after coming off the bench last week.

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Head to head

Notts County and Forest Green Rovers have met just twice in competitive action and the Green Devils have not beaten the Magpies yet.

The first game came in the third round of the FA Cup on 19 January 2010, and it ended in a 2-1 win for the Magpies at Meadow Lane.

This season is the first that both teams share the same league, and the reverse fixture - also at the Lane - ended 1-1 with Rob Milsom scoring an injury-time leveller.

Saturday's game marks the first time that the Magpies head to FGR's home, the New Lawn Stadium.

Stats and trivia

Forest Green have gone five games without losing in League Two; they are yet to go six without defeat since joining the competition.

Notts County are winless in six away games in all competitions and have won just two of their last 16 on their travels.

Forest Green, who came back from a 3-2 half-time deficit to draw 3-3 away at Newport in midweek, have recovered 17 points from losing position in League Two this season, the most of any side in the competition.

Notts legend Lee Hughes spent the 2014-15 season at Forest Green, scoring 15 goals in 42 games.

Liam Noble's two spells at Notts came either side of a spell at FGR, while ex-loanee Drissa Traore also spent time at the New Lawn.

Former Magpies manager Mark Cooper is currently at the helm of the Green Devils, while former Notts defender Haydn Hollis now plies his trade there.

Opposition history

Forest Green Rovers were founded in October 1889 by Reverend E. J. H. Peach, the local Nonconformist church minister, representing the Forest Green area of Nailsworth in Gloucestershire.

The name Rovers was adopted in 1893, and the following year the club were founder members of the Mid-Gloucestershire League, the first association football league in the county outside Bristol.

After the league folded in 1902, Forest Green become members of the newly formed Stroud League and also members of the Dursley and District League which they won in 1903, the club's first silverware.

After a break for the First World War, Rovers enjoyed a period of great success winning two football leagues and three cups in both 1921 and 1922.

They then joined the newly formed Gloucestershire Northern Senior League with Cheltenham Town among others in 1922.

Rovers joined the newly formed County League in 1968 and played under manager Peter Goring for the next 11 years, moving up again to the Hellenic League in 1975 under his stewardship.

In 1982, Rovers achieved fame at Wembley winning the FA Vase 3-1 and at the same time winning the Hellenic League and moving into the Southern League Midland Division.

Seven years later a struggling Rovers outfit was renamed Stroud FC but this alienated a lot of people connected with the club, until the arrival of Trevor Horsley in 1992 saw the name changed back to Forest Green Rovers.

After finishing eighth in the Southern Division under Frank Gregan in 1995–96, they won the division the following season, earning promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League.

The 1997–98 season then saw FGR them win the Southern League Premier Division, securing a second successive promotion and entry to the Football Conference.

FGR finished in the relegation zone in 2005 and 2010, but both times were handed a reprieve when Northwich Victoria and then Salisbury City were demoted for non-footballing reasons.

The club was then taken over by Ecotricity owner Dale Vince, at which point the team improved until finally sealing promotion into the Football League last season.

Team news

Forest Green top scorer Christian Doidge limped out of Tuesday night's 3-3 draw with Newport with an ankle injury and is a doubt for Saturday's game.

Notts, meanwhile, are still without Ross Fitzsimmons, who escaped from a car crash on Monday unhurt but is going through the head injury protocol.

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Head to head

Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met 11 times over the years.

The first meeting came in Division Two on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts ran out 4-1 winners.

The last time we faced off was on 18 November last year, a 3-1 win at Meadow Lane.

Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with seven wins, two draws and two losses.

The Magpies have won each of their last four league games against Cheltenham, scoring 12 and conceding five.

The Robins have only beaten Notts County once at Meadow Lane in the Football League, a 3-2 win in November 2005.

Notts have lost just one of their five Football League trips to Cheltenham, winning three and drawing one.

Stats

Since earning their biggest win of the season over Port Vale (5-1), Cheltenham are winless in three league matches.

That victory over the Valiants is their only triumph in their last eight league fixtures.

Notts, meanwhile, have gone five away games in all competitions without a win, conceding 12 goals, albeit eight of those were at the hands of Swansea City in the FA Cup.

Of Cheltenham's last seven home league goals, Mohamed Eisa has bagged five of them.

History

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

Cheltenham will be without midfielder Harry Pell, who picked up his 10th booking of the season in the Robins' 2-2 draw at League Two leaders Luton last month and starts a two-match ban.

Jordan Cranston played half of a behind-closed-doors friendly against Bristol City but remains some weeks from a return, as does teammate Jordon Foster.

Magpies boss Kevin Nolan is looking for his side to continue to build momentum after their 2-0 win over Stevenage last time out.

County go into the game just one point behind third-placed Wycombe Wanderers and with plenty of hope that they can muscle in on the automatic promotion places.

On-loan midfielder Matty Virtue is set to figure after returning to Liverpool last week to score against Porto in the Premier League International Cup.

Nolan is also set to keep goalkeeper Adam Collin in between the sticks as Ross Fitzsimmons is not involved due to being shaken up after a road traffic accident.

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Head to head

Notts County and Stevenage have only ever met 12 times in competitive fixtures.

The first meeting was on 17 September 2011 at Broadhall Way (known as the Lamex Stadium) - the result on that day was 2-0 to the Magpies.

Our head-to-head record is five wins for Notts, five for Stevenage, and two draws.

The Magpies have won one of their last four home league games against Stevenage, drawing one and losing two.

Stevenage, meanwhile, have won one of their last six league games against Notts County.

History

Stevenage in their current form have only been in existence since 1976, but there have been numerous incarnations of the club that stretch back over a century.

A club called Stevenage FC was formed in 1894, but they soon adopted the name Stevenage Town.

In 1951 the club were founder members of the Delphian League. In 1956 they merged with Stevenage Rangers to form Stevenage FC, before reverting to Stevenage Town four years later.

They had some success in the Southern League but folded in 1967, after which Stevenage Athletic were created in their place a year later. This incarnation again knocked about in the Southern League but went bankrupt in 1976.

Stevenage Borough, formed shortly after Athletic's demise, managed to prosper and work their way up the leagues until finally reaching the Football League in 2010, at which point they took the whole thing full circle by dropping the Borough from their name and becoming Stevenage FC.

Despite their relatively short history, Stevenage have won a number of trophies and competitions, including two FA Trophy cups in 2007 and 2009.

Trivia

Broadhall Way holds 6,722 people, 3,142 of which can be seated. To put it into perspective, three full houses at Stevenage could fit into the Meadow Lane stands with 45 seats to spare.

The highest attendance recorded at the stadium was 8,040 for a match against Newcastle United in the FA Cup fourth round on 25 January 1998.

On that day a temporary stand was erected behind the away end to increase the stadium capacity to 8,100, enough to satisfy FA requirements.

Two films were set in and around Stevenage: "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" and "Boston Kickout".

"Spy Game", meanwhile, was partly filmed in Stevenage but set in Washington DC.

A number of famous sporting figures were born in Stevenage, the most notable of which are Lewis Hamilton, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young, Ian Poulter, Kevin Phillips and Jason Shackell.

Team news

Kevin Nolan's got pretty much a clean bill of health, save for long-term absentee Michael O'Connor who is nonetheless back in training.

The Magpies are looking to bounce back from the midweek defeat to Cambridge United and Nolan wants more players to chip in with goals to aid top scorer Jorge Grant.

Grant has scored 17 times in 43 games since joining on loan from city rivals Nottingham Forest, but has found the net just once in 2018.

Stevenage boss Darren Sarll will hope to have Matt Godden and Ron Henry available again for the trip to Meadow Lane.

Both players missed last week's 4-1 win over Yeovil Town but will be given as long as possible to prove their fitness.

Sarll has been boosted by the return to training of Chris Whelpdale and Ben Sheaf following lengthy injury lay-offs.

Whelpdale has not played since the end of December and Sheaf since earlier the same month, but both are targeting a place in the squad.

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Head to head & stats

Notts County and Cambridge United have met 28 times in their history.

The first meeting came on Boxing Day 1970 at Meadow Lane, with the Magpies earning a 4-1 win.

Notts hold the advantage in the head to head, with 11 wins, 8 draws and 9 defeats against the U’s.

Recent form is not good, however - we've lost four and drawn two of our last six meetings against Cambridge.

The Magpies have won just once in their last eight league visits to Cambridge, losing three and drawing four.

Uche Ikpeazu has both scored and assisted two goals in his three League Two appearances against Notts County for Cambridge.

The Magpies have won just one of their last 11 away league games, last triumphing on the road with a 4-1 win at Morecambe.

History

The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United before taking the name Cambridge United in 1951.

It first competed in the Football League in 1970 and stayed there until relegation in 2005, nine seasons in the Conference following until climbing back out of non-league.

Cambridge have had two spells in the league's second tier, and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup twice and Football League Cup once during the early 1990s, the club's most successful era to date.

United's highest ever finishing place in the Football League is fifth in the Second Division during the 1991–92 season, competing in a season-ending four team playoff for the final promotion slot to the Premier League's inaugural season.

The club is based at the Abbey Stadium on Newmarket Road, approximately 1.86 miles east of Cambridge city centre. The stadium has a capacity of 8,127, made up of terracing and seated areas.

During their days in Division Two, with John Beck at the helm in the 1980's, the club earned a reputation for bizarre training methods and "dirty tricks" to make their opponents feel ill at ease.

These included freezing cold showers for his own players, dirty changing rooms and deflated kick-about balls for the opposition and long grass in the corners of the pitch to slow the long balls into those areas, allowing the U’s forwards to reach them.

Beck carried on his dirty tricks even after leaving to take charge of Preston North End – taking nine of the Cambridge United players with him.

He was not the only famous manager at the club, with Ron Atkinson taking the club from Fourth to Second division and Ex-England and Derby County centre-half Roy McFarland also sitting in the hot seat.

Before their entry into the League, a local animal sanctuary had an escapee and it was found grazing on the pitch at the Abbey Stadium.

This lead to the moose connection with the club, and in the club shop you can buy a range of moose souvenirs to show your allegiance to the U’s.

Famous alumni include Dion Dublin and Luke Chadwick, while famous fans include football commentator Gary Newbon and Tom Findlay of Groove Armada.

Former Notts manager Shaun Derry was at the helm of the U’s until just 10 days ago, when he was dismissed by the club.

Team news

Cambridge will be without striker Barry Corr and midfielder George Maris, as the former was injured in the win over Grimsby Town, while the latter will miss out due to head injury protocol.

Interim boss Joe Dunne was however boosted with the news that Jabo Ibehre, Leon Legge and Piero Mingoia all resume full training on Monday.

For Notts, Shaun Brisley has returned to training following a bout of illness but faces a battle to dislodge 21-year-old Brighton loanee Ben Hall, who has impressed in his absence.

Midfielder Michael O'Connor has joined in training again as he continues his recovery from the serious knee injury he suffered last April.

On-loan forward Mason Bennett has undergone a hamstring operation that means he will play no further part this season.

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