Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers have faced each other a total of 32 times over the years, with the first meeting coming as late as 1995, when the Magpies won 2-0 at Meadow Lane.

The Chairboys are way ahead in the head-to-head, having beaten Notts 15 times and drawn nine – we have beaten them just eight times.

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

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 by Wycombe, but the Reds claimed a 2–1 victory.

Team news

Leading scorer Jon Stead could return to the Notts County starting line-up when Wycombe visit Meadow Lane.

The nine-goal striker suffered an ankle injury in October but is ahead of schedule in his recovery and returned to action off the bench in the FA Cup draw with Peterborough last weekend.

With another week of training under his belt, Stead is in contention to lead the line.

Curtis Thompson has also returned to training after a lengthy injury lay-off and, while Magpies boss John Sheridan was more cautious about his potential return coming this weekend, the midfielder continues to make good progress and may not be far from his manager's thoughts.

Midfielder Stanley Aborah and winger Alex Rodman remain doubts as Notts County look to arrest a four-match losing run in League Two and earn only a second win in 10 league games to resurrect their play-off challenge.

Wycombe made eight changes for their EFL Trophy win at Millwall in midweek and should revert to the side which started last weekend's thumping FA Cup win at Chesterfield.

However, winger Garry Thompson scored twice in the 3-1 win against the Lions and will hope to have done enough to keep his starting spot.

Loanee Paris Cowan-Hall was ineligible for the game against his full-time employers at The Den and comes back into the squad.

Scott Kashket has five goals in his last two starts and will lead the line, while Max Muller and Danny Rowe will hope to be involved after building their match fitness following long-term injuries in midweek.

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Notts County and Peterborough have met a grand total of 45 times over the years, dating back to the 1960s.

The first meeting between the two, a Third Division fixture on the 7th September 1961, ended in a 2-2 draw.

Our record win over the Posh is a 6-0 drubbing at Meadow Lane in the 1970-71 season, while our record defeat to them is a 5-1 loss in 1963.

The head-to-head is 12 wins for Notts, 19 defeats, and 14 draws.

Peterborough United are nicknamed "The Posh" because Pat Tirrel, then manager of Fletton United - the current club’s previous incarnation - was reported to say he was "looking for posh players for a posh new team".

Fletton, previously known as the 'Brickies', re-formed as Peterborough and Fletton United in 1923, and both nicknames were in use through the 1920s, although supporters complained that 'Posh' references were sometimes used by newspapers in a derisory manner.

Peterborough and Fletton United folded in 1932, the present club was formed two years later and a Midland League debut against Gainsborough Trinity on 1st September 1934 was greeted with cries of 'Up The Posh' from the crowd.

A few years ago, Peterborough United clashed with Victoria Beckham, aka “Posh Spice”, over the use of the “Posh” nickname.

She had apparently objected to Peterborough's plans to register "Posh" and "The Posh" as registered trademarks, but eventually backed down after realising the club had been using that nickname some 50 years before she was born.

Notts and Peterborough played a blinder of a game on the 28 September 2010 at London Road, the Magpies surging into a two-goal lead courtesy of Ben Davies, before Gabriel Zakuani’s header halved the deficit.

Craig Westcarr restored the away side’s two-goal lead, before Craig Mackail-Smith made things tense for the last half hour thanks to his angled shot.

The game is also known for a 22-man brawl at the final whistle, which resulted in an FA charge for both teams and a £15,000 fine.

Team news

Notts may have leading scorer Jon Stead back for their FA Cup tie at home to Peterborough on Sunday.

The nine-goal striker resumed training last week after more than a month out with an ankle injury, but a late decision will be made on his fitness.

Rob Milson is available again after a one-match ban but fellow midfielder Stanley Aborah remains an injury doubt.

Winger Alex Rodman could overcome a groin problem as the Magpies look to make it through to the third round for the first time since 2012.

Peterborough manager Grant McCann has no fresh injury or suspension concerns.

However, the Posh boss is expected to make changes from the side which lost to Scunthorpe after claiming this week that he is not scared of dropping players who are "not trying."

Peterborough's match against Oldham last week was postponed due to a frozen pitch which means defender Jack Baldwin will be unavailable.

Baldwin was booked for the fifth time this season against the Iron and is joined on the sidelines by Jermaine Anderson.

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Notts County and Barnet have met each other just 14 times over the years.

The first fixture came on 1 November 1997, with the Magpies earning a 2-1 away win in Division Three.

Notts have eight wins against the Bees, with four defeats and three draws.

The last fixture between the two was on 19 April this year, with Jon Stead's early penalty at the Hive Stadium cancelled out by three second half Bees goals for a 3-1 home win.

The club was founded in Chipping Barnet, then part of Hertfordshire, in 1888.

Several incarnations of the club existed before the third Barnet FC, created after the First World War, came to be - this entity continues till today.

Barnet have won the Football Conference a record three times - in 1991, 2005, and 2015, as well as finishing second three other times.

Aside from a runners-up medal in the 1971-72 FA Trophy, their silverware cabinet is restricted to minor trophies.

A number of Barnet players have gone on to represent Premier League clubs. They include Dougie Freedman, Marlon King, Andy Clarke, Linvoy Primus, Maik Taylor, Mark Gower, Jason Puncheon, Yannick Bolasie and Albert Adomah.

Players who came to the club towards the end of their careers include Jimmy Greaves, Mark Lawrenson, David Hillier, Alan Pardew, Eddie Newton, Paul Warhurst, Steve Kabba, John Oster, Jonathan Fortune, Edgar Davids and Lee Cook.

Team news

Barnet are still without suspended defender Alie Sesay for Saturday's visit of Notts County.

Sesay completes a three-match ban for his red card in the draw against Grimsby Town earlier this month.

Michael Gash, James Pearson, Shaun Batt and Gavin Hoyte are all long-term absentees.

Defender Bondz N'Gala this week left Barnet after two years to join National League side Eastleigh for an undisclosed fee.

Notts County's leading scorer Jon Stead has resumed training after more than a month out with an ankle injury but the trip to The Hive will come too soon for the nine-goal striker.

The 33-year-old is likely to play against Chesterfield next week in a reserve-team match ahead of putting himself back in first-team contention for the FA Cup clash with Peterborough on December 4.

Fellow striker Vadaine Oliver is available again after suspension while winger Alex Rodman could overcome a groin problem.

Rob Milsom will serve a one-match ban after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season in the home defeat to Cambridge.

Midfielder Stanley Aborah is doubtful while Curtis Thompson is still out as the Magpies look to arrest a three-game losing run in League Two.

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 Notts County and Cambridge United have met just 25 times in their history, with the first meeting coming on Boxing Day 1970. The result? A resounding 4-1 win to the Magpies at Meadow Lane.

Notts hold the advantage in the head to head, with 11 wins, 7 draws and 7 defeats against the U’s. The last game, however, was a 2-1 win for Cambridge on April 23 last year.

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, just under 2 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 the Fourth to the 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.

And connecting the two clubs – none other than former Notts manager Shaun Derry, now a the helm of the U’s.

Team news

Notts County captain Michael O'Connor is back in contention for the visit of Cambridge. He missed two matches with a toe injury but is fit for action again, as are Matt Tootle and Jonathan Forte.

Jordan Richards is injured again after returning at the weekend, as are Stanley Aborah, Curtis Thompson and Jon Stead, while Vadaine Oliver completes a three-game ban.

Cambridge defender Josh Coulson is out of Tuesday's trip with an ankle injury sustained during Saturday's loss to Wycombe.

The full extent of Coulson's injury is still to be determined, while Medy Elito was missing with a knock on Saturday which could rule him out again.

George Maris scored his first Cambridge goal after groin and ankle injuries earlier this season and should continue.

Adam McGurk remains out, while Elliot Omazusi and Barry Corr are long-term absentees.

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Notts County and Newport County have met a total of 46 times over the years, the first fixture coming in 1930, which the Magpies won 3-2.

The head-to-head record is skewed in the Magpies’ favour, with 25 wins, 9 draws and 12 defeats.

The last meeting was in April 2016, with Notts winning 1-0 away thanks to Genaro Snijders' 39th-minute goal.

Notts’s record league win is against Newport – an 11-1 victory. We have also beaten them 5-0, 6-2, 7-0, 6-0 and 8-1 over the years.

Newport County, originally nicknamed "The Ironsides" due to Newport being home to Lysaght's Orb Works steel works, started out in the Southern League in 1912 at Somerton Park.

The official name of the club was The Newport & Monmouth County Association Football Club, although the shorter Newport County was soon adopted.

The club were reformed in 1919 and were first elected to the Football League in 1920.

Newport County were Welsh Cup winners in 1980 and subsequently reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in 1981.

The club was relegated from the Football League in 1988 and went out of business in February 1989, but reformed shortly afterwards and entered the English football league system at a much lower level.

In 2013 the club then won promotion back to the Football League for the first time since 1988.

In the 1970s and 1980s comedian Frank Carson was appointed as a Director and Vice President in order to raise the profile of the club.

Newport based rappers Goldie Lookin' Chain are also supporters of the club and were the team's shirt sponsors for the 2004–05 season FAW Premier Cup matches.

Team news

Notts County hope to have Alex Rodman and Jordan Richards back for the visit of Newport on Saturday after missing the past two matches through injury.

Striker Jon Stead will not feature as he is expected to be out until Christmas.

Michael O'Connor could return from a toe injury, while Matt Tootle, who has been battling an illness, is likely to be available for selection for manager John Sheridan.

Newport welcome back striker Josh O'Hanlon and midfielders Jack Jebb and Tom Owen-Evans, all of whom were ineligible to play in Tuesday's FA Cup replay win over Alfreton Town.

Winger Jack Compton was forced off on Tuesday after climbing off his sick bed to start the match and he could be given more time to recover fully.

Injured quartet Mark Randall, Jon Parkin, Marlon Jackson and Reece Grego-Cox could all be in contention after missing recent games.

But Paul Bignot is suspended, and Jamie Turley and Joss Labadie are still sidelined as bottom-placed County attempt to extend their unbeaten six-game run in all competitions.

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Notts County have the chance to progress to the second round of the FA Cup after earning a first-round replay against Boreham Wood, to be played Tuesday night at Meadow Lane.

The Magpies had to come from two goals down in the initial tie at Meadow Park, Adam Campbell bailing the visitors out with a brace for a final scoreline of 2-2.

John Sheridan will be without Vadaine Oliver, who was sent off just 25 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute in the 4-0 defeat at Blackpool on Saturday - he starts a three-game ban.

It leaves the Magpies short up front with nine-goal top scorer Jon Stead out with an ankle injury and not expected back until Christmas.

Michael O'Connor, Jonathan Forte and Adam Collin all returned for County's heavy loss at Blackpool and Sheridan is likely to make changes again after accusing his team of 'not being able to beat a pub team' on Saturday.

Boreham Wood will be without midfielder Conor Clifford, who is suspended having picked up a fifth booking of the season in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Bromley, a game in which he also saw a second-half penalty saved.

Summer signing Kenny Davis is likely to be drafted in for Clifford having come off the bench at the weekend.

That means boss Luke Garrard could name the same starting XI which led 2-0 in the initial tie.

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The first fixture between Blackpool and Notts took place on 28 November 1896 at Raikes Hall, and finished 3-2 to the Lancashire side.

A total of 57 games have taken place between the two sides, with Notts winning 19, Blackpool winning 23, and 15 draws.

The last fixture came on 3 April 2004 at Meadow Lane and it ended 4-1 to the Magpies.

Football had developed in Blackpool by 1877 when Victoria FC were founded as a church club with a ground in Caunce Street.

This team disbanded a few years later but some of its members are understood to have merged with old boys from St John's School to form a new club called Blackpool St John's.

But the two factions remained disunited and, on 26 July 1887, at a meeting in the Stanley Arms public house, the members resolved to wind up St John's and form a new club to represent the whole town called Blackpool Football Club.

Blackpool's most notable achievement is winning the 1953 FA Cup Final, the so-called "Matthews Final", in which they beat Bolton Wanderers 4–3, overturning a 1–3 deficit in the closing stages of the game.

During that post-war period, Blackpool made three FA Cup Final appearances in six years and, during the 1950s, had four top-six finishes in the Football League First Division, their best position being runners-up to Manchester United in the 1955–56 season.

In 1953, four Blackpool players were in the England team against Hungary at Wembley, causing the Daily Mirror to declare that "Blackpool are playing Hungary today", though England lost in a famous defeat.

Since the 1950s Blackpool's fortunes have varied, and when they won promotion to the Premier League, at the end of the 2009–10 campaign, Blackpool became the first club in English football to have won promotion from every division of the Football League via the play-off system.

Even though things seem pretty bad now, Blackpool's least successful period was officially in the 1980s, particularly when, in the 1982–83 season, they finished 21st in English League football's lowest tier, their lowest-ever League finish.

Team news

Blackpool are hoping Jamille Matt will be fit for their clash with Notts County after being forced off early against Kidderminster last weekend.

Teenager Bright Osayi-Samuel impressed in the midweek EFL Trophy victory over Everton and will hope to have played himself into contention.

Goalkeeper Dean Lyness and striker Jack Redshaw, meanwhile, remain sidelined.

Notts defender Richard Duffy is available in the league again after suspension while Adam Collin will resume in goal.

The likes of Jordan Richards, Michael O'Connor, Rob Milson, Alex Rodman and Jonathan Forte are also strong contenders for recalls.

Leading scorer Jon Stead is out with an ankle injury and is not expected back until around Christmas.

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Notts County and Sunderland have met 86 times over the years, the first fixture a 2-1 league win for the Magpies on 15 December 1890.

In terms of head to head, Notts boast 30 wins and 31 defeats, with 25 draws.

The last fixture was on 8 January 2011, an FA Cup tie which saw the Magpies win 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Founded 17 October 1879 as 'Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C.' by schoolmaster James Allan, Sunderland joined the Football League for the 1890–91 season.

They replaced Stoke, who had failed to be re-elected, becoming the first new club to join the league since its inauguration in 1888.

Sunderland won the league championship in the 1891–92 season, one season after joining the Football League, with 42 points - five clear of nearest rivals Preston North End

The Black Cats then defended the title the following season, aided by centre forward Johnny Campbell, who broke the 30-goal mark for the second time in consecutive seasons.

Two seasons later Sunderland won the title again, before adding several more in 1902, 1913 and 1936.

The Wearsiders also have two FA Cups to their name - one in 1937, and one in 1973.

Team News

EFL Trophy rules state that Notts County must play six players who figured in their last game, or six who have made the most appearances this term.

John Sheridan is likely to rotate his squad and stick with first-team defenders as he did in previous EFL Trophy games.

Jon Stead is a long-term absentee, while Curtis Thompson is still recovering from an ankle injury.

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In terms of head to head, it's simple - Notts County and Boreham Wood have never met before.

Boreham Wood FC were established in 1948 as a merger of Boreham Rovers and Royal Retournez, and began playing in the Mid-Herts League.

Throughout their history they have played in the non-league, beginning at levels such as the Parthenon League, the Spartan League and the Athenian League.

They have however steadily climbed up to the higher levels of the non-league, as well as reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup on multiple occasions.

In 2014–15 Boreham Wood finished as runners-up in the Conference South.

In the subsequent play-offs, they beat Havant & Waterlooville 4–2 on aggregate before defeating Whitehawk 2–1 in the final to earn promotion to the renamed National League.

Team news

Boreham Wood look set to be boosted by the return of top scorer Morgan Ferrier and club captain Joe Devera for today's FA Cup first round game at Meadow Park.

Defender Dave Stephens is also back in full training after a lengthy lay-off, meaning the National League club's squad is arguably at its strongest since the opening day of the season.

Wood head into the first round tie in good form after winning four of their last five league matches.

Richard Duffy is a fresh absentee for Notts County and will miss out through suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season during the goalless home draw with Luton.

Magpies manager John Sheridan will have all three of his loan signings - Louis Laing, Vadaine Oliver and Aaron Collins - available.

Leading scorer Jon Stead is out with a ankle injury and the nine-goal striker is not expected back until around Christmas.

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Notts County and Luton Town have faced off 68 times in their history.

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

Luton dominate the head-to-head with 34 wins over Notts, 19 draws and 15 defeats.

Out of the 10  matches between the two that have taken place since the turn of the century, Notts have won four, drawn three and lost three.

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 thereby 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 County striker Jon Stead is expected to be ruled out until Christmas after injuring his ankle against Crewe Alexandra two weeks ago, although the club are still waiting the results of a scan.

Michael O'Connor and Vadaine Oliver are fit again, while Genaro Snijders and Curtis Thompson are back in training.

Luton's eight-goal striker Danny Hylton is back from suspension after sitting out their match against Mansfield Town last week following a five-booking haul.

Teenage midfielder James Justin is also back in contention following a calf injury sustained in the warm-up at Leyton Orient two weeks ago.

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Notts County and Portsmouth have met a total of 28 times over the years, the first meeting coming on the 20th November 1926, which the Magpies lost 3-2 at Meadow Lane.

We have beaten Pompey 12 times and played out six draws, with the South Coast side winning on 10 occasions.

Between December 1992 and December 1994 the two teams played each other six times, with Notts failing to get a win in a run that saw three draws and three defeats.

Our last five games against Portsmouth saw us clinch four consecutive wins between September 2012 and October 2015, but the last fixture, at Fratton Park in March 2016, saw us thrashed 4-0.

Portsmouth have been champions of England twice, in 1949 and 1950. The club has also won the FA Cup on two occasions, firstly in 1939 and most recently in 2008, and also reached the final of the competition in 2010.

Portsmouth were moderately successful in the 2000s, especially during the 2007–08 Premier League season, when they won the FA Cup, beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final.

They subsequently qualified for the 2008–09 UEFA Cup competing against European heavyweights such as seven-times European Cup winners AC Milan.

During this period, Portsmouth were recognised to have a large number of international footballers, including England players Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe, as well as Peter Crouch, David James and Sol Campbell.

However, financial problems soon set in and Portsmouth were relegated to the Football League Championship in 2010. In 2012 they were again relegated, to League One, and again, in 2013, to League Two.

They began the 2013–14 season in the fourth tier of the English football league system for the first time since the late 1970s.

Portsmouth became the largest fan-owned football club in England, after the Pompey Supporters Trust (PST) successfully gained possession of Fratton Park in April 2013.

Team News

Portsmouth pretty much have a fully-fit squad for their League Two clash against Notts County at Fratton Park.

Pompey boss Paul Cook will welcome back Drew Talbot, Adam Buxton and Matt Clarke from injury, and all three players could feature.

Striker Noel Hunt is also back in training after a groin injury but Saturday's match could be too soon to return as Pompey look to extend their unbeaten league run to three games.

The big injury news for Notts County is that top scorer Jon Stead will not be involved.

Stead had to come off with an injury at half-time against Crewe last weekend and Magpies manager John Sheridan is awaiting the results of a scan before putting a time frame on how long the nine-goal striker might be absent.

Michael O'Connor is back in training after missing the last four weeks with a groin problem and will be part of the squad against Pompey.

Fellow midfielders Alan Smith and Curtis Thompson continue to work their way back to full fitness.

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Notts County’s head-to-head history with Crewe Alexandra dates back to September 1893, when the Magpies faced the Railwaymen at the Alexandra Recreation Ground. The result was a 2-0 win for Notts.

After several further meetings in the late 1890s, the fixture would experience a hiatus of 63 years; between 1896 and 1959, the two teams didn't play each other.

Despite our shared history going back so far, there have only been 41 meetings between the two sides.

Notts have the upper hand with 21 wins to 13 defeats, and just seven draws have taken place.

Our recent head-to-head record is nothing short of astounding - in the last 10 fixtures between the clubs, Notts have won eight and drawn two.

The origins of the “Alexandra” moniker in the club name aren’t fully known. Whether they took the name from a hotel, patronised by those connected with the railway works and where they held their meetings, or whether it was after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married Queen Victoria’s eldest son, later King Edward VII, is open to speculation.

Crewe is synonymous with arguably one of the greatest and most longevous managers in the English game: Dario Gradi.

He is the Alex’s very own Sir Alex Ferguson, having managed the club between 1983 and 2011, with the exception of a hiatus between 2007 and 2009 where he nevertheless took the reins on a caretaker basis for a period.

Gradi currently manages the Academy - one of the best and most renowned in the English lower leagues. The Academy is known to stress technical excellence, which accords with the aim to have the first team play attractive, passing football.

Most of the club's achievements in youth development have come from none other than Gradi, and alumni include Geoff Thomas, David Platt, Robbie Savage, Neil Lennon, Steve Jones, Rob Jones, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson, Dean Ashton and David Vaughan.

Impressively, Crewe’s final fixture of the 2012-13 season, a 2-0 win against Walsall, involved a starting XI made up entirely of Academy players.

In 2013, the club won its first-ever major silverware after beating Southend United 2-0 in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final at Wembley.

Crewe are known as the Railwaymen because of the town’s links to the British train network. Crewe station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world.

Nowadays, as well as serving the town of Crewe that has grown near it, it still operates as a major junction on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). It also serves as a major station on the WCML and as a major rail gateway for the North West.

The town of Crewe has an interesting roll call of local legends, including rugby player Mark Cueto, professional BMX racer Shanaze Reade, 1990s heartthrob Adam Rickitt (ask a female friend or relative between the ages of 25 and 30), Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, and Jimmy MacDonald, also known as the voice of Mickey Mouse.

Team News

Notts County have no fresh injury concerns as they look to bounce back from successive league defeats against Crewe Alexandra at Meadow Lane.

Captain Michael O'Connor is still struggling with a groin problem while fellow midfielder Alan Smith continues to nurse a hip injury.

Curtis Thompson is another midfielder who is working on his comeback but his ankle problem, which he suffered towards the end of last season, keeps him on the sidelines.

Magpies manager John Sheridan has the likes of Vadaine Oliver, a goalscorer from the bench against Morecambe in midweek, Rob Milsom, Adam Campbell, Thierry Audel and Stanley Aborah to call on should he want to make changes to his starting XI.

James Jones returns to the Crewe squad after international duty with the Scotland Under-21 team.

However, Alex boss Steve Davis has hinted he may have his work cut out regaining his place in the side from Billy Bingham, who impressed in his first start since August against Luton Town last weekend.

Defender Ben Nugent was back on the bench at Kenilworth Road after an injury absence but striker Callum Saunders' knock continues to be monitored.

Crewe have been boosted by the return to training of forward Alex Kiwomya - nephew of former Notts manager Chris Kiwomya.

The 20-year-old, on loan from Chelsea, dislocated his shoulder at Grimsby last month but is progressing well in his rehabilitation and could be in contention on Saturday.

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Notts County captain Michael O'Connor is hoping to shake off a groin problem in time for the rescheduled home game against Morecambe.

The Northern Irishman missed Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Mansfield Town and will be assessed by boss John Sheridan, who has no new major injury worries.

Stanley Aborah could continue in midfield if O'Connor misses out again, while Adam Collin recovered from illness to play the full 90 minutes at the weekend and should resume in goal.

Midfielder Curtis Thompson remains sidelined with an ankle injury as Notts bid to climb back into the top seven following their setback at Field Mill.

Morecambe's Alex Kenyon will be sidelined for three months due to knee ligament damage.

The midfielder tore his medial ligament in last week's EFL Trophy win against Stoke City and will be out until after Christmas.

Defender Michael Rose will return to contention after missing Saturday's home defeat to Carlisle due to a one-game ban.

Midfielder Aaron Wildig and Dean Winnard remain doubtful after they too sustained injuries against Stoke and missed out at the weekend.

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Nottinghamshire rivals Notts County and Mansfield Town have met 47 times over the years.

The first fixture between the two was in October 1937, a 2-0 win for the Magpies in Division Three (South).

Out of the 44 games, Notts have the upper hand with 18 wins, 16 defeats, and 13 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 pretty average, standing at three wins, three defeats, and four 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 last fixture was particularly painful for Notts as they were routed 5-0 at Field Mill - their worst defeat against Mansfield in their 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.

Betting odds

As the home side, most bookies are favouring Mansfield to win, with odds of around 6/5 and 5/4 for a Stags victory. This is despite them being 14th in League Two and without a league win since August.

Notts, meanwhile, are in the region of 11/5 for a win, while a draw is also around 11/5 - generous odds for an in-form team who have won five of their last seven league games.

Find out the latest betting odds between Mansfield and Notts.

Team News

Jack Thomas and Kyle Howkins could return to the Mansfield Town squad for the derby visit of Notts County.

Midfielder Thomas and centre-half Howkins have only returned to full training this week after recovering from groin and hamstring injuries respectively.

However, Stags boss Adam Murray has not ruled out the possibility of either of them being involved in Saturday lunchtime's clash.

Alex Iacovitti, on loan from Nottingham Forest, will miss out once more as he is still away on Scotland Under-21 duty.

Notts will check on the fitness of captain Michael O'Connor and goalkeeper Adam Collin.

The former sustained a minor groin injury last week while the latter had to withdraw from the warm-up at Rochdale ahead in the EFL Trophy due to illness.

Stanley Aborah is likely to come into central midfield should O'Connor miss out while Scott Loach is ready to fill in should Collin remain absent.

Magpies manager John Sheridan's only other concern is Curtis Thompson, who is still coming back from an ankle injury.

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Notts County and Rochdale have met a total of 40 times over the years, with the first meeting coming on the 10th December 1949. During this FA Cup clash at Spotland, the Magpies triumphed 2-1.

The last meeting between the two was on 17 March 2015, a League One clash at Meadow Lane which Notts lost 2-1.

Our record over the years is impressive though - 17 wins, 13 draws and 10 defeats.

Rochdale AFC was formed in 1907, and in their entire history, they have only ever switched divisions six times.

They have had three promotions and three relegations, with promotion coming in 1969, 2010 and 2014, while relegation came in 1959, 1974 and 2012.

The club reached the League Cup final in 1962 – the first time a club from the bottom league division has reached the final of a major competition – where they lost to Norwich City.

Rochdale played 36 consecutive seasons in the Football League's bottom division from 1974 to 2010, the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the League, with some even derisively renaming it "the Rochdale Division".

The club have the lowest average position of all the clubs which have existed continuously in the Football League since its expansion to four divisions in 1921–22 (76th), and since its expansion to 92 clubs in 1950–51 (79th).

Additionally, they share with Hartlepool United the distinction of having played the most seasons in the Football League without ever reaching the top two tiers (82 seasons through 2009–10).

Rochdale play their home matches at Spotland, which has a capacity of 10,249.

The stadium was built exclusively for the Dale in 1920, but since 1988 the ground has been jointly owned by the football club, Rochdale Council and Rochdale Hornets.

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Notts County are expected to make several changes to the team for the EFL Trophy trip to Rochdale.

Competition rules state that six players who started the abandoned game against Morecambe on Saturday must play.

Assistant boss Mark Crossley nonetheless wants the fringe players to give it their all and put themselves in contention for a starting spot in the derby against Mansfield Town.

"This is a chance for them to give the manager a problem to pick a team for Saturday," he said.

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Notts County and Morecambe have only met eight times in their history, with the first ever clash taking place less than 10 years ago, in September 2007.

The Shrimpers have a slight advantage, with three wins over Notts, three draws and two defeats. Our last meeting, in December last season, ended as a 2-2 draw.

The fixture on 19 September 2009 was former Arsenal and England legend Sol Campbell's only game in a Magpies shirt, while the rematch later in the season, on 17 April 2010, is when Notts mathematically secured promotion to League One.

Football in the town dates back to the turn of the 20th century; however, it was not until 7 May 1920 that Morecambe FC was formed. The club then took its place in the Lancashire Combination League for the 1920–21 season.

The fourteen years from 1960 could be said to be Morecambe's golden era. This included an FA Cup third round appearance in 1961–62, a 1–0 defeat to Weymouth; a Lancashire Senior Cup Final victory in 1968, a 2–1 win over Burnley; and an FA Trophy success at Wembley in 1974, a 2–1 win over Dartford in the final.

Morecambe, a non-league side for most of their history, were promoted to the Football League for the first time in 2007 after winning the Conference Playoff Final, beating Exeter City 2–1 at Wembley in front of over 40,000 fans.

Morecambe was a thriving seaside resort in the mid-20th century. While the resort of Blackpool attracted holiday-makers predominantly from the Lancashire mill towns, Morecambe had more visitors from Yorkshire, due to its railway connection, and Scotland.

Between 1956 and 1989 Morecambe was the home of the Miss Great Britain beauty contest.

Team News

Louis Laing is back in contention for Notts County after missing out against Exeter City in midweek through suspension.

The defender may struggle to regain his place in the team, however, after John Sheridan's side kept their first clean sheet of the season in League Two at St James Park.

Sheridan can also call on the likes of Vadaine Oliver, Adam Campbell, Graham Burke, Stanley Aborah and Aaron Collins should he wish to change things round.

Alan Smith should be fit again soon while fellow midfielder Curtis Thompson could be back from his long-standing ankle problem in another two to three weeks.

Morecambe will check on the fitness of Tom Barkhuizen - the forward scored the Shrimps' first goal in the 2-2 draw at Barnet on Tuesday night but was taken off during the second half due to a calf problem.

Defender Alex Whitmore, on loan from Burnley, will be available again having served the final game of his three-match suspension following his red card against Doncaster earlier this month.

Manager Jim Bentley must also decide whether to stick with on-loan Tranmere striker Cole Stockton, who marked his return to the side following a virus with a late equaliser to earn a point at The Hive.

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Notts County and Exeter City have met a total of 42 times over their history, the first meeting coming at St James’ Park in Division Three (South) which finished as a 3-3 draw.

The Magpies have an excellent record against the Grecians; out of those 42 games, Notts claimed a result in 33, with 16 wins and 18 draws.

The last game, however, saw Exeter come out on top, condemning Notts to a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Meadow Lane in March 2016.

Exeter was formed in 1901 as St. Sidwell's United and played in the Southern League from 1908 until 1920, when that league's top division was absorbed into The Football League as its new Division Three.

The club was the first ever team to play the Brazilian national team in 1914, a match which was commemorated in a 2014 friendly game against Fluminense.

City took 60 years to achieve their first ever promotion, finishing fourth in Division Four in the 1963–64 season.

Since then, the club have mostly oscillated between the third and fourth divisions, spending five years in the Conference between 2003 and 2008; having been promoted a further four times (in 1976–77, 1989–90, 2007–08 and 2008–09) and relegated five times (in 1965–66,1983–84, 1993–94, 2002–03 and 2011–12).

Famous fans include Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, Adrian Edmondson, Mark Nicol and Noel Edmonds.

Singer Joss Stone signed up as a member of the Supporters' Trust, being introduced to fans on the pitch as a new member during a League Cup match against Liverpool.

In 2002 pop singer Michael Jackson was made honorary director of Exeter City. He visited St James Park with celebrity friend Uri Geller, who was also a director.

The crew of the HMS Defender also adopted Exeter City as their home team and use their strip if playing games whilst on tour.

Provisional team news

Exeter midfielder Lee Holmes could make his first start since the opening day of the season - he has been on the bench for the last two games since recovering from a foot injury, but played a key role on Saturday by scoring the opening goal in the 10-man Grecians' 2-0 win at Stevenage.

Jordan Moore-Taylor, sent off in the first half at Stevenage for a professional foul, serves his one-match ban and Jack Stacey could slot into defence with Troy Brown and Troy Archibald-Henville still out.

Notts, meanwhile, are sweating on the fitness of top scorer Jon Stead, who is nursing a hamstring problem following the win over Leyton Orient.

Magpies manager John Sheridan will give the in-form striker as long as possible to prove his fitness, but he does have Adam Campbell and Vadaine Oliver available should Stead miss out.

Alan Smith is still suffewring suffering from a hip injury but appears to be making progress.

Curtis Thompson is still out of action with a long-standing ankle problem and is not expected to be ready for another two or three weeks.

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The first time that Notts County faced Leyton Orient was 103 years ago, when the Magpies travel to Millfields Road for a Division Two fixture. The East London outfit won 1-0.

A total of 77 fixtures have taken place between the two, with the Magpies holding the upper hand historically - 30 wins, 19 draws and 28 defeats against Orient.

Leyton Orient were founded in 1881, and have had several name changes throughout the years, including Eagle Cricket Club, Orient FC and Clapton Orient FC. The O's, who play in Waltham Forest, are the second-oldest league club in London behind Fulham.

The club's unusual name is alleged to come from one of the club's early players (Jack R Dearing) who was an employee of the Orient Shipping Company.

During the First World War. 41 members of the Clapton Orient team and staff joined up into the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (the Footballers' Battalion), the highest of any football team in the country and the first to join up en masse.

During the Battle of the Somme, three players gave their lives for King and Country: Richard McFadden, George Scott and William Jonas. Prior to the First World War, O's striker Richard McFadden had saved the life of a boy who was drowning in the River Lea as well as rescuing a man from a burning building.

History was made on Saturday 30th April 1921 when the Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VIII, visited Millfields Road to see the O's play Notts County. The Orient won 3-0 and this was the first time a member of royalty had attended a Football League match.

Leyton Orient were involved in a dispute with the Premier League over its decision to allow West Ham to use the Olympic Stadium in London, with the O's expressing an interest in the 2012 Olympics venue, but this has now been settled with a "confidential agreement".

Arguably the most famous fans of the club are Andrew and Julian Lloyd Webber. The album Variations, used as the theme tune for London Weekend Television's South Bank Show, was written by Andrew as the result of his losing a bet to his brother on the result of a Leyton Orient match. Julian later presented a gold disc of Variations to the club chairman at half time during a game with Leicester City.

In addition, David Beckham and Alfred Hitchcock were born in the borough.

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Alan Smith is an injury doubt for Notts County ahead of the visit of Leyton Orient.

Smith has a hip problem and will most probably miss out, although his absence should not affect Magpies manager John Sheridan's selection too much as the 35-year-old has yet to feature during September.

Curtis Thompson has not played this season because of an ankle injury and he will not be ready in time for Saturday either.

Sheridan has plenty of options available should he wish to make any changes with the likes of Louis Laing, Stanley Aborah, Adam Campbell, Aaron Collins and Vadaine Oliver among those vying for recalls.

Orient defender Nicky Hunt remains a doubt after being forced off through injury last weekend at home to Yeovil Town.

The injury is not as bad as first feared after scan results showed no ligament damage but whether he is fit enough to return against the Magpies remains to be seen.

Striker Jay Simpson and midfielder Nigel Atangana made a positive impact off the bench last weekend, and are pushing for starts after their return from back and groin injuries respectively.

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Notts County and Cheltenham Town have faced off just eight times in their history, and all meetings have come in the 21st century.

The first clash was on 28 September 2002, when the Magpies played away at Whaddon Road and won 4-1.

The last game, meanwhile, was at the start of the decade, and it proved to be another fruitful result for Notts, who put five unanswered goals past their opponents.

As it stands, the Magpies have 4 wins, 2 defeats, and 2 draws against Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Town was 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 champions, a year later.

Two former Notts managers, Steve Cotterill and Martin Allen, have also done time at the Gloucestershire club.

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Cheltenham manager Gary Johnson could make changes to his team when they host Notts County on Saturday.

He remains without the injured Dan Holman, Kyle Strorer and Amari Morgan-Smith, respectively owing to foot, back and hamstring injuries.

However, the fit again Aaron Downes, Jack Nunns and James Dayton are pushing for recalls.

Notts have an almost fully-fit squad, with the sole exception of absentee Curtis Thompson.

The midfielder has yet to feature so far this season because of an ankle injury and he will not be ready in time for Saturday's trip either.

The Magpies suffered a first defeat in five matches against Accrington last weekend and boss John Sheridan could make changes after criticising his team.

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Notts County have only played Accrington Stanley 15 times in their history. The first fixtures 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 called League Two, on 9 September 2006. The result was a 3-2 win to Notts.

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 discussed 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.

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On-loan forward Aaron Collins could make his first start for Notts County after coming on as a substitute to help the Magpies claim a 2-2 draw against Grimsby last time out with a late equaliser.

Curtis Thompson remains a doubt as he battles back from an ankle injury while Jonathan Forte and Stanley Aborah could keep their places in the side after starting against the Mariners.

Accrington have defender Mark Hughes available after he sat out last Saturday's 1-1 draw at Carlisle through suspension.

Midfielder Scott Brown could also make his comeback from a calf injury, having returned to training.

There is a doubt over forward Shay McCartan after he sustained a knock while on international duty with Northern Ireland Under-21s.

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Notts County and Grimsby Town have met a total of 78 times over the years, with the first fixture coming on 5 October 1893. Notts won the Division Two clash 2-0 at Trent Bridge.

The Magpies have 27 wins, while the Mariners have 32, and 19 games have been drawn.

The two teams last met on 17 February 2010 at Meadow Lane, with Lee Hughes opening the scoring and Jamie Devitt equalising for a 1-1 draw.

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 Play-Off 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).

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Wes Atkinson will be available for Notts County against Grimsby Town on Saturday despite his red card in midweek.

Atkinson was sent off along with Hartlepool's Toto Nsiala in injury time towards the end of the EFL Trophy tie between the two clubs on Wednesday night but the defender's suspension will be served in the next group game in that competition, rather than in League Two.

Magpies manager John Sheridan made several changes in midweek and the likes of Adam Collin, Matt Tootle, Richard Duffy, Michael O'Connor and Jon Stead will probably be recalled to the starting line up.

Teenage forward Aaron Collins can also be added to Sheridan's squad after signing on loan from Wolves.

Grimsby boss Paul Hurst, meanwhile, could include two deadline day signings in his squad for the first time.

QPR midfielder Brandon Comley and Barnsley striker Shaun Tuton are both available after completing loan moves to Blundell Park, but Manchester United keeper Dean Henderson will not arrive until Monday after international duty with England Under-20s.

However, Hurst will once again be without Dan Jones (knee), Sean McAllister (groin) and Rhys Browne (hamstring).

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Notts County and Hartlepool United have met 30 times over the years.

The first meeting was on 21 September 1959 at Victoria Park, and the Magpies won 4-2.

The head-to-head record stands at 13 wins for Notts, 12 defeats, and 5 draws.

In 1905, the amateur team West Hartlepool won the FA Amateur Cup which at the time was considered second only to the FA Cup. Partly as a result of this the opportunity for a professional team arose in 1908, when West Hartlepool Rugby Club went bust leaving their stadium Victoria Ground vacant.

The stadium was bought and the current club was founded under the name ‘Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company’, representing both the town of West Hartlepool and the original settlement of Old Hartlepool.

The new team joined the professional North-Eastern league and West Hartlepool F.C. lost some of their players to the new professional side. West Hartlepool managed to continue for a few seasons, but it was not long before they broke up leaving Hartlepools United as the only team in town.

In 1968 the "s" and the "United" were dropped from the team name of "Hartlepools United". This was in connection with West Hartlepool being absorbed along with the old smaller town of Hartlepool and the village of Hart into one new borough named "Hartlepool". The appendage of "United" was finally restored in 1977.

Brian Clough was invited to manage Hartlepools in 1965. His reaction was: "I don't fancy the place," but he took the job anyway and stayed for two seasons alongside Peter Taylor.

Under Cyril Knowles' management the club won promotion to the Third Division in 1990, but Hartlepool's greatest moment occurred in 2005 when they narrowly missed promotion to The Championship.

According to local folklore, the term “Monkey Hangers”, which Hartlepudlians are sometimes called, originates from an incident in which a monkey was hanged in the town.

During the Napoleonic Wars, a French ship of the type chasse marée was wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor was a monkey, allegedly wearing a French uniform to provide amusement for the crew.

On finding the monkey, some locals decided to hold an impromptu trial on the beach; since the monkey was unable to answer their questions and because they had seen neither a monkey nor a Frenchman before, they concluded that the monkey was in fact a French spy. Being found guilty the animal was duly sentenced to death and hanged on the beach.

An alternative theory is put forward alongside the above on the "This Is Hartlepool" town guide, stating: "Then there are some who point to a much darker interpretation of the yarn. They say that the creature that was hanged might not have been a monkey at all; it could have been a young boy. After all, the term powder-monkey was commonly used in those times for the children employed on warships to prime the cannon with gunpowder."

In the 2002 council election, the team's mascot "H'Angus the Monkey", aka Stuart Drummond, was elected mayor of Hartlepool as an independent, under the slogan "free bananas for schoolchildren".

In recent years the most visible fan of the club has been Jeff Stelling, presenter of Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports. The rock star Meat Loaf, Janick Gers of the metal band Iron Maiden, MP Peter Mandelson, and film director Ridley Scott are also fans of the club.

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Rob Jones could return to the Hartlepool squad for the Notts County game after he missed Tuesday's 3-3 draw at Crewe Alexandra with a head injury.

Pools boss Hignett otherwise has no fresh selection concerns with Jake Orrell continuing to work his way back to full fitness after suffering a thigh problem in pre-season.

Notts boss John Sheridan has an unchanged squad as he looks to secure a first win of the season.

He made just one change against his former club Plymouth Argyle in midweek - handing a start to Louis Laing at the expense of Haydn Hollis, who was left out of the match-day 18.

Few, if any, changes are likely but the likes of Alan Smith, Genaro Snijders, Vadaine Oliver, Adam Campbell and Graham Burke are options.

Curtis Thompson (ankle) is not quite ready to return from injury but has been stepping up his training, while Rob Milsom is doing likewise as he also recovers from an ankle problem.

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