By Joe Jones
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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