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The success to any football club isn't an exact science, although having the right balance of skill and desire is usually a good thing for any lower league team. The importance of the youth academy is one of the most desired areas, commonly over-looked and under appreciated. Many successful football clubs make use of this system, keeping the star youngsters and letting go the youth players who sadly do not make the cut. This is no more different at Notts County, where we have seen many good prospects emerge to almost starting 11. Under the dynamic and inspiring Michael Johnson, he first took the task of managing the reformation of the Notts County youth academy back in 2008. With his watchful eye, care, and passion for the game many prospects appeared to be coming through the ranks, which is a great achievement in such a short space of time and the volume would give any Notts County manager the task of deciding who deserves a professional contract. Liam Mitchell, Curtis Thompson, Fabian Speiss, Jake Wholey, Greg Tempest and Hayden Hollis are prime examples of the success of having a youth academy, with many more coming through the system. Hayden Hollis is a player who is currently the hot topic of discussion for Notts fans, his return to competitive football has seen some great performances from the young man. At the age of 20, he is showing great signs and rightly deserves his chance to cement a starting position. What's it like coming through the ranks in the academy at Notts County and how does it vary from being a professional? "Coming through the ranks at notts is a massive achievement as many young lads have failed. Its a massive honour for me to represent notts as a local lad." After completing a two-year scholarship with us, he signed a one-year professional contract. It wasn't long before he would experience life as a footballer, as he was loaned to Barrow in order to gain experience, where he scored on his début. You scored on your début at Barrow, how did this feel? "Scoring for Barrow on my début is also another achievment of mine that I am very proud of. I have massive respect for the club and the manager as they were the ones to take a chance on me and give me my first games in profesional football." He later returned to Notts County after making 3 appearances, where he then made his league début on the 2nd of January 2012, playing a full 90 minutes against Huddersfield Town. This meant young Hayden Hollis would become the first player to progress from the club's Centre of Excellence to a first-team start since its re-opening in 2008. In the same year as his league début he was loaned out again to Darlington, where he would make a further 9 appearances. What were your loan spells like and how did it feel to go straight into playing competitive football? "It was the best feeling ever. Thats all I wanted to do is play football. I enjoyed both loan spells at Barrow and Darlington. The experience I got from both loan spells was vital." With the absence of Dean Leacock due to suspension, Hollis has continued to make appearances at the club and for myself he has been very impressive. His reading and understanding of the game seems to show that he is exactly what we need at the back, having him able to pair with Manny or Deano is only going to enhance his experience and such a promising sign that the youth system is vital to our own development as a squad. It's a great pleasure for Pride of Nottingham to be able to speak to someone inspiring, we wish Haydn Hollis the best for the reminder of the season and beyond. Many thanks to him for agreeing to take time out to answer our questions! Thanks Haydn!! Could you tell us what club you support? "I always keep my eye out for local teams such as Mansfield and Notts but my main team is Portsmouth. I have followed them for years before playing. I traveled to Europe in 2008 when we got into the uefa cup. I never missed a game." What was it like working along side Michael Johnson who also started his career at Notts County whilst a young lad? "There's so much I could say about Michael Johnson. the amount of respect I have for him is out of this world. he made me the player I am today. he is still available now if I needed a chat or any advice. I couldn’t have learned the game off anybody else better in my opinion. he was different class to work with day in day out." Your recent performances have seen you claim Man of the Match on an impressive return to starting football, How important is this to you as a young player? "As a young player getting games is vital. Getting man of the match for me was a proud achievement. I still think there is more to come from me so hopefully I will pick up a few more man of the match awards for this football club. When you get the man of the match award as a young player it fills you with so much confidence."

Arguably Notts County's worst game this season, the Magpies lost this crucial game against Preston 1-0, the Lilywhites bad-tempered and the home team just bad, in a performance which disheartened, frustrated and enraged fans. Chris Kiwomya began the game in a 4-5-1 formation. The team was again somewhat depleted, given the absence of Dean Leacock and Alan Judge. Notts threatened first, as Francois Zoko won the team a corner in the second minute, which however didn't come to much. A decent signal of intent, however. Just two minutes later, Chris Beavon was denied by Manny Smith as Preston won their first corner of the game, and six minutes later, Beavon broke through and took a shot which deflected out for another corner. The action in the first quarter of an hour, save for the corners, was largely scrappy and dour, until the fourteenth minute when Joe Garner fed through the lively Beavon, whose powerful shot was again blocked by Smith. Four minutes later, Notts were once again under the cosh, as a headed clearance by Haydn Hollis was met on the volley by Lee Holmes, which flew just wide of the post. Jamal Campbell-Ryce was then subbed off as an early injury called time to his game, the winger being replaced by youngster Curtis Thompson. Notts' display was uninspiring and two-dimensional, and the fans in the Kop were genuinely heartened when Notts won a free kick midway through the first half, but before anything could happen after Sheehan's delivery, the whistle blew and the free kick was then given the other way. Cue groans from the Magpies faithful. To make matters worse, Preston then took the lead through an own goal from the young Hollis. William Hayhurst was given room, too much room, to cross the ball into the Notts six yard box, and the young defender saw the ball ricochet off his thigh into the net. A farcical own goal befitting a farcical display. More sloppy play from Notts very nearly saw the Lilywhites make it two, as Nicky Wroe's free kick met Holmes, who got two chances to cross, but first Gary Liddle cleared, then for the latter attempt, Bailey Wright couldn't get his header on target. As the half drew to a close, Holmes and Beavon continued to harass and torment the Notts defence, and the home team, amazingly, nearly found themselves drawing level as sub Thompson was played through by Jeff Hughes, but Declan Rudd saved. Hughes followed the save up with a volley which bounced off the crossbar, before Zoko brought the whole affair to an anticlimactic end by firing the effort high into the Kop. There was still time for Preston to nearly score one final time before the half-time whistle, as Beavon latched onto a clearance and, were it not for imperfect control and Bartosz Bialkowski's skill, would have made it 2-0. As it is, Notts were extremely fortunate to go in only a goal down. The second half began with intent, the young Thompson proving a handful on the wing with some dangerous crosses. Bishop and Showunmi caused havoc courtesy of his assists and very nearly pulled a goal back. More tedium followed before a classic route one hoof out of the Preston defence saw Beavon beat Smith before smashing the ball towards goal. Bialkowski proved once again the difference between a bad scoreline and a terrible one. Chris Kiwomya shifted his formation to 4-4-2 as Arquin replaced the lukewarm Zoko. The Frenchman got an early contribution in as he tested Rudd with a powerful volley. The rest of the game proved testing viewing for the Notts fans to say the least, as the home side couldn't penetrate the Preston defence and ended up playing what some have dubbed the "crab", that is playing the ball side to side. There was one final chance for Preston to rub salt into the Notts wound as Bialkowski joined the melee that was an injury time corner. Wroe claimed back the ball and attempted a long-range chip, but missed. The whistle blew to the sounds of boos and the atmosphere of displeasure and bemusement. This abject display of football, combined with the scoreline, means that the play-offs are all but gone. The season can't end soon enough now for the Magpies, given we have eight games left and nine points to make up. The sole positives to be taken from the game, aside from Bialkowski once again proving to be far too good for this division, is Curtis Thompson's promising, committed debut.