Chris

This is a true story. I attended an event many years ago, around 2013, where I was asked to take photographs of the event. As part of the event, I had a ticket which I purchased with my own money, but I hadn't ordered food. My plan was to eat something afterward, but I misjudged how long I would be there and by the time the food was coming out to tables, I felt starving. I was kindly offered pie and chips, for which I thanked the person. (could be nice) To be honest, I felt very thankful, but I did reject the pie, as I was never a fan of it. I had intended to enjoy some chips. However, on my plate was a Pukka Pie and gravy. No chips. Feeling hungry, I started to carefully eat the pie crust. I am quite a fussy eater, but I enjoyed it. About 40% into the pie, a waitress brought me some chips. I don't expect anyone to be kind, or to go out of their way for me, but I very much appreciated this. Yes, supplying photographs and my time, if paid as a photographer would be more than the price of the food, but I have never cared about that. It's an experience for me, and I left in admiration of Pukka Pies. Guerrillero "Pineapple on Pizza" Heroico, will join the fight to get Pukka Pies back to San Sirrel.

It's always good to see a Notts player getting their name in an article like this; David McGoldrick has deserved it and we'll be better off when he's able to return to action. The good thing is, we should be able to manage him better and rotate/change him when he needs a bit of time. This season he has been far and away one of the most improved and consistent players compared to last season.

As a community where everyone should be able to say they "love" Notts, we should put that love and passion first. All groups should build each other up, both big and small. After all, fans will choose whom to support and where to take their voices. The main thing is to listen and carry that forward. You don't need any official connection to do this, just someone as a point of contact within the club. This is what the previous attempts failed with, so I hope the new committee will be beneficial. I strongly feel that the club needs to get some representation for young supporters. My cries of neglect that the Junior Magpies/ YOUng PIES still haven't been properly addressed, and they are our future. There have been encouraging, but I am aware of a lot of disappointment. The Junior Magpies used to be a fantastic scheme for younger fans, and should be returned to its former glory. This YOUng PIES branding, I still believe needs scrapping. Plus, it's important for the club to listen to feedback of this nature rather than ***-for-tat.

I have always said I want to go watch a Bradford Park Avenue game. I swear we had an ex-player who signed for them during the National League years we had, but one day, I will get to go to one of their games. I'd like to explore the side of my family's roots, which @super_ram explained. It would be nice to see what happened to the family cafe, and where my grandmother grew up. She was a lovely lady, very much of the presence you felt when thinking of Princess Diana. My Grandfather Tom (real name William, also called Bill) struck gold, and it wasn't even what he was originally mining for. I've never referred to either of my grandmothers as "Nan," but I felt the warmth of it. It's just not something I ever thought of saying at the time, as I say, she was a proper lady, and I miss her deeply. It's a shame how Bradford Park Avenue have never managed to reclaim some of their glory years; they don't have the finances to compete competitively, and, with the right investor, could be a great team to revive. Unfortunately, they are overlooked by Bradford City and some who choose to support Leeds United, despite the rivalry between them. Having interviewed and spoken to Uncle Colin (Colin Slater), his memories of Bradford Park Avenue were fascinating. It was a club he spoke very fondly of; he even told me a story about the club's former owner, who he used to be good friends with.

Please, let's not throw Jodi Jones back in if he becomes available. Even as a sub, I would afford him a little more time because we have some important fixtures, and I would be tempted, if I were Stuart Maynard, to focus on the games where we can afford to protect him a little more. I think Nick Tsaroulla would benefit from starting more games; his partnership with Kellan Gordon is something I feel we could benefit more from; both players do much better when they are more involved, without being dropped. I would also encourage more faith from the start with Mai Traore so he can get up to pace naturally; if he struggles or makes mistakes, so be it. We just need to make sure, from a defensive point of view, we can mop up any trouble if this were to happen. David McGoldrick returning would be a blessing, but just like Jodi I think we could afford him to be on the bench at least against Fleetwood. Charlie Whitaker seems to be thriving and getting heavily involved in games, which we should encourage, and give him more starting time. So, I would hope he is among the first players named on the team sheet.

Sorry, I should make a note to check on this even when I am unwell. I will take a look at how the report function and ModCP work, and if this can be improved when we upgrade to the next major version. I think it makes sense to look into providing some form of feedback as to the decision. This will likely be the alert function, but please note that even if a mod doesn't agree, we just need to move on. If concerns still exist, I am always approachable and I am more than willing to reflect on feedback. Some might have noticed a 500-page error; that was my fault. I have managed to suss the problem, and I have disabled a function while I seek its remedy. This is most likely server-related. I will keep an eye out. I don't think it helps that, by default, the handling process has no means to update the reporter; it's a little too much like Facebook's system. This part should improve greatly with the next major version. I'm trying to avoid unnecessary changes right now, as the next major version improves a lot of this. I greatly appreciate all of the moderation team, and I trust them to make sure that the vision of Pride of Nottingham is maintained. I also appreciate every member, every reader/visitor. Those members who go above and beyond do make a difference.

The club has done this in the past; it didn't work then, and I don't believe it would now. I would hope that it does have benefits, but from my experience it just leads to being unproductive. I wish that this could work, and that supporter groups are treated equally, and that they put aside any differences to serve us fans better. Under Alice Kelk, I personally felt my presence wasn't respected. I got kicked out, then re-asked to take part. I soon decided, like many others, that it wasn't worth the hassle or my time, though my intentions were only to help the club. I personally didn't want to be all that involved, though some sought access to the board level, and I don't like that idea. The point of the committee was to represent the fans, provide supporter feedback, work in harmony, and assist the club with fan-related initiatives. Though most meetings were pointless, and my treatment greatly saddened me. I had a very good understanding with Sarah Gooding, who first started the committee idea, and even though those original meetings seemed pointless. It was nice to see groups at the same level, and it seemed promising, but they just stopped and started. Once Sarah left, Alice eventually resumed it, and I don't think my issues stemmed from her. Yet to be removed from the list, to be told it was a mistake, considering how involved I was, just made me realise my effort and time would never be appreciated. Whoever comes in as the chair needs to avoid silly disagreements and start with a plain canvas, without taking sides or listening to past gossip, because it does not help the future.

It's unfortunate that several attempts to allow politically based discussions have failed during the time the Pride of Nottingham has existed. Therefore, it is banned immediately from today. In line with the majority of online forums, I have decided to remove the political forum. This might upset some people. However, there is never an easy decision, and I can honestly say I have tried in many ways to make it work without issues. But such is the nature of passion; it is impossible. The only exception is cartoons, as these can be funny. But any attempts to discuss politics in writing will be removed by the moderation team. I do not want to discourage active participants, but the site and community are better off keeping things non-politically aligned. There are plenty of subjects to discuss which won't become heated, so I encourage members to support this decision. In addition to the changes, I will limit the site's access for guests. Forum posts will have a limit, as with articles, but most visitors will be able to read articles, features, and news without an issue until this content is viewed more than ten times. This counter will include all the articles. I would advise those who are not members to consider joining and becoming a part of the community. Some forums will also be made strictly members-only. In time, I will make some features unavailable to newcomers. Such as the ability to edit content, privileges will be gained by active participation of the community. This will fall in line with badges and awards to be used as incentives for involvement. Our community grows with your support, which is always appreciated. Best wishes, Chris

I don’t see why the Reedtz family would want to part ways with Stuart Maynard. Although I was critical of him after the Salford game, I believe the team showed great determination, they have his support, and Maynard really stepped up. For me, it’s important to see him learning and, despite some disappointing performances, he is doing a good job. Given that his assistant and senior coach left during the season, I think he managed to stay focused on what mattered and has not shied away from his responsibilities at the club. He has my support, and I can admit when I’m wrong. However, I believe that securing a playoff spot is crucial for many fans. This team is good enough for promotion, but we have quite a few injury-prone players, and many of them provide the quality and creativity needed in tough situations. I hope he gets more time to prove himself, but I also think it’s important to bring in more quality players, especially in key areas like the striker's department.

I can't believe I'm your first! I love reading your entries so far @allardyces tash.

Great EFL goalkeeper, with a few years in the Premier League, but by far outshone most in the Championship. A bit hotheaded, but quite funny too. I remember watching a cup match where two pitch invaders came on, one of whom was acting aggressively, and Kenny just kicked him to the goal line. I think he would have also been better off staying with Sheffield United instead of joining QPR. His career really did reach highs and then lows. I wonder what his management style is like? If he gained anything from Neil Warnock, combined with his no-nonsense playing style, I wouldn't want to upset him. Great keeper!

Last week, I went with @cheeky~k8 to a physio appointment, but unlike normal, it wasn't for me. Tuesday, it was a strange day. First part felt rather empty, though I was looking forward to going to Wilford Cemetery. I also felt encouraged to go see Notts even though I wasn't really wanting to be around people. My friend had done the crossbar challenge and had won executive box tickets, which were for the Colchester game. We took a Uber up to the cemetery, spent a while with Granny Pie, my grandparents, and my aunt Jean's (young baby) when she passed away. Then a short walk to our daughter's grave, which brought some laughter from Jake/Ava's antics. After we went to the Wolds Pub for a family meal. None of us were feeling all that great; I felt quite rough with the bug I am still trying to shake off. I had lasagna and shared a bowl of chips with Ellie. After eating, we spoke a little about memories and Jake making kettle sounds as a baby. To which, Granny would often tell me to leave him alone when I joked about it, but would always ask Jake if he had put it on for her. The Colchester game was frustrating, soulless, and disappointing. I enjoyed the company, very thankful that my friend had Jake and me join him. I enjoyed the match as much as I did the chicken & mushroom pie that had been pre-ordered weeks before the postponed game. I never got it! They said they had run out of them, which is baffling when you pre-ordered. Pretty typical of Notts, and quite poor on their catering front. I've worked in places that would be ashamed if this had happened, but I did enjoy my box of chips. Jake, on the other hand, had a chicken balti pie and hated everything but the few pieces of chicken it contained. Others who were supposed to have potatoes in theirs had none; some didn't even contain gravy!!! @Piethagoram: I think we could get a fair amount of fans who want Pukka Pies back!!!

Very sluggish start to the day. I can't report much in terms of activity in the real world, but I have been doing server- and site-related stuff. In a moment I will update the news ticker; I probably should look if I can implement permissions for non-admins to update it. I am hoping to pick things up; it's frustrating me, and I don't like how inactive I have been due to personal matters. I know most will understand; it's not that, it's me. At least I am snug and in virtually no pain. Also, my left hand is starting to feel normal. I feared I might have broken it or done some nerve or muscle damage when I put it back in place. So, that's a positive. I also want to sort out time to try to go to a gym, but this would depend on my friend whose partner is currently preparing for the loss of her nan. It's very sad, and I really hope they both come through it.

Tranmere are usually a good lot, who respect football and I am glad to read this. A little off subject, but... I felt a bit disappointed by how some of our fans turned Mick's death into something disrespectful, Jake (@super_pie) showed me some comments on Notts' Facebook page, and honestly, there was no need for them. Notts did pay respect to Mick, the half-time segment was a good listen. I realise many might have missed it, due to drinking, socialising, trying to stay warm, etc. Yet it was still done; it might have been an idea to record it, and put a video tribute up on the club's YouTube channel. Suggesting the club didn't care, rushed it, or disrespected Mick, I feel is the wrong view. Clubs must obtain EFL approval for memorials and moments of silence. I also recall being told rules about why it had to be done before the game, but honestly, I think Notts just wanted to pay their respects. The backlash to some petty comments about it being postponed, and announced for Tranmere might have come due to the club managing to line up more for the memorial. I don't know if more people, family, etc, attended the game against Tranmere, but I would imagine the club reached out to them. The biggest disappointment is how I got the feeling some fans just took the frustration of losing to Port Vale as an excuse to blow off steam about this subject. It's embarrassing and disrespectful. Unpopular view, I imagine, but I speak with sense and freely cringe at some of our fanbase.

Sorry, Robbie, I didn't make the game due to being unwell, and I haven't seen any highlights. Keen to get back into doing what PON needs, so I apologise for missing this.