Chris

Notts County will begin the 2017/18 League Two season with a trip to Coventry City on Saturday 5 August. As fixtures go, it is arguably one of the trickiest propositions for the Magpies, with the Sky Blues coming down from League One the previous season. Things do not get easier either, with local rivals Chesterfield coming to Meadow Lane a week later in County's first home game of the campaign. In terms of the other first local clashes of the season, Lincoln City will head to the Lane on 23 September, while Mansfield Town are the opponents at the One Call a week later. The regular season will then finish with a home game against Luton Town on 5 May. Here is a list of all the fixtures. Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Edited 21 hours ago by Joe Jones (show revisions)

With Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi both signing the contract extensions offered to them by Notts County, it dismisses my concerns over who can lead the Magpies front line during the 2017-18 season. The majority of fans I know were quietly confident about both of them signing, but I had my doubts and I thought it would be just one of the two staying put. Yet it is fantastic news that Kevin Nolan has successfully managed to retain them both, they showed us last season what a hard-working duo could do up front. Even when they didn’t play together, they allowed a poor Magpie squad to bounce back and shine after the 10-game losing run in League Two. Both players have a wealth of experience, each has something vastly different in their locker and I feel that they can be the key to passing the torch on and for this historic club to find their own natural goalscorer. We all know it’s very unlikely that they will have the engines to play game after game from August to May - we have to accept that we will need someone else to step in for one or even both from time to time. This isn’t a negative for me, I firmly feel it presents a perfect opportunity for Notts to recruit a young upcoming striker who can thrive as an understudy to the pair. Stead has recently expressed his concern with the Notts squad, sending out a message that most fans will only know too well. He said in relation to requiring a couple of 15-20+ goalscorers, "we are going to need a couple of them. I know the manager is working to get players in and I still think we are a little bit light. I think we need three or four more players in then we can have a right go." There’s no denying we need more strength in depth in certain departments, yet a concern for me is injury up top and a lack of a pacey, speedy threat. Aaron Collins would be the perfect example of someone young who fit the mould, he arrived with few expectations from my own opinion but quickly highlighted to me why he fitted the bill. I feel Nolan should identify a young striker of that calibre who can fill the void and take the strain off Stead and Ameobi. I’m not expecting fireworks from the off, yet it would be a great blessing to know we have depth throughout the squad and I feel the pair offer a lot of attraction to other potential signings – if we were able to get some creativity on the flanks and centre of midfield, for example. Providing we strengthen the defence properly and allow the attacking players to do their thing, then I don’t see why a young striker couldn’t thrive at Meadow Lane. I realise that we require a squad of about 22-25 players, but having the quality and depth in the squad will be paramount to Notts having a successful go this upcoming campaign. Honestly, Notts should be far more hardworking – the question right now is all down to where the creativity will come from? Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.

Jon Stead has put pen to paper on a new contract at Notts County. During the 2016-17 campaign, the 34-year-old was the Magpies' highest scorer with 14 goals, and he won the League Two Player of the Month award for September. There was interest from the United States for Stead, who was sidelined by injury midway through the season, but he has now committed his future to Meadow Lane and he says he is "delighted" with the decision. He told the official club site: "It took me a while to make sure it was the right thing for me and the family, but it definitely is and I can't wait to get going. "I want to be here. It's exciting times - there's a real buzz about the place. You don't want to be looking from the outside and wishing you'd been involved. "I know the gaffer sees me playing a big part in his team and that's all you want to hear as a player." Manager Kevin Nolan added: "He doesn't only bring goals, but his all-round play, experience and professionalism are first class. "He's the type of player any manager would love to have in their dressing room." It is unconfirmed how long the new deal is for, but it is believed to be for one year. Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.