Chris

Gavin Foxall, a director at Newport County says that Notts County have not made any sort of approach for the Exiles manager John Sheridan. It is rumoured that John Sheridan is heavily linked with the vacant position at Meadow Lane, however bookmakers have suspended betting for the position as manager of Notts – whom held the favourite likely to succeed the recently departed Ricardo Moniz. Whilst it is understood, that Notts County board have made Newport County’s manager their top priority to succeed the former Dutchman. When asked about the vacant position by the Argus, Foxall replied, “No, we have not had any approaches”. Further adding, “As far as we’re concerned John is our Manager. We’ve not been approached by Notts County, or any other club and nor has John as far as we’re aware”. “For us it’s business as usual, we’re focused on a massive game on Saturday against Blackburn Rovers.” “As John has said in various interviews, he’s focused with us as a club and he’s done a great job since he’s come in. We’re pleased with the way he’s operating and conducting himself and the way we’ve seen that transport on the pitch”. “He’s given the players the belief and the confidence they need and we’re watching some good football”. He added “If they do, like all things, we’ll address the issue at the time. As far as we’re concerned today John is still our manager, he’s with us until the end of the season and if you spoke to John today he’d say to you ‘look, I’m focused on Newport County, I’m focused on the cup first and foremost in terms of Saturday’s game’. “But also there’s a job to be done. We’re nowhere near away from the challenges of relegation. He came here to do a job and we’re expecting him to do that.” On the 2nd of January, ahead of the game against Oxford United. Notts fans were heavily speculating that John Sheridan might become the manager – with reported sightings claiming to have been made the previous week. Also linked to the Notts vacant position is Malky Mackay who has also distanced himself from the managerial position – whilst the former Swindon Town manager Mark Cooper is reportedly set to held talks with the club. Interviews are set to be held this week with chairman Ray Trew and chief executive Julian Winter before the weekends game against Accrington Stanley. Join in the discussion regarding the vacant hot-seat at Meadow Lane - Here.

Izale McLeod has been nominated for the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month after scoring four goals in December. The Magpies’ front man scored a brace against Newport County AFC and Morecambe. McLeod will be competing for the award against Carlisle United’s Jacob Ibehre and Portsmouth midfielder Gareth Evans. The reported £150,000 striker has scored currently scored nine goals in eighteen appearances since his arrival back in late August, eight of which have been scored within league games and the remaining goal was scored in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Below you can re-watch the highlights from both games courtesy of the Official Notts County YouTube channel. Notts County 4 Newport County AFC 3 Notts County 2 Morecambe 2 To vote for Izale McLeod you can do so by visiting – Here.

Prior to the game against Oxford United at Meadow Lane on the 2/1/2016, Notts-Joe and Joe Jones took the time to interview several fans regarding key matters relating to Notts. This covers the departure of Ricardo Moniz, possible further departures within the January transfer window, possible squad additions, who could come in to take the reigns at Meadow Lane and much more. Catch up with all the latest content via our 'Activity Stream' - Here.

Carlisle United’s aim this season is to gain promotion back into League One, much like the Magpies, they have had to focus on rebuilding and under the helm of Keith Curle – The Cumbrian team have been making steady progress. With the flooding, which has forced the Cumbrians into playing the game at the Deepdale Stadium, they will be hoping to make the ground a home from home. They have won three of their last six games, having drawn two and losing once. The Cumbrains are currently 6th with 34 points, only 6 points behind an automatic place but are only 5 points above the Magpies, who sit 13th on 29 points. Run-down of their last six games. Saturday 31st October – Carlisle United 3 Yeovil Town 2 Saturday 14th November – Bristol Rovers 2 Carlisle United 0 Saturday 21st November – Carlisle United 2 Portsmouth 2 Tuesday 24th November – Luton Town 3 Carlisle United 4 Saturday 28th November – Carlisle United 3 Crawley Town 1 Saturday 12th December – Oxford United 1 Carlisle United 1 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goal Scorers; Jabo Ibehre 12, Charlie Wyke 8, Derek Asamoah 7 and Danny Grainger 4. Persistent Foulers; Luke Joyce 1 Red Card and 2 Yellow Cards, Michael Raynes 5 Yellow Cards, Tom Miller 5 Yellow Cards, Gary Dicker 4 Yellow Cards and Danny Grainger 4 Yellow Cards. The Key Players. There’s no doubt just how much of a key player ‘Jabo Ibehre’ is for Carlisle United, he’s already highlighting his worth to them and is rumoured to be attracting interest from other clubs. He’s a physical forward, who has a lethal finish and eye for goal. Luke Joyce is a defensive midfielder who looks to release the advancing midfielders but he also shares a keen eye for goal. Anthony Sweeney and Charlie Wyke are also key players for The Cumbrians. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses. Carlisle United are organized quite defensively, however they do have players who are able to break opposition sides down and have quality League Two players through their squad. Their main strengths are found within their key players, who are the driving force behind each attack. They can quickly break on the counter, whilst also cleverly placing passes, which allows their movement to be free flowing. When on the break, they look to get forward as quickly as possible and this has a tendency to leave themselves wide open at the back. Weaknesses are certainly found within their defence, however to note – Carlisle United appear to have our own philosophy mastered ‘we’ll score one more than you’ and this generally means they’re okay, provided their midfield remain in possession and work hard. For Notts to come away with a point or more, they will have to work out how to break down their defence. For me, this would be by playing sensible football – carefully passes and advancing with the ball. Once again, I feel the key will be found within the air and if the Magpies can work harder within the midfield, whilst being steady at the back. Match Day: Carlisle Series - Opposition View - The Match Officials - League Two Preview

As Pride of Nottingham builds up to this weekends game, Notts-Joe has taken the time to put several questions to one opposition Douglas. Whilst towards the bottom, you will find a link to a mini fan view from within our camp. Could you tell Pride of Nottingham a little bit about yourself, such as how long you have supported Carlisle? I'm 26 years old, and my first Carlisle game was 8th may 1999, the final game of the season at home to Plymouth argyle. This game is most remembered as the game where Jimmy Glass (the goalkeeper on loan from Swindon town) scored in the last minute to save us from dropping into non league. I was brought up in a Manchester United mad family (family are from the Manchester area originally) and always looked out for Carlisle results for as long as I could remember. I started supporting both until finances really took a hold with the premiership, so I then decided rather than doing both Manchester United and Carlisle matches, I would concentrate all my support on my local club. Now in this day I feel that I have no connections to Manchester United because of this and Carlisle United is the only club for me. How do you feel the season is going so far? Is there anything you would hope to improve on as a side? The season started off okay, it took us until the end of August v Hartlepool away to register our first victory in the league. We'd had a good victory in the Capital One Cup round 1 previous to that game at home v Chesterfield. After the victory at Hartlepool we have went from strength to strength, improving the squad with a number of effective loan signings that have pushed the permanent squad members as far as replacing in the starting XI. We are currently doing very well indeed, up to 6th place as things stand after a very good point away at the league leaders Oxford United (a game I thought we should have won as well being there) and not many teams in this league will leave the Kassam Stadium with anything I feel. We've had the glory of a fantastic game at Liverpool in round 3 of the league cup, taking them to penalties but now promotion is our main aim. I would like a good run in the FA Cup though, currently through to round 3 where we face Yeovil at "home" (Blackpool fc are hosting us that day). I would like an extra 3 players in on loans in January and release the players that aren't in the squad regularly. I feel like we could use a right winger and a couple of midfielders of the Liam Noble mould. Have you been effected by the floods? How has this impacted Carlisle and the Football Club? I live very local to Brunton Park which was badly affected, however the floodwaters stopped 300m away from my front door so I've not faced the devastation of having water raging through my home like many others, however I was left without electricity and gas for 4 days which was hard for me as family have now moved down south. Carlisle as a city have been amazing, along with the rest of the county have shown the strongest community spirit I've witnessed, along with the rest of the country through donating what is now £3.1 million. The stadium has been ruined, I was 1 of the volunteers who went to help clean up for a couple of days while I was off work and waiting for electricity and gas to come back on in my home, and I've never seen devastation like it. Archives were destroyed, the concourse of the stands were caked in a brown sticky liquid. The first team players made a marvellous offer of helping out locals affected in clearing homes, ripping up carpets ect in the vicinity of brunton park. Even after the club 'digs' outside the stadium was hit by floods, and our first choice keeper Mark Gillespie was airlifted out of the digs as he was unwell to travel to our FA cup fixture at welling United that weekend. Fantastic community spirit from the players, some of whom are local lads and some of whom who are foreign all mucked in when the city needed them. Who will be your key(s) players on Saturday and why? Key attacking players I've got to start with jabo ibehre. Big, strong and loves the physical battles with centre backs and currently has 10 goals this season despite missing just over a month injured. Charlie Wyke, his strike partner. Not as physically strong as Ibehre, but after an indifferent start to the season he's found his form and is now scoring goals and doing an awful lot for the team. Alex gilliead, a young winger on loan from Newcastle that has speed in abundance, regularly takes on 2-3 defenders at a time and passes them all with ease. In the back line, Michael Raynes. A tough, no nonsense typical English centre back, takes no grief and is a focal point in attack due to his strength and stature, if we are chasing a result tomorrow then don't be surprised to see him played as a centre forward and balls flying into him. Luke Joyce. A no nonsense defensive midfielder. Great tackling and distribution of the ball is excellent. I'm expecting goals in the game, we tend to play in a gung Ho 'we're gonna score 1 more than you mentality' which makes us exciting yet excruciatingly painful side to watch. The game will be played at the Deepdale stadium, what are your thoughts on the kindness shown and what does it represent to modern day football? I think it's fantastic from pne, allowing us use of Deepdale for this game when no club have to offer their stadiums. There has always been a bit of a rivalry between us and pne but this has quelled them thoughts for me personally. For modern football it's fantastic to show that league clubs do help each other out, with us being as isolated where we are geographically we don't have any near neighbours that we can turn to, so along with Blackburn and Blackpool who are hosting our "home" fixtures (against Plymouth in the league and Yeovil FA cup respectively) it truly does reinforce the theory that there is a football family. Also it's less travelling for you to do as well, with cheaper tickets. Lastly, what do you feel the score will be? I'll go for either a 2-2 draw, or a 3-2 win for Carlisle with ibehre and gilliead scoring for Carlisle and Campbell (just because we had him on loan) and Sheehan scoring for Notts. Pride of Nottingham would like to thank Douglas for taking the time to answer our questions, especially at such short notice and we hope Carlisle quickly find their feet again after the flooding. You can read our Notts fan view by clicking - Here