Chris

Introduction: Name: Steve Hall. David Garth. How long have you supported Gillingham? Steve: Supported Gillingham since 1964. David: I've been a Gills' supporter since the 1963/64 season when Gillingham won the old Division 4 title on goal difference from Carlisle United. Are you a season ticket holder? Steve: I am not a season ticket holder as I live away. David: Yes, I've held a season ticket for many, many years now. Age? Steve: I'm 68. David: 21 plus 59! Favourite Player? Steve: If pushed... David Peach, who went on to play for Southampton, but Bradley Dack, Steve Bruce, Tony Cascarino, Brian Yeo, John Simpson, etc, etc. David: There are so many that could fall into this category, but in recent years, I'd say my favourite has to be striker Cody McDonald, who played for us between 2010 and 2017 and scored 105 goals. He was very quick, both in pace and thinking, and worked well with several different pairings during his time at Priestfield. From today's squad, I'd have to pick Conor Masterson, who has been outstanding alongside Max Ehmer in defence. I'm hoping he'll be back in the side soon after his injury! How do you feel about Gillingham’s performance so far this season? Which player has impressed you the most? Steve: Obviously, I am very pleased with the points total. Very pleased indeed. Maybe I sound like a manager now... "it's a team performance." That is exactly the sound bite you get out of Bonner, and in this case, it is true. With the obvious exception of Bradley Dack, I would not say we have too many "stars," but we field a team ready to shed blood, sweat, and tears. David: Considering our injury list (we've had between 5 and 7 regular starters out all season), we have done exceptionally well. Armani Little has been particularly impressive since joining us from AFC Wimbledon in the summer, and youngsters Jayden Clarke and Joe Gbode are both flourishing under Mark Bonner. I'm sure they will continue to improve and make valuable contributions this season. What are your thoughts on the team’s current tactics? Do you think they need to make any changes to stay competitive? Steve: We have only conceded two league goals. If we carry on like that, we will be in with a shout. We have had injuries, and I am not sure if we have hit top gear yet. That's encouraging. David: Still, the tactics have most certainly worked with four wins from six! Mind you, I am still an advocate of 4-4-2 and do wonder if at some point there will be a switch from one up to an attacking pair once Elliot Nevitt and Josh Andrews are both fully fit. How confident are you in Gillingham’s chances of maintaining their position in the top three? Which upcoming match do you think will be the toughest? Steve: If we can keep Bradley Dack fit, I am confident of a play-off spot. He really is a quality player, but obviously, it will be a challenge to get 30+ games out of him. Another sound bite is "there are no easy games," but I am comfortable we will take six points off the Plastics. Tougher games? Notts, Barrow, and Doncaster are all six-pointers. Twelve points from those games would be a huge step towards promotion. David: I think we are good enough to maintain a promotion push and would like to think we've got a realistic chance of an automatic spot, but there are several very good sides in this division, including Notts County, Chesterfield, and Doncaster Rovers, so it's going to be a real fight throughout the season. The toughest match? They are all tough! What do you think of the new signings this season? Have any of them exceeded your expectations? Steve: I refer to my earlier answer, as they say in the Commons. Bradley Dack is the standout signing. A lot depends on him. Let's hope he can start proving everyone's faith very soon. David: I'm very pleased with our recruitment for this season and with how most of the new signings are shaping up. As I said, Armani Little has been particularly impressive, while, on the other hand, I think Jack Nolan has been a bit below par, but it's only a matter of time before he starts to fire on all cylinders. As for Bradley Dack, there's no doubt that on his day he will be right up there as one of the best attacking midfielders in the business, but it's all about getting him fit as he's hardly played any football for some time. If he gets fit, we will be a real force for sure! What are your thoughts on the manager’s decisions so far? Do you think he has the right strategy for the rest of the season? Steve: I was not convinced with the choice of Mark Bonner. I thought Stephen Clemence had done okay. I thought Neil Harris would also have brought success given time. To be honest, I am quite impressed. The defence looks strong, the keeper is fine, and he has fostered a strong squad feeling with a committed dressing room. I am not eating my words, but I am reasonably optimistic. He is focused on what I am... promotion. Anything else is not acceptable, to be blunt. David: Mark Bonner has really impressed so far and has made the right call in most games. He's done particularly well in the last two home games when we've had a player sent off on the hour mark, as his substitutions all worked really well - just ask Tranmere after last weekend when we broke out from a solid defence to score twice late in the game. How do you feel about the team’s performance in cup competitions? Do you think they should focus more on the league or balance both? Steve: A nice FA Cup run would be nice and can often help a league campaign. I'll forego it if we go up! David: Personally, I'm not too fussed about the League Cup or the Trophy, but I would love a run once again in the FA Cup, which is the cup competition that most of us really care about. What are your expectations for the rest of the season? Do you think Gillingham can challenge Notts County for the top spot? Steve: Going out on a limb, yes, I think we can go all the way this season. Yes, it's a long way to go, but from what we have seen so far, we are definitely in with a chance. A 1-0 win at Meadow Lane would do our season no harm. David: My expectation is that we will hopefully feature in the promotion race throughout the season and will have a good go at an automatic promotion spot. As for today's game, a lot may depend on who is available (back from injury) for our side, but I think a 1-1 draw is the most likely result. It will be two very good teams going head-to-head, I'm sure! Final comments from Chris Both teams will be eager to make the most of the game, so it could be a very difficult match for both respective teams. For Notts, it will be a good insight as to how the team will cope against coming up against an inform team at Meadow Lane, with the likes of Dan Crowley and Jodi Jones recently having been influential in the magpies recent 4-2 away win over Bromley. Gillingham will be looking to cause as much trouble as possible early on, so defensively Notts must be ready to take on that challenge. I suspect Gillingham will want to try to retain as much of the possession as possible, so it will be interesting to see if Notts can retain their usual high amounts, and if the Gills' will focus on pushing back Notts forcing them to be more creative going forward. I have this down as a 2-1 home win, although I don't deny the quality of the opposition. Join the Pride of Nottingham match discussion for Saturday's game at Meadow Lane against Gillingham FC! Share your thoughts and opinions on how Notts County will fare in this crucial clash. What have you been up to this week? Join the weekly chat on Pride of Nottingham and share your latest activities with fellow members!

Introduction: Name: Steff Bale How long have you supported Bromley? I have been attending Bromley matches since I was 11 years old. I’m 52 now! I am a Bromley fan, but many Bromley supporters support other clubs, especially big London clubs. I used to watch Arsenal more than Bromley, but for the last few years, I have been going to watch Bromley more than Arsenal. Are you a season ticket holder? I was a season ticket holder at Bromley until this season when they changed it all. You now have to be in a certain area of the ground, but I prefer to watch home games in different areas of the ground and I do not wish to be restricted, so no season ticket this season due to that reason! Age? I am aged 52. Favourite Player? I would say my favourite player has to be Michael Cheek. He’s the top scorer every season and has scored all the important goals for Bromley, including winning the FA Trophy at Wembley against Wrexham and the play-off final against Solihull to win promotion. He also hit the ground running and is scoring in League 2 as well! How does it feel to be in the Football League, and how has the journey been for Bromley so far? It still doesn’t feel real, to be honest, a club like Bromley in the Football League. I still feel like it’s a dream! Some of the away trips are to epic places with big stadiums, clubs with massive history, and some have even been in the Premier League! It’s what you dream of, really! Bromley have done well so far, holding their own, winning the first 2 games, then a couple of losses (one was very unlucky) and a draw last Saturday away at Colchester. Very credible so far and don’t look out of place in League 2 at all. I think we will be fine. Who are Bromley’s standout players this season, and what impact do you think they will have on the game? I think Grant Smith in goal is outstanding and has kept us in the game many times. He's very solid, one of the best in the league in many people's opinion, including mine. Our defence is solid, all very tall big guys. Byron Webster is excellent at CB, our captain with a huge amount of league experience at different clubs, including Millwall. Kamarl Grant is solid in defence on loan from Millwall. He's doing a fantastic job. Also, Idris Odutayo in defence is very solid, to name a few! Up front, as mentioned, Michael Cheek is excellent and will always have a chance of scoring. He's been top scorer since he joined the club and has been absolutely outstanding, scoring this season too! Corey Whitely is also very good, chipping in with goals, and Marcus Dinanga, who signed from Gateshead with a good goal-scoring record, is one to watch this season. The squad is very well-balanced with experience, young talent, loan players, and some Bromley stalwarts who have worked hard to get into the league. What is Bromley’s preferred formation and style of play, and how do you think Notts County can counter it? This is a bit tricky, to be honest, although some Bromley fans might disagree. I don’t think Andy Woodman has finally found his best starting XI just yet. Obviously, there are players like Cheek and Webster who will always start, but other players come in and out of the side partly due to the injuries and suspensions this season. It was interesting the changes that were made for the EFL Cup match with Cambridge. The team had been rotated, so many squad players started and played really well. This has given Manager Andy Woodman more choices. Bromley like to play an attacking style with high pressing. They will expose opposition defences’ weaknesses, especially down the flanks. Hayes Lane has become a hard ground for away teams due to this. Notts County are an excellent side and always have a good striker who will score. I’m concerned about Notts County’s attacking options, and I think that alone may well be their biggest strength to counter Bromley. How has Bromley’s manager been influencing their tactics, and what do you think his approach will be for this game? Andy Woodman is always very calm and approaches games with a calm attitude. I don’t know exactly how he will approach the game or who will start exactly. I fully expect an attacking approach against Notts County and Bromley must make chances count! I’m sure Andy Woodman will drum that into the team! Andy Woodman is very influential when it comes to tactics, along with assistant manager Alan Dunn. The club recruited a gamer to the staff who was an expert player of Football Manager! This had a lot of publicity and was a brilliant move by the club. This has resulted in expert analysis of opposition, help with team selection through stats to assist the management team. This is working very well by all accounts. How has Bromley’s form been so far this season, and what challenges do you think Notts County may face at Hayes Lane? Bromley’s form is up and down, but they are holding their own in League 2. Hayes Lane is a very difficult place to come and get a result, even though Crewe recently scored 2 very late goals to win 1-2. Bromley’s home form is good and not many teams get a result there. It won’t be easy at all for Notts County, especially in a tight ground which is the complete opposite of the huge Meadow Lane stadium. I think Notts County will have their work cut out and may find Bromley a bit of a handful, especially up front! How has Bromley’s defence been performing, and how do you feel the game will go against Notts County? Bromley have a good defence and a good keeper. They are quite solid. The only criticism is they can switch off late on. I predict 2-2 and an end-to-end game. Bromley must be very careful of McGoldrick, who is still brilliant at scoring goals wherever he goes! What has the journey been like for Bromley over the past few seasons, and how have they adapted to life in the Football League? Are there any key moments or significant tests that have shaped their experience? Bromley has slowly climbed the leagues to make it into the Football League. They did well in the National League for 10 years but needed to get over the line into the Football League, which they managed. For me, the key moments of recent history have been promotion to the National League, the FA Trophy Finals at Wembley, winning one by beating the mighty Wrexham with Michael Cheek scoring, and of course the play-off final at Wembley and Cheek taking us into the league along with the team scoring the penalties in the shoot-out! The significant tests have been all those things plus coming so close to promotion and play-offs. Everything has shaped the club and players into what they are and where they are now. It’s taken a lot of years, but this small South London/Kent football club surrounded by big London clubs is in the Football League to stay!! Final comments from Chris I think Bromley will present a challenge for Notts, one where I hope our quality in creativity and possession will result in an entertaining game. We shouldn't underestimate our opposition, at home they can be a very difficult team to break down, but if pressure can be asserted and the magpies' play to their potential I do feel encouraged. The Ravens will certainly try to press and counter Notts, they have some very capable players that defensively we must manage, but I feel the game could go either way, with a 1-1 draw or 1-2 win for Notts. I am hoping Alex Bass can retain another clean sheet, but I feel it's likely that Bromley will at least score once. Check out the latest article on Pride of Nottingham, highlighting Jodi Jones' nomination for Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month! Join the conversation on Pride of Nottingham where Piethagoram dives into the recent attendance figures at The San Sirrel!

Born on 14 April 1972 in Erdington, Birmingham, Paul John Devlin carved out an impressive football career that spanned two decades. Known for his versatility as a midfielder and forward, Devlin made over 500 appearances across the Football League, Premier League, and League of Ireland, earning ten caps for the Scotland national team along the way. His journey from non-league football to the top tiers of English football is a testament to his determination, skill, and love for the game. Growing up in the Perry Common area of Birmingham, Devlin was an ardent footballer from a young age, playing for local teams Boldmere St. Michaels, St John's Celtic, and Tamworth. After a brief spell at Tamworth, where he made 12 first-team appearances as a teenager, Devlin found himself without a club. However, his persistence paid off when he joined Armitage 90 in the Staffordshire Senior League. His performances caught the eye of Stafford Rangers, who secured his services for £2,000 in 1990. During his time at Stafford, Devlin attracted the attention of top-flight clubs, leading to a trial with Liverpool. Although a potential move to Anfield fell through, Notts County swooped in with a £60,000 bid in February 1992, marking the start of Devlin's professional career. Devlin's arrival at Notts in 1992 saw the young midfielder gradually break into the first team. Despite the club's relegation to the second tier at the end of his debut season, Devlin established himself as a key player. Over the next few seasons, he became a fan favourite, known for his work rate, skill, and knack for scoring crucial goals. In the 1993-94 season, he was instrumental in the Magpies' run to the Anglo-Italian Cup final, where they narrowly lost to Brescia. The following season, Devlin helped the club win the Anglo-Italian Cup, providing the cross for the winning goal in the final against Ascoli. However, after the club's relegation to the third tier in 1995, Devlin sought a new challenge, and in March 1996, he was sold to Birmingham City. Returning to his hometown, Devlin quickly became a fan favourite at Birmingham. He made an immediate impact, scoring twice in his home debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers. His first full season saw him finish as the club's top scorer with 19 goals, earning him the Player of the Season award. However, a fallout with manager Trevor Francis led to Devlin's departure to Sheffield United in 1998. At United, Devlin continued to impress, becoming the club's Player of the Year for the 1999-2000 season. His combative style and ability to find the back of the net made him a valuable asset. However, by 2002, Devlin was yearning for a return to Birmingham, and his wish was granted when he rejoined the club on loan before making the move permanent. His return was marked by a pivotal role in Birmingham's promotion to the Premier League, where he scored the club's first-ever Premier League goal at St Andrew's. As new signings at St Andrew's pushed him down the pecking order, Devlin moved to Watford in 2003, where he played a crucial role during his two-year stint. A brief spell at Walsall followed, before Devlin ventured to the League of Ireland with Bohemians, where he played until the manager who signed him was dismissed. Devlin then returned to non-league football, turning out for several clubs, including a return to Tamworth and stints with Halesowen Town and Stratford Town, before retiring from the professional game. Despite being born in England, Devlin qualified to play for Scotland through his father, and he earned his first cap at the age of 30 in 2002. Over the next year, he made ten appearances for Scotland, fulfilling a lifelong dream by playing at Hampden Park in front of his family. His final appearance for Scotland came in 2003, marking the end of a brief but proud international career. Paul Devlin's career is a story of grit, determination, and a deep love for football. From the non-league pitches of Staffordshire to the bright lights of the Premier League, he remained a player who gave his all for every club he represented. For Notts fans, he will always be remembered as a young, tenacious player who played a crucial part in the club's history during the early 1990s. His journey through the leagues, coupled with his international exploits, serves as an inspiration to many aspiring footballers. As a player, coach, and mentor, Devlin's influence on the game continues to be felt, long after his playing days have ended. Dive into the Pride of Nottingham alumni article, featuring the legendary Notts County striker, Tom Keetley! Don’t miss out on this piece of football history. Explore our Alumni Series on Pride of Nottingham, celebrating the greats of Notts County! Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments!