Chris

I know a Notts fan, who's father made various wooden flower boxes in various shapes. Unfortunately, he got it with a cease and desist letter despite not using the club's logo. It was black and white striped, but some fans digitally printed one and would attach it, which I think is saddening to blame the crafts man for. They can be beautiful for the garden. I have a concrete painted Notts logo that a friend got me from Skegness many years ago. His wife painted it. I will take a picture of it sometime (that is naughty of the seller on East Gate market). Myabe, but that's just where I fell. I thought the tide would fix it. 🤣

It shows in one picture just how much support and potential Notts has, provided we keep working on establishing a secure future proof club then things like this should only become the norm. I don't mean every season, but there's no reason why we can't enjoy a promotion more often, even if it comes with the setback of finding life harder in the Championship, or League One in our current case. Even though I wasn't present, I felt proud and encouraged especially for the level headed fans who didn't get on the players backs or Paterson's during challenging spells last season. It shows unit as one, good things can come and even if promotion wasn't gained this past campaign, most will see the progress that it would be nearer the corner next time than it would be to fall short or drift off. Most who are hesitant may simply be concerned about football's unpredictability. However, well-run clubs often thrive, especially with the solid support we have.

VAR really should have been used across all of the playoffs, I would say this even if our outcome had changed. I think all of the EFL should have VAR, but the rules and use of it needs to be better implemented. Checks shouldn't take a long time; they should be effective and prompt. The issue is the referee has to check for his thoughts, despite him having relayed the findings before hand prior to him checking the big screen. It could massive reduce stupid decisions such as Nick Tsaroulla being carded for diving when he was fouled, whilst ensuring elbows and pushing is limited because players won't try it if they know they'll get caught. A professional league shouldn't be treated any different, and technology shouldn't be reserved for the highest league. I get the negatives, it can be poorly handled but I think used right it would be of huge benefit.

One negative of my seaside break was how stuffy and humid it felt inside the caravan we stayed in even with the windows and doors open. However, we coped but seem to be struggling back home. I have a small fan above my head, and a tower one in the corner of my bedroom. It feels far more humid, even though it looks mirky outside and as if it is going to rain. It's starting to make me feel tired. I wished we could get consistent weather that doesn't change so suddenly.

I think patience and support will be key, there's some big teams already in League One and combine them with the likes of Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday, even with their current situation they are bound to be a diffcult. Whilst we could struggle or carry on from last season, I just want Notts to be prepared and settled before we start jumping to higher expectations. I think we'll do alright, but there's never anything given for sure and I think our support as always will be one of the biggest factors. Some fans may think we should aim for promotion, I think we need to walk before attempting to run. Luton Town, Blackpool, MK Dons, Bradford City in the past have all suffered from not being prepared to make the next shift after gaining promotion to their highest level or even in many, many seasons. Notts will always have that vibe of decline to me, that I recall from the 90s and 00s and after, which I fully appreciate the transformation we have made under Reedtz brothers. It's amazing how they haven't 'patched' the club but given us true structure, and I firmly believe with them at the helm we can navigate the leagues but we may need to bide our time.

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That's not the point, the cocern about injuries for any player is something we have to ensure we can cope from but of Cal is to play as a wing back his past injuries only increases when we already have concerns about Jodi (amongst others). This doesn't mean any player requires cotton wool, it just means we need to be smart and protect them to the best of our ability. Roberts re-joins us with a much stronger squad, so I doubt we will be dependant on him or as a means to drag results through but any player can suffer setbacks, and when you have a squad that has a fair amount of serious injuries you do need to valuate it when building a squad. Two seasons ago, our season was derailed with the loss of Matt Palmer, previous to that certain injuries hindered us and it wasn't that long ago fans feared Roberts wouldn't be able to continue playing due to a nasty injury. I was gutted to see him leave, but I felt it was the right time to cash in. I hope he picks up from last season, and slots straight back into the squad. Yet, I do have real concerns about potential injuries, which is why I feel disappointed Keanan Bennetts is leaving because I felt he was growing. Roberts and Bennetts would primarily cover the wide areas for me, what with Jodi and Nick Tsaroulla.

We need to be careful with Cal, but I am delighted he's back. I just hope that we don't over use him, as we did rely on him Iike a get out of jail free card when he was last here. Not denying his talent, but I want to ensure we avoid injuries that become set backs. Some fans already complain we have a injury prone squad, but with care and proper cover, Cal could be such an influential part of establishing ourselves in League One.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's to cover Matty Platt, he can play across the back but his defensive ability is very good. He's always impressed me, and I think it's good that he can slot in anywhere. Yet, Martin Paterson might be thinking about how we can adapt to positions against more tougher teams. It's a fantastic signing, very happy with the recruitment. He should be a strong contender for signing if the season if we can figure out his best position.

I caught about 20 minutes of it the other night, and I was amazed how much the actor looked like Gareth Southgate. I found it interesting that England stats suggested we took penalties the quickiest and Germany the slowest. All those years felt like a curse when a little more time might have helped. It was also interesting to see the team bonding drils that they would do, which must have helped prepare them to perform more as a team on the pitch.

There's players who have performed well against us, that I would hope is on the club radar and that we might have a serious chance of signing them. Bristol Rovers Joel Senior impressed me in both legs: he works hard and covers a lot of ground. However, he plays as a wing back and would we really need to sign someone for a fee in this area? Malcolm Ebiowei would be on my radar and regular football might be enough to tempt him, though I think other league One teams will be interested in him. Brandon Williams and Jordan Thorniley could be good additions, Williams is likely to end up with a Championship club. Dan Potts could provide us with valuable experience. These are a few players that I would be looking around, some might not be likely but you never know. We are attracting good attendances and could build for a push to the Championship.

As much as I love Cal Roberts, we need to find players who are as good as him but who are not injury prone. There's a lot of interest around him which various places are picking up on. I heard before the season ended that he was attracting interest from a League One club that we might not be happy if he signed for. Rumours are nothing until the manager, or club acknowledges them. My personal stance is I wouldn't be against him coming back, but he needs to fit our system and we need to have depth for injuries. Him and Jodi in League One could have a hard time staying fit if teams decide to target them.