allardyces tash

Hi @TheBlackHorse, glad you’ve joined us here on Pride of Nottingham! Whether you’re keen to post or just prefer to read along, you’re among fellow fans who enjoy good Notts talk and a friendly vibe.

Welcome to Pride of Nottingham, @YoopEyes! It’s brilliant to have you with us. Get stuck into the chat, share your views, or simply enjoy the buzz, our goal is to keep things welcoming and full of Notts spirit.

Welcome to Pride of Nottingham! It’s great to have you with us @James Macdonald, feel free to jump into the chat, share your thoughts, or just enjoy being part of the community. We’re all about friendly football talk and making everyone feel at home.

You’ve fitted right in on the site and Pride of Nottingham. It’s brilliant having you here with us, and I’m excited to read more of your posts as we go through the rest of pre-season and beyond into the new campaign. It’s always good to see someone jump straight in and get involved. Welcome from me, @theAnticlough!

Hello, @MrWillowTiger. Welcome to the community and PON. It's good to have you with us.

A draw was probably the ideal outcome for both sides. I’ve no idea how Notts performed as I didn’t pay for the stream, but I’m looking forward to the Cardiff pre-season friendly. With trialists on show and the squads being split, it’s not easy to keep momentum, though overall I’d take the draw.

Martin Paterson has hinted at wanting a seasoned goalkeeper since the Alfreton Town match, and now that the German tour is done, it seems more likely we’ll see a move. We need someone solid and experienced between the posts. It’s one of those key positions that can be the difference between promotion and falling short, just like having reliable goal-scorers. Replacing Alex Bass isn’t just important, it’s essential.

Hello, welcome to the community here on PON. It's nice to have you with us, @Triton 61.

I'm all for it, but even independent regulators can be influenced and fall into corruption. It’s vital to make sure that doesn't happen. There must be no chance for them to mislead or mishandle the support meant for clubs.

I used it to bring attention to my blog post, and I’ll look into sharing other things with it too. It’s got loads of uses, and it’d be great to see others make the most of it as well. There's real potential for us to use it more often.

It was a tough moment, and I know it’s not one-sided. I’m one of the fans who think Notts were right to offer him less. I respect the story of him going back to his boyhood club, and having one last strong season or chasing the wage he wanted, both seem to have meant more to him than playing for a team he loves or being cheered every week by loyal fans. That’s fair enough, it's his choice. What I’ll hold onto are the times he lifted us, gave us real hope of going up, dragged us through matches, and gave us memories we’ll never forget.

I wish we'd kept him for good. That way I could’ve found out how much we paid for Sonny. Was he a bargain or did we sneak in a cheeky fee? Maybe it was a buy-one-get-one-free situation and we just forgot to claim the other one. Welcome to Meadow Lane, Aljifree! Lovely name, sounds like a fancy shampoo or a stylish getaway. Just do us a favour, mate: when your contract’s up, drop us a line and sign off saying “Algofree”. It’ll be your legend move.

It can’t be much worse than how Luke Williams used to make the players run straight after matches and during training all the time. That didn’t seem very fun for them. I think it might help the team. If some of the players want to move up from League Two, then this could be a good thing for them. As long as we get the tactics sorted and know how to beat teams at our own level, the players should do well.

Glad to see you sharing your views, @super_ram r. Thanks to you and JustLikeJuve for joining in. My next piece might tone down the quirky style a bit, or I might go full Willy Wonka with it, I’ve not made my mind up yet. Either way, I plan to finish another write-up once the German friendlies are over and tie it all up nicely.

Welcome to Pride of Nottingham, @MikeWood. Great to have you here. Don’t slip away into the mist, get involved and let us know you're around. It’s a friendly bunch and there’s always something to chat about. Most importantly, share your views on Notts. We’re all keen to hear what you think.

One game done, two more to go before we return to Meadow Lane. A 2-1 result isn’t bad at all, it’s all about getting minutes and letting the players show what they can do. It’s also a good chance for the new signings to settle in and get used to playing with the rest of the squad. These matches are about building fitness and finding rhythm. The support has been brilliant. Notts fans really showed up and made a strong impression. It’s great to see that backing, even in pre-season.

Lorraine was often seen around the Notts staff and played a clear part behind the scenes. When she passed away a few years ago, it was tough news to hear and many felt the loss. I’ve heard of Kimbo, though I don’t know her personally. I remember PON sharing a video showing she’d beaten cancer before. That stuck with me, and I truly hope she can defy the odds once more. Even if that’s not possible, I just hope she can be free from pain and make the most of the time she has left.

From the small bit shown, it looks like a keeper’s shirt. It reminded me of another one, just without that centre pattern.

That was a really poor statement to put out. It makes the club look unprofessional and not well run. It would be better for him to let the police do their job and for his legal team to handle things, without making posts like that.

I’ll keep an eye on the scores, but I’m really just hoping the club shares highlights or even full match videos. It should be good for the squad. Anyone know why Jodi Jones wasn’t in the Alfreton Town game? I’ve not seen much said about Scott Robertson either, but it sounds like he might be out for a while. Both players could really do with a solid pre-season.

I wouldn’t say I’ve got the sharpest eye for spotting talent, not like the great Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler, but I saw that keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond has been released by Fulham. Young striker Michael Mellon looks very promising and could have a bright future ahead of him. One of the best young players I’ve ever seen play in person has moved to Switzerland. I reckon he knows what he’s doing, and I think Matthew Dennis might be heading that way as well. Michael Mellon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mellon Luca Ashby-Hammond: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luca_Ashby-Hammond Missed out on. Nathan Butler-Oyedeji [one to keep an eye on]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Butler-Oyedeji

It wasn’t an area I thought we needed to strengthen, but I’m pleased with the signing. We don’t yet know how we’ll set up or what changes Martin Paterson might make, but Barry Cotter looks like a player who’s better than League Two level. I always prefer permanent signings, though maybe this could become one if he does well. Time will tell, but fingers crossed he settles in quickly and makes an impact. It’s been a long time since we’ve had this much quality out wide, and the middle of the pitch is shaping up nicely too.

I wish I could go, but sadly I can’t make it. It would’ve been great to see the new signings in action and start to get a feel for what Martin Paterson might bring as our head coach. These friendlies are really just for getting players back into shape and building up match fitness. I don’t read too much into them. I am a bit curious about the goalkeeper spot and whether there’ll be any surprises. I also wonder what formation we’ll go with, and if there’ll be any changes during matches. The result and performance don’t mean much, especially if we end up playing different XIs in each half, which is likely.

Absolutely spot on. PON truly is a home for thoughtful discussion, friendly banter, and that warm sense of belonging we all look for in a community. It’s built on the kindness, wit, and input of its members, whether you’re starting a thread, dropping a quick reply, or simply taking part in a quiz for a laugh. Every bit adds to the welcoming atmosphere we’re so proud of. Let’s keep leading by example. By being encouraging, inclusive, and open to all, we make sure PON isn’t just the community we know and love, it becomes one others are drawn to as well. Here’s to everyone who gives their time and heart to keep it going.

This is brilliant, Michael. You've done an excellent job putting this together. Full credit to you for writing it so well.