allardyces tash

Players with a mission and determination often show great self-motivation and drive. Jim O'Brien was eager to be part of the team that brought the club back to the English Football League, and he played a key role in achieving that. David McGoldrick has been outstanding this season. His performances towards the end of the 2023-2024 season were not solely his fault, but also a reflection of the lack of quality in the squad overall. I believe he has at least one more season left in him, but the decision ultimately lies with him. If Notts secures promotion to League One, I can imagine he might decide to retire.

I thought David McGoldrick was outstanding once again and delivered a strong performance throughout the game. If he hadn’t been required to do so much work leading up to some of his shots, I believe he could have placed them more accurately. Even if some feel he missed a few good chances, he deserves credit for creating those opportunities and performing well in all areas of the pitch.

Unlike in previous years, no profit and loss account was provided, nor was there a director’s report or an accountant’s report to give further context to the figures, with only the balance sheet included in this year’s accounts. Should the EFL step in and tell clubs that they must get their accounts in order before they can sign players for fees or sanction limits on their wage bill? There are a lot of clubs that are gambling with their future. Swindon Town haven't turned their misfortunes around properly. They still discard players almost every season to the point they have to rebuild, and some of this is down to the club's limited contract length. However, this season they did seem to start changing their stance on this. Still a poor state to be running as when it comes to football.

MK Dons are a joke. It's laughable that they're splashing cash like they're League Two's answer to Manchester United. Sure, they might be matching the Premier League giants in their own special brand of ineptitude, but to think of themselves as a big club? Please. They have less history than a blank page in a freshly minted notebook.

I can accept that Notts might not be ready quite yet for promotion. The inconsistencies and reliance on influential players might help Stuart Maynard in time, and I hope the club continues to back him. Whilst he's not perfect, I believe he's good enough and just needs to be braver at times. His game management when things aren't working could be better, but these are all reasons why he should be given longer. If the signs show improvement, we would be going the right way, and I think this is the case so far under Maynard.

He has never seemed to be a good fit in our team, but with Rod McDonald and other players, it just makes more sense to loan him out. I wouldn't write him off yet. I thought he did okay coming on against Colchester, and he has shown signs of doing much better. That said, he does have the potential to be the worst signing of the season, but I hope, given time, he can come good. A loan might just be the thing that pushes him to try harder if he can get minutes upon his return.

It's disappointing that Notts could not execute many of the chances. Truth be told, defensively we have been ropey for over a month, and performance-wise we are back to being very inconsistent. It highlights how much we miss David McGoldrick, whose experience helps us manage games a lot better. I don't want to write about the officiating, as it might come over as excuses or bitterness, but Barrow had a game plan and worked well despite Notts controlling the ball. They took their chances, and Notts can't make a high amount of possession work in games like this. I don't think it's just the injuries; Stuart Maynard needs to sort out the consistency. I am not calling for his head, but if he can be stronger, I believe it would help us with slipping further. The results as of late are not good enough if we want to aim for automatics, and the pressure is clearly part of the problem. I can't put into writing how frustrating yesterday felt. I can take losing, and not every game will go our way, but we are simply handing draws and defeats to the opposition.

I think Conor Grant should have started; he looked to be in good form and played well. Even with him coming on, I still believe he deserves the Man of the Match. I felt very disappointed that Notts couldn't execute many of the chances created. Defensively, it wasn't good either.

I thought it would be interesting to see the answers to the following questions, but also to encourage opening up a way for the community to get to know each other a bit better with some personal questions in the second part. Before replying and disappearing, I would like to encourage you to come back and make conversations about what members have shared to further the discussion. Favourite Player Right Now: Most Consistent Performer So Far: Rising Star in the Squad [Not Including Loanees]: Most Improved Player Recently: Best Player in Each Position: Who is your all-time favourite Notts County player and why? If you could have dinner with any current Notts County player, who would it be and why? What's your favourite Notts County chant or song? If you could relive any moment in Notts County history, what would it be and why? What's the furthest you've travelled to watch a Notts County game? Let's get to know each other a little better, it might help with the quietness the site is currently experiencing [not a complaint].

This could be taken the wrong way, which I would encourage people to hear me out before assuming I am picking at Matt Palmer. I just wonder if his consistency in the way he performs and goes about ensuring he doesn't put a foot wrong limits his ability to be a standout for the Man of the Match, at the cost of his creativity? Palmer is a superb midfielder and by far the best we have had in decades, he does go about the majority of his play quietly and has earned admiration for it. The amount of mistakes he makes is quite rare, and I think it is down to his approach to playing but I do wonder if the same method limits him from being seen as a regular Man of the Match candidate. What I am suggesting, is he's safe and at the cost of being more creative which could lead to mistakes, he repeats the same process within games that makes him consistent and the player we all admire but at what cost?

@menzinho You're almost spot on! If a goalkeeper drops the ball and picks it back up, it was indeed previously an indirect free-kick. However, the new rules starting from the 2025-26 season state that goalkeepers must release the ball within eight seconds of first holding it. If they fail to do so, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick instead. They can still bounce it without issue, though. Your idea about stricter penalties for repeated offences does sound a bit intense but might indeed discourage time-wasting even more effectively.

I voted for George Abbott. I thought there were some good performances, but some dropped off in the second half. I don't think Alassana Jatta did enough to be voted for.

Happy Birthday, young man. Hope your day is truly fantastic!

You would have thought it would be something the club's SLO would be able to help with. But it seems if you don't use social media and you don't know how to make contact, the chances of any petition would equally go unnoticed by the club.

I can't believe the club is actually going ahead and trying this again, with its new shiny name but the same principle. You would hope that it could be useful, but it needs a strong leader, and that is hard with getting football fan groups together. The Trews decimated the connection between fans, a bond that used to be present years ago when everyone seemed together. Now you don't see this at all. The fighting I am aware of amongst some is very petty.

I have written two blogs so far, and like some of the younger members of the site, I would like to encourage those who read this post to follow my blog. It might not be your cup of tea or coffee, but I enjoy adding a different tone to discussing Notts and the club's ongoings. At the very least, I might make you laugh once or twice. Perhaps not at all, but I try.

I don't read social media because there is always a minority who like to be negative and share opinions that make little sense. That's why I don't use X or Facebook, though I have an account to keep in touch with family via Messenger. I know full well what the pathetic portion of our fan base can be like; it's always the usual suspects.

The club is losing money due to the dire food quality in the stands. One area you would think would have improved is the standard of the tea bars and the warm food they offer. @Fan of Big Tone The pies are tasteless, with the worst pastry I have ever had. The hotdogs are rubbery and awful, while the burgers taste like reheated rubbish. The only thing I will eat is the overpriced chips, and that's only if necessary. The options within The Nest are superb, but the stands are still lacklustre, and I don't care for buying doughnuts.

I think Notts are good enough to finish in the automatics, but we need to strive for a bit more consistency on the pitch, no matter who is available to play. Naturally, injuries will make an impact, but it is more the lack of taking chances which usually sees points being lost or defensive woes. The talent is there, but being able to call upon someone special to dig them out of trouble seems to fall on fewer shoulders.

We share many similarities with Bradford Park Avenue, once Bradford's biggest team. They were stuck in their traditions and hesitant to embrace modern times. When I was younger, they were one of the most well-known Non-League teams but have yet to rise significantly. Some very good players have moved to the professional leagues after playing for them. Now, they play in the same league as Carlton Town.

Joe seems to focus on behind-the-scenes tasks at the ground, rather than the fans. I think it would be nice to have more frequent updates, not necessarily monthly. Now that he is a director, his role at the club will be a very important channel of communication, and I hope the club considers this.

You could certainly have a laugh and joke with Granny Pie. I was never much on the other side of her comments, but I agree she's a big loss and came across as a lovely woman. And while we take the time to remember her, it's so nice to see many of her grandchildren and family as members, even if some do not post. We also have Super Ram, which is a blessing nonetheless. I send my thoughts to all the family.

Mark Hughes will demand better, but that doesn't always result in better form. I don't think his appointment is destined to fail, but I don't see how he will be able to change their fortunes either. If Carlisle United goes down, it won't have much to do with their management this season but all the goings-on behind the scenes, and perhaps the wrong people are being sacked.

The home game was very impressive. It was always going to be a tough challenge to ask the team to compete against Swansea City, who were then in the Premier League. The replay at their ground was a very harrowing experience, but fans still chanted, which showed the spirit.

While each transfer window is different, Notts had plenty of opportunity to learn during the National League years when the Transfer Window was always open. This gave the club a chance to see how bringing in some risky players would work. I think over the years, there have been significant improvements, and we have always managed to bring in one or two players that we never would have dreamt of before. Take Jodi Jones in the National League, for example, despite his injury concerns. I never thought we would sign him, but recruitment has been strong, bringing in good players and helping the squad settle together. It shows good players that things are being well managed, and it's not always about who offers the most money.