CliftonMagpie

Martin Paterson gave a very good interview. I would have liked the media to push back a little when he refused to answer certain questions. I respect that he doesn’t want to talk about promotion and would rather let the football do the talking, but sometimes it’s okay to press a bit. There are polite ways to phrase things from his point of view, like saying he’s confident but will take it game by game, and after a few matches he’d hope to be in the top four and pushing higher.

Is he a striker or does he play out wide? If he’s a striker, he’s not kept up with scoring. I remember reading that he was one of the club’s top scorers at youth level. He really needs to push on with his career. Best of luck to him.

I don’t like it when newly promoted teams complain about how expensive the step up is or say things are overpriced. Compared to what, League Two? It doesn’t make much sense unless they’re trying to set up excuses early. They should stay positive and get on with it. It sounds like they wanted other players but settled for cheaper ones. What would their new signings think? Maybe they should have asked for more wages.

I really hope Jodi stays fit for most, if not all, of the season. We do miss him when he’s not playing. Trying him in an attacking midfield role is a smart move. It gives him some freedom, like others have said, but also offers a bit of protection. The main thing is that he enjoys his football. Helping the team by scoring, assisting and playing well will make a big difference.

There’s nothing stopping Jodi from drifting wide to put a cross in or making a run into space for a shot. He’ll be different to David McGoldrick, but I think the role suits him. It’s more about him getting his confidence back and letting go of the fear of another injury. I’m sure he still hesitates at times when he’s on the ball. There were a few moments against Cardiff where he looked unsure, so moving him into a new role could help both him and the team.

Newport County might not be the strongest side, but we shouldn’t underestimate them. They play well as a team and can cause problems if we’re not careful. If we lose focus or switch off at the back, it could cost us. I’m sure Martin Paterson will set us up to control the game, and I do think we’ll create chances that trouble them.

It’s the first game, though, and that makes it tricky. What’s on paper doesn’t mean much. We need to be sharp in front of goal and defend with courage to get the job done.

Me, Liam and TheSkipper have agreed that if we miss a round, we’ll each put £10 into a jar for every one we miss. At the end of the season, we’ll donate the money in PON’s name. If that helps us stay on track, we’ll think about other ways to support a charity through the site.

Bradford City 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers

Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Exeter City

Lincoln City 1-2 Reading

Plymouth Argyle 1-3 Barnsley (joker)

Barnet 1-0 Fleetwood Town

Cambridge United 0-0 Cheltenham Town

Grimsby Town 2-0 Crawley Town

Walsall 0-1 Swindon Town

With all the comments from our fans, Barry Cotter was always going to get the Potter joke. His goal against Cardiff shows he’s got a bit of magic in him. He looks like he can create special moments.

It’s always felt like their current owner is holding onto the club when he should just sell and move on. He’s causing problems that don’t need to happen.

He’s damaging Morecambe, and it’s time he did the right thing. Let someone else take over and give the club a chance.

Sadly, it looks like things will get worse before they improve.

Hello, welcome to PON @Chedozie. I also praise you for your choice of usernames, I am not as familiar with Chedozie because he played before I was born but I have seen clips of him. I hope you join in with us.

Harry Potter can do magic and stands up for what he believes in. He shows courage and always tries to protect others.

Jesus, no offence meant to anyone religious, is seen as a martyr. He didn’t fight in the usual sense, and there’s no magic like spells or powers. His main significance is that people believe he’s the son of God.

Hello, @one-two pie. Welcome! I also hope you grow to love being a part of PON. We're a very friendly community, and we enjoy nothing more than discussing the club. You should find the site to be enjoyable.

It’s the sort of content you put on when you’re bored, just to have something playing while you do other things. It doesn’t really grab you.

I agree, it looks a bit daft when they’re throwing money around for no reason, especially with the cost of living being so high. There are plenty of people who’d love to have that kind of cash just to afford basic things like food.

I do enjoy some of the stuff they put out, but I also think it’s a bit shameful how they act like it’s normal to waste money just because they’ve got it lying around. It shows a real lack of awareness.

Hello, @Terry Lyons. Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham. It's good to have you here.

Hello, welcome to the Pride of Nottingham @makesha. It's good to have you here.

Hello @DublinPie, welcome to the Pride of Nottingham. It's good to have you here.

Hello, welcome to the Pride of Nottingham @roadsider1862. It's good to have you here.

The quality feels lazy. I did think Leigh Curtis did a few good things, and so did the lad who came after him, but their focus doesn’t seem to match what we care about as fans. I’ll give credit when it’s due. That goes for Ratio Nottingham and BBC Sport as well. When they do something good, I’ll say so.

I just don’t see the point of buying a paper that ends up in the bin after a quick read. The website is off-putting too. There are far too many spammy adverts to bother with it.

It’s bad for the fans, but it’s good that they are being looked into for breaking the rules.

But when some clubs can get away with charges or put them off, you can’t help but wonder how fair the rules are. They are supposed to keep football on a level playing field and stop clubs bending them to suit themselves.

David McGoldrick finished well, even though he looked slow and heavy-footed before he struck the ball. He timed it just right in the end. Not being biased, but Vimal Yoganathan’s goal was much better. It showed real skill and reminded me of what Didzy is capable of when he’s sharp.

That said, people do tend to go overboard when former players score. There's often more excitement than the goal itself deserves.

Hello, @MC 11. Welcome to PON. You will find the Pride of Nottingham to be inviting and easy to get involved in, please do drop by and introduce yourself to us.

Speeding is against the law no matter who you are, so he got what was coming to him. Fame shouldn’t mean special treatment.

As for his football career, it seems like his name has done more work than his skills. He’s known more for getting jobs because of who he is, not how well he manages. That’s never a good look.

What if Andrew Lloyd Webber played a joke on David Baddiel, just because David believed a rumour that Andrew thought he was Ben Elton? It would be quite a clever way to poke fun at the mix-up.

It’s a funny story, though.

There are some valid frustrations, but I believe the criticism is a bit harsh in places.

The Notts media team generally does a solid job during the season and understandably quietens during pre-season. It would be great to see more creative use of that downtime, saved content or even smaller updates could help fans feel included. It's true we haven't had those regular CEO updates like we did under Jason Turner, and the absence of that personal touch does leave a gap.

As for fan engagement I agree it feels more corporate now. A return to that interactive community-first approach we once had would be welcome. However, I don't think the media team is ignoring fans. It might be more about time priorities and perhaps even burnout.

Recruitment-wise, I'm not worried yet. There is still time to add depth and plug the gaps. Yes we need an experienced goalkeeper no doubt, but I don't think the club has lost its way on data-driven signings. It's possible we've faced player rejections we don't hear about or we're being patient to land the right fit.

With the CEO, I do have questions. Communication feels limited and less transparent than it used to be, and more proactive engagement would not hurt. Jason Turner set a high standard there, and I would love to see that ethos return. As for Martin Paterson, I'm keeping an open mind. He seems professional and thoughtful in his interviews, and judging him before a ball has been kicked feels premature.

Pre-season can give clues, but competitive matches will tell us much more. I sense some of the concerns, but I wouldn't say the club is in crisis. We've built something strong over recent seasons, and it's worth being patient before jumping to conclusions.

If you're staying for two full days, you could spend the first day exploring Nottingham and the second visiting somewhere nearby. That way, you get a good mix of local sights and a change of scenery.

If you like going for walks, Derby has some lovely places to see. The Derby Cathedral is a great landmark, and Chaddesden Wood and Markeaton Park are peaceful spots for a stroll or a bit of nature.

St Peter's Church is worth a visit, and if you're into museums, the Museum of Making and Derby Museum & Art Gallery are both good choices with interesting collections.

Back in Nottingham, Castle Fine Art and Nottingham Contemporary might appeal to you if you're into artwork. The East Midlands is a lovely region to discover, and you could also look into Leicestershire or Northamptonshire for more ideas before finalising your trip.

Vanilla ice cream can be a bit hit and miss. A lot of it ends up tasting like cold milk, which isn’t how proper vanilla should taste when the pods are used the right way. Good vanilla has a lovely smell, and when it’s used in baking, it can taste amazing. It lifts the flavour and makes things feel richer.

Strawberry’s my favourite when it comes to ice cream. I do enjoy vanilla too, but it’s probably my third or fourth pick overall.