StarkMallard

To be fair you could say the same about Shaun Derry. Hope the similarities end soon!

Good reading as always @Joe Jones. Stripe thickness is a matter of opinion, personally I prefer thicker to thinner. The traditional look would be in line with last season's kit but we can't have exactly the same every season. I wouldn't have minded having the black and white reversed, with the black in the middle and the badge on the white. That way the sponsor only obliterates one black stripe instead of two. But all in all I think it's the nicest home shirt we've had in a while. The rest look like off-the-peg jobs though, not keen.

There's nothing wrong with keeping the existing framework in place, the end of last season shows it does have potential and we have the advantage that the team has already "gelled". But a lot will depend on the new players we now bring in - they all need to be at least candidates for the first 11. We can't rely on Ameobi and Stead all season, and I'd like to see at least one new centre-half who can add some leadership and organisation at the back. The defence has needed surgery for years and I'd feel happer if there was at least talk of us strengthening in that area.

August does look tough, but in reality it's difficult to tell what the "difficult" fixtures really are before the season starts. Coventry are in a right mess and looking at the bookies' odds Chesterfield and Wycombe are less fancied than we are. It could well be that Accrington and Morecambe are sterner tests than those three! I looked out for Lincoln but unfortunately I'm unlikely to be there for either. Shame, that's a ground I enjoy visiting. Mansfield at home could work for me though. The end of the season could be tasty if there's something at stake - three of the last five at home, one against Cov with presumably a good away following, penultimate game at Grimsby (we could take a few there - the missus will love a weekend at the seaside) and then finishing at home to Luton, who will probably be in the promotion picture again.

Excellent read! I wonder if any Iremongers are still connected with the club in some way? Good job there was no such thing as YouTube back then!

When I saw that I thought we were taking part in an international tournament against exotic foreign teams! Alas it's just the League Cup and we've got Scunny away. Don't we play Scunny away every year?

This is a very neat idea, hope it pays off financially too. I also like the option to go sponsor-free - how many of our shirts have been completely ruined by a tacky sponsor in the past?

Sad news, RIP. His time as chairman was certainly a rollercoaster ride with lots of ups and downs.

A very interesting experiment, although I'm not sure it'll pay off financially. A sponsor that appears on the replica shirts will receive far more exposure, and will be more closely associated with the club in the public's eye, than one that doesn't. It'll be seen as our "default" sponsor. A sponsor that appears on the shirts during, say, January but doesn't appear on any replica shirts will get a lot less exposure and will probably pay accordingly. From an aesthetic point of view I can't say the idea of alternating shirt sponsors fills me with joy, but with a couple of exceptions I can't say I'm that bothered what logo appears on the shirts.

Personally I would prefer us to win our first 30 games, seal promotion and then coast the season out. But then I am a man of simple pleasures.

Good choice! He was good in The Flintstones.

What also connects us is that both clubs enjoy success when the year ends in one. Chas and Dave sang a song about it for Spurs. Notts were promoted in 1931, 1971, 1981 and 1991, our best-ever position (3rd in division 1) came in 1891 and 1901 and we reached the FA Cup final in 1891. Shame Munto didn't come a year later, as we could have added 2011 to the list too. Who's having a flutter on promotion in 2021?

Maybe Don could have taken the goal home with him? He could have put it up in his garden. It's good that Spurs are only moving next door so their fans will be able to keep their pre-match rituals. That's a big part of a matchday. On the other hand, I'm very uncomfortable with a club side using Wembley for home games. Wembley should be for special occasions only. I never knew that Notts were the first visitors to WHL. So to my knowledge we played in the opening matches at White Hart Lane, the Nou Camp and the Juventus Stadium (and didn't win any of them). Any more? Possibly that place on the other side of the Trent too?

"My greatest concern is that some people are being misled by the idea that our chosen format of the Checkatrade Trophy is providing a pathway for 'B-teams' to be inducted into the EFL. This, quite simply, will never happen. We would certainly never vote in favour of it." This is almost impossibly naive and short-sighted. If B teams are allowed to become a normal and accepted part of the English football landscape, it is only a matter of time until some executive comes along, who wants to make a name for himself with some "blue-sky thinking", and has the grand idea of allowing Premier League B teams in the League system. It'll help the England team, he'll say. And all it would take to make it a reality is a bit of extra cash from the Premier League. The point of their inclusion in the Trophy was to give young players experience of senior competitive football. If the Trophy isn't competitive enough for them, the next step would be their inclusion in other competitions - the League have long been looking for ways to "liven up" the League Cup so I wouldn't be surprised to see it there. This could then be the gateway to League status. Not next season, but in 10, 15, 20 years. The Football League is a cherished institution and must be protected from this kind of pointless nonsense.

Firstly, welcome to the community! Secondly, what you say is fine. The Paintpot Trophy is not attractive but it is a realistic opportunity to reach Wembley. And if the other story posted today is correct, most people opted for its continuation without the B teams. It was a while back so I'm not sure, but I think the survey was held before the takeover. But the B teams are the problem here. They need to go, for the reasons outlined above.

They've gone for the money. In the article it's claimed that more than 50% (probably not much more, otherwise they'd have told us the figure) of Notts fans who responded agreed that the competition should go ahead "in some form". But these are split between those who want to keep the current format and those who don't. How many of them wanted to stick with the current format? We don't know, it's not disclosed. It's highly likely that it's less than the 40-49% of people who want it scrapped altogether. This is short-termism at its very worst. If B teams are allowed to become normalised then it's only a matter of time until some Premier League executive floats the idea of letting them in the Football League. And as we've seen, if you offer League clubs enough pound notes they'll accept anything. If you want to see for yourself what this would mean you're welcome to come to Germany to watch a match involving a B team. Experience the thrills and spills of 300 spectators in a stadium holding 50,000 watching a team that fluctuates wildly from one week to the next, distorting the competition. This is why it is essential that B teams are not allowed to become normalised in senior football. It doesn't matter if the League offers us 10 million, letting them get a foot in the door is a massive act of self-harm. Right now I'm ashamed of my club. I hope the other clubs have seen sense on this.

It seems that money rules everything. B teams must NOT be allowed a way in to senior football and frankly Notts have let themselves down by thinking short-term and taking the money. I regularly watch matches against B teams in Germany and more often than not they bring 0 away fans with them and distort the competition. Having to play our first team against Derby B or similar is simply a humiliation. If we get drawn against a B team at home I would hope to see a boycott.

WHAT?!?!?

Good piece. How hairy did the table look at times this season! Not to mention the shenanigans behind the scenes. We only have to look a Leyton Orient to see how lucky we are. Next season will be a different kettle of fish with stability behind the scenes. Much depends on Kevin Nolan's reshaping of the squad over the summer - an area in which he is a novice. Hopefully he can avoid Shaun Derry syndrome, bring some good talent in and give the team the right mentality by August.

It was disappointing to end the season on a bum note but on the plus side it should kick any complacency about our prospects for next season into touch. And at least it doesn't sound as though we were on our holidays - it was just rubbish defending that was our undoing, yet again. I feel sorry for Hartlepool getting relegated like that after being safe up to the 89th minute, but they've been hanging around the trap door for most of their 80-odd years in the League so it was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm sure they'll be back soon. On the other hand, I genuinely fear for Leyton Orient.

Those rules are for spectators though. For instance, both teams always have a stack of water bottles for the players at every match, yet if you applied that regulation across the board (and not just to fans) they wouldn't be allowed in as bottles and cans are banned. Same for fireworks. There are fireworks at every FA Cup and Champions League final. The problem is just that they look a bit rubbish in daylight

I wonder if the yellow thing at the end was Colin's beeper that goes off on 45 and 90 minutes? I'm going to miss that.

I dunno @CliftonMagpie, we're involved simply because we're playing there on the last day. We just have to remember it's not just Newport fighting for survival. We should give our all to maintain the integrity of the competition, and I think we will. Whether that will be enough for the three points is anyone's guess, the hosts are on form and they and their fans will obviously be up for it.

I hope the lads give their all and end the season on a high. This match is vitally important for the hosts as they need to win to secure their League status. Even a draw could spell disaster for them. I wouldn't want Hartlepool to slip out of the League because our players are on their holidays already, but I can't see that happening to be fair.

I think the pyrotechnics are just banned in the stands for safety reasons @4everapie, I've seen them on the pitch on a number of occasions. Fireworks don't really work at football matches though, especially during the day. Nice that the club marked the last home game though. I wonder if the flag on the Sirrel stand is going to be replaced in the summer? Black flags are a bit too ISIS for my taste.