Joshua

It’s fantastic to see how seamlessly the new recruits, Dan Crowley and David McGoldrick, have integrated into Williams’ system. They’ve both shown themselves to be valuable additions to the team, and their contributions have already made a noticeable impact. With these strong new players on board, there’s a real sense of optimism and excitement for the upcoming season. Here’s hoping that their performances continue to impress and that the team as a whole can build on this positive momentum to achieve great success.

It’s insane the number of flights they took. I know there are some fixtures where it might be better to do this, but I do agree that the club should reduce it. Having a quick flight cuts down on the bonding you get from travelling closely on a coach. I don’t expect them to get the train, not at all.

The squad looks ready and good enough to face off against League Two teams. We have had a mix of pre-season friendlies which has shown in depth where we need to improve. The squad is good enough to do that, we have depth if we have players who aren’t quite putting in their best performances, but over the course of the season, it will all come together.

Pre-season friendlies can be like this, I am not too worried. It’s all about experimenting and mistakes will happen. I agree that these are things that improve during the season. It’s just important that Luke Williams sees it, as he can coach it out and improve the performance with his clear instructions. We have a strong midfield, so once the squad settles, I am sure the defence will do well, with whoever starts up top having the ability to net goals.

It sounds like it’s just an excuse not to play him. How would Macaulay Langstaff have an issue with fatigue? If it’s an injury, it’s exactly that, but combining the two is just funny. It sounded like Notts could have upped their game at times but didn’t.

It’s good to see that we have signed a centre-back, especially one who can play in other positions. There has been a lot of talk about him being good. I just think it’s a shame that Nathan Claxton hasn’t been given a chance since his Forest appearance. I think the two would complete our transfers ahead of League Two.

Luke Williams has received high praise, particularly noteworthy given the calibre of people David McGoldrick has worked with over the years. McGoldrick is a sensible and level-headed individual who speaks eloquently. These are exciting times! With Notts County back in the EFL and the ever-enthusiastic McGoldrick leading from the front, a good season lies ahead. His focus on hard work, fitness, and learning embodies the true spirit of football.

Thank you for sharing this article about @super_ram on the Pride of Nottingham site. It’s fascinating to read about his lifelong love for Derby and how it was nurtured by his family. It’s heart warming to hear about his early memories of listening to football results with his father and learning about Derby’s history from his uncle Stan. Also interesting to read about his experiences watching Derby play live, including his first away game in October 1957. It’s great to see how he continued to follow Derby County throughout his life, even when he started working in Nottingham and had a manager who was a Notts fan. It’s nice to see how they were able to share their love for football and talk about their respective teams.

I am pleased for David McGoldrick; it will be a natural lift to his goal, even if he doesn’t worry about scoring. He will be thinking about getting another, and it should lift his own morale. I liked the celebration from him, along with Jim O’Brien bowing and kissing David’s boot. The strike was superb, placed perfectly in the top right corner. A keeper would have to be special to even get a hand onto something like that. I also really appreciate McGoldrick’s laid-back attitude; he’s enjoyable to listen to.

I think Alfreton should give us a better match, but even we have improved since we last played, so I’m hoping that we can work on the defensive side and our space creation, as they have a tallish squad. It should be a good friendly!

I wasn’t at the match, but it seems like Boston heavily marked our players to the point where three or so of them were going in to clear the ball away from us. Domination is a good thing, even if we only won by one goal. It’s another valuable insight ahead of the upcoming season.

Luke Williams is absolutely right. At the end of the day, football is about enjoyment and it’s important to keep this in mind, even when faced with tough competition. When players have good relationships with each other and can share a laugh, it fosters a team-oriented mentality rather than an individualistic one. It’s clear that the squad wants the best for each other, the club, and the fans. With the current squad, they deserve nothing but our support and encouragement.

I think it shows just how good of a manager Luke Williams is. Our previous managers haven’t focused so much on the details. They may, to a degree, look out for players who are picking up slight concerns, but Williams seems to understand how important each aspect plays a role in the club’s success. It’s very articulate and precise; I can’t even think of a manager that has this approach. It’s not just him, but the staff he has around him. It’s very promising!

Defensively is the area we need to improve the most. We play good, fluid football and can break teams down when we control the matches. It’s good to see the players enjoying their football. I like how Luke Williams is building.

A lot of the away games that I will be attending will be decided very close to when the tickets go on sale, but I do find the list of fixtures interesting and the reasons why. I hope I can make it to games such as Walsall, Tranmere, MK Dons, etc. Bradford City is one of the bigger teams in the league too.

I'm all for Notts being back in a proper stripe! I loved the pinstripe of last season as well, but there's something iconic about the black and white bars. It feels quintessentially 'County.' The new kit design honours our history while giving a fresh appeal for the upcoming season. Exciting times!

Charlie was the ‘voice’ that we associated with Notts County. His warm and engaging commentary, coupled with his palpable affection for the club, truly endeared him to the fans. It's indeed a sad day knowing he won’t be there to narrate our victories and losses, but I am certain that wherever he goes next, he’ll be a smashing success. Good luck, Charlie!

He seems like an incredible representative of our club and someone who played with passion. I’m sure it takes a special individual to do all that he did for Notts. He may have done it all without hesitation, and some of it may have gone unnoticed, but stories like this change that. What I take away from reading about this alumnus is a sense of gratitude for those former players who go above and beyond to preserve our history. I hope we honour his legacy in the same way.

I hope the squad continues to settle down so that we can start to form an idea of who will be starting in the game against Sutton. I think it’s important to keep involving the youth players. It seems only two of them are being included now, but I would like to see more of Riley Reynolds. We have shown some good promise, and friendlies aren’t all about winning. They’re more about gauging how we’re preparing for the new season.

It’s clear that full focus during key stages is crucial. Williams owning up to his mistake and apologising shows good leadership. I initially thought Cameron had switched off, but this explains what happened.

I wasn’t sure how he would fit into the squad, having not seen him play much. However, he seems to have come back from rehab and training and just gone with it, which is great to see. He comes across as an uplifting character, which is always good to have in a squad. His ability is also showing, as he put in several classy crosses and was one of the better performers against Forest.

I completely agree with @CliftonMagpie's comment. The switch to a 4-4-2 formation was a positive change, allowing for more control in midfield and better defensive composure. It’s important to be patient in the build-up, moving the ball around to create space and prevent giving the ball away needlessly. Notts looked superb when they went for it, and both teams showed a lot of respect for each other. It’s great to see that even when tensions rose, the game never boiled over. It was a well-played match by both sides.

Forest didn't seem to have multi-million pound players. They could pass the ball around, but otherwise looked lacklustre. I don't think they really contributed much to the friendly, but Notts did a lot better. Connell Rawlinson performed well in defence. Jodi Jones looked on par with Forest, and it took three or four players to contain him. Matt Palmer played well, but he wasn't my Man of the Match. David McGoldrick coped well with the physical game that Forest brought, with all the pushing and shoving.

I hope we are more determined not to make silly mistakes. If the players do, I won’t call or shout nonsense at them, but I would feel disappointed. There are teams who play in friendlies like this, where the result matters. For me, I don’t care as much about winning, more about not embarrassing ourselves, which includes the fans. I would at least hope we find the net; otherwise, I just want to watch two Nottingham teams respecting each other. No doubt some armchair Forest fans will turn up trying it on.

Solid summary of our Summer signings. With the newly added depth and quality, Notts County should be unstoppable this season. Can't wait for it to kick off!