Fozzy

Can I just state that Labour did not abolish Grammar schools, they banned the creation of new ones. There are still quite a few around, I know of two in Grantham including Margaret Thatcher’s old school. Personally, I think it is all about choice and a 20% tax will kill a lot of the independent schools off as parents won’t be able to afford it. There is a small school up the road from me in Wellow and their fees for year 7 plus are around £4500 per term, not unaffordable for a lot of working class families but £13.5K out of you yearly salary is still quite a hit. If parents want the best for their children they shouldn’t be penalised for already making a sacrifice, the Labour Party are restricting freedom of choice.

You missed out good organiser and communicator. Goalkeeper’s see danger before any other player on the pitch, a good organiser can cut out some of it before it’s too late.

Think we’re quite a bit behind than at the same point last year, but I’m pretty sure the early bird prices ended sooner last summer? Need a couple more decent signings in key positions to get the tickets moving again.

Ticks some of the boxes that we’ve been missing. His passing stats look a little worrying but as long as the players alongside him are fairly decent, then it should be fine. Played in the middle of a three for Barrow and not the quickest apparently. Need two more to go with him now, expect one to be established and another as maybe up and coming.

Lowest turnout ever for a general election? I seem to know more people that are refusing to vote than ones that will. I’ve never seen such a pathetic bunch of options available and spoilt ballots or independent candidates could be the runaway winner.

I think you’re not too far from the mark with that @menzinhoas I also see us around 3 years off promotion. 24/25: 6th playoff loss semi final 25/26: 5th playoff loss semi final 26/27: 3rd Promoted 27/28: 17th League 1 28/29: 9th League 1

I heard that any move would potentially be around 8 years away, so it won’t matter as they will be back in League 1 by then anyway.

This could end up being a real money spinner by allowing Premiership away fans to use it. Brilliant idea whoever came up with it, and would be great to have it ready for the Euros.

Always really quiet this month on here until the summer signings start to come in, only Chesterfield appear to be moving in the market at the moment.

Interesting how you are holding back Farrend Rawson’s stats @ARLukomskias on face value you would say that he ticks the right boxes, decent in the air and passing (without being flash). I would guess Notts have him on the list of possibles, especially with him being out of contract and also a Nottingham lad. One thing I am unsure of with him is his pace and leadership qualities, but he does have higher league experience and is bang on age range at 27. League of Ireland players are likely to be a gamble as we’re not sure of the standard, but assume it is similar to league 2. I wouldn’t want to rely on one as our main centre back, more of a backup who can grow into the team. I’ve heard Will Wright’s name mentioned quite a lot but I cannot see him moving north of Watford Gap (or even that far) to be honest.

I don’t watch any premier league games anymore and I couldn’t even tell you who is currently top, that is how little interest I now have in it. Football started going wrong back in the early 80s when the football league gave in to some clubs threats to breakaway unless they got to keep all home receipts. That just meant that the big clubs got a whole lot bigger and the gap started to widen. Then a few years later they broke away anyway and formed the premier league and widened the gap even more. Then along comes the ever expanding Champions League and that makes the gap insurmountable. They won’t be content until they’re all in a European super league with no relegation or promotion, practically having their cake and eating it

Pretty much nailed it for me with the list. I think Chicksen’s versatility saved him from being listed but I only expect him to be a bit part player next season, and listing Stone over Slocombe is the right choice. Sorry to see JB go, as he is just a great person, but on a footballing stand point it is the correct decision. Jim has left the club looking at the owners statement on right time to part ways, real shame but correct playing wise decision again. Baldwin I think would be OK in a side that just wants its defenders to do the basics, but we ask too much of them for their ability, plus his boots can’t keep him on his feet. I look at who we have left at the club (with 17 senior pros and 2 young players) and think that’s not a bad line up to have at this level. Add some serious defenders, a quality goalkeeper and a couple of midfielders, and we will have a quality side. The key is to recruit better than what we currently have (midfield will be difficult to), so the first signing will be massive. I look at the forwards and I just cannot think where Morias would get in with Macca, Jatta, Scott and Didzy all in front of him, I can see him either being sold or out on long term loan. Why do we need five strikers, unless something has been pre agreed? As for Randall, obviously his shopping and restaurant posts haven’t gone down too well with the management, he should have spent more time staying fit!

I’m with @ARLukomskiand @Piethagoramon this, but think we may have to look at loaning out some of the two year contract players as cannot see us mutually cancelling them all. I really fear for the clubs thinking if we offer Baldwin a contract, on his day he is good enough but he must have at least a dozen assists for the opposition. I also can’t see us bringing in at least 12 new signings so think we will be using most as squad players. I can see us bringing 8 players in maximum to be honest and any more would depend on first teamers such as Macca leaving. Stone has to go, he’s poor at claiming crosses, doesn’t talk and isn’t a great shot stopper either. He’s just not built like a modern day rangy shot stopper, he’s a bit short and doesn’t have a great leap, I would even keep Slocombe above him, he is that poor. Can see Chicksen and Cameron definitely staying for another year as squad players.

Some interesting comments, personally I’m not against us signing a young CB from the National League, but that must be in addition to two experienced CB’s from the football league. That way we will be addressing the here and now and also looking to the future. As for the summer: We’re strong up front and that doesn’t need any work unless it is to replace existing players, but we need to re sign Scott. Midfield first choice will be strong (assuming Matty returns to his best), but we still need to add depth to it, as we have basically had to make do and mend in there too many times. Defence: Critical that we sign 3 Centre Backs and preferably 2 proper wingbacks/full backs. Goalkeeper: Have to get rid of one first, but we’re desperate for a big, vocal and imposing keeper that’s not afraid to leave his line to claim crosses. Will be interesting to see who leaves this summer as I doubt it will be as many as the fans want. Regarding young players, as @Piethagoramsays. The premier league get to cherry pick any outstanding future talent now so there is little point in putting huge resources into the academy, it would be better spent on Premier League cast offs. From what I have seen of our current young players, I can’t see any of them being good enough (exception being Brooks who is now in his twenties).

I feel the statement could have been harsher worded to be honest. As one of the founding members of the football league, Notts alongside six of the others could have formed quite a vocal opposition to this. They should have called out the FA like the Tranmere statement did, now that was incredibly well worded and hit home with a lot of fans. The FA are running scared of the Premier League and the Government (whoever that may be) need to appoint the much talked about independent regulator as soon as possible because the FA cannot do it.

Spot on @Wheelbarrow repair man. If we don’t sign at least 2 experienced, quality centre backs that have played at least league 1 level, we won’t improve. If they sign kids or NL defenders, I think there will be uproar from the fans. We also need more physicality and pace in midfield at times and another physical presence for up front if we need to go long. Oh, and a decent keeper. I wouldn’t be surprised if Didzy calls it a day at the end of the season, but I’m hoping he’s still suffering from his injury as he has been miles off it since coming back. I hope Paul Mace and Stal don’t go easy on Montague tomorrow.

If ever a game showed that we have to be ruthless in the summer, it was this one. Terrible mistakes at the back alongside a hopeless referee only meant one result tonight. I actually thought we started quite well, but it was heads gone as usual when the inevitable mistake results in their first goal. How many assists has Baldwin got for the opposition this season? It has to be close to double figures. Brindley also showed that he is nowhere near the standard we need. Release them both in the summer with TAR and also try to offload Rawlinson. Can now see us genuinely releasing all out of contract players with the exception of Scott, who should have been brought on to get some minutes into his legs as there is no point just leaving him on the bench. I thought Robertson was quality, but we need a couple more centre mids in the summer as we don’t know how Matty will return. Finally, Randall can go shopping every matchday for me. He’s of no use to us.

I don’t think goals will be a problem, even if we lose Macca and JJ. It may even give us the chance to sign some proper wingbacks, rather than converted wingers. Brindley isn’t good enough to be kept on, his positioning is awful, not physically big enough and never gets tight to his man. It should be a case of thank you for your years of service but we need better. Defender wise, Cameron has another year as well as Chicksen so they will be kept on with Macari. Love Rawlo, but he is too old, too slow and not good enough, got to offload. Mahovo will also be here I think, so that’s four, bring in another four as first choice and we’re good to go. Keeper situation is what worries me most, as we’ve got to try and offload Sam and Stone. That is not going to be easy and makes me wonder if they are trying to force Stone’s hand by making him 3rd choice.

Very interesting the upturn in form recently, makes one think that the players were not happy about something and it has taken either something being said to them by the board, or the reaction they had from the fan base recently, resulting with the spats kicking off on social media. Looking at the game, it still shows we are very open by allowing 21 shots on goal, compared to our 6, and Cameron was definitely to blame for their goal. All he had to do was check his run and the Walsall player would have been a mile offside, but he played him on and never got anywhere near goal side. Will take the 3 points gladly and also gloat in the fact the FGR are all but down. Who would have guessed that the poaching of Burchnall would have been the catalyst to their demise!

I like the name “nest” and it makes sense. A magie’s nest has a roof over it, but for the fan zone to be authentic, it will also need to be spherical and I doubt it will be redesigned that way.

Don O’ looks younger now than when he was playing! Shame there’s no Drapes or Yates in the photo, and I wouldn’t have swapped any of them for today’s side, style was very different but really effective. Some great players there and Phil Turner was a brilliant skipper who was massively underrated by some fans.

I get what you mean @Fan of Big Tone as I also had no idea why people were clapping so didn’t participate. It wasn’t till I got home that I found out it was for a very young girl who never reached her 8th birthday because of her condition, guess how bad I felt! I do think though that any clapping for someone should go through official channels so it can be properly organised and all fans notified.

This was a strange one. We were by far the better side, but Harrogate had two one on ones before we scored (although Nemane’s offside looked close). This alongside LAH’s penalty save means that the result could have been entirely different, especially seeing as Harrogate had a real spell of pressure on our goal where LAH made another couple of great saves and saved his best for that point blank tip over the bar! Thought Nemane had a good game today, Sam was his usual steady self and Bostock was better today. Chicksen had a bit of a mare when he dropped into the backline for the 2nd half, he lost the ability control the ball! could someone also tell Crowley to not set foot in our own third of the pitch, he causes me heart palpitations!

Working today, watching Notts on Saturday, and Sunday I have a real highlight….. I have to fit two new bath panels at home!!! I don’t think I can contain my excitement!

It was Warner mate, Macari had gone off by then. A better keeper would help a lot. One that organises and is solid under the high ball, we haven’t had one since Carroll used to bark out his orders (he did go a bit far with his mouth sometimes). The goalkeeper is the one position that sees everything on the pitch and I’ve lost count as to how many times have we had players dispossessed because they are unaware of the pressure they’re under That’s because nobody in this side talks to one another, especially along the back line.