Joe Jones

Notts County have moved back to the top of League Two thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday. Kevin Nolan's men went ahead after 16 minutes when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home. Seven minutes into the second half, Matt Tootle beat his marker with a Cruyff turn and crossed for Ryan Yates, who glanced in his first league goal of the season. Barnet, however, kept plugging away and set up a nervy finish when substitute Simeon Akinola rifled beyond Ross Fitzsimons - who came on for the injured Adam Collin - inside the far post with seven minutes remaining. Here is what the Notts boss, some of the players and several fans had to say following the game. Kevin Nolan "You have to ride your luck a bit. You only have to look at the results from around the league this afternoon to see how difficult it is. "We dealt with Barnet superbly but we have a lot more to come. We have to remember where we've come from. We're still a team in transition. "The lads have been superb and they have to keep believing in each other. What we're doing at the minute is remarkable and they deserve every pat on the back that's coming their way. "To get this win is massive after the last couple of weeks. Hopefully we can build momentum with a few more. I have faith in these lads to get us the points we need. "But we can't let them get carried away with that. They need to enjoy it, embrace it and try to get better so we can become a real force in this league." Ryan Yates "I'm delighted with the three points and my first league goal. Credit to Barnet - they are a good team and had spells in the game but I thought we dealt with it well. They moved the ball quite nicely at times but we were still in control. Luckily I took my chance today and we got the win." The Notts players on social media The Notts fans Scott Weatherbed: If Notts carry on playing how they are we should not only finish on 103 points but should be safe by 23rd December on 50 points! Jay Dalton: Shaky first half bit lack lustre then second half stepped up a gear and maintained the pressure nervy defence last 5 min but credit to notts and we March on Nolan's super notts black white army. David Burkey: Is there some needle between Collin and Fitzsimons ? I thought both did well but no handshakes between the two of them either when the change was made or at the end of the match? Chris: It looked like we had picked up a solid 3 point victory, yet we invited Barnet to get back into the game. I'm not disappointed, but I think we need to be more clinical. Had the disallowed goal have stood, I don't think Barnet would have crept back into it. Credit goes to Fitzsimons because he was outstanding after Collin went off. Share your thoughts about this reaction piece on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Kevin Nolan has insisted that Notts County can cope if goalkeeper Adam Collin is ruled out through injury. The Magpies number 1 took a knock in a first-half collision with a Barnet player on Saturday and though he toughed it out for a while, eventually he had to be taken off at Meadow Lane. Notts brought on Ross Fitzsimons in Collin's place and the 23-year-old gave a good account of himself as the hosts held out for a 2-1 victory which saw them edge back to the top of League Two. "Adam took a bang on the knee so we're hoping it's more of a contact injury rather than a pull or a strain," Nolan told the official club site. "But we brought two goalkeepers in during the summer (Fitzsimons and Branislav Pindroch) and they've pushed Adam to new levels. "Ross came on and made some important saves and catches. I'm totally confident we have more than enough quality in the squad if Adam has to sit out for a couple of games." Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County have moved back to the top of League Two thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday. Kevin Nolan's men went ahead after 16 minutes when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home. Seven minutes into the second half, Matt Tootle beat his marker with a Cruyff turn and crossed for Ryan Yates, who glanced in his first league goal of the season. Barnet, however, kept plugging away and set up a nervy finish when substitute Simeon Akinola rifled beyond Ross Fitzsimons - who came on for the injured Adam Collin - inside the far post with seven minutes remaining. Notts County have put the match highlights up on their YouTube channel - relive the key moments of the game right here. Share your thoughts about the game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Notts County are still a team in transition despite reclaiming top spot in League Two with a 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday. Goals from Shola Ameobi and Ryan Yates gave the Magpies a healthy advantage, although it proved a nervy ending to the game after Simeon Akinola's late strike at Meadow Lane. "You have to ride your luck a bit," Nolan told the official website. "You only have to look at the results from around the league this afternoon to see how difficult it is. "We dealt with Barnet superbly but we have a lot more to come. We have to remember where we've come from. We're still a team in transition. "The lads have been superb and they have to keep believing in each other. What we're doing at the minute is remarkable and they deserve every pat on the back that's coming their way. "To get this win is massive after the last couple of weeks. Hopefully we can build momentum with a few more. I have faith in these lads to get us the points we need. "But we can't let them get carried away with that. They need to enjoy it, embrace it and try to get better so we can become a real force in this league." Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County have returned to winning ways and sit atop League Two once again following Saturday's 2-1 win over Barnet at Meadow Lane. The Magpies had slipped into a mini-blip prior to this weekend, with a defeat at Mansfield Town and a poor home draw with Forest Green Rovers sending alarm bells ringing ever so slightly. However, Shola Ameobi's header on the quarter-hour mark and Ryan Yates's equivalent from Matt Tootle's pinpoint cross set Notts on their way, even if it proved a nervy ending with Simeon Akinola's late deficit-halver. Kevin Nolan's charges started brightly and threatened in the seventh minute when Carl Dickinson's cross fell to Richard Duffy at point-blank range, but a Bees defender got in the way of the ensuing strike. Notts didn't have to wait long to take the lead as Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home in the 16th minute. The remainder of the opening 45 minutes saw little action, with the only incident of note involding Adam Collin, who collided with an opposition player mid-air, but he was fine to continue and came out for the second half. The Notts keeper had to be alert to keep out a deflected Barnet effort, backpedalling to push it over the bar and out. Soon enough, the hosts were two goals to the good, as Tootle Cruyff-turned his man and sent a cross into the box, where Yates was on hand to nod home for his second of the season and first in the league. Eventually, Collin's first-half injury left him unable to continue, so Ross Fitzsimons came on just before the hour mark in between the Magpie sticks. At the other end, Lewis Alessandra burst into the Bees box and rifled an effort towards goal, only for Craig Ross to pull off a smart save, before Jorge Grant blasted over from six yards. Notts thought they had claimed a third goal when Stead drilled home at the back post, only for the referee's assistant to flag for offside. Barnet subsequently stepped their game up and forced Fitzsimons into several smart saves before Akinola struck back in the 81st minute with a powerful shot into the bottom corner. However, the Magpies managed to withstand a nervy finale and the full-time whistle saw them clinch all three points. Share your thoughts about this match report on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Forest Green Rovers manager Mark Cooper has denied that he feels let down by Liam Noble's return to Notts County. The 26-year-old departed the newly promoted League Two club earlier this week, citing a desire to move nearer his family in the North East. As it turned out, Noble was then pictured training with the Magpies and, on Thursday afternoon, Notts announced that their former player was now on their books again. The summer saw a tug of war between Notts and FGR over Noble, with a fee of £100,000 bandied about, only for the midfielder to pen a new three-year contract at the New Lawn. Now Kevin Nolan’s side have got their man for nothing, but Cooper says he feels no animosity towards the former Sunderland man. “Liam had a medical condition which he said meant he had to be near his family in the North East,” he told BBC Radio Gloucester. “We have a duty of care and we decided to help Liam out with that. Because of the medical issue and the need to be around his young family, we decided to let him go. “I don’t feel let down, football is football. He’s moved on and we’ve signed a really good midfielder in Isiah Osbourne. “Liam will take his time. He can’t play for them until January. Let’s see how he does, he’s got to get in their team first. “Once Liam had demanded to move to the North East and his heart wasn’t in playing for us, we ripped the contract up. "He had a three year contract, so we’ve saved three years worth of money.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County and Barnet have met 17 times over the years. The head to head stands at 9 wins for Notts, 5 for Barnet, and 3 draws. The first meeting took place only 20 years ago, the Magpies winning 2-1 at Underhill in Division 3. The last fixture took place in March this year, Notts winning 1-0 at Meadow Lane. The club was founded in Chipping Barnet, then part of Hertfordshire, in 1888. Several incarnations of the club existed before the third Barnet FC, created after the First World War, came to be - this entity continues till today. Barnet have won the Football Conference a record three times - in 1991, 2005, and 2015, as well as finishing second three other times. Aside from a runners-up medal in the 1971-72 FA Trophy, their silverware cabinet is restricted to minor trophies. A number of Barnet players have gone on to represent Premier League clubs. They include Dougie Freedman, Marlon King, Andy Clarke, Linvoy Primus, Maik Taylor, Mark Gower, Jason Puncheon, Yannick Bolasie and Albert Adomah. Players who came to the club towards the end of their careers include Jimmy Greaves, Mark Lawrenson, David Hillier, Alan Pardew, Eddie Newton, Paul Warhurst, Steve Kabba, John Oster, Jonathan Fortune, Edgar Davids and Lee Cook. Team news Shola Ameobi is fit again for Notts and is in contention for a return to the starting line-up. The likes of Lewis Alessandra, Elliott Hewitt, Haydn Hollis and Nicky Hunt could also be considered by Kevin Nolan. Midfielder Liam Walker is available again after missing the home draw with Forest Green while on international duty with Gibraltar. Dan Jones has been struggling with a hamstring injury in recent weeks, missing the last three matches, and Nolan will hope to have the left-back back in contention again soon. Barnet top-scorer Shaq Coulthirst will be assessed ahead of the trip to Meadow Lane. The forward, who has six league goals, has been struggling with a hamstring problem and missed last weekend's goalless draw with Coventry. Bees boss Rossi Eames has no fresh injury concerns but remains without a host of key players. Goalkeeper Jamie Stephens, left-back Elliott Johnson, midfielder Curtis Weston and forward Dave Tarpey remain out, along with defender Richard Brindley and striker John Akinde. Share your thoughts about this Stat Attack piece on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Shola Ameobi has spoken of a "culture change" at Notts County whereby the players have higher expectations of themselves. Following a near-perfect September, the Magpies have stumbled in the last two weeks, losing at Mansfield Town and scraping a draw with Forest Green Rovers at Meadow Lane. With Barnet the next opponents, Ameobi is eager to "show the fans we still have plenty to give". The 36-year-old told the Nottingham Post: "From the run we had at the beginning of the season, the last two results haven't been what we wanted. "But we have all taken stock this week as a squad and a management team and looked at how far we have come. "There are times when things aren't going to go our way and we understand that. It is difficult to win every week over the course of a 46-game season. "But there is no sense of panic here, which is great, but we have to get back to basics and do what we are best at. "We have made Meadow Lane a fortress and we didn't want to lose the home record we have built up because we are proud of it. "There has been a culture change now. Going into the dressing room at full time, people's heads were down even though we had managed to take a point in stoppage time. "To be disappointed with that shows we have come a long way. "We have another chance on Saturday to show the fans we still have plenty to give. I think you will see a good example of what we're about as a team." Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

The love triangle between Liam Noble, Notts County and Forest Green Rovers was a saga that lasted for a big chunk of the summer, with multiple failed bids and a war of words between the clubs' chairmen, and it appeared settled when the Nailsworth club tied their captain down to a new contract. But over the last week, it's emerged again and then exploded outright as Noble was ruled out through a medical issue, was released by mutual consent due to his desire to move closer to his family in the North East, and now he's been snapped up by the Magpies. To say the whole saga and subsequent acquisition of the 26-year-old has been divisive among the fanbase would be an understatement. Here, Pride of Nottingham has a look at some of the opinions surrounding Noblegate that have been shared on our social media pages. Share your thoughts about this fan reaction piece on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Kevin Nolan has outlined the qualities possessed by Liam Noble which he feels will improve Notts County in the new year. The 26-year-old former Magpies player left Forest Green Rovers by mutual consent earlier this week, citing a need to be closer to his family in the North-East. On Thursday, Pride of Nottingham's publication of photos appearing to show Noble in training with Notts was swiftly followed by the club's confirmation of the player's acquisition. Nolan has admitted that Noble will be held to completely different standards compared to his last spell at Meadow Lane but does not doubt his footballing qualities. “I think we have really good players here already, but I think he is a different type of central midfielder than what we have got,” he told the Nottingham Post. “He can see a pass, he works hard, but I watched him in training on Thursday and you can see that quality and his vision. “He wants to get on the ball and make things happen. He has composure which is always great to have. “And when he finally becomes available in January, we will have three top central midfielders that any club in this division would be delighted to have. “He adds extra competition and puts everybody on their toes.”

Notts County have had a bit of a downturn in form, with their derby defeat at Mansfield Town followed up by a woeful performance against Forest Green Rovers that ended up as a draw by sheer miracle. The Magpies will hopefully have regrouped over the last seven days as another relatively winnable game awaits, a home encounter with Barnet. Although the Bees are not exactly setting League Two on fire, neither were FGR, and look how that turned out, so here's hoping Notts will have gone back to basics and got themselves back up to scratch. Pride of Nottingham spoke to Barnet fan Dan to get an insight on Saturday's opposition. About Dan: I'm in my 20s, been a Bees fan since 2005, and my favourite player is John Akinde. 1) London famously boasts 12 clubs in the Premier League and Football League - who are your biggest rivals? Historically our fiercest rivals were Enfield, while Wealdstone are our current main enemies. In terms of league encounters, any match between ourselves and other London teams tend to have a bit extra spice, but it's just us at present from London in the league. Closest thing this season would be Luton but we don't really see them as proper rivals. 2) What was it like when legendary midfielder Edgar Davids became manager of your club? At first it was pretty surreal, to see such a world-famous player rock up to Underhill and take the reins, and he did pretty well at first, though we ended up going down on the final day due to our woeful start-of-season form. In the Conference, his relationship with the fans became strained as it seemed like he was hogging the limelight and, with the team pretty much out of contention for the playoffs by January, he resigned. Started well, ended sour, but was definitely a memorable experience. 3) Martin Allen is remembered fondly at Meadow Lane - what do you think of him at the Hive? On one hand he has given Barnet some good times - in his last spell (fourth) with the club, he took an average Conference side and turned them into champions within a year and left with the club in the top 10 of League Two. On the other hand, he did ditch us for Eastleigh, who were waving their chequebook, and just days before leaving, he sold one of our key players to them - ironically, neither of them were at their new club for very long! 4) Looking from the outside in, Tony Kleanthous seems like a very involved, hands-on chairman. What's he like? No complaints about him whatsoever. He's been a very good chairman for Barnet over the years, has kept us financially stable, invests in the club, and in terms of managerial appointments, has a decent record. 5) Who are your danger men? Shaq Coulthirst has had a great start for us, with six goals and three assists so far in the league and was voted the Player of the Month. Then there's John Akinde, who has scored over 20 goals in each of the last two seasons in League Two and he's back from injury now, so once he hits top form again, he'll be dangerous. 6) Score and scorer prediction I'm hoping we can pounce on County's recent poor form and claim a win. I'll say 2-1 to Barnet, Coulthirst brace. Share your thoughts about this opposition view article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Kevin Nolan has expressed his delight with Notts County re-signing Liam Noble but insists that it's "a different club" now to when he was last at Meadow Lane. The 26-year-old, who recently left Forest Green Rovers, put pen to paper on an 18-month deal at Notts and will be available for selection as of January 1. “I am delighted to sign him,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “The circumstances of his departure from Forest Green are between him and them. “For me, he is somebody we chased in the summer and were willing to pay a lot of money for him. “I had a chat with him on Wednesday to see where he was at and what he was doing. “It was then down to me to make a decision with my staff as to whether Noble comes into the team and makes it better or does he weaken it in the dressing room or on the pitch. “I think from speaking to the lad, I think he’s going to be a good addition and I believe we can improve him in a lot of areas. “He’s got a long wait before he makes his debut, but it’s a different club now. “We’ve made clear to him that there are standards he has to stick to and raise. “He can’t bring them down. It’s a nice thing for him to be able to come back and prove a lot of people wrong. Hopefully that’s what he will do." Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County have confirmed that Liam Noble will rejoin the club on an 18-month deal on January 1. The 26-year-old, previously on the books of Notts County, was club captain at Forest Green Rovers last season as they won promotion to League Two. Noble made 11 appearances in all competitions this season, but has not featured for Mark Cooper's side since the loss to Swindon on September 22. He subsequently left Forest Green Rovers on Monday citing a need to move closer to his family in the North East of England. Pride of Nottingham broke the scoop by publishing pictures of the midfielder apparently in training with Notts on Thursday. Later in the afternoon, the club confirmed the news, saying in a statement on the official website: "(Noble) will sign an 18-month deal on 1 January. "As his contract with his former club was terminated outside the transfer window, Noble will not be able to sign for the Magpies until it reopens in the new year. "He will be eligible to play for Notts from the home fixture against Crawley Town on 6 January and, in the meantime, will train full-time with the club and feature in reserve matches." Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Unattached midfielder Liam Noble is training with Notts County, according to a report. The 26-year-old's Forest Green Rovers contract was cancelled by mutual consent on Tuesday with the club citing his desire to be closer to his family in the North-East of England. Noble's departure from Nailsworth has led to much debate among Magpies fans over whether the player should return to Meadow Lane. A source at the club's training ground has sent us two pictures of what appears to be Noble in training alongside the Notts players. Noble is presumed to be the man in the centre of the pictures, standing next to the free kick mannequin. This season's training kits appear visible in the photos. Noble was subject of a number of bids from Notts over the summer which went up to £100,000, which were rejected by the New Lawn outfit and led to a war of words between the clubs' chairmen. The maverick midfielder can only sign for a Football League club in the new year, but is currently free to sign for National League clubs not restricted by the rules of the transfer window. Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

What's been happening in League Two over the last week? Here is Pride of Nottingham's round-up of the news from the last seven days. - Chesterfield appointed veteran football administrator Michael Dunford as their new chief executive. The Derbyshire native had a five-year spell as Everton’s CEO and held the same role at Birmingham City, Plymouth Argyle and Crawley Town. - Harry Redknapp took on a role at Yeovil Town as an unpaid advisor following his departure from Championship side Birmingham City. - Port Vale appointed Lee Nogan as the club's assistant manager and Gary Brabin as first-team coach, while chief scout Darren Wrack has left Vale Park. - Swindon Town goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux was hit with a four-game ban for using "foul and abusive language" towards match officials after the final whistle of the 2-1 defeat by Coventry in late September. - Billy Kee extended his contract with Accrington Stanley until the summer of 2021, a three-year addition to his previous deal. - Liam Noble left Forest Green Rovers as he wanted to be closer to his family in the North-East of England. - Morecambe's financial future is secure for at least the next two years, according to Graham Burnard, who represents majority shareholder G50 Holdings. - Yeovil Town defender Daniel Alfei will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2017-18 season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. All news stories sourced from BBC Sport and Sky Sports. Share your thoughts about this news roundup on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Carl Dickinson has revealed he's been busy practising free kicks but insists Notts County's strength in depth from set pieces is impressive. Jorge Grant, Dan Jones and Dickinson have all scored directly from set pieces this season, the latter smashing into the top corner of the Mansfield Town net from 25 yards out. “It was great to score against Mansfield and I was delighted with it because I have been champing at the bit to take one,” Dickinson told the Nottingham Post. “I’ve been taking them in training and have been smashing them past Adam Collin, who has been getting a little bit wound up! “But we’ve got some great lads and great technicians who can do it. Jorge popped up with one and so has (Dan Jones). We’ve been a lot better from set-pieces as a whole. “We look dangerous and defensively we have looked really solid against them too. More goals from set-pieces is only going to help us.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Rob Milsom has admitted that not scoring many goals is something that has bugged him throughout his career but is hoping to chip in with a few more for Notts County by the end of the season. The midfielder got his first goal for the Magpies last Saturday, a 96th-minute equaliser that salvaged a point at Meadow Lane against Forest Green Rovers. “I don’t score many, and it is something that has bugged me throughout my career,” Milsom told the Nottingham Post. “It’s something that I obviously need to do better at, but I think other parts of my game kind of make up for it. “But I was delighted to get the goal even though it wasn’t the best of headers. It went in and I just hope there are more to come. “Obviously it was my first ever goal for the club and it was a good feeling for me and the team to score that late on because it ensured we got the draw. “Hopefully we can put some more runs together and maybe I can chip in with a few goals from now until the end of the season.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County owner Alan Hardy has claimed that Kevin Nolan's success as a manager is due to his "innate ability" to be both on the same wavelength as his players and also their boss. The former Premier League midfielder has turned a side that was battling relegation last winter and turned them into one in the top three of League Two. Nolan was rewarded for his exploits in September, which saw Notts claim six wins from seven, with the League Two Manager of the Month award. “What I especially like about him is the uncanny relationship he has with the squad,” Hardy told the Nottingham Post. “It’s a very rare gift to be able to relate to the players at their level, and be one of the boys, but still command supreme respect from them. “Only a few managers have it and I don’t believe there is a manager at League Two, One or even Championship level that has that innate ability.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Liam Noble has departed Forest Green Rovers because he wants to move closer to his family in the North-East of England, the club have confirmed. The 26-year-old, previously on the books of Notts County, was club captain at the Gloucestershire outfit last season as they won promotion to League Two. He made 11 appearances in all competitions this season, but has not featured for Mark Cooper's side since the loss to Swindon on September 22. "Liam has family in the North East that he needs to be with, and we understand that," Cooper told the official FGR site. "His efforts and hard work on the pitch are recognised and appreciated by both the club and the fans. We wish him the best of luck." Noble told the club website: "Thank you to the chairman and manager for supporting me through this difficult decision. "The fans have made my time at the club special - thanks to them." Noble, who hails from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, signed a new contract with Rovers until 2020 as recently as July, after he was the subject of bids from Notts. Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Kevin Nolan has admitted that nerves may have got the better of his Notts County players against Forest Green on Saturday. The Magpies seemed a shadow of the side that enjoyed a near-perfect September as they fell behind to an Omar Bugiel goal and stole a 1-1 draw via a late Rob Milsom equaliser. “As a management team we will sit down and think of ways we can help the players,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “I just felt on Saturday we went away a bit from the tempo we usually play at. We played to Forest Green’s instead and we didn’t exploit their weaknesses. “We seemed a bit nervous and we want to take that away from them. They have to realise they are at the top of the league for a reason – and that’s because they are good players. “They do the right things more often than not. Nerves are when I first walked through the door in January and you are second from bottom.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Rob Milsom has revealed that Kevin Nolan had given the Notts County players "a kick up the backside" during the break in their League Two game with Forest Green. The Magpies did not replicate the stunning form that saw them shoot to the top of the table in September as the visitors came mighty close to leaving Meadow Lane with all three points. Omar Bugiel had given FGR the lead and they maintained it until the 96th minute, when Milsom struck a late equaliser for a final score of 1-1. Milsom said Nolan had given the players a verbal dressing down at half-time because he was unhappy with the level of performance. “We got a kick up the backside at half-time and we should have done as well because it wasn’t good enough,” he told the Nottingham Post. “We’ve set ourselves a standard and we need to keep to that. We just can’t drop off. “We had a poor result against Mansfield last weekend and we needed to make amends against Forest Green. “But we were especially poor in the first half and at the end of the game he just said it wasn’t good enough. “He said we are going to work hard in the week to put a few things right and then hopefully we will come back and put in the kind of performances we were doing a couple of weeks ago.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Kevin Nolan has hailed his Notts County side for showing their “inner strength” to help preserve their unbeaten record at Meadow Lane. The Magpies put in a meek showing against Forest Green but managed to claw a point thanks to a 96th-minute equaliser from Rob Milsom on Saturday. FGR, managed by former Notts boss Mark Cooper, led for more than an hour courtesy of Omar Bugiel’s opener, but left Nottingham having had to share the points in a 1-1 draw. “We didn’t play well, but we showed we have inner strength and belief that you can get something no matter how bad you are playing,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “We always say try to stay in the game for as long as possible because you never know what can happen. “They did that. We all weren’t great. We just waited for that chance and when it came along, we put it away. “In the end we got a great result when we looked like we were heading for defeat.” Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County have somehow claimed a point from the jaws of defeat on Saturday as their League Two game with Forest Green Rovers ended all square at Meadow Lane. The division's bottom side took the lead on the half-hour mark through Omar Bugiel and held on until the sixth minute of injury time, when Rob Milsom nodded home for a final score of 1-1. The result means that Magpies have slipped to second in League Two, with Exeter City reclaiming top spot. Here is what the Notts boss, some of the players and several fans had to say following the game. Kevin Nolan "I'm relieved. Fair play to the lads, they persevered and got their rewards in the end with a well-worked goal. "I don't think we turned up today, which is disappointing. A lot of lads didn't have one of their better days but the togetherness they showed got us over the line and earned a point, which they can take a massive lift from. "A lot of people would have been coming here today expecting us to win 3-0 or 4-0 but this is a very tough league and anyone can beat anyone. "We weren't great – we know that – but we kept ourselves in the game and put the chance away when it came to turn a defeat into a point. "I'm frustrated because I know we are a lot better than what we've shown today but when you score in the 94th minute, it shows the lads have an inner steel about them and I am delighted with that." Rob Milsom "It was an important goal and we needed it because we didn't have the best of performances. I'm glad we've got something out of the game. "We rightly got a kick up the backside at half-time because it wasn't good enough in the first half. "We've set ourselves standards now and we can't drop off. We had a poor result last weekend and needed to make amends today. "We weren't brilliant in the second half either but we kept going and hopefully that point can mean something come the end of the season." The players on social media The Notts fans (from the FGR match discussion) Allardycestash: We just got everything all wrong, Kevin Nolan has tough decisions to make about a select few players who so far do not warrant a starting position at all. Upthepies: It was a frustrating game against Forest Green. I was impressed by how good they looked on the ball, very calm and collected within their passing. If anything I am annoyed that Notts looked like the side struggling for form and after the Mansfield game I expected better. I am sure Kevin Nolan will correct the performances but even the basics we failed with yesterday. 1-1 against them is not worth celebrating at all. Liampie: I thought we looked worse than we did during any point of last season. What was with the passing and defending? every time we looked able to get back level, someone would lose the ball or give it a way poorly. the defending was awful because nobody really did it. DangerousSausage: FGR played some nice football and looked a good footballing side, but that doesn't get you far if your defence switches off at crucial moments. A glance at the table suggests this wasn't the first time either. It's a shame we didn't ask more questions of their defence before the 96th minute. Chris: I have to give FGR credit, they played well and looked a capable side. Their midfield made it very difficult and did well at pressing us back. I was very disappointed with the lack of marking and responsibility in terms of defending. They was there for the taking to be honest (as we seen in the second half) but we just performed badly. Very dire performance, and I felt the referee was very poor. Share your thoughts about this reaction piece on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

As Notts County alumni go, David "Dave" Watson has to go down as one of the most well-travelled players with one of the most comprehensive careers to have donned the black and white stripes. Born in Stapleford on 5 October 1946, Watson worked as an electrician before getting his footballing break with the Magpies in 1966. Watson made 26 appearances for Notts over two seasons before being signed by Rotherham United, then under the management of future Scotland and Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty, in a player exchange deal which saw Keith Pring and £1,000 going from Millmoor to Meadow Lane. Watson was thrust into a relegation battle with the Millers in 1967–68 which was unsuccessful, and as Docherty left and Jim McAnearney came in, the then-22-year-old was made club captain and used both up front and in defence. After four seasons at Millmoor, making 141 appearances and scoring 21 goals, Watson caught the attention of Sunderland manager Alan Brown who paid £100,000 for his services in December 1970. Watson was initially used up front, but when Bob Stokoe took over in November 1972, the player was deployed at centre-back, a position which he would dominate throughout the remainder of his career. Sunderland ended up reaching the 1973 FA Cup final where they pulled off one of the biggest shocks of all time, beating First Division giants Leeds United - then one of the big English clubs - 1-0, and Watson was singled out for praise by Stokoe for his subduing of strike duo Allan Clarke and Mick Jones. Watson's performances for Sunderland saw him called up to the England team less than a year after the FA Cup win, making his debut in a friendly against Portugal in Lisbon at age 27. In the summer of 1975, Watson joined First Division side Manchester City for a fee of £175,000 in a deal which saw Jeff Clarke move the other way. The Citizens won the League Cup in 1976 beating Newcastle United 2–1, the defender playing on with blood pouring from a head wound and being interviewed in the dressing room afterwards while receiving stitches. All in all Watson spent four seasons at Maine Road, which saw Man City miss out on the title in 1976–77 by one point - his performances saw him voted player of the year that season. In 1979, Watson decided to have a go in a foreign league, joining Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, but his time at the German club was short due to incurring an eight-week ban for pushing an opposition player in just his second game. He was fined by his club and refused to travel to an away match against Schalke 04 because of an injury before turning up to play for England and, unsurprisingly, he returned to these shores by October, with Southampton signing him for £200,000. Watson played 31 games in 1979–80 and 44 games in 1980–81 as the Saints finished 8th and 6th respectively, and he lined up alongside five previous or future England captains - Mick Channon, Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan, Mick Mills, and Peter Shilton. In 1982, Watson moved to Stoke City, where he set a record of becoming the first man to make England international appearances while in the books of five different clubs. Up next were two spells in the United States with Vancouver Whitecaps, being voted into the NASL All Stat team of 83, and Fort Lauderdale Sun, who ended up as USL champions, either side of a season at Derby County. And eventually, Watson's career came full circle as, in 1984, he rejoined hometown club Notts County as a player/coach, 16 years after first departing Meadow Lane, and making 25 appearances for the Magpies in his second spell. That wasn't the end of his career just yet though - Watson made 14 appearances for Kettering Town in 85-86 before finally hanging up his boots. Alongside his club career, Watson was also a rock for England, making 65 appearances for the Three Lions and scoring 4 goals. In a cruel twist of fate, however, his England career coincided with one of the nation's most barren spells at international level - following the 1970 World Cup, the Three Lions did not reach another tournament until Euro 1980. Though Watson did at least get to represent his country in "Europa 80" in Italy - an eight-team tournament with two groups where the winner of each would be catapulted into the final - he missed out on the 1982 World Cup, with manager Ron Greenwood selecting only three specialist central defenders, Phil Thompson, Terry Butcher and Steve Foster. To this day, Watson remains the most-capped England player never to play in a World Cup finals match. After his footballing career, Watson started a marketing business in Nottingham, where he lives with his wife Penny, while their son Roger (aka Dj Hal) is a successful DJ, musician, and producer. A prodigal son of Nottingham and one of the best English defenders of his day, Dave Watson is one of the most distinguished Notts County alumni of all time. Share your thoughts about this Notts Alumni piece on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. 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Rob Milsom's stoppage-time header has helped Notts County preserve their unbeaten home record as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Forest Green Rovers at Meadow Lane on Saturday. The Magpies midfielder met Matt Tootle's cross to nod past FGR goalkeeper Sam Russell in the 96th minute, a goal which cancelled out Omar Bugiel's first-half opener for the visitors. Notts were lacklustre throughout the game and were very lucky to escape with a point, though the result saw them slip to second in League Two as Exeter City reclaimed top spot. The club have posted the match highlights on their official YouTube channel so, should you wish to see them again, here they are for you. Share your thoughts about the game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.