Joe Jones

Rob Milsom has played down Notts County's impressive start to the season by giving a reminder of what happened in the previous campaign. The Magpies currently sit second in League Two, boast an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions, and have won - and not conceded in - the last four league outings. However, Milsom cast an eye back to last season, when Notts also enjoyed a bright start - sitting sixth in the table in October having claimed an impressive 2-1 win at Portsmouth - before it all went horribly wrong. “It is a long old season,” the 30-year-old told the Nottingham Post ahead of Saturday's meeting with Lincoln City. “Especially myself and a couple of the boys who were here last year, we know how quickly things can change. “We don’t want that to happen. We need to keep this positive momentum because we know how easily things can change, like it did last season. “It’s been a brilliant start to the season. The first game of the season didn’t go our way, but we learnt a lot from that game and since then we’ve been doing really well. “We need to keep our feet on the ground and keep grinding out results like we have been doing recently. It’s a great start, but it’s just a start. We need to keep it going. Keep doing the basics right. Doing what we’ve been doing in the first eight games of the season. “We’re not getting ahead of ourselves. Teams will always come here and try to make things difficult for us. It’s going to be no different on Saturday.” 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.

Lincoln City boss Danny Cowley has admitted that Notts County will be a tough proposition on Saturday, with Kevin Nolan having learned the ropes from Sam Allardyce. The Imps, promoted from the National League last season, head to Meadow Lane to face a Magpies team boasting a four-match winning streak and no goals conceded in that spell. Compared to the Notts of last year, who endured a dismal 10-match losing run midway through the season, the current squad is a different proposition, and Cowley says his opposite number has had an amazing effect on the team. “Notts County have been excellent since Kevin Nolan has walked through the door,” Cowley told Lincolnshire Live. “As a player Nolan would have had Sam Allardyce as a manager at Bolton and West Ham so he will have learned a lot from that and there’s a lot he can take into his new role. “I am not surprised he has done well. You can see they are a lot better organised than this time last year. They were struggling before he came in and he’s made a real impact. “They are certainly playing for him and have had a real run, six wins in seven and four clean sheets on the bounce so they are in a really good place. "County have had a fantastic start and have been very difficult to score against. They are very good from corners and free-kicks which is something we need to be aware of. “They have experience in centre forward Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi. They have a great blend of youth and experienced and they will be a tough opponent." 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 he was disappointed and frustrated to not be playing for Notts County earlier in the season, but a positive conversation with manager Kevin Nolan changed his outlook. The 2016-17 Notts player of the year found opportunities hard to come by earlier in the season, being mostly restricted to a substitute's role. Milsom went on to make his first start in the 1-0 win over Swindon Town and kept his place for the win at Crawley Town by the same scoreline. Following his first start, Nolan claimed that a "ruckus" had taken place between himself and Milsom, while the player himself suggests that it had been nothing more than a conversation. Milsom told the Nottingham Post: “I was frustrated at the start of the season not to be playing, but I’ve just got to keep working hard and when I get my opportunity, try to take it. “We just had a conversation. Obviously I was disappointed not to be playing, and I think that showed through. It was sort of written all over my face. “I have a lot of respect for him (Nolan) and his opinions, and what he wants to do. It was a good conversation. It was a positive one, not a negative conversation. “But since the conversation, it’s been brilliant. I’ve got my head down and worked hard in training. Hopefully I’ve taken my opportunities in the games that have come my way. “I don’t think there was too much of ‘clear the air’. I was just disappointed not to be playing. We had a conversation and that was that, really. It was just about me moving forward and doing the best for the team and the club. “I think I just needed to wait for my opportunity. I got that against Swindon. It was up to me to take that opportunity. If I’m picked to play, then I’ll give my all. Hopefully that’s enough for me to stay in the team for the following game.” 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 manager Kevin Nolan has admitted that he does not know what his team to face Lincoln City will be, describing his selection headache as "brilliant". The Magpies welcome the Imps to Meadow Lane on Saturday with the possibility of making it nine games unbeaten, or even five wins on the spin in League Two. In addition, Nolan has not ruled out the possibility of Shola Ameobi and Shaun Brisley playing, despite the former having missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and the latter having limped off against Crawley Town. “Shaun we’ll look after with 48 hours until the game still,” the Notts gaffer told the Nottingham Post. “Shola I don’t think will be available. That said, knowing Shola, he’s someone who could walk in on Friday and say he’s fine, not that he would walk straight back into the team. “It’s always great when you have everyone available. Apart from that, all the lads seem good and up for it. “Me and Thommo (Richard Thomas) sat in the office for four hours the other day and we still don’t have a clue who will play! “It’s brilliant when you have that. Last year we had maybe 13 or 14 players you could pick from one week to another. Now we’ve got two teams.” 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.

Here is Pride of Nottingham's roundup of all the biggest news stories from League Two over the last week. - Port Vale parted company with manager Michael Brown after a run of seven league games without a win left the freshly relegated Valiants bottom of League Two. - Chesterfield, another recently relegated side, sacked boss Gary Caldwell after the Spireites were beaten for the seventh time this season. - Guy Branston was subsequently appointed as interim manager at Chesterfield, with former Middlesbrough, Derby and Italy striker Fabrizio Ravanelli believed to be interested in the permanent role. - Crawley Town defender Josh Yorwerth, 22, signed a two-year contract extension at the Broadfield Stadium. - Torquay United signed striker Rhys Murphy, a former Arsenal trainee, on a three-month loan from Forest Green Rovers. - And though it's Notts related, it's big news - in case you've missed it, Kevin Nolan has signed a new three-year deal at Meadow Lane! 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.

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has hailed his backroom management team, saying Richard Thomas and Mark Crossley deserve a lot of credit in the club's turn in fortunes. Nolan put pen to paper on a new three-year deal at Meadow Lane earlier this week, a major step forward in the club hoping to work its way up the Football League. “I’m delighted Thommo will be with me. Norm (Crossley) will be with me too,” the Notts manager told the Nottingham Post. “He’s got a couple of years on his contract already so he’s fine! “The whole staff is great from them to Kate (Alan Hardy’s PA). You forget about these people who make it possible to concentrate on football. “I want to thank Alan for being first class. We hit it off in my interview and knew it could be great. I was very confident I could keep this club up and get it to a stable position this year. “I knew how Thommo worked. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve worked with. I knew he could take me to the level. I feel I’m a good coach, but he’s much better than me. “He’s born to be a coach. He’s been living with me. Some nights we sit till half 12 talking about football. He doesn’t stop. He’s got a drive the same as mine. He’s the best assistant I could ask for. “Norm is a massive personality. He’s been a massive part of this. The three of us, we’re always together and we’re a good 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.

Alan Hardy has described manager Kevin Nolan as Notts County's "figurehead", similar to what Sir Alex Ferguson was at Manchester United. The former Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and West Ham midfielder has just committed to the Meadow Lane hotseat by penning a new three-year deal. Nolan helped the Magpies avoid relegation last season following his appointment in January, turning around a side that had lost 10 games on the trot. This season, the 35-year-old overcame a 3-0 defeat at Coventry City on the opening day of the season to steer Notts to second in League Two, boasting an eight-game unbeaten run. Notts owner Hardy acknowledges that Nolan is likely to move on to a Premier League club or even the role of England manager one day, but insists that, for the time being, he is on board for the journey. “I know that Kevin is one of our future stars in the game. I acknowledge that one day he’s probably going to be a manager in the Premier League or maybe even manager of England," Hardy told the Nottingham Post. “At some point he may move on so we need to embed the foundations for the next three years. He can take this club forward. “I’ve got limited experience in football but people who have been around the game a long time like Darren Fletcher and the people he’s speaking to, also people like Les Bradd rate Kevin right up there with the best managers they've seen. “We talk about being on a journey. That means the Championship. Internally we present this club like we want to be in the Championship next year. "I know we have to go through League One, but the infrastructure we’re putting in place, the culture we’re building, it’s the start of the journey. “Kevin can lead people. He’s a leader of men. He’s been captain of three Premier League clubs. He oozes confidence, character and passion to galvanise people. “The club needed a leader and he’s the figurehead. Every club who has that, like Sir Alex (Ferguson), has done well. “This was a club which was intensive care. It was 91st in the Football League. They had one foot in the National League. “The word which was used was toxic in terms of the atmosphere. What an incredible turnaround it’s been." 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 announced that manager Kevin Nolan has signed a new three-year contract with the club. The 35-year-old helped the Magpies avoid relegation last season following his appointment in January, turning around a side that had lost 10 games on the trot. This season, Nolan overcame a 3-0 defeat at Coventry City on the opening day of the season to steer Notts to second in League Two, boasting an eight-game unbeaten run. In addition, Notts have won their last four league games and not conceded a single goal in any of those. Magpies owner Alan Hardy told the official Notts site: "Kevin has brought real pride, optimism and stability to this club which has not been seen for many years. "Kevin has to keep the players' feet on the ground." Assistant manager Richard Thomas and first-team coach Mark Crossley have also signed new deals with the club. "It was an easy decision to make which is why I have been so comfortable talking about it in recent weeks," said Nolan. "I'm delighted that Richard and Mark will be staying with me. We have a solid backroom staff here. "I was confident of keeping the club up and getting it into a stable position this year so we can kick on in the future." 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 manager Kevin Nolan has played down the impact of Shaun Brisley's injury, saying both Elliott Hewitt and Haydn Hollis can fill in for the centre-back. Brisley limped out of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crawley Town in the second half and Nolan feared he could be out for two weeks. “We didn’t want to go and get someone in this summer because we knew we had Elliott and Hollis,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “Elliott did a fantastic job. If Hollis had been on the bench then he would have gone and done what he’s done for me since I’ve been here. "I’m delighted with them. We’ve got plenty of cover. “If Bris is out for a week or two then we’ve got the resources to stay how we are. We knew Elliott could step in at centre half. "I’m delighted with them all. The attitude is great. It’s that unity that gets results.” 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 reiterated that he will only reassess Notts County's goals from the season once safety in League Two is assured. The Magpies made it eight games unbeaten in all competitions with a 1-0 win away at Crawley Town on Saturday, ensuring that the Magpies remain second in League Two. Despite talk among fans shifting towards promotion, Nolan insists that it's too early in the season to look ahead all the way to next May when the league reaches its decisive fixtures. When asked about when he'll look upwards in terms of the table, he told the Nottingham Post: “When we’re safe! "We’ve got to get 50 odd points as soon as we can, then we’ll start assessing where we want to be. “We want to be in the higher echelons. We’re riding high at the minute but you can’t get carried away. “Anytime that happens you can get bitten on the bum. We’ve got to make sure we stay calm. “You won’t hear me talk about promotion until we get to the end of the season and we’re in a realistic position. “It’s a fantastic start but that’s all it is. We’ve got to maintain this professionalism and this attitude, the application and the respect they’ve got for each other. “I’ve just said to them that if they do that they’ll do well in the league this year.” 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.

I have to say, Jorge Grant is not the only person linked to Notts County who thinks the team's campaign so far has exceeded his expectations. I've been pinching myself about just how well the Pies have done. And many other fans will also be somewhat incredulous about the season so far. Over the years we have been mentally engineered to prepare for, experience and cope with disappointment. So to be witnessing a club that, at present, is stable and performing well from top to bottom feels like uncharted territory. With Notts currently second in the table, boasting an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions and, crucially, having won the last four league games and not conceded a single goal in those, is great to see. But with such an impressive run of form so early in the season, there has to be another thing taken into account: expectation management. The mind begins wondering "what if..." and the P word appears. But at the same time, you keep telling yourself "it's too early, don't think about it, take it one game at a time" or maybe even "nope, not gonna happen". Cognitive dissonance at its finest. Kevin Nolan is trying his best to stay grounded and taking it one game at a time. Alan Hardy, meanwhile, has shown how easy it is for that optimism to filter out with a recent tweet in which, talking about Manchester United and Manchester City, he added: "Definite 1st and 2nd. Toss a coin on which one finishes the higher. Sounds a bit like Notts County & Exeter City." Hinting that Notts might still be there would be incredible, but then comes the mental slapping-yourself-on-the-wrist thought of "not yet, it's too early!" The finest example of expectation management I can think of in recent history is from Claudio Ranieri when he was at Leicester City, who kept his side grounded and plugging away one game at a time for the entire season - and helped a team who were tipped for relegation to the Premier League title. County's mission to earn promotion is not quite on the same stratospheric calibre as a smallish team overcoming some of the richest clubs in the world to win the PL title, but Notts will nonetheless have to maintain their nerve, and from what Nolan has shown so far in terms of what he demands from his players and also in managing the side's expectations, he definitely seems like the best man for the job, which bodes well moving forward. The remaining three fixtures in September will definitely be a mini-test in itself - two local derbies, against Lincoln City and more importantly Mansfield Town, plus the top-of-the-table-so-far clash against Exeter City. Three difficult fixtures from both a physical and a mental perspective, and with the possibility of Notts ending September with a 100% record, Nolan will need to pull out all the stops to keep his players focused before, during and after the games, which will no doubt be blood-and-thunder affairs. As for myself, the way I keep managing my expectations is by telling myself to just enjoy the good atmosphere while it lasts, just seeing each game out one by one, and remember that being in a serene, stable place as the club is now, compared to last year, is something that should be enjoyed for what it is no matter what happens at the top of the table. Anything else, well, it's just a bonus. Share your thoughts about this feature 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.

Hello and welcome to episode 25 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, presented by Chris and JJ. This week's episode reflects on Notts County's recent wins over Swindon Town and Crawley Town, analysing how the Magpies performed from a tactical perspective. We also cast an eye over to the upcoming derby with Lincoln City, looking at how Notts should approach the game. In addition, we ask who the team's unsung hero has been so far this season and look into what Kevin Nolan's impending new contract means for him and the club. We also discuss how long we have been supporting Notts and why we do so, reminiscing about our younger years, and read out some of your stories from PON's social media pages, where you talk about how you got into supporting the mighty Pies. All this and more in the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, episode 25! Share your thoughts about this week's PONcast 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.

Jorge Grant has admitted that Notts County’s impressive start to the season has exceeded everyone's expectations, but has stressed the importance of not letting complacency slip in. The Magpies have cemented their hold on second place in League Two thanks to a fourth win - and clean sheet - in a row, with Crawley Town the latest side to succumb to defeat against Notts. Grant, who scored the winner on Saturday, has echoed manager Kevin Nolan's sentiments in playing down their great form, claiming that it's important to keep getting the basics right and taking it one game at a time. “I don’t think you ever expect it to go as well as it’s gone, but we’ve got to keep our feet on the ground,” he told the Nottingham Post. “We’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing and the wins will keep coming. We’ve got to keep doing the basics right and then we are expressing ourselves in the final third. “That’s the way you’ve got to do it, so we’re very happy at the moment.” 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.

Crawley Town goalkeeper Glenn Morris has paid tribute to Notts County following their performance and result in their 1-0 win at Broadfield Stadium. Jorge Grant scored the winner on Saturday, firing home from Jonathan Forte's slide pass, as the Magpies cemented their hold on second place in League Two. Morris said Notts are well worth their high ranking in the table as they put in a solid performance on the Red Devils' patch. He told the West Sussex County Times: “They managed the game well, we just couldn’t get our football going because they were breaking it up well, getting fouls, sticking the ball in the channels and doing the nasty side of the game. “They’ve got some experience in their team, they’re up at the top of the league this year and you can see why. “They’ve kept a clean sheet away from home, won 1-0 and go home happy. “They didn’t really cut us open and I didn’t have too many saves to make, it was just one of those games where it just drifted away second half. “It’s disappointing, but I think we’ve got to give them a little bit of credit for the way they dealt with it but we’ve got to be cuter and create some chances at home.” 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.

Jorge Grant is delighted with the way Notts County are playing at the minute, saying they're doing the basics right and taking their chances up front. The Magpies cemented their hold on second place in League Two after claiming a fourth consecutive win - and fourth consecutive clean sheet - at Crawley Town on Saturday. Grant scored the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win at the Broadfield Stadium and, as well as praising the team as a whole, he also feels that he is growing up as a player thanks to Kevin Nolan's input. "I'm absolutely buzzing with the away win," he told the official Notts website. "It's perfect to keep a clean sheet and win the game 1-0. "We're doing the basics right and then expressing ourselves in the final third so we're all really happy at the minute. "I'm starting to grow up a little bit more and my choices on the pitch are showing that as well. I speak to the gaffer regularly and he helps me out a lot. "You never expect it to go as well as it has but we have to keep our feet on the ground, keep doing what we have been doing and the wins will keep coming. "We've had three games in a week and the gaffer has been able to make changes today and on Tuesday against Swindon. The depth of the squad is really good." 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 secured a fourth win in a row as they saw off Crawley Town by a score of 1-0 in Saturday's trip to Broadfield Stadium. Jorge Grant was the hero once again for the Magpies as he drilled home from close range after Jonathan Forte played a low ball into the loanee's path. The result keeps Notts second in the table and takes their unbeaten run to eight matches, ensuring yet another weekend of smiles for the Black and White Army. Here is some of the reaction from some of the Notts players, the manager, and the Black and White Army. Kevin Nolan “I’m absolutely delighted. The lads have got a mentality about them now. “They’ve come here and made sure they played the way they wanted to play and countered Crawley’s strengths. I thought we deserved the win. “When we’re not on top form in possession, we make sure we scrap and battle. Sometimes you’ve got to put your body on the line.” The players The fans TheSkipper: Solid win for Notts. Will always take the victory over the performance because we have done well before and not got what we deserved. I am 100% sure Kevin Nolan will soon get the performances spot on. What another fantastic win! Liampie: "We can't complain about the performances when we are winning like this. Notts just seems to be a different team this season, perhaps we are finally having a bit of luck now?" WeymouthPIE: "Not a game which was easy on the eye, but a win is a win. You don't get any extra points for playing pretty football, 3 points is 3 points. You can tell we've built that winning mentality, and we have learnt how to dig results out. We're learning how to do jobs against the s**t in this division. These last 4 games, we probably wwould have lost 2 or 3 of them the last couple of seasons. It's early days. I'm not getting carried away, after the last few seasons I'm more than happy to enjoy the ride and see where we end up. But this is very much a team to be proud of right now. YP" 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.

Notts County have made it four clean-sheet wins on the spin after securing a hard-earned 1-0 win over Crawley Town in Saturday's League Two encounter at the Broadfield Stadium. Jorge Grant was the hero once again for the Magpies as he drilled home from close range after Jonathan Forte played a low ball into the loanee's path. The result keeps Notts second in the table and takes their unbeaten run to eight matches, ensuring yet another weekend of smiles for the Black and White Army. Notts have uploaded the match highlights to their YouTube channel - we have shared it on here so you can relive yet another superb win for Kevin Nolan's boys! 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.

A key member of the Notts County side that enjoyed a swift climb to the top flight of English football, Gary Lund was born on 13 September 1964 in Cleethorpes. He began his career at local club Grimsby Town and made his debut in September 1983, shortly after his 19th birthday, against Barnsley. Reminiscing about his debut, the forward told independent GTFC site The Fishy: "I replaced the injured Kevin Drinkell (I think) and came close to scoring when I hit the bar. I was substituted with about 20 mins to go. I suppose it was an average success!" Lund made 60 appearances in total for the Mariners, with a good return rate of 24 goals in that time, including two hat-tricks, against Sheffield United and, ironically, Notts. In 1986, after three years in the Grimsby senior setup, he upped sticks and moved to Lincoln City, where he spent one season, playing 44 games and scoring 13 goals. Then came his stint at Meadow Lane, joining in the pre-season of 1987-88, one of many changes at the club with Derek Pavis coming on board and John Barnwell taking over the first-team reins from the retired Jimmy Sirrel. In his first season at Notts, he scored 20 goals in Division Three, plus one in the Associate Members' Cup, as the Magpies finished fourth and secured a playoff place, only to succumb in the semi-finals to Walsall. The 1988-89 season was less remarkable for both Notts and Lund, who scored just eight goals all season as the Magpies finished ninth in the division, but with Neil Warnock taking over in January, things were about to get very exciting for the club. Lund broke into double figures again as Notts finished third in the third division, before navigating the playoffs and securing a place in the second tier. The following season, Lund became more of a rotational player as Dave Regis joined in September, making 16 appearances and only scored five goals all season, though one of these was the 89th-minute winner against Manchester City in the fifth round of the FA Cup. That year, Notts secured back-to-back promotions after finishing fourth and once again enjoying a successful stab at the playoffs. With Notts now a top-flight side, Lund found himself on the fringes of the first team, making just 13 appearances (10 starts, 3 subs) as the strike force was repeatedly chopped and changed, sadly to no avail as the Magpies slipped back into the second tier. Lund made more appearances in 1992-93 as Notts struggled to re-adapt to life in the new Division One, finishing 17th, and also had a loan stint at Hull City. When Warnock was sacked and Mick Walker was brought in, Lund eventually found himself back in top form, with 1993-94 yielding 12 goals in the league and a further seven in cup competitions, of which five came in the Anglo-Italian Cup on the way to the final. When asked about the best manager he worked under, Lund told The Fishy: "Mick Walker at Notts. He was only manager for a short time but we played some wonderful football in his time and only just missed out on the first division playoffs." The following season proved very bittersweet for Notts as they won the Anglo-Italian Cup but were relegated from Division One. It proved to be Lund's last season at Notts as he then joined Chesterfield, where he remained until 1997, when he hung up his boots. A loyal servant at Notts who made close to 250 appearances, Gary Lund will always be remembered fondly by the Black and White Army. 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. 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 praised Notts County's mentality in claiming a fourth win on the bounce against Crawley Town on Saturday. Jorge Grant bagged the winner from Jonathan Forte's cross-shot at the Broadfield Stadium to leave the Magpies in rude health at the top of League Two. The Notts gaffer told the official site following the 1-0 win: “I’m absolutely delighted. The lads have got a mentality about them now. “They’ve come here and made sure they played the way they wanted to play and countered Crawley’s strengths. I thought we deserved the win. “When we’re not on top form in possession, we make sure we scrap and battle. Sometimes you’ve got to put your body on the line.” “There’s more to come from these lads. Their confidence will grow and they’re learning every day. “I feel we’re going to continue to get better if we can keep working the way we have. “The attitude and application was absolutely fantastic today and that’s why we’ve won the game.” 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's season continues to go from strength to strength as their unbeaten run now stretches to eight games, not to mention a four-match winning streak in League Two and four clean sheets in a row. The latest team to fall victim to the Magpies' continued renaissance is Crawley Town, with Kevin Nolan taking his team to the Broadfield Stadium and leaving with a 1-0 win. Notts weighed in with an effort on target after just two minutes when Jon Stead's low angled shot was held by Red Devils goalkeeper Glenn Morris. There was little to shout about for most of the remainder of the first half, however, save for Enzio Boldewijn firing across goal and Jimmy Smith blasting over from a well worked free kick. Just before the break, Lewis Alessandra fired wide from close range at the second attempt after his initial one was blocked, Dan Jones causing havoc with his cross in the box. Into the second half and Notts took the lead in the 54th minute when the prodigal Jorge Grant stabbed the ball into the net after Jonathan Forte played the ball into the loanee's path. The visitors could have been further ahead as Matt Tootle saw his effort saved from 25 yards and in the final minute Forte lobbed wide of the goal from 40 yards. Harry Kewell's side did not muster a single shot on target as County saw the game out to remain high up in the League Two table. 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.

Richard Duffy is happy for Notts County to be known and established as a side with a solid, watertight defence as he aims to lead the team to an eighth unbeaten game in all competitions today. The Magpies have kept four clean sheets in seven games, virtually overturning the calamity that was Coventry City away, to set up a League Two clash at Crawley Town this afternoon from the dizzying heights of second in the table. Duffy, this season's skipper for Notts, also praises his defensive partnership with centre-back teammate Shaun Brisley, and is happy enough with his tenure as captain so far. In an interview with the Nottingham Post, Duffy said: “I’ve really enjoyed [working with Brisley], obviously the results make it a lot better. I think we work well on the pitch, we talk to each other and off the pitch we talk quite a bit in training. “We’re learning each other’s games, what’s the strengths and what we’re not so good at and we can cover each other on those things. I’m really enjoying playing (with him).” “The first game of the season was disappointing but we’ve bounced back really well since then. "It wasn’t great; we were way off the mark on the first day which was disappointing. The previous six games we’ve put that to bed and shown what we can really do. “I think we’re solid, we’re compact and defending well as a team and we’re attacking as a team. Everything we do, there’s no individuals out there. The work we’re doing on the training ground is really paying off. “I feel as though I’ve done alright [as captain]. Four clean sheets in seven games says it all really for the whole team, especially the back-four and the goalkeeper. That’s what we try to pride ourselves on, clean sheets and keeping the ball out of our net. “We’ve got to keep working hard and not get too far ahead of ourselves. After the first day, if you’d have said we’ve have won five and drawn one, most people would have snapped your hand off. It’s been really good. “The club has a bit of stability at the minute, and we’ve got to get that on the pitch and get as many points as early as we can and see where we go from there. We’re definitely solid, I’ll take solid all day long as we win 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 only ever played Crawley Town 10 times in their history. The first fixture between the two was just under five years ago, on 10 November 2012. This milestone first meeting between the two, played at Meadow Lane, finished 1-1. Meanwhile the return fixture, played away on the 9th March 2013, ended as a goalless draw. The record stands at six Notts wins, two defeats and two draws. Our recent record against them is very good, the Magpies winning the last four encounters (all in League Two) and six of the last seven. The last fixture took place on 28 January this year at Meadow Lane, a 2-1 win with Thierry Audel and Jonathan Forte grabbing the goals for us. Crawley Town have been a non-league side for the majority of their history – last decade, while Notts were struggling to survive in the old Second Division, Crawley had just been promoted from the Southern Football League. Crawley have won plenty of silverware in their history, though the majority of it is amateur-based. This changed when they won the Conference National title in 2011 and the League Two title just a year later. 2010-11 was a record-breaking season not just for Crawley, but also for the Conference. The West Sussex club broke the points total in one season (105) and tie with other teams for most wins in one season (31), fewest defeats (3), and highest goal difference (+63). Because of this season, alongside the funds they had to buy players and an unlikeable manager (Steve Evans), they were known as “the Manchester United of non-league football”. The town of Crawley is known for being close - just three miles in fact - to Gatwick Airport, the world's busiest single-runway international airport. Famous people who have links to Crawley include Australian footballer Kevin Muscat (born in Crawley), Gareth Southgate (attended the town's Hazelwick School), English rock band The Cure (formed in Crawley, several of its members attended St Wilfrid's RC School) and Gorillaz lead singer 2D (a fictional character, his back story claims he grew up in the town). Team news Crawley boss Harry Kewell has no new injury worries ahead of tomorrow's game. Striker Thomas Verheydt, who has not featured since the end of last month, is the only unavailable player due to a knee injury. Midfielder Jordan Roberts is fit to play after missing the last two games because of a minor injury. On-loan Cardiff forward Ibrahim Meite will hope to retain his place in attack after scoring his first senior goal in the midweek draw at Stevenage. Shola Ameobi is a significant absentee for Notts County's trip, as he had to go off with a hamstring injury in the first half of the Magpies' victory over Morecambe last weekend. Share your thoughts about this preview and trivia 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.