Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Jon Stead is a confident player already and scoring his first Notts County goal of the season will not necessarily have given him a jolt of confidence more than what he previously had. The veteran striker has come under criticism from a section of Notts County fans, who would like to see one of the club's other strikers - Jonathan Forte the name most mentioned - given a go in the starting XI. He got off the mark in the 2-2 draw against Accrington Stanley with his penalty, but while the common consensus is that forwards get a boost of confidence once breaking their duck, Nolan says it's not the case with Stead. “The goal won’t do anything for his confidence. He’s a confident lad already and he’s been brilliant,” the Notts gaffer told the Nottingham Post. “He had an indifferent game at Coventry, like everyone did. He played really well against Scunthorpe and Chesterfield and did fantastically well against Wycombe. “He was a big part of a lot good stuff we did in the first half there.” 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. - Coventry City assistant manager Steve Taylor is "recovering well at home" after being treated for a bleed on the brain. He was taken to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire on Friday after falling ill during a training session. - Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans claimed that the club received bids for several of their first team squad players, including Rhys Bennett and Alex MacDonald, but have all been turned down. - Luton Town signed Cambridge United midfielder Luke Berry just a few days after he handed in a transfer request at the Abbey Stadium. - Chesterfield signed 17-year-old centre-back Marshall Willock from non-league Solihull Moors as "one for the future", but Paul McGinn left the Proact after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. - Wycombe Wanderers signed teenage striker Josh Umerah on loan from Charlton Athletic. - QPR made an approach for 26-year-old Exeter City winger David Wheeler, who has made 151 league appearances for the Grecians, scoring 33 goals. - Accrington Stanley signed defender Jordan Thorniley on loan from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. - West Ham youngster Jaanai Gordon is reportedly training with Cheltenham Town ahead of a possible move. - Blackpool forward Jamille Matt joined Two Grimsby Town on a season-long loan. 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.

Kevin Nolan believes that Adam Collin has come in for too much criticism over his time at Notts County, admitting that he is "delighted" with the goalkeeper. The 32-year-old joined the Magpies after leaving Rotherham United and has been first choice at Meadow Lane virtually ever since, though whether he should remain as such has been open to a lot of discussion among fans. However, the Notts boss has praised his stopper, noting how he pulled off a save in injury time against Accrington Stanley to ensure a share of the spoils for the hosts in a 2-2 draw at Meadow Lane. Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "We nearly lost the game after being so in control and playing so well. We’ve nearly had the fans going home saying ‘3-2, what a waste that was’. “We’ve gifted two goals and we’ve relied on a moment of brilliance from our keeper again to get us a point. “Adam has been fantastic since I came in in January. He’s a bit harshly treated sometimes I feel. He takes ownership and responsibility. He commands his area. I’m delighted with what he’s doing.” 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 claimed that Notts County might have suffered from a "bit of anxiety" over the last two games, but suggests that a complete performance is on the cards sooner rather than later. The Magpies frittered a two-goal lead against Accrington Stanley on Friday for a 2-2 draw, a week after they did the same at Wycombe Wanderers, though they then rallied round for a 4-2 win. Nolan believes that the positive end to the 2016/17 League Two season may have played a part in this anxiety, but is eager for the players to look on the positive side and build on from there. He told the Nottingham Post: “Friday felt like a loss and everyone is down, but they’ll realise it’s been a good start with seven points out of 12. “We’re playing good stuff at times. It took us too long to get into our stride, but when we showed that quality it had an effect on Accrington. “It just feels like they’re playing with a bit of anxiety. That comes from what they’ve done. “There’s now an expectancy that they have to go out and win games at home because of what they’ve done at the end of last season. “No one will gift us anything. We are working hard, but it’s something we’ve got to get better at. We can't gift goals. “We are getting there. The complete performance can’t come soon enough. I thought we were going to get it (on Friday), but we’ve given two points away.” 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 urged the authorities to look into making all match officials professional following the officiating performance in Notts County's 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley. Both the Magpies manager and opposite number John Coleman were left confused by some of the decisions made by ref Carl Boyeson and his assistants in Friday night's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane. Referring to Sean McConville's kick on Dan Jones, which the fourth official missed, Nolan suggested that there needs to be more of a level playing field in terms of the whole ensemble's fitness and wavelength. “I’ve turned and said to the fourth official that he’s got to help the ref there. They should be a team as officials,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “He’s got to tell the ref that it was a deliberate kick. My lads might have reacted to that and suddenly it can all get out of hand. “He got away with one. Even their assistant manager is shouting to the lad ‘Sean, calm down, relax, don’t do stupid things’. “I feel sorry for ref there. It’s a tough job. These lads are professional athletes, as fit as anything. Referees struggle quite a lot I feel. They need help. “We have to send in a report week in, week out after each game. I wonder if it’s worth doing. “I don’t know if they can all go professional. We need a lot more of them to be full time. I don’t know whether it can be funded, but they need help.” 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 hinted towards Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi remaining the first-choice strike partnership at Notts County, claiming that Jonathan Forte was not unlucky to have been named on the bench for the 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley. Forte had scored in his previous two appearances before Friday’s League Two fixture at Meadow Lane, but was nonetheless not picked in the starting XI as the Magpies shared the spoils with Stanley. “I don’t think he (Forte) was unlucky. I explained the reasoning to him on Thursday why he didn’t start and he took it on the chin,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “We played so well in the first half at Wycombe. We’ve got three good strikers in good form. “I just feel that we beat Chesterfield and won at Wycombe. I don’t feel we needed to change. The two lads have done a fantastic job upfront. It’s my decision. That’s it. “Sometimes you can get carried away when lads have played well. Forte scored a great goal against Everton Under-21s and scored at Wycombe. “It could have happened again for him off the bench against Accrington, but we didn’t produce for him. We didn’t give him the ammunition. “I’m delighted with all three of them. They did the right things at the right time but we didn’t feed them properly. “Steady is off the mark which is great for us. Shola is yet to get off the mark, but their keeper has made some fantastic saves. That said, it’s not good enough us saying their keeper has played really well.” 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.

Collecting football stickers. The staple of many a young football fan (and plenty of grown-ups too). A difficult but enjoyable mission which, if/when completed, gives you a massive of achievement. Chasing stickers is hard enough as it is - but imagine doing this while also getting all the players to sign the ones with their face on it. Pretty much a case of God Mode difficulty level. This is exactly what Stickerchase are doing at present, however, and it's being done for a good cause. Their mission is to get the 2014 Panini World Cup sticker album signed by all the players in the collection, all before the start of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Once completed, it will be auctioned off, and proceeds will go to Sport Relief. We at Pride of Nottingham are delighted to have done our bit, with Chris getting a sticker of Shola Ameobi - who played for Nigeria at the Brazil World Cup - signed by the Notts County striker himself. How did he find out about Stickerchase and get involved? He said: "I posted a picture of me with Shola Ameobi on Twitter, pretty straightforward really - I had kept hold of it for sometime and thought 'Shall I post it?' "I have pictures I've never shared on social media, even with Jack Grealish and Callum McGregor but I thought why not with regards to Shola. "Then out of the blue I receive a tweet and a DM from @StickerChase asking if I could help them, I didn't need to see much after noticing it was for charity and Sport Relief - I just gladly agreed." He was sent the sticker and, on Friday night in County's 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley, was able to get the signature from the big man himself, which he will send back off to Stickerchase. At present, they stand at 74 stickers out of 615 and have just over nine-and-a-half months left to complete their mission. So if you want to find out more about their project, and maybe even think you or your friends might be able to help, click here to check out their website. 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.

Jon Stead has suggested that Notts County are "not a million miles away" from being the finished product, and would welcome new signings in the dressing room. The Magpies have brought in 11 players on a permanent basis and two loanees this summer, while every squad member offered a new contract went on to put pen to paper. On the pitch, Notts have enjoyed a decent start to the 2017/18 League Two season, claiming two wins and a draw from their first four fixtures. The last game, however, saw the team relinquish a two-goal lead to Accrington Stanley, who left Meadow Lane with a point in a 2-2 draw. Stead told the Nottingham Post: “We’re satisfied but we wanted more. We put an expectation on ourselves probably more so than the manager does. “We want to be competing at the top end. We’ve got a point against a very good Accrington side when I don’t think we’re anywhere near where we can be as a squad. We take the point and go again. “We’re not a million miles away. If we can strengthen the squad then anyone would want that. You always want to be better. “We’ve got a good group though with lads who are chomping at the bit and not playing. We’ve got good competition. “That’s not something I’ve seen since I’ve been here. We’ve got a fantastic dressing room too. “That side of it is the best I’ve seen here and it’s driven by the manager and the characters he signs.” 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 claimed that Notts County's 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley at the weekend feels more like a defeat, and that his players have got to cut out relinquishing healthy leads in games "right away". For the second week in a row, the Magpies went two goals ahead, only to see their opponents strike back to level the game, and unlike at Wycombe Wanderers, there was to be no late rally. “Ruthlessness comes from results. We’ve got this four game unbeaten run now,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “The longer you extend it the more you go into games feeling you won’t get beat. When we’re 2-0 up and letting teams back in, we’ve got to cut that out right away. “We can’t give the players anything on the training field that gives them that ruthlessness. We help as much as we can, but players have to take ownership for the state of the game. “We can’t give goals away like we did in this game. They’re a good side Accrington. They keep going and they don’t let you have a minute. “The lads knew all this. I told them what to expect. We’ve gone 2-0 up but you can’t take anything away from Accrington. “They’re a good team. We’ve played well. We were deservedly 2-0 up and it should have been three or four, but if you don’t put them to bed that’s what happens. “We did the same to Exeter last season when we were down to 10 men. It does happen and we’ve got to take it on the chin. “The positive is that we’re four games unbeaten. It could have been three wins on the spin. “We’ve had a real tough start in the sense of who we’ve had to play. I think we’ve handled it really well, but it’s disappointing to be in control of the game and not go on to win. It feels like a loss right now." 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.

There can be no doubt that Notts County have been very shrewd in the transfer market this summer. There is a good blend of experienced players who know the lower leagues inside out (Dan Jones, Shaun Brisley, Nicky Hunt, Lewis Alessandra) and players who have spent most, if not all of their career so far in non-league and are hungry and eager to make the step up (Terry Hawkridge, Ross Fitzsimons, Pierce Bird, Elliot Hodge). There are also loanees from a higher league (Jorge Grant, Ryan Yates) and a couple that fit in the miscellaneous (or perhaps "wildcard") category, such as Liam Walker (a year at Portsmouth, rest of his career abroad), Callum Saunders (young, came through the ranks at Crewe and has only ever played for them), and Branislav Pindroch (first spell playing abroad). On the whole, I am happy with the bulk of these signings. I mean, I still think there is room for another reinforcement or two, a centre-back and a forward perhaps, but this is more just about the players that have already come in. I know some fans continue to lambast owner Alan Hardy for having promised "wow" signings and delivered more modest names, but let's face it, League Two is not a "wow" league. It's a league full of plodding lumps who kick the ball straight up and aren't shy to let you know they're there with a shoulder-barge here, an elbow there and crunching tackles everywhere. Ricardo Moniz tried to play "wow" football and he and his flair players got massively shown up in the unforgiving dungeon of the fourth tier. Maybe Hardy regrets talking about "wow" players now, but it's no big deal, he is fairly new to this football ownership malark so really, we should let it slide. One thing I would like to see more of in the coming transfer windows is Notts identifying players who are performing well at other clubs, and signing them for cash. Granted, this kind of business is a rarity in the lower leagues. Players' contracts tend to be for one or two years, and often they are allowed to run down, either by the player or by the club, so when a footballer joins a new club, it's likely to be as a free transfer. However, splashing the cash for a couple of top players, either in League Two or the National League, would not only provide the obvious benefit of having them in Notts colours, but is also a signal of intent - "we have the money, we're not afraid to spend it, and we mean business on and off the pitch". Now, I know what you're thinking - "we tried buying Liam Noble from Forest Green". Indeed, and that's exactly the intent I'm thinking of. Unfortunately, the whole "ex" element and the protractedness of it all ended up making the whole thing look like some rubbish reality TV or Jeremy Kyle episode involving love triangles (ie most of them). One school of thought suggests that Notts would have given the message of "yep, he's our old player, but we can have him back at a whim", the same thing that Manchester United did with Paul Pogba and Chelsea tried to do with Romelu Lukaku, but in truth, the buying club looks silly even if they pull it off - "you've blown X amount on money on a player you just let go, what does that say about your scouting/developing?" So going forward, no point wasting time on exes - just identify a key player or two who are impressing for their clubs in the fourth or fifth tier, offer some cash, ramp up the charm offensive, buy them, and give that signal of intent to the rest of the league. Obviously not many, just one or two, while the rest will be the frees and the loanees as per the lower league. It will be interesting to see whether players can be persuaded to leave their clubs mid-season in the January transfer window, but if Notts put themselves in a top-seven position come the new year, then it's worth a try. 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.

Notts County's August match action has come to an end, with their last fixture of the month seeing them held to a 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane on Friday night. Whilst two wins, a defeat and a draw would seem like a fair enough tally from the first month of the League Two season, there is a sense of wasted opportunity from this fixture given the opposition successfully clawed back a two-goal deficit. Jon Stead's successful spot kick midway through the first half and Jorge Grant's early second half strike were cancelled out through Mark Hughes's goal and loanee Mallik Wilks's equaliser five minutes into injury time. Other notable occurrences in the game were Stanley goalkeeper Aaron Chapman's heroics in between the sticks, red cards for Notts man Matt Tootle and opposition sub Mekhi McLeod, and a performance from referee Carl Boyeson which has come under scrutiny from both sets of fans. Here are the highlights from Notts County's official YouTube channel - see all four goals again and relive all the drama from the game. 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 bemoaned Notts County's inability to see out their game with Accrington Stanley, insisting the players "did the wrong things at the wrong times". For the second successive game, the Magpies took a two-goal lead, only to relinquish it, and there was to be no late rally as the match finished 2-2. Jon Stead's successful spot kick and Jorge Grant's strike were cancelled out through Mark Hughes's goal midway through the second half and loanee Mallik Wilks's injury-time strike. Nolan did not just reserve criticism for his players, however, also having words to say about the match officials in Friday's league Two game at Meadow Lane. “We should have seen it out. We got in a fantastic position,” he told the Nottingham Post. The lads looked nervous but good pressure got the penalty. At 2-0 up and then against 10 men you think ‘right take the sting out of it’. “We went away from the right things. We’re disappointed because when we look back it’ll be a great point, but you need to see the game out and not give the ref an excuse to even it out. “We didn’t play to Jonathan Forte’s strengths when he came on. We did the wrong things at the wrong times. “I’ve got to say I don’t want to keep talking about referees. It seems at the minute they need help. The lads are professional athletes. We need more full time refs and linesmen.” 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.

League Two matchday 1: Coventry City 3-0 Notts County Notts County's season began on the worst possible note, falling to a heavy 3-0 defeat at Coventry City in the opening game of the campaign. The Magpies had their moments but weaknesses at the back saw the Sky Blues take full advantage, with young prodigy Jodi Jones bagging himself a hat-trick. EFL Cup first round: Scunthorpe United 3-3 Notts County (6-5 on penalties) A much-changed Notts County side put in a much improved performance against League One side Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park. Jorge Grant gave the visitors the lead, but Paddy Madden and Duane Holmes edged the Iron ahead - only for Shaun Brisley to make it 2-2 at the death. Onto extra time and Madden struck once again, but Ryan Yates forced the tie to penalties, where the hosts finally prevailed. League Two matchday 2: Notts County 2-0 Chesterfield An early-season local derby to set the pulse racing, Chesterfield did not exactly come to Notts County with the intention of playing them off the park - it turned out to be more a case of kicking and barging, with Gozie Ugwu very lucky not to be sent off, though Scott Wiseman had a worse fate, getting his marching orders close to half time. Kevin Nolan's side emerged triumphant through the prodigal loanee Jorge Grant's second and third goals of the season in all competitions. EFL Trophy Northern Group G: Notts County 2-1 Everton Under-21s A much-maligned competition in a game where Notts County were lined up against one of the teams whose admission to the tournament has been the cause of such discord, the Magpies nonetheless gave the fans who went to the game a good performance and a win. Jonathan Forte opened his account for the season before Haydn Hollis claimed a poacher's goal, and Anton Donkor's impressive strike off the post proved to be just a consolation. League Two matchday 3: Wycombe Wanderers 2-4 Notts County Another difficult proposition in the league, Notts gave a bipolar performance in which they raced into a two-goal lead, relinquished it, and struck two late goals for a flattering scoreline. Richard Duffy opened the scoring before a defensive calamity led to an own goal for the visitors, only for Nick Freeman and Joe Jacobson to draw Wycombe level. However, Jonathan Forte claimed the plaudits with a third Notts Magpies goal, before setting up Lewis Alessandra for the killer fourth. League Two matchday 4: Notts County 2-2 Accrington Stanley For the second successive game, Notts took a two-goal lead, only to capitulate and relinquish it, but there was to be no last-ditch blaze of glory as there was at Wycombe Wanderers on Friday night against Accrington Stanley, who cancelled out Jon Stead's successful spot kick and Jorge Grant's strike via Mark Hughes's goal midway through the second half and loanee Mallik Wilks's injury-time strike. Aaron Chapman, the Stanley goalkeeper, kept his team in it with a succession of fine saves. Share your thoughts about this season recap 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.

Notts County have relinquished a two-goal lead for the second successive game as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley in Friday night's League Two encounter at Meadow Lane. In a largely uneventful first half, the Magpies were given the chance to break the deadlock just after the half-hour mark when Stanley captain Seamus Conneely hauled Jon Stead down in the area for a penalty. The veteran striker opted to take the penalty himself and duly slotted it underneath goalkeeper Aaron Chapman to give the hosts the lead. Things livened up after the break as Notts doubled their advantage in the 54th minute, courtesy of a great team move which saw Shola Ameobi release Terry Hawkridge, who bolted down the wing and crossed for Jorge Grant to control and curl home. Stanley did not take long to get back to within a goal, however, as Mark Hughes chipped the ball over Adam Collin from a tight angle on 58 minutes. More drama was to follow as Mekhi McLeod, a substitute who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Yates, which he did not appear to take too well. Despite their numerical disadvantage, they withstood an onslaught of Notts chances before the numbers were evened out again through Matt Tootle's second yellow card. And five minutes into added time, the Notts capitulation was complete when substitute Mallik Wilks, making his debut after joining on loan from Leeds, collected the ball at the back post before arrowing an effort beyond Collin. 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.

Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman has suggested that Notts County may be too big for League Two ahead of the fixture between the two clubs tonight. The Magpies and their next opponents have both started the season with a tally of two wins and a defeat, and either side would go top of the fledgling table for a day at least with a win. “It has all the makings for a really expansive game,” Coleman told the official Stanley website. “Two attacking sides who will both expect to be up there in May. “We’ve got a good record at Notts County, we generally do better in the bigger stadiums. I know Kevin quite well and he’ll be setting his team up to go for the win. “They’re a big club in this league, maybe too big, but I believe we can go there and perform well. I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure that Kevin is.” Last season saw Stanley run out 2-0 winners in the corresponding fixture at Meadow Lane. 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 the chance of topping the fledgling League Two table on Friday night if they beat Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane. The Magpies have improved game by game this season, with the 3-0 loss to Coventry City largely forgotten now thanks to improved performances and results. With those over the Trent playing on Saturday, the Notts fixture has had to be moved, but if it all goes well, the Black and White Army can kickstart the bank holiday weekend the perfect way. Ahead of the game, Pride of Nottingham spoke to Accrington fan Alan to get an insight on the opposition. About Alan: I've been supporting Stanley since 2005, through my dad taking me to games as a kid, and my favourite player is Paul Mullin. You're known as "the club that wouldn't die" - what's it been like supporting the club in recent years? The last few years haven't been so bad to be fair. In the 60s, when the club went bankrupt, I've heard about how the town itself suffered and everyone was miserable before it was reformed. Then in the late 2000s we weren't far off it again. This decade we've had two playoff finishes and we're still dreaming of going up the leagues. Since promotion to League Two in 2006, you've finished in the lower half of the table every season except for two, where you had playoff finishes in 2011 and 2016 - why such fluctuation in positions? As good as it was reaching the playoffs, the problem is if you don't follow through and get promoted from them, and particularly in League Two, other clubs will identify your players as good prospects and snap them up. This happened both times, with many of our star players moving on, so it's back to square one. That milk advert from the 1980s - do Accrington fans hear it a lot from away fans? What are your thoughts on it - a joke that's worn thin or something more positive? I find it irritating as hell personally. Yes, we're not exactly a huge club, but now we're in the Football League, aren't we? I doubt either of those two kids made it beyond playing for their pub team. But some fans enjoy the recognition and say it's put the town and club on the map. Accrington is a bit of a bogey team for Notts, who haven't beaten Stanley in the last 6 games. Have you seen any of the games and what did you make of the Notts performances? I went to the last two home games against County. The first one we went 3-0 up and you lot seemed clueless, in all fairness, but you nearly pegged it back and it ended 3-2. The second one, we won 2-0 and it was our first home win for months - again, I feel we were more focused and organised than you on the day. But you lot have had a bad few years, from what I gather - I expect a much harder game this weekend. Favourite memory as a supporter? The 2015-16 season, where we were second in League Two and two points clear of fourth with just one game to go. Sadly we could only draw against Stevenage and other results went against us, and we couldn't negotiate the playoffs. So painful, but prior to that, a cracking season. And we got our own back against Stevenage the following year! Danger men for Accrington this season / who should Notts watch out for? Billy Kee is the main man, top scorer the last couple seasons and always a threat up front. And Sean McConville is quality too, a solid midfielder with an eye for goal and even better at creating chances for his teammates. Final score / scorers I'd love to say a good solid win but being realistic, I reckon a draw. 1-1, Kee to get our goal. Share your thoughts about this Opposition View 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 told his Notts County players to expect a tough game against Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane tonight. The Magpies overcame a poor start in League Two this season to find themselves in a position where they can top the fledging league table with victory in this gameweek's first fixture. County's recent record against the Lancastrians, however, is far from impressive, with four defeats and two draws in the last six encounters. "I love football under the lights," Nolan told the official Notts site. "It's always a fantastic occasion but it won't be easy against Accrington - it never is. "They always pose a threat and have some really good players. Billy Kee has done it for years at this level and they have added well over the summer. "Kayden Jackson has four goals in his first five games and will be a major threat for them. "We had three deserved results last week which give us great confidence going into the game but we know if we don't match them for effort, enthusiasm and quality we will be in for a tough night." 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 played the current incarnation of Accrington Stanley just 15 times in their history, with the record standing at 6 Notts wins, 5 defeats, and 4 draws. The first fixtures against the "new Stanley" were in August and December 1958, when both sides played in Division Three. The Magpies drew 1-1 in the first match, before losing 3-0 in the second. A hiatus of 48 years followed before the teams met again in the fourth tier, now League Two, on 9 September 2006. The result was a 3-2 win to Notts. The last fixture was last season at the Crown Ground, a League Two encounter which saw the hosts win 2-0. Our recent record against Stanley is not very good, with 4 defeats and 2 draws in the last 6. The original town's team, Accrington, were amongst the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888, before resigning from the league after just five years. A team called Stanley Villa already existed at the time, named as such because they were based at the Stanley Arms on Stanley Street in Accrington. With the demise of Accrington, Stanley Villa took the town name to become Accrington Stanley. The club re-formed after World War I and entered the League in 1921 with the formation of the old Third Division North, along with the other top northern non-League clubs. This original incarnation was dissolved in 1966, before re-emerging two years later. In 2005–06, Stanley won the Football Conference and were promoted to League Two. Ironically, Oxford United, the team they switched places with, was the team that had been elected to replace the former Accrington Stanley as members of the Football League in 1962 when they were struggling with debt. Accrington Stanley is perhaps most well known for being mentioned pejoratively by two young boys talking about their professional football prospects in a late 1980s advert by the Milk Marketing Board. Famous people from Accrington include Vicky Entwhistle and Julie Hesmondhalgh from Coronation Street, Yes singer Jon Anderson, cricketer Mike Atherton, Diana Vickers from The X Factor, and Mystic Meg. Team news Notts manager Kevin Nolan has no new injury problems as he looks to maintain his side's momentum following three consecutive wins in all competitions. Club captain Michael O'Connor remains the only absentee as he continues to recover from knee surgery. Accrington could hand a debut to forward Mallik Wilks after he arrived on loan from Leeds United on Thursday. The 18-year-old will bolster John Coleman's attacking options, although Stanley are also short in defence after the sale of centre-back Omar Beckles to Shrewsbury Town. Tom Dallison - who scored in the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to West Bromwich Albion - is out with a calf injury. Dallison's fellow Brighton loanee Tyler Forbes is struggling to shake off the knee complaint that ruled him out against the Premier League side. Share your thoughts about this match preview 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 shirt sponsor Jake Bugg will play an intimate acoustic set at Meadow Lane next month in aid of Amnesty International. A new global concert series, called Give a Home, will take place on 20 September 2017 and will bring established and emerging artists together with refugees and local communities at over 300 shows in more than 60 countries around the world. One such show - in conjunction with Sofar Sounds - will see the Nottingham-born-and-bred singer-songwriter, whose stylised name will be on the front of County's shirts in November, performing at Meadow Lane on that day alongside a number of local artists. Notts commercial manager Simon Fotheringham told the official club site: "We couldn't be prouder to be selected as a venue for this amazing event. It's well documented that Jake's a huge Notts fan and the prospect of him playing a set here will be as exciting to him as it is to us. "We are also really pleased to be able to offer a number of tickets to refugees who take part in Notts County Football in the Community's collaboration with Amnesty International's Football Welcomes initiative, giving them the chance to be part of what should be a very memorable occasion." Sofar Sounds Nottingham leader Hannah Marsland added: "We are so incredibly excited to be hosting Jake Bugg on his home turf while raising money and awareness for Amnesty International to help those without a home. It promises to be a truly special night." To get the opportunity to see Jake Bugg live at Meadow Lane, you can try your luck at winning two tickets by clicking here and applying before 10 September. 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.

Matt Tootle has described the atmosphere in the Notts County dressing room as the best he has ever experienced - but before Kevin Nolan came in, he says it was the worst. The Magpies began the year within touching distance of League Two's relegation places and on a losing run which would stretch to 10 games. However, since Alan Hardy came in as owner and Nolan followed, Notts rallied round, secured Football League safety, and could now go top of the fledging 2017/18 table with victory against Accrington Stanley. County go into Friday's game at Meadow Lane on the back of three successive wins and an impressive performance against Wycombe Wanderers where they won 4-2 at Adams Park. “It is the best atmosphere inside a dressing room I’ve experienced in my career,” Tootle told the Nottingham Post. “Before the gaffer came in it was the worst but he’s turned it upside down. “There are no cliques and we are all one group. And every lad who has come into the club during the summer has said that they’ve never come to a dressing room and been made to feel so comfortable. “Everybody is so welcoming and the lads are really enjoying coming into training. The lads are getting on like a house on fire.” 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.

Since its creation in 2013, Pride of Nottingham has gone from strength to strength, and with us now in our fifth full season covering Notts County, we're delighted and perhaps even a bit surprised at how far we've come. We boast a thriving forum which is not far off breaking the four-figure mark in terms of members, with more than 5,000 topics and more than 70,000 posts and counting. Our website gets thousands of unique views per day and it's well past the million mark for article views. And our social media presence is close to 5,000 followers across the big three platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Of course, we wouldn't be where we are now if it wasn't for you reading this now, and all you amazing people who read the articles, engage with the social media posts, chat on the forums, and contributed to our donation drive. A massive thank you for being part of this journey. Sure, there have been some tough times. The off-field problems at Notts over the last few years and poor form on the pitch were hard to take as fans, and just as difficult to report on as part of the site. Doing a match report on the club's 10th consecutive defeat in League Two is not easy, believe me. But we have never shirked from what we see as our duty in covering what needs to be covered, allowing people to give their opinions and, when possible, try to instil some optimism where it can be instilled. But with the club now on an upwards trajectory, with Alan Hardy at the helm, Kevin Nolan in charge of the first team, and a group of players that are giving the fans good football and positive results, it really makes it worthwhile to know that we've been there through thick and thin. Just as the club is looking up, so are we. At PON, we're always looking for improvement. We're not happy just treading water, we want to step up our game, produce even better and more regular content, and give you, the followers, an even better experience on the site and on social media. You may have seen the news recently of our partnership with Bettabytz Computers of Mapperley, which is truly a fantastic opportunity for us, and we will also ensure that it is a fantastic opportunity for Kevin. This is exactly what we mean in terms of us stepping up our game. If you read the news and, as a business owner, thought that you would like to come on board with PON like Bettabytz Computers has, we are delighted to announce that we are looking to work with additional partners and sponsors. If you would like your company to be exposed to thousands of people of all ages and walks of life but who are all united through a love for Notts, and not just in Nottinghamshire but across England and even worldwide, then PON presents a fantastic opportunity for you to do so. We have a designated advertising page for you to check out, which goes into further detail as to what makes working with PON such a great opportunity, and also what we will do for you, so don't hesitate to have a look. At PON, our duty is to provide the best possible experience for our followers and associates, and so far, it's been an incredible journey, so why not join us on this journey and grow and prosper together? For more information, check out our designated advertising page, contact [email protected] or drop us a message on the site or on social media today!

Kevin Nolan has acknowledged that some Notts County players may not be happy at missing out on the starting XI, but the important thing is their readiness to step in at a moment's notice. With a spate of signings being made in the close season, there is a lot of competition for places at Meadow Lane, with even the likes of Jorge Grant not having made the starting line-up in some games so far. However, Nolan stresses that each player will get game time this season, and to channel any omission from the matchday XI - or indeed matchday squad - positively. “There is a bit of anxiety there because the lads who were here last season, didn’t have that competition for places,” he told the Nottingham Post. “But I spoke to them about it and told them it’s healthy. Everybody in the squad is going to be needed at some point, so it’s not about going and kicking your mate in training because he plays in your position. “It’s making sure you are ready when your mate doesn’t get the nod. You can sulk, but as long as you are prepared to play. “The lads are all responding to that and I think the majority of the squad has had 90 minutes so far. “We’ve never had this kind of competition for places at the club. There has always been plenty of players but there’s never been a vision about how we want to go about creating it. “But the lads who are still here from last year have bought into it and so are the new players. Together as a squad we will be successful.” 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 stressed that he will not set his Notts County side to be a passing team for the hell of it, without the will to win and getting the basics right. With three wins on the spin in all competitions, the next test for the Magpies sees them host Accrington Stanley on Friday night. Nolan has already hit out at those who claim the team is a "hoofball" outfit, and insists that his philosophy is simply about getting the job done instead of showing off a high possession statistic. “The reason why Manchester United and Chelsea have 500 passes is because once they go 1-0, 2-0 up that’s when they start keeping the ball,” he told the Nottingham Post. “They move it quickly and you never see United just labour in possession. They put the ball in the right positions at the right times more often than not. "That’s why they get the success they do because they counter and they counter with pace. It’s something we haven’t got at the minute in terms of the pace, but it’s very hard to get that in this league. “(Jonathan Forte) has been brilliant in the last couple of games and made some great runs. We have that option, but we always want to play football in the right areas. “I’ve never been a manager who likes passing it for passing sake. There are managers out there who like to keep it, then look at the possession stats afterwards and say we kept it for 80 percent of the game. “But I’ve been involved in matches against United, Arsenal etc and they’ve had the ball 75 percent of the game, but we’ve won 1-0. “That’s the only stat that matters and that’s because we got it right defensively, and we did the basics right. So in that 25 percent possession, we’ve scored a goal. "Winning the game is more important than anything. The more you do it, the more confident you become. My philosophy is starting to sink in with the players, but we haven’t seen the best of these lads yet.” 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 the "real togetherness" in the Notts County dressing room, saying all the players are now wearing the club badge with pride. The Magpies had a slow start to the 2017/18 season, falling to a heavy 3-0 defeat at Coventry City in the League Two opener. However, an improved display against Scunthorpe United was followed up by wins against Chesterfield and Everton Under-21s at Meadow Lane. Against Wycombe Wanderers, meanwhile, Notts suffered adversity in losing a two-goal advantage but managed to overcome it to clinch an impressive 4-2 win. In terms of the transfer market, County brought in a slew of players to complement the ones who had already extended their deals with the club, and Nolan is happy with the dynamic in the squad. “The major thing for us in the summer was that we signed lads who wanted to come here and who wanted to come and play for this club,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “We wanted them to wear the club badge with pride and I think every one of them lads have got it now. “There is a real togetherness. When the fans see that they thrive off it, love it, and it makes it a great day out for them." 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.