Joe Jones

Notts County have confirmed that they have voted for the EFL Trophy to remain in its current 64-team format. The EFL had asked clubs eligible for the competition to vote for one of four options to establish their preference for how they want the tournament's format. The options were to keep a 64-team format with 16 "invited" teams, a 48-team straight knockout setup, a 48-team format with a group stage followed by knockout rounds, or the scrapping of the competition altogether. On Tuesday, Notts confirmed they have picked the first option, adding that SLO surveying of fans showed "more than 50% of participants wanted to see the competition continue in some form". In addition, the club said any "option one" voters were asked to choose between enhanced prize money per win/draw and an increased participation fee, with Notts opting for the former. Chairman and owner Alan Hardy told the official club site: “From both a competitive and financial point of view I am confident we have voted in the best interests of the club. "The prize money on offer is vastly increased, presenting us with an opportunity to generate significant revenue to help us move the club forward. “The results of our survey showed the majority of Notts fans see a future for this competition and, in light of the amendments proposed by the EFL, we believe we have opted for the best way forward. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank supporters who took the time to give us their views. Our chief executive, Jason Turner, has passed on their feedback at EFL meetings. “We look forward to learning the result of the vote and giving the competition our best shot next 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.

Kevin Nolan has admitted that he wants Jorge Grant to stay at Notts County as post-season contract talks with players begin this week. The Nottingham Forest loanee scored his sixth goal of the campaign in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Newport Town and is highly regarded among Magpies fans and club staff alike. Grant's contract at the City Ground expires in the summer, although the Reds do have the option of extending it by a further year, but Nolan will try and recruit him to the black and white side of the Trent. "Jorge has been absolutely first class for me," the gaffer told the Nottingham Post. "He's a great kid and I am hoping I can keep him next year. "Whether the money determines otherwise, we'll have to see. But he's a top lad and I love working with him. I feel that if he does stay here with us then I can make him better and improve him." On the subject of contracts among the club's players, he said: "There is a lot of work to be done, but at the minute, the first thing we have to do is talk with the current players this week. Once we have done that then we will then look at our targets. "There is a lot of negotiating to do not just with new players, but also with the current squad and whether the players we want to sign put pen to paper. "We have a budget and what we will offer players will be at the top end anyway, so if they don't accept it they will have to move on somewhere else. But I am confident we will get the quantity and the quality right come July and August." 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.

And so ends another season in the Football League, and luckily for us Notts County fans, we had the luxury of being able to sit back and enjoy the last few fixtures of the campaign without crippling anxiety - some supporters even had the luxury of complaining about losing the final game, against Newport County, describing it as "finishing with a whimper". I will take a season which fizzles out on a losing note with a lower-mid-table finish any day compared to what the prognosis was just a few months ago. We've all witnessed what happened with Leyton Orient over the last few months, a proud club virtually dying before us and ending up relegated out of the EFL. That could have been us. That WAS us, at least until Alan Hardy completed his takeover of Notts in January, and from then on, a club that appeared terminally ill has been healed, revived and galvanised to the point that safety was secured with several games to spare. This was the same team that had lost 10 league games in a row, the kind of woeful run you get in Sunday Leagues where one team clearly just does it for a laugh, bringing together a load of hungover, overweight duffers every Sunday morning only to get spanked each week by a team whose players actually know what "cardio" means (and no, it's not Spanish). We were losers, plain and simple. Now, I'm not necessarily having a dig at the players, because the way their form picked up so dramatically after the takeover suggests that their minds might have not right for whatever reason beforehand, but if I can't use the word "losers" for a team that loses 10 games in a row, then when can I? The season didn't get off to the best start - a 2-0 defeat at Yeovil Town, followed by a 2-0 loss at Scunthorpe United in the EFL Cup. There was a mild upturn when Notts won at Hartlepool United and Crawley Town before beating Pools again in the EFL Trophy, before things took a downturn again with a draw with Grimsby Town and defeat to Accrington Stanley. Then we got victories over Cheltenham Town, Leyton Orient and Exeter City, which saw us move into the League Two playoff places heading into October. Defeats to Rochdale in the EFL Trophy and a 3-1 loss at bitter rivals Mansfield Town soon dampened spirits once again, but the month also included a hard-fought 2-1 win at Portsmouth, arguably the best performance and result of the first half of the season, and come the end of the month, which saw a goalless draw against Luton Town, we were sixth in the table. And then things went wrong. Very wrong. A 4-0 loss at Blackpool. a 3-0 hammering at Meadow Lane against Newport County. And so on, and so on for 10 painful games in the league, while the FA Cup didn't provide much solace either, having to have a replay with non-league Boreham Wood and eventually going out to Peterborough United, who then enjoyed a third-round tie at Chelsea. By the time 2017 rolled round and we got spanked by Cambridge United and MORECAMBE (losing to a team that has a sandwich filling for a badge is particularly painful), we weren't so much flirting with the bottom two as buying it drinks in a desperate bid to take it home for the night. Off the pitch, meanwhile, there were real fears that the takeover was in jeopardy due to "undisclosed issues", and so for a few days in early January, it looks like it - and the club - was going to collapse. Luckily, Hardy did manage to complete the takeover, announcing his "new era" on January 11. Out went John Sheridan, his expletive-ridden rant against Wycombe a few weeks earlier leading to dismissal for gross misconduct, in came Kevin Nolan (via a brief caretaker spell by Alan Smith) and, soon enough, the recovery began. The first game with Hardy and Nolan at the helm was against the Stags, and all that our fans were hoping for at the time was not to get destroyed by them lot. As it turned out, a very creditable goalless draw stopped the horror sequence of defeats and stopped Mansfield fans claiming local bragging rights again, but it would be a slow, steady process getting the confidence-depleted team back to scratch. The following week, Grimsby claimed a 2-0 win and, even though Notts beat Crawley 2-1 seven days later, the next result - a 2-0 loss at Stanley - kept the Magpies in the doo-doo. But by then, Nolan's leadership and Hardy's stability were reaping benefits - a 2-1 win over Cheltenham followed, and then a ridiculous, miraculous game where Notts were two goals down against Exeter with 89 minutes played, only to salvage a 2-2 draw in stoppage time. It was still touch and go in the weeks that followed, with defeats to Stevenage and Doncaster keeping the Magpies near the bottom two, but then four consecutive wins - against Barnet, Wycombe, Colchester and Carlisle, put Notts 13 points clear of the bottom two with just five games to go. The miracle was almost complete. By the time the Easter Bank Holiday ended, Notts were officially safe, and from then on, it was just a case of keeping the players focused for the last few games - easier said than done, but there was still time for a 1-0 win over Blackpool before the season-closer, where all the pressure was on Newport. What a Jekyll and Hyde season it's been. It looked like Notts were on a one-way ticket to the non-league, but Hardy and Nolan have saved the club from what looked to be certain oblivion. And now comes the summer, and with those two at the helm of the club and the team respectively, there is scope for real optimism in the pre-season and going into the new campaign. Share your thoughts about this season review 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.

Kevin Nolan has poured cold water on suggestions that Notts County can be considered title challengers in League Two next season. Sky Bet has put the Magpies joint-fourth to win the championship outright, while promotion is at a mere 3/1. This is following the resurrection of the club following Alan Hardy's takeover and Nolan's shrewd management, culminating in a 16th-placed finish just weeks after being on the brink of relegation. However, Nolan insists that there is a lot of work to be carried out at Meadow Lane after a tough couple of seasons. "It's about managing expectations and I can't get carried away with people thinking that I have a team that is worthy of finishing in the promotion places or winning the league," he told the Nottingham Post. "This club has been in disarray for a long, long, time. "Yes we have had three months in which there has been a massive lift and everybody gets carried along the crest of the wave. But there will be some bumpy waves along the way and we have to be ready for that. "That could be for the first couple of the months of the season when we don't have a good start or so on. But we are hoping it won't be like that because we want to ride the crest of the wave for as long as we can. "However, you would be mad, silly or stupid not to expect a rocky patch, and it's how we handle that between myself, Thommo (Richard Thomas) and Norm (Mark Crossley). It's been a great few months, but it's nothing to get carried away about. "We finished the season in 16th in League Two. Just because we had a decent end to the season, because we needed to by the way or we would have got relegated, doesn't automatically mean we will be one of the top teams in the division. "We would be naïve to think I will come in next year and think everything is fine, but because of the mentality we have, we'll make sure our standards never slip." 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.

Notts County played a part in one of the biggest Great Escapes of recent times when they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Newport County on Saturday. With Hartlepool United 2-1 up against Doncaster Rovers and the Magpies drawing 1-1, the Exiles were set to drop out of the English Football League. Mickey Demetriou and Jorge Grant exchanged goals either side of half-time as the match looked set to end a stalemate. However, Mark O'Brien chested and volleyed home in the 89th minute to ensural Newport's survival in League Two, while Notts, with nothing to play for, finished 16th in the fourth tier. Pride of Nottingham was at Rodney Parade for the game taking photos of fans - see if you feature in the last Faces of PON of the season! Share your thoughts on the last Faces of PON of the season on Pride of Nottingham by visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County played a part in one of the biggest Great Escapes of recent times when they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Newport County on Saturday. With Hartlepool United 2-1 up against Doncaster Rovers and the Magpies drawing 1-1, the Exiles were set to drop out of the English Football League. Mickey Demetriou and Jorge Grant exchanged goals either side of half-time as the match looked set to end a stalemate. However, Mark O'Brien chested and volleyed home in the 89th minute to ensural Newport's survival in League Two, while Notts, with nothing to play for, finished 16th in the fourth tier. Here are the official Notts YouTube highlights of 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.

Kevin Nolan has hit out at his Notts County players for conceding at the death in their 2-1 defeat at Newport County, their final League Two game of the season. The Magpies fell behind to a contentious Mickey Demetriou penalty but drew level through Jorge Grant's sixth goal in Notts colours. However, Mark O'Brien struck a winner in the 89th minute to set off wild celebrations in the Rodney Parade stands as the Exiles secured Football League safety. Despite their supporting role in one of the greatest escapes of recent times, Nolan remained pragmatic about how his side fared - and he was not happy. "The way we conceded the goal was very disappointing and I was not happy with it at all," he told the Nottingham Post. "I told the lads that in the dressing room afterwards. "I didn't want to end the season with a loss, and that's going to bug me for a long, long time. "We made the substitutions in the second half because we felt we needed to change it as we were not getting any success. "The lads who came on were brilliant, but in my mind we gifted them that goal. "People who know me, know that I am never happy when we give goals away, especially when it is through our own sloppiness. "It has made me feel very disappointed because I wanted to end the season on a high going into next 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.

Notts County have finished the 2016-17 League Two season on a losing note, but all the pressure was on the opposition for 89 minutes as Newport County left it late to claim a 2-1 win at Rodney Parade on Saturday. After some nervy opening exchanges, Lenell John-Lewis caused concern when he beat his man and squared for Tom Owen-Evans, but Alex Howes weighed in to deny the youngster a certain goal. At the other end, Shola Ameobi got the better of former Magpie Scot Bennett on the right of the area and cut the ball back for Robert Milsom, but the midfielder sliced his shot out for a throw-in. The Exiles continued to push forward and were rewarded in the 32nd minute when Haydn Hollis and John-Lewis tangled in the box, with the assistant flagging and referee Nigel Miller controversially pointing to the spot. Despite Notts disputing the decision, it remained a penalty, and Demetriou stepped up to drill the ball past Adam Collin. Kevin Nolan brought on Alan Smith and Marc Bola and his side levelled within five minutes of the changes. Ryan Bird had just gone close for Newport with a speculative effort from 35 yards and the home defence was caught out by a long ball down the middle. Jorge Grant took advantage and quickest to stab home the bouncing ball from close range on 62 minutes. With Hartlepool United edging ahead against Doncaster Rovers, a point wouldn't have been enough for Newport to stay in the league because of their goal difference. They threw everything forward in the search of the winner and when David Pipe launched a ball into the box, it dropped for Mark O’Brien, who chested down and lashed home on the volley to spark celebrations in the stands. Share your thoughts about this match 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.

Notts County and Newport County have met a total of 47 times over the years, the first fixture coming in 1930, which the Magpies won 3-2. The head-to-head record is skewed in the Magpies’ favour, with 25 wins, 9 draws and 13 defeats. The last meeting was in November 2016 and it proved an embarrassment for Notts as the Exiles cruised to a 3-0 win at Meadow Lane. Notts’s record league win is against Newport – an 11-1 victory. We have also beaten them 5-0, 6-2, 7-0, 6-0 and 8-1 over the years. Newport County, originally nicknamed "The Ironsides" due to Newport being home to Lysaght's Orb Works steel works, started out in the Southern League in 1912 at Somerton Park. The official name of the club was The Newport & Monmouth County Association Football Club, although the shorter Newport County was soon adopted. The club were reformed in 1919 and were first elected to the Football League in 1920. Newport County were Welsh Cup winners in 1980 and subsequently reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in 1981. The club was relegated from the Football League in 1988 and went out of business in February 1989, but reformed shortly afterwards and entered the English football league system at a much lower level. In 2013 the club then won promotion back to the Football League for the first time since 1988. In the 1970s and 1980s comedian Frank Carson was appointed as a Director and Vice President in order to raise the profile of the club. Newport based rappers Goldie Lookin' Chain (which JJ saw live at Glastonbudget last year - and they were naff, it has to be said) are also supporters of the club and were the team's shirt sponsors for the 2004–05 season FAW Premier Cup matches. Team news Loanee Alex Samuel was carried off on a stretcher after suffering a hamstring injury during last week's 2-1 defeat at Carlisle United and has returned to parent club Swansea City. Mitch Rose could return as Newport seek a win which will keep them up, while striker Lenell John-Lewis is in contention to start after making his first appearance of the season off the bench at Carlisle. Marlon Jackson and Jaanai Gordon could also feature and Mark Randall is expected to be fit, but Ben Tozer and Jamie Turley are set to miss out. Matt Tootle, sidelined for the last two games by a hamstring problem, has returned to training. But the defender is unlikely to be risked on Saturday against the 22nd-placed Exiles given the club effectively have nothing left to play for. Definitely missing will be captain Michael O'Connor, who is set to be out until deep into next season with a knee injury. The Magpies will finish this campaign either in their current position of 16th or move up to 15th, a spot occupied by a Barnet side who are one point better off. Share your thoughts about this match preview on Football Manics by signing up for FREE to the website, visiting the forum and joining the chat with fellow football fans.

Rob Milsom has expressed his delight with putting a frustrating first season for Notts County behind him. The 30-year-old has impressed in midfield in 2016-17 and was rewarded with the Fans' Player of the Year and the Players' Player of the Year awards. Milsom is happy with having secured the accolades, but more so because of redemption after an indifferent, injury-disrupted maiden season at Meadow Lane. "I've come a long way because I struggled in the first season," the 2015 signing from Rotherham United told the Nottingham Post. "That was down to the injury which happened just a month or two after I signed. It never really went away and I was playing through a knock half the time. "But I wanted to come back determined to make an impression this season and show people what I can do. "I know it wasn't good enough in the first season so I was really champing at the bit. It was really frustrating, but it's all behind me now. Everything is fine and I just want to keep kicking on." 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.

Kevin Nolan has urged Notts County to finish the season on a high with a win at Newport County and get momentum going into the 2017-18 campaign. The Magpies have the luxury of not having to worry about their League Two future at Rodney Parade, while the hosts need to win to make sure of a place in the Football League. However, Nolan insists that he does not want the players to mentally be on their holidays and warns that a lot of them may not see each other again, so must make the most of it. The Notts manager told the official club website: "I'm really looking forward to it. We've got to go out with a bang. "We did it last week, beating Blackpool when a lot of people thought we'd be on our holidays. I don't want it to get to that 'end-of-season' feel. "A lot of these lads might not see each other again, so they have a duty to each other to go to Newport and give it their all - and hopefully come away with another win to give us momentum going into next season. "It's really important they don't let themselves down after doing so well since I walked through the door." 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.

Rob Milsom has expressed his desire to "put down roots" at Notts County after enjoying an impressive and award-winning season at Meadow Lane. The 30-year-old midfielder was voted the club's 2016-17 player of the year as well as the players' player of the year for his consistency in the middle of the park. His contract is up at the end of the season but manager Kevin Nolan has publicly declared that he wants to keep Milsom at the club. Now the former Rotherham United man says the feeling is mutual, telling the Nottingham Post: "I have really enjoyed it this season and hopefully I can put down roots here. "I've really enjoyed playing under the gaffer and I think the club is going places. "The fans have turned out and got behind us and it's been really enjoyable to play in front of them. "I'd like to be part of a club that is going forward next season. I expect the talks to be straight forward and hopefully we can come to an agreement." 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.

Alan Hardy has vowed to keep using Twitter to interact with Notts County fans, but insists that abusive messages sent to him on the platform are not acceptable. The Magpies chairman often tweets updates about the club and engages with supporters, though he has sometimes come under criticism for doing so rather than using the official club site. He wrote in the Nottingham Post: "As the chairman and owner of Notts County, I am a firm believer that engaging with the fans is essential to make them feel part of what we are trying to achieve at Meadow Lane. "Twitter is my chosen tool for communication because I believe it's a terrific way to interact with the supporters on a one on one basis especially if they have any questions. "I firmly believe our success will heavily rely on engagement with the fans which is why I put myself out there on Twitter. "It would be wrong of me to suggest that it has all been plain sailing and over the last week or so I have had to block a number of accounts. "I have no problem whatsoever with people having a different opinion to me, but it's how that opinion is delivered. "Some people have been nothing but abusive and the last thing I want when fetching a drink is somebody giving me gratuitous abuse. "I just won't stand for it. I don't need it in my life because it adds nothing to it. If somebody has a different opinion, then fine. "I welcome that because it's about debate, challenging viewpoints and being able to consider other perceptions. "I always think of Twitter as being in the pub having a debate with your mates. But if somebody comes up to me, calls me an idiot and headbutts me then it's not acceptable. "Likewise, somebody being abusive on Twitter is not acceptable. I encourage people to have different opinions not only on Twitter but in the workplace too. "Fortunately, 95 percent of the people who do engage with me are polite, appreciate the interaction and leave me sometimes looking at my own thought process." To read the rest of Alan Hardy's column on the Nottingham Post, click here. 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.

Notts County decided to hold a firework display ahead of their final home game of the League Two season against Blackpool on Saturday. With the players lined up on the Meadow Lane pitch not far from the touchline in front of the Derek Pavis stand, they had their backs turned to the display on the centre circle. And right at the end, loud explosions from the cannons startled both sets of players, some of whom visibly flinched - cue much amusement from the crowd! See the firework display for yourself - credit to Nick Holmes for the footage! Share your thoughts about this video 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.

Richard Duffy has praised Kevin Nolan for helping improve his game and says he wants to remain at Notts County past the end of the season. In January, the defender agreed to waive a clause in his contract that would have automatically triggered a one-year extension at Meadow Lane, with the club's League Two future in the balance at the time. His contract now runs out at the end of the season, but his performances improved since Nolan's arrival, helping the club survive in the Football League. Now Duffy insists he is hoping to be granted a new deal, telling the Nottingham Post: “I would like to stay. “When I agreed to the clause being removed from my contract earlier in the season, and while it wasn't something I wanted, it's something I had to sacrifice for the sake of playing and the team. “But it's down to the club, the manager and chairman as to what happens next. “I feel as if I have picked up since the manager has come in and, like everybody here, played to a standard I know I can." 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.

Kevin Nolan has praised Rob Milsom after the midfielder picked up two Notts County awards last week, admitting that he would like to keep him at Meadow Lane next season. The 30-year-old collected the Players' Player of the Year and the Fans' Player of the Year awards before Saturday's 1-0 win over Blackpool as a reward for his impressive and consistent form. Milsom is one of many players out of contract at the club in the summer, but his manager is hoping to keep hold of him for the 2017-18 campaign. "Rob has been brilliant since I came in," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "He is an honest and hardworking lad. That's why he has all of those accolades. "I am hoping he can kick on further now after having a torrid few years before that. "He should go away feeling very proud of himself, and he should have a good rest before he comes back ready and raring to go in July. "He hasn't played this many games in a long time, but we will manage it and see where we go with the contract talks. I would love to keep him if we can get the contract right." 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.

Notts County have ended their programme of League Two home fixtures this season on a winning note after a 1-0 win over Blackpool at Meadow Lane on Saturday. Centre-half Richard Duffy's fourth goal of the season was all that separated the two sides as he headed into an unguarded net on 34 minutes after Blackpool goalkeeper Sam Slocombe had kept out Jorge Grant's free-kick. Here are the highlights from the clash against the playoff-chasing Tangerines from the official Notts YouTube channel. Share your thoughts about the highlights 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.

Richard Duffy has echoed Kevin Nolan's comments in being delighted about Notts County's winning home finish on Saturday. The Magpies fans, who have put up with a lot of grief this season, were treated to a victory in the club's last home game of the season, a 1-0 win over Blackpool. Duffy, the club's stand-in captain as Michael O'Connor recovers from injury, named several players who he thought stood out and admitted the dressing room is happy at present. He told the official Notts side: "Haydn was superb today. He did everything and more. If you hang a ball up for him, hes going to eat everything up. He's just getting better and better. "Everyone put a shift in. You wouldn't say we had a bad player. Carl Dickinson was someone who maybe got a bit of stick earlier in the season, but since he's come back into the team he's been superb. "To finish the way we have, especially at home, is pleasing. The fans turn up and expect you to perform to your best and we weren't doing that. "But since the new manager has come in we have done that, picking up some good wins against teams who are pushing for promotion, as you've seen today. "We've finished on a good note at home and it's a happy dressing room." 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.

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Saturday's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane between Notts County and Blackpool could have gone either way, but is happy to have capped off their home programme on a high note. The Magpies edged the encounter 1-0, Richard Duffy scoring on the rebound after Jorge Grant had forced the Tangerines goalkeeper into a save from a free kick. Nolan told the Notts website after the game: "I don't think it was a great spectacle and it could have gone either way. "We haven't played well but we've come out with a 1-0 win and a nice clean sheet, which I'll enjoy just as much as I did the Colchester game the other week. "Hopefully we can finish on a high next week at Newport, which is going to be tasty because they've got to win to stay up and we want to go out with a bang. We're looking forward to that now." When Nolan took the reigns at Meadow Lane they were just one point adrift of safety, but since then he has steered them to 16th in the fourth tier. And after guiding the Magpies to a win on their last home game of the season, Nolan said he was thrilled to send the Black and White Army away from Meadow Lane happy. "This showed how far we've come," Nolan said. "The fans are coming out in force and it would be magnificent if we can keep sending them home happy week in week out. "When we first came in home crowds were only about 3,000 some weeks, so to get where we are is a great achievement from everyone. "Alan Hardy and all his backroom staff deserve so much credit because their hard work has come to fruition, making it easier for us on the pitch." 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.

Notts County have wrapped up their home fixtures for the 2016-17 League Two season with a 1-0 win over Blackpool at Meadow Lane on Saturday. The first chance of the game came in the second minute when former Tangerine Mark Yeates curled wide of goal. Blackpool then came close to taking the lead when Adam Collin spilled what ought to have been a routine claim, but the defence cleared just as Mark Cullen looked set to tap home. The lead, however, came the way of Notts when Jorge Grant's free kick was palmed by Sam Slocombe into the path of Richard Duffy, who headed into the empty net. Stead almost doubled County's advantage when forced a terrific stop from Slocombe, which denied him his 15th goal of the season. Both sides continued to trade blows in the second half, with Collin keeping out a Neil Danns cross-shot that was sneaking in, and also held a late Brad Potts header as Blackpool searched for an equaliser. Ultimately, however, the Magpies held on for the win, which ensured that Kevin Nolan has only lost one home game since taking the reins 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.

Kevin Nolan has played down suggestions that Notts County are to make a move for Dover Athletic striker Ricky Miller, claiming that he costs a lot of money and could invest his budget more wisely. The 28-year-old has scored 37 goals this season to top the National League goalscoring charts and was also named the division's player of the year. Notts were quoted with an interest in the player both in January and heading into the summer, but Nolan says he could get "a lot of good players" with the money quoted for Miller. "We have a long list of players who we are looking at and who we are considering," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "I have a meeting with Alan (Hardy, Magpies owner) this week about the budget and Ricky Miller is going to cost a lot of money. "We were quoted a lot in January when we enquired about him, as we did with many others. "But whatever budget Alan decides to give me, we have to get the best out of it. For the money you would pay for Ricky Miller you could get a lot of good players." Nolan also hinted that he would be looking to the Premier League again for loan signings after Marc Bola, Josh Clackstone and Tahvon Campbell contributed to the Magpies' 2017 revival. He said: "All of the loan signings we have brought in have been a success in their own way, not just for the impact on the field but in the dressing room or training pitch. "We will definitely look to bring in players on loan and use that system because I think it's a great system. "And I think a lot of Premier League clubs will look at us and be happy to send their players here because they know they will get a chance." 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.

The first fixture between Blackpool and Notts took place on 28 November 1896 at Raikes Hall, and finished 3-2 to the Lancashire side. A total of 58 games have taken place between the two sides, with Notts winning 19, Blackpool winning 24, and 15 draws. The last fixture came earlier this season, on 12 November 2016 - a humiliating 4-0 defeat for Notts at Bloomfield Road. Football had developed in Blackpool by 1877 when Victoria FC were founded as a church club with a ground in Caunce Street. This team disbanded a few years later but some of its members are understood to have merged with old boys from St John's School to form a new club called Blackpool St John's. But the two factions remained disunited and, on 26 July 1887, at a meeting in the Stanley Arms public house, the members resolved to wind up St John's and form a new club to represent the whole town called Blackpool Football Club. Blackpool's most notable achievement is winning the 1953 FA Cup Final, the so-called "Matthews Final", in which they beat Bolton Wanderers 4–3, overturning a 1–3 deficit in the closing stages of the game. During that post-war period, Blackpool made three FA Cup Final appearances in six years and, during the 1950s, had four top-six finishes in the Football League First Division, their best position being runners-up to Manchester United in the 1955–56 season. In 1953, four Blackpool players were in the England team against Hungary at Wembley, causing the Daily Mirror to declare that "Blackpool are playing Hungary today", though England lost in a famous defeat. Since the 1950s Blackpool's fortunes have varied, and when they won promotion to the Premier League, at the end of the 2009–10 campaign, Blackpool became the first club in English football to have won promotion from every division of the Football League via the play-off system. Blackpool's least successful period was officially in the 1980s, particularly when, in the 1982–83 season, they finished 21st in English League football's lowest tier, their lowest-ever League finish. Team news Matt Tootle faces a race against time to be fit for Notts County's final home game of the season against Blackpool. Tootle missed the defeat at Luton Town with a hamstring injury and should he not make it Josh Clackstone is likely to continue in his absence at right-back. Midfielder Mark Yeates will hope for a recall against his former club while Alan Smith, Curtis Thompson and Jonathan Forte are also vying to be in Kevin Nolan's starting line-up. Captain Michael O'Connor has been ruled out for up to nine months after sustaining a knee injury against Portsmouth and requires surgery. Blackpool are just missing long-term absentees Jim McAlister and Jamille Matt. McAlister broke his leg in early February while striker Matt has a hamstring tear that could rule him out for the remainder of the campaign. Ian Black, Kyle Vassell and Bright Samuel are all options for boss Gary Bowyer if he decides to freshen things up, although his team have not conceded in their past three games. The Seasiders are currently sixth in the League Two table and their goal difference is so superior to their rivals that four points from their final two fixtures should ensure they enter the play-offs. 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.

Kevin Nolan has once again insisted that the Notts County players whose contracts run out at the end of the season must prove themselves to their manager in the last two games. The Magpies secured safety on Easter Monday against Portsmouth with several games to spare, but with neither promotion nor relegation at stake, the concern is the players may not perform to their full potential. Nolan has already said several times over the last few weeks that he does not want the Notts players to take their foot off the pedal, reiterating their need to play for their Meadow Lane futures against Blackpool and Newport County. "It's all about mentality and what the players want to achieve," he told the Nottingham Post. "There are a lot of players out of contract, as we know, and they still have to convince me that for next season they want to be a part of this club. "There may be players getting their heads turned by other clubs, you never know, but for their sake they cannot let the season peter out. "You sensed there was a huge sigh of relief when we achieved safety a lot quicker than perhaps many thought. "But now they have to show me their professionalism and their mentality moving forward for next year. "I think I will learn about them more now, than when our backs were against the wall. "You come out fighting and the lads did brilliantly with that, but now, with the pressure off, you've got to create the pressure from within yourself." 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.

Mark Yeates has confirmed that he wants to stay on at Notts County past the end of the season and admits several other out-of-contract players do too. The former Blackpool winger signed for the Magpies in January on a short-term deal which expires in the summer, alongside those of the majority of the players. Yeates, who will face his former club on Saturday, says he gets on really well with manager Kevin Nolan and would sign a contract if it were put in front of him. "The gaffer and I get on really well and I am sure we will sit down at some point," he told the Nottingham Post. "I am not the only one, there are quite a few boys he wants to speak to as well. "All I can say is that it's a great club and I've really enjoyed it. We've done what the gaffer set out to, which is to keep the club in the division. "Everybody can give themselves a pat on the back, but as for myself, I am not 100 percent sure what will happen. "I've enjoyed it immensely. It's a great club and I've made some good mates. My relationship with the gaffer is one of the best I've had for a long time. "If something was to be put in front of me then I would like to stay." 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.

Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce has spoken fondly of Colin Slater and recalls the great relationship they had when he was at Notts County. The BBC Radio Nottingham stalwart, who has covered more than 2,500 Notts matches for over seven decades, is retiring from commentary, although he will remain the station's Magpies correspondent. Allardyce, who worked with Slater during his time at Meadow Lane between 1997 and 1999, has recalled how the 83-year-old helped him in learning to deal with the media. "I was quite a young manager at the time and Colin [Slater] was a great stable backing for me in dealing with the media and talking to him privately about experiences all of his life was really good for me," Allardyce told the Croydon Advertiser. "I had a great relationship with him in the near three years and it is fantastic to see he is still healthy and well. Enjoy your retirement mate, you deserve it. "It is a dying breed, and dedication to the job is an understatement, but it is because he loves it and that is why he is so good at it." Slater's last game as commentator will be County's trip to face Newport County next week. 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.