Joe Jones

One step forward, two steps back. Much like the goalless draw against Mansfield Town was followed up by the 2-0 defeat at Grimsby Town, so was the impressive 2-1 win over Crawley Town followed up by an insipid 2-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley, a club whose name is usually followed up with "who are they" said in a Scouse accent. Who are they? Oh, just a team that Notts haven't beaten in the league in seven years. A team whose recent record over Notts reads two draws and four wins. A team that the Magpies should be embarrassed to share a pitch with in a league fixture, never mind slip to defeat (the same goes for Morecambe, the very definition of lower-league minnows, yet their recent record over us is damning). Today, Accrington mustered six shots on target. Notts managed just one. The first goal came from a set piece and a cross swung into the box by Sean McConville and nodded home by Harvey Rodgers, a straightforward passage of play that any self-respecting defence should be swatting away without too much difficulty. And then came the second goal, which was downright laughable were it not conceded by the team we support - Jonny Edwards was up against two Notts defenders chasing a ball over the top, he beat one for pace, and in the process the tumbling player took out his teammate as if they were skittles - leaving Edwards all the time and space a footballer could ever wish for to charge towards goal. Adam Collin did well to keep his initial shot out, but the incoming Noor Husin was on hand to rifle home on the rebound completely unmarked. I reckon I could have done a better job of defending that had I been playing with a hangover. As it stands, Notts are 22nd in the table, one point above Leyton Orient and two above bottom side Newport County. But - and this is the crucial bit - the two sides in the relegation zone have a game in hand. If, at this moment in time, that one game in hand was a win, Notts would be bottom of the league. Of the entire English Football League. Notts have 17 games left to save their season. Each game is a cup final now, because relegation for the Magpies would be disastrous and humiliating beyond belief. Kevin Nolan, Notts players, over to you. Share your thoughts about the match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have played the current incarnation of Accrington Stanley 14 times in their history. 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 earlier this season on September 10, and Stanley won 2-0 at Meadow Lane. 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 Liverpudlian kids 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 Accrington are still missing Matty Pearson and Scott Brown through suspension ahead of the visit of Notts on Saturday. Defender Pearson is in the middle of a three-match ban following his sending-off in the 1-1 draw against Carlisle United. Midfielder Brown must sit out the League Two match and one more fixture as he completes his four-match ban. Stanley boss John Coleman can field the squad which lost narrowly in the FA Cup at Middlesbrough last week, however. Notts could name a much-changed team from that which last week defeated Crawley Town 2-1 after being busy in the transfer market. Kevin Nolan has registered to play for them, therefore becoming player-manager and coming into contention. On Tuesday they also recruited Tahvon Campbell, Marc Bola, Jorge Grant and Josh Clackstone, while Mark Yeates signed earlier on in the window. Curtis Thompson, however, is suspended after being sent off last Saturday. Share your thoughts about the match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

New Notts County player Mark Yeates has admitted that Alan Sheehan played a big part in convincing him of the club's stature, prestige and setup. The former Blackpool winger was one of six players recruited by Kevin Nolan and Alan Hardy ahead of the January transfer window's closure. Yeates told the Nottingham Post: "Sheez and I go back a long way. I went on loan to Leicester from Tottenham as a young lad and he was coming through the youth team there. "We've known each other since we were kids and, funnily enough, our fathers played together in the League of Ireland. "Our families know each other well and I think he tells everybody he is a legend in Nottingham so that's no secret for anyone. "I know he scored a penalty here to help keep them up. Shaun Derry and Keith Curle speak highly of him. "He is a big character, somebody you would call a man because he is not afraid to say what he feels. "He's a good mate of mine and I think if he could, he would definitely come back at some point. "He was close to coming back before and he tried to get me down here with him when Shaun was in charge. "But I know a lot of players who have been here, like Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Andre Boucard and Gary Liddle. "There is a long list of lads who have played here and never had a bad word to say about it. "If anything they speak massively of it. But I know how big the club is from the outside looking in. "It was always a club that, in the back of my mind, I could always see playing for. Luckily enough it has happened." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has admitted that he did not want to continue working with Stanley Aborah at the club, due to "the way he carries himself". The Belgian, who signed for the Magpies in the summer of 2015, left Meadow Lane by mutual consent on transfer deadline day and is expected to rejoin Ricardo Moniz at Dutch club FC Eindhoven. Aborah's time at Notts following Moniz's departure has been punctuated by spells in and out of the team as numerous managers opted not to make him a first-team fixture. Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "Stanley has been here for a long time. If you look at his record, he hasn't had a great deal of games before I came in. He has fluttered about a lot of clubs in a lot of years. "If I am being honest, I thought his training and the way he carries himself didn't suit me as a man. For me it was better that Stan and I parted ways. "He's a lovely fella, but there were numerous opportunities when I asked a bit more from him and I just feel he didn't take it on board. It wasn't someone I wanted to continue to work with. "I have to be honest because it's the best policy. As a player I wanted it (honesty), because if you are not highly thought of or wanted, then I wanted somebody to tell me to my face rather than behind my back." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have secured the signing of Arsenal left-back Marc Bola on loan until the end of the season. The 19-year-old signed his first professional contract at the Emirates Stadium last April after featuring regularly for their Under-21s. Bola, who will wear number 16 at Meadow Lane, told the official Notts site: "It's a pleasure after seeing (manager Kevin Nolan) at West Ham scoring goals. "He believes in young players and he's experienced. "Notts County is a massive club and I'm just buzzing to get playing." Nolan added: "Marc has tremendous potential and his physicality makes him a good fit for this league. "He will be keen to show what he can do at first-team level and we are delighted to have him here." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have signed West Bromwich Albion attacker Tahvon Campbell on loan until the end of the season. The 20-year-old came through the ranks at the Hawthorns and became a senior player in 2015. He is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Baggies but has spent time on loan at Kidderminster Harriers and Yeovil Town. Magpies manager Kevin Nolan told the official site: "Tahvon comes to us highly recommended. "He will bring pace and power to our attack, either from wide positions or up front." He is the second player to join Notts this month after the lifting of the transfer embargo, and the third to register as a player after Nolan made himself available to the squad. Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have been moving fast after coming out of their transfer embargo last week, with two key registrations made at Meadow Lane as of Tuesday morning. The Magpies have made their first signing, with veteran winger Mark Yeates cancelling his Blackpool contract to join Notts until the end of the season. Yeates, who was out of contract at Bloomfield Road in the summer, told the official Notts website: "I'm over the moon. When I got told about the interest it was a no brainer for me. "I know a few of the lads in the dressing room and that'll probably make it easier to settle in. "I just want to get on the ball and try to make things happen - whether that be behind the front man or from out wide. "I've always been about trying to make chances and I try to chip in with the odd goal when I can." Notts manager Kevin Nolan added: "It's great to have Mark on board. He has vast experience and adds to our quality in attacking areas." In addition, the Magpies boss has also registered himself as a player and joins the squad - another move that could not have been done until the end of the embargo. He will be hoping to use his experience from hundreds of appearances for Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and West Ham United to assist his side as they battle relegation. Owner Alan Hardy said: "It was always Kevin’s intention to register as a player and I’m delighted to confirm we have now completed the formalities. "He will of course need to continue building his fitness but, when he’s ready, I’m confident we will have one of, if not the, best midfielders in the league. "Kevin and I will continue to discuss further transfer targets and I will update fans on our progress in due course." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Jonathan Forte has described scoring the winner in Notts County's first League Two victory since October as "a brilliant feeling" The striker's late goal against Crawley Town on Saturday helped the Magpies to a 2-1 win and lifted the struggling side out of the relegation zone. "It feels great, we haven't won in a long time so scoring the winner was a brilliant feeling," Forte told the Nottingham Post. "I had a chance in the first half when I went through one on one and I think I panicked because I saw two players coming in and thought 'right I might have to hit it early'. "The keeper made a decent save but I think I should have gone the other way. Then I had a header and I'm not really renowned for those but that was unlucky not to go in. "But I was just happy to get the winner. When they scored it deflated us and I thought 'here we go again'. "We got ourselves back into it and in the past few weeks that wouldn't have happened. They'd have gone down the other end and scored but obviously this time we've got the goal and we're all delighted." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Kevin Nolan has hailed his Notts County players for claiming their first League Two win since October against Crawley Town, while also thanking the fans for their support. Thierry Audel gave the Magpies the lead at Meadow Lane on Saturday before James Collins appeared to have salvaged something for the Red Devils. However, Jonathan Forte sent the Lane into delirium when he struck at the death and gave the hosts a 2-1 win and all three points to lift them out of the relegation zone. Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "It feels good. I have to praise the lads because they have taken on board what we have done. "They were brilliant from one to 13 because the lads who came off the bench played their part too. "We were together and the performance ensured that we thoroughly deserved what we got. "I hope the fans enjoyed it and hopefully there will be more of these afternoons to come. "It's not great for the heart, I must admit. But I am young enough and fit enough to be able to take it. "The fans really got behind us and it lifted the players. I thank them for that. The players mentioned afterwards it was the first time they had heard it for a while. It's great and hopefully we can continue." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have climbed out of the bottom two of League Two thanks to their first league win since October, a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Crawley Town. Neither side broke the deadlock in the first half, although Jonathan Forte came close on two occasions, forcing a save from Glenn Morris before nodding just over the bar. The visitors were forced to hang tight in the second half, although there was hope for them when Curtis Thompson was sent off in the 72nd minute. Nonetheless, Kevin Nolan's charges took the lead not long after when Thierry Audel forced the ball over the line when Rob Milsom's corner had caused pandemonium inside the box. It was no more than Notts deserved after creating numerous chances, with Forte spurning two in the first half. Crawley, however, hit back in the final 10 minutes when James Collins had space outside the box and cannoned in a terrific effort off the underside of the crossbar from 25 yards. That had seemingly curtailed the Magpies' hopes of victory, but right at the death, Forte scored on the rebound after Haydn Hollis's original shot had been saved. Share your thoughts about the match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have only ever played Crawley Town nine times in their history. The first fixture between the two was just over four years ago, on 10 November 2012. This milestone first meeting between the two, played at Meadow Lane, finished 1-1. Meanwhile the return fixture, played away on the 9th March 2013, ended as a goalless draw. The record stands at five Notts wins, two defeats and two draws. Our recent record against them is very good, the Magpies winning the last three encounters (all in League Two). Crawley Town have been a non-league side for the majority of their history – last decade, while Notts were struggling to survive in the old Second Division, Crawley had just been promoted from the Southern Football League. Crawley have won plenty of silverware in their history, though the majority of it is amateur-based. This changed when they won the Conference National title in 2011 and the League Two title just a year later. 2010-11 was a record-breaking season not just for Crawley, but also for the Conference. The West Sussex club broke the points total in one season (105) and tie with other teams for most wins in one season (31), fewest defeats (3), and highest goal difference (+63). Because of this season, alongside the funds they had to buy players and an unlikable manager (Steve Evans), they were known as “the Manchester United of non-league football”. The town of Crawley is known for being close - just three miles in fact - to Gatwick Airport, the world's busiest single-runway international airport. Famous people who have links to Crawley include Australian footballer Kevin Muscat (born in Crawley), Gareth Southgate (attended the town's Hazelwick School), English rock band The Cure (formed in Crawley, several of its members attended St Wilfrid's RC School) and Gorillaz lead singer 2D (a fictional character, his back story claims he grew up in the town). Team news Rob Milsom is a doubt for Saturday's game - he did not reappear for the second half of last weekend's defeat at Grimsby Town having suffered severe swelling on his foot. Stanley Aborah impressed as a substitute against the Mariners and is pushing for a start. The Magpies are still under a transfer embargo, although that could be lifted over the weekend. After their match against Portsmouth was cancelled last week, Crawley manager Dermot Drummy has no fresh injury concerns. Striker Matt Harrold is the only long-term absentee with an Achilles injury. Conor Henderson is in contention to start after renewing his short-term deal at the club until the end of the season. Drummy could also hand a debut to defender Josh Lelan, who joined the Red Devils on Thursday. Share your thoughts about the game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

A lot of Notts fans, myself included, were celebrating when Alan Hardy became the club's new owner, finally putting an end to the Ray Trew era, and there was a weekend of relative joy when the losing run was snuffed out at the 11th attempt with a face-saving goalless draw against local rivals Mansfield Town. However, the harsh reality are that the Magpies are still in very deep trouble. After 27 League Two games played, we're 23rd in the table, on 23 points. The other teams occupying the bottom five places have all played a game less than us. And despite the temporary relief of the derby draw, we cannot sugarcoat the fact that we haven't won in the league since October, and have suffered 11 defeats in 12 league games. The players are, on paper, more than good enough to beat anyone on their day - we beat Portsmouth back in October, which was a pretty impressive win. But over the last few months, to say standards have slipped is as much of an understatement as saying Leicester City did okay to win the Premier League last season. Confidence in the team has been shredded, and especially with how long it's been since the side won, the players have turned into a shadow of what they can really do - beat the likes of Pompey. And if that wasn't the cherry on top, the transfer embargo means we cannot even bring any fresh legs into the team, players that haven't had to endure the last few months and maybe bring some fresh optimism into the dressing room. The transfer window shuts in just five days, so it'll be a nervy end to January for the club's fans, coaches and directors. If the embargo doesn't get lifted in time, not only can we not sign any new players, but Kevin Nolan won't be able to register himself as a player, and we have no emergency loan window to fall back on after FIFA removed it just last summer. Whether we can sign players or not, Nolan and the players are in for one of the most challenging spells of their footballing careers. Let's hope, for the sake of the club, that they can pull it together and drag the club to safety, because under Hardy's tenure, I believe the only way is up. Whether that will be up from League Two or up from the National League, it remains to be seen. Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Alan Hardy has revealed that he sacked John Sheridan from his post as Notts County manager because of his verbal abusing of match officials during the defeat to Wycombe Wanderers. The 52-year-old was dismissed as Magpies boss on January 3 following a club-record ninth consecutive defeat in League Two, but the club made no reference to why he was let go at the time. New owner Hardy has now confirmed that it was Sheridan's abusive language towards referee Eddie Ilderton and the other officials following the 2-0 defeat to Wycombe in December rather than the club's poor form which led to the manager's departure. Hardy told the official Notts site: "I wish to make it clear that this sort of behaviour by any employee of this club will not be tolerated. "It was our decision to terminate the contract based on what I read in the referee's report regarding the incident. This is a family-friendly club which aims to be a pillar of the local community. "Comments of the type made by Mr Sheridan were utterly appalling and wholly unacceptable, completely undermining the community spirit and focus we are striving to develop here. "In light of the recent disclosure of the referee's report, I thought it appropriate to communicate the exact reasons behind the course of action we took." Sheridan received a five-match ban for the abuse, and he apologised for his behaviour - he is now back at previous club Oldham Athletic. Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Kevin Nolan understands how the Notts County players are feeling at present as the club battles relegation from the English Football League. The Magpies have not won since their 2-0 victory over non-league Boreham Wood in the FA Cup on November 15, while their last league win was a full three months ago, against Portsmouth. Since then Notts have slipped from the playoff positions to the bottom two, losing 11 out of 12 league games, including 10 on the trot prior to the goalless draw against Mansfield Town. Nolan says he sympathises with his players, having played in relegation-threatened teams before and understanding how confidence can waver. "I've been in their situation," the Notts boss told the Nottingham Post. "You have that first bad touch and you go 'oh aye' and the next ball comes and you take three touches instead of two. "All of a sudden you start getting what they call scatterbrain. A lot of the lads will be suffering from that given what's gone on in the past. "But I was so pleased with their reaction to going a goal down against Grimsby at the weekend. They didn't capitulate and I was pleased with how they responded." Up next for Notts is a home fixture in the league against Crawley Town. Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Arthur Mann was born in Falkirk, Scotland on 23 January 1948 and began his footballing career at Heart of Midlothian in 1967. A versatile player who could line up in both defence and midfield, he played for Hearts in the 1968 Scottish Cup Final, although he ended up on the losing side as Dunfermline won 3-1. It was not long before his talents were spotted across the border and he moved to Manchester City for £65,000, then a record for a Scottish defender transferring to an English side. The club's most successful period was roundabout this time until the early 70s, when they won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. However, Mann was unable to take part in Man City's European campaigns as he had a fear of flying, but he nonetheless enjoyed a three-and-a-half-year stay at Maine Road, which included a loan spell at Blackpool. In 1972, he was snapped up by Notts County manager Jimmy Sirrel for £15,000 and he went on to enjoy the most fruitful and stable spell of his career, making 253 appearances for the Magpies and scoring 21 goals in seven years. When Mann left for Shrewsbury Town in 1979, he fetched double the fee that Notts paid for him, but he only spent four months at Gay Meadow before signing for Mansfield Town in a £36,000 deal. Mann spent the twilight of his playing career with Kettering Town, Telford United and Boston United, where he also served as a manager and led them to the final of the FA Trophy in 1985. He was Alan Buckley's assistant manager at Grimsby Town and West Bromwich Albion, and had a spell as caretaker-manager at Albion early in 1997 following Buckley's dismissal. Sadly, Mann died on 4 February 1999, aged just 51, in an industrial accident while working for a factory in Birmingham. Share your memories of Arthur Mann on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Kevin Nolan has admitted that there is a lot of work that needs to be done at Notts County, with defending the key aspect. After the impressive goalless draw against Mansfield Town last weekend, the Magpies slipped to a 2-0 defeat away at Grimsby Town. "We know there is a lot of work to be done and I never shied away from that," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "But we have got to start learning pretty quickly that we can't gift goals away. "It's disappointing after such a good week that we didn't follow it up with probably the same commitment that we showed last week. "By that I don't mean the lads didn't give me everything they had, but I mean good positive closing down and aggression. "We were more on the back foot. I am disappointed in that way, but we always knew we would have to work hard to get out of the situation." Nolan also reiterated owner Alan Hardy's work in trying to get the transfer embargo removed. "Alan is trying everything to lift the embargo and with a bit of luck we might have a few days to have a go at a few players," said Nolan. "It will give us the chance to freshen it up and give the lads a bit of a boost, because there is nothing better than seeing a new lad come in to help you out. "We have had lots of positive feedback from players who want to come here and agents are texting and calling feeling that this is a good club to come to and be part of what we want to achieve. "We are hopeful because whatever Alan puts his mind to he is getting done at the moment." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have slumped to an 11th defeat in 12 League Two games as Grimsby Town recorded a 2-0 win over the Magpies at Blundell Park on Saturday. Goals from Omar Bogle - his 19th of the season - and Scott Vernon sealed the victory for the Mariners. The hosts' opener came in the 27th minute when Jamey Osborne brought the ball back from the byline and cut it across the Notts penalty area, where Bogle was on hand to turn the ball home. Not long after, Grimsby had a penalty shout turned down as Vernon's cross seemed to strike the outstretched arm of Matt Tootle. The Magpies had several chances to pull level, with Jonathan Forte looping a cross against the woodwork and Richard Duffy headed wide. However, Grimsby were the better side and threatened through Osborne's 25-yard effort and a Bogle shot that was palmed away by Collin. With ten minutes to go, the Mariners managed to grab their second as Bogle forced another save from Collin, but Vernon picked up the ball and slotted home on the rebound. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson produced a good save from Stanley Aborah's free-kick just before full-time to keep the two-goal advantage intact, and confirm a defeat for Notts at the final whistle. Share your thoughts about the match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County and Grimsby Town have met a total of 79 times over the years, with the first fixture coming on 5 October 1893. Notts won the Division Two clash 2-0 at Trent Bridge. The Magpies have 27 wins, while the Mariners have 32, and 20 games have been drawn. Grimsby Town FC was formed in 1878 after a meeting held at the Wellington Arms public house in Freeman Street, Grimsby. Several attendees included members of the local Worsley Cricket Club who wanted to form a football club to occupy the empty winter evenings after the cricket season had finished The club was originally called Grimsby Pelham, this being the family name of the Earl of Yarborough, a significant landowner in the area. In 1880 the club purchased land at Clee Park which was to become their ground until 1889 when they relocated to Abbey Park, before moving again in 1899 to their present home, Blundell Park. The club is the most successful of the three professional league clubs in historic Lincolnshire, being the only one to play top-flight football. It is also the only club of the three to reach an FA Cup semi-final (doing so on two occasions) and is the only one to succeed in two finals at the old Wembley Stadium. It has also spent more time in the English game's first and second tiers than any other club from Lincolnshire. Notable managers include Bill Shankly, who went on to guide Liverpool to three League titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup triumph and Lawrie McMenemy who, after securing promotion to the then third division in 1972, moved to Southampton where he won the FA Cup in 1976. Alan Buckley is the club's most successful manager; he had three spells as team manager between 1988 and 2008, guiding the club to three promotions and two appearances at Wembley Stadium during the 1997–98 season winning both the Football League Trophy and the Football League Second Division Play-Off Final. In 2008 Buckley took Grimsby to the capital again, but lost out to MK Dons in the final of the Football League Trophy. The Mariners had also reached the Football League Two Play-Off final in 2006 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, but lost the match 1–0 to Cheltenham Town. Later trips to the Wembley in 2013 and 2016 saw them defeated in the FA Trophy final by Wrexham and FC Halifax Town respectively. Grimsby managed to reach the Conference play-off final in both 2015 and 2016, after losing to Bristol Rovers they defeated Forest Green Rovers to earn promotion back to the Football League. Initial relegation from back in 2010 made them the fourth club to compete in all top five divisions of English football (after Carlisle United, Oxford United, and Luton Town). Team news Grimsby boss Marcus Bignot will be boosted by a trio of new signings as the Mariners look to get back on track against Notts County at Blundell Park. Midfielder Chris Clements signed from Mansfield for an undisclosed fee on Thursday and Jamey Osborne and Akwasi Asante have joined from Bignot's former club Solihull Moors. Bignot has no new injury worries but may look to make changes after his side's heavy 3-0 loss to Exeter last week. Sean McAllister could start after a successful comeback from his groin strain while defender Gavin Gunning is also being lined up for his first start. Notts boss Kevin Nolan, meanwhile, has the luxury of a fully fit squad to choose from. Louis Laing has returned to Motherwell following the end of his loan spell, meaning Haydn Hollis, Thierry Audel and Richard Duffy are the only available central defenders at Nolan's disposal. Duffy and Audel were impressive against the Stags and were singled out for praise by Nolan for their performance. Share your thoughts about Saturday's clash on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has pledged to get momentum going and edge his side to League Two safety, starting this weekend at Grimsby Town. Despite the Magpies slipping into the drop zone, they managed to stop the rot last week with a point against Mansfield Town at Meadow Lane. The goalless draw was an improvement on the previous 10 league games, which all ended in defeats, and John Sheridan's successor is hoping for more in the coming weeks. "We want to build momentum now," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "We have been down in the dumps for so long with the 10 losses on the spin, but now we want to go as long as we can without losing. "That may be picking up draw after draw until we get that confidence going and getting as many clean sheets as we can. "These are all factors that are going to keep us up. There is lots of emphasis on that because I think we find goals easy to come by with the attacking options we have got. We have 10, eight and seven between the front three, (Jon) Stead, (Jonathan) Forte and (Adam) Campbell. We know if we get chances they will put them away. "We have to look forward, take all the good things from last week and build on them." Nolan has also placed emphasis on video analysis to try and improve the players, whilst promising not to use it as a shaming technique. "They are good players and good players for this league," he said. "When they start expressing themselves we will start reaping the rewards. "There's not going to be criticism. Whenever we watch a video and pull someone out, it's not a criticism. "It's to make him better and to make him do what we want him to do on Saturday. If we don't make them mistakes then we will be a better team for it. "It's all about helping players and giving as much information as I can without burning their head out. "It's about being positive on the training pitch, and we've done it visually with the video as well. "It's hoping they can learn from that and not make the same mistake too often." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has revealed that the transfer embargo at the club is "starting" to be lifted, and hopes that he will be able to sign some players before the end of the month. Despite Alan Hardy's takeover of the club, the embargo remains due to "higher than expected levels of debt during the takeover process", but Nolan is hopeful that this will be rectified. Nolan is also considering registering himself as a player, but not for the time being. "At this minute I'm fully focused on getting the lads right and trying to get my mentality and formation in place," he told talkSPORT. "We've got this week to do that before Grimsby. The lads have been first class I've got to admit since I walked through the door. "The chairman has been first class since I've come in. Anything I've needed he's kept his promises. "We are starting to get the embargo lifted. Maybe we can get some faces in before the end of the window. He's working hard to do that." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Richard Duffy has revealed that the Notts County players were smiling in the dressing room after holding Mansfield Town to a goalless draw last Saturday. The Magpies had lost 10 games on the trot prior to the derby, but were able to claim a point against their local rivals in front of more than 11,000 people at Meadow Lane. With new manager Kevin Nolan at the helm and Alan Hardy taking over the club, Duffy believes that he and his teammates showed the fans what they're capable of. "If you had offered us a clean sheet before the game we would have snapped your hand off," Duffy told the Nottingham Post. "The way we have gone about our business recently hasn't been good enough and we all take responsibility for that. "But we stood up and showed what we can do against Mansfield. "There were a few smiles in the dressing room because it stopped the rot. "It's been a terrible run. We take responsibility for it, but we showed the fans we can do it." Up next for Notts is an away fixture at Grimsby Town in League Two this weekend. Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Alan Hardy has issued a heartfelt thank you to Notts County fans for the bumper attendance at Meadow Lane for the derby against Mansfield Town. The attendance for Saturday's game was above 11,000 as the Magpies played out a goalless draw against the Stags which gave them their first point after 10 defeats on the trot. Hardy wrote on the official Notts website: “I would like to place on record my thanks to everyone who supported Kevin and the players on their way to a much-needed point and clean sheet on Saturday. “It was brilliant to see such a positive response to our ticketing initiatives and there’s no doubt in my mind that the fans played a huge part in us getting the result. "Hopefully we have now turned a corner on the field and we can look forward to climbing the table. “I thoroughly enjoyed my first matchday as chairman, meeting so many fascinating, passionate people - including the Italian Magpies, of course! “The messages of support keep flooding through and everyone here at Meadow Lane is determined to repay that by performing to the best of our ability on and off the pitch." Share your thoughts on Pride of Nottingham by signing up for FREE to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Kevin Nolan has claimed that many of the Notts County players just needed "an arm around the shoulder" to get them back on track. The former Leyton Orient player-manager only took his first Magpies training session on Friday, but the following day the team was able to claim their first point in 11 games with a goalless draw against Mansfield Town. Nolan said he spoke with several players individually to explain what he wanted from them, and they duly put in improved performances, such as Adam Collin and Richard Duffy. "I told Adam what I wanted and what I expect and I think a lot of these lads just need an arm around the shoulder and a pat on the back," he told the Nottingham Post. "They need a bit of loving. They had lost 10 games on the spin and I know what that's like. "It's like Michael O'Connor, the skipper. I've been in his situation when the team is getting beat because you're the one who always gets hammered from every angle. "I thought he was fantastic. I also managed to get hold of Richard and have a good chat with him. "I know his quality. That lad is a fantastic footballer and he reads the game so well. "I think he's brilliant having Thierry Audel next to him. I want to make that a solid centre-half partnership. "I said to the players after the game that they had shown me the standard and that's the minimum required from now until the end of the season. "We will be working our socks off week in, week out, to get better." Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Kevin Nolan has described the reception he got from the Notts County fans in his first game in charge as "absolutely fantastic". The new Magpies boss was introduced to fans before kick-off between Notts and Mansfield, and received a huge ovation from a crowd of more than 11,000 at Meadow Lane. "It was absolutely fantastic and I can't thank them enough for the reception they gave me," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "I hope now that I can start bringing them success to the club. "To have 11,000 in your first game in League Two was amazing. "I didn't expect it and neither did I expect all the nice messages I received on the messageboards and things like that. "I've a lot to prove and I promise them and the chairman I will give them 110 percent." Nolan's first game ended in a goalless draw against the Stags, which ended County's losing run in League Two. Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County finally stopped the rot and avoided an 11th consecutive League Two defeat after holding local rivals Mansfield Town to a goalless draw in Saturday's early kickoff at Meadow Lane. The biggest crowd of the season - 7,843 Notts fans from a total of 11,328 - packed into the Lane for the derby, the first game of new owner Alan Hardy's tenure and also the first match for new boss Kevin Nolan. It proved a tense, heated derby, with the Stags eager to inflict more pain on the Magpies, who in turn were galvanised from the change of ownership and management. The only concrete chance of the first half came just after the half-hour mark, when Ben Whiteman charged into the Notts box and rattled an effort off a defender which looped into the air and looked to go in before Adam Collin clawed it away. From the corner, Rhys Bennett headed wide, while at the other end, there were claims for a penalty as Jon Stead was hauled off the ball by Malvind Benning, but nothing was given. Magpies captain Michael O'Connor saw a rifled shot charged down by a Mansfield defender after the restart, but in the 51st minute the hosts came within a whisker of conceding, only for former Magpie Yoann Arquin to sidefoot wide at the far post when it seemed easier to score. That proved to be the best chance of the game, with both sides ultimately cancelling each other out and playing out a scoreless draw, which was incredibly well received by the Notts faithful, even if it did mean that the side slipped into the League Two drop zone after the 3pm kickoffs were played. Share your thoughts about the match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.