Joe Jones

Notts County striker Jon Stead has claimed that the hostility being directed towards manager Jamie Fullarton is the worst he has known in his career. Magpies fans aimed chants including “you don’t know what you’re doing” and “get out of our club” towards Fullarton as his side lost 2-0 to Bristol Rovers at Meadow Lane on Saturday. Stewards also had to intervene to prevent a banner being unfurled. Stead says it has been difficult to see F0ullarton become the focus of the fans' anger, having admitted after the Gas game that the atmosphere is beginning to affect the players. "In my career, I've never known any group of fans direct so much stick towards a manager," he said. "It's hard because you feel for him because ultimately it's us that are not performing. "I know the stick is always aimed at him, but I don't think that's just to do with us as players, I think it's to do with everything that built up at the club. "It's quite an easy target to go for the manager, but the anger has to go somewhere. "What we have to do is take that all together. There's no other way we can get out of it other than show unity. "You want to keep it together because we could pull each other's heads off. You've just got to make sure you don't let anything boil over." What do you make of Stead’s comments? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has pledged to work on getting his side to become more dangerous in front of goal after failing to score for four games in a row at Meadow Lane. On Saturday, Bristol Rovers sealed a 2-0 win as the Magpies fell behind to a Cristian Montano goal before seeing Lee Brown double the lead after half-time. The current Notts boss said: "We were always looking to get back into the game and for us to push on. We tried to get back into the game, but we couldn't. It stayed at 2-0. "All we have to keep doing is keep working as hard as we are doing. The lack of goals is something we are trying to correct." Fullarton also felt that once the Pirates had taken the lead it affected the way his side were playing. "I think it was evident in the two goals that we conceded, that it was naivety," he said. "We were playing against one of the top six sides in the division in what is a young squad. "Building on from the first half we were looking to improve and unfortunately we didn't. There were a number of circumstances and situations with it. "Goals change games and affect players. When something does go against us, then it can't affect us the way it did." What do you make of Jamie Fullarton’s words? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Being a Notts County fan is never an easy role. We’ve had more ups and downs at Meadow Lane than a rollercoaster for the majority of our history. But it’s safe to say that, like many fellow supporters, I’ve reached the end of my tether here. Just this week, a Facebook “memory” from four years ago appeared in my feed where I’m proudly declaring that the Magpies had “played four, won four, scored five goals, conceded zero, and will take on Charlton Athletic (top of League One), Sheffield Wednesday (third) and Sheffield United (second) in the next 11 days.” The post ends with “challenge accepted”. Fast-forward four years and we’re in League Two, losing against the likes of Oxford United, Morecambe, Accrington Stanley, and Cambridge United, failing to beat Dagenham & Redbridge, and perhaps worst of all, being brought down by SALFORD CITY in front of a national audience. Oasis once sang “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, but how can we not see where we were just a few years ago and not feel anger, resentment and bitterness at where we are now? It should have never come to this. At the end of the 2011-12 season, we finished seventh in League One, missing out on the playoffs by goal difference. Then it all went pear-shaped. Despite having a squad well equipped to push for the playoffs, Ray Trew abruptly decided to decrease funding, and was quoted by BBC Sport on 9 January 2013 as saying: "I am not prepared to increase that sum (said to be £12m since taking over in 2010)." He added: “The only way I will inject further monies is in the form of loans. If I am being totally honest I am not motivated to even do that currently because I am not being supported by you, the fan base." Keith Curle left and was replaced by Chris Kiwomya, the first of four consecutive managerial appointments with no English league experience. The likes of Lee Hughes, Alan Judge, Neal Bishop and Jeff Hughes would all be out of the door by the summer, and most of the replacements – save for loanees Jack Grealish and Callum McGregor – were simply not up to the same standard. We went from fighting for promotion to fighting against relegation, and even though we survived at the end of the 2013-14 season on the final day, the following season was just as much of a slog, though lightning did not strike twice as relegation to the bottom tier was finally confirmed – the marvellous achievements of the 2009-10 season and subsequent hard work were all undone in the space of two seasons. Although Ricardo Moniz was a decent enough proposition on paper, he simply was not cut for the slog of the English fourth division. The start of the season was difficult enough, and Moniz was rightly, in my opinion, dismissed. Now comes the point in this sorry tale which just defies all logic. A team scrapping in the bottom tier of English professional football, and not having a particularly good time of things at that, should be looking to hire a manager with knowledge of the English lower leagues – it’s not like there aren’t many knocking about – to drag this club back up the pyramid, in the words of former Manchester City defender Andy Morrison, “kicking and screaming”. Instead, what do we get? An Under-21 manager with no experience of the English leagues. Like many other fans, that was the final straw for me. No amount of PR could sell Jamie Fullarton as a good choice of manager to a group of fans that have seen their club endure a deterioration of health since 2013 to the point that it’s now on its last legs, with three equally unqualified and inexperienced managerial choices preceding it. Much talk is made of “fair-weather” fans that only turn up for the good times and stay away during the bad times. This is a discussion that takes place among fans every matchday at the pubs and bars in and around Meadow Lane, in the stands, on forums and on social media. “If you were a proper fan, you’d carry on supporting your club,” an ever-decreasing amount of people will say. However, it has now reached the point where many fans have just had enough. The decline from League One playoff contenders to League Two relegation threats. The illogical managerial appointments. The public fallouts between fans and boardroom, fans and manager, manager and boardroom, and player and club. The revolving door of players through the Meadow Lane doors. Boardroom members resigning. And of course, the culmination of all this turmoil on the pitch – football that the likes of Mark Stallard have described as ‘not suitable for League Two’ live on air. I admit I cannot wait for this season to be over and put Notts to the back of my mind for a few months. The club is in a perilous state of affairs, and no amount of emotional blackmailing from anybody over “supporting the club” will convince me otherwise. Like many other fans, I will support my club in the lower reaches of the Conference if need be, playing derbies against Carlton Town and Alfreton Town. But all I ask for is a team with passion, a manager who knows what he’s doing, and a little bit of harmony behind the scenes. Not utopian perfection, but enough to give the fans reassurance that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. And at the moment, none of this seems to be the case at Meadow Lane. Do you share JJ's views about the club? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have slumped to a new low by putting in a diabolical second-half performance in their League Two clash against Bristol Rovers and end up on the receiving end of a 2-0 defeat. Just one minute of the Meadow Lane clash had elapsed when Gas man Liam Lawrence suffered an injury and had to be replaced by former Magpies loanee Cristian Montano. The first concrete chance of the game fell to Jason Banton, who cut inside onto his right foot and curled a shot just past the far post. Notts came close again in the 24th minute when Banton managed to beat his man and send a low cross into the six-yard box, where Atkinson came within inches of getting to the ball in a perfect position. Jamie Fullarton's charges continued to dig deep and just after the half-hour mark Jon Stead's ball into the six-yard was just too fast for the in-sliding Izale McLeod. The Pirates, however, would end the first half in front because, just a minute before half time, Montano skinned Atkinson before firing the ball past Scott Loach. Lee Brown then doubled Rovers’ lead soon after the restart by collecting Chris Lines’ corner kick on the edge of the area before planting a left-foot shot past Loach from 20 yards out Notts fans had seen enough, and a number of individuals in the Kop soon unfurled a 'Fullarton Out' banner and raised a chorus of "get out of our club". On the pitch, McLeod headed a good chance wide from an Adam Campbell cross before the pair were replaced by Fullarton in a bid to claw a way back into the game. At the other end, meanwhile, Loach palmed a Jermaine Easter effort away before coming out on top in a one-on-one, while full-back Blair Adams also cleared another attempt off the goal-line. How did you rate Notts’ performance against Bristol Rovers? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

The first half of the League Two game between Notts County and Bristol Rovers has finished with the visitors 1-0 ahead. Just one minute of the Meadow Lane clash had elapsed when Gas man Liam Lawrence suffered an injury and had to be replaced by former Magpies loanee Cristian Montano. The first concrete chance of the game fell to Jason Banton, who cut inside onto his right foot and curled a shot just past the far post. Notts came close again in the 24th minute when Banton managed to beat his man and send a low cross into the six-yard box, where Atkinson came within inches of getting to the ball in a perfect position. Jamie Fullarton's charges continued to dig deep and just after the half-hour mark Jon Stead's ball into the six-yard was just too fast for the in-sliding Izale McLeod. The Pirates, however, would end the first half in front because, just a minute before half time, Montano skinned Atkinson before firing the ball past Scott Loach. How did you think Notts fared in the first half? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County and Bristol Rovers have met a grand total of 86 times over their history, with the first fixture coming on the 11th January 1913, a 2-0 win for the Pirates in the FA Cup at their former home ground, the Eastville Stadium. The Magpies have claimed 31 wins and 29 draws against Rovers, whilst falling to 26 defeats. The club was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C., and were also known as Eastville Rovers and Bristol Eastville Rovers before finally changing its name to Bristol Rovers in 1899. The club's official nickname is The Pirates, reflecting the maritime history of Bristol. The local nickname of the club is The Gas, from the gasworks next to their former home Eastville Stadium, which started as a derogatory term used by fans of their main rival Bristol City but was affectionately adopted by the team. Rovers were admitted to the Football League in 1920 and have played there ever since, apart from spending the 2014–15 season in the Conference Premier. They previously came close to losing their league status in 1939, when they were re-elected after finishing bottom of Division Three (South), and in 2002 when the team finished one league position away from relegation to the Football Conference. Their highest finishing positions were in 1956 and 1959, on both occasions ending the season in 6th place in Division Two, then the second tier of English football. The only major cup competition won by Bristol Rovers is the 1972 Watney Cup, when they beat Sheffield United in the final. The club also won the Division Three (South) Cup in 1934–35, as well as winning or sharing the Gloucestershire Cup on 32 occasions. The team has never played in European competition; the closest Rovers came was when they missed out on reaching the international stage of the Anglo-Italian Cup in the 1992–93 season on a coin toss held over the phone with West Ham United. In the FA Cup, Rovers have reached the quarter-final stage on three occasions. The first time was in 1950–51 when they faced Newcastle United at St James' Park in front of a crowd of 62,787, the record for the highest attendance at any Bristol Rovers match. The second time they reached the quarter final was in 1957–58, when they lost to Fulham, and the most recent appearance at this stage of the competition was during the 2007–08 season, when they faced West Bromwich Albion. They were the first Division Three team to win an FA Cup tie away to a Premier League side, when in 2002 they beat Derby County 3–1 at Pride Park Stadium. They have twice reached the final of the Football League Trophy, in 1989–90 and 2006–07, but finished runners-up on both occasions. On the second occasion they did not allow a single goal against them in the competition en route to the final, but conceded the lead less than a minute after the final kicked off. Actor Nick Frost is a Bristol Rovers fan, with his character Danny Butterman seen wearing a club shirt in the 2007 film Hot Fuzz. The retired Conservative MP for Hayes and Harlington Terry Dicks, is also a Gas fan. He mentioned the club in parliament on 5 May 1994 when debating with Labour MP and Chelsea fan Tony Banks. --- Notts County midfielder Rob Milsom is the biggest concern for current manager Jamie Fullarton, after having limped out of the goal-less draw against Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night. Should he not be fit, Liam Noble is likely to come into his place in the centre of midfield, having played as a second half substitute against the East London side. Scot Bennett is still working on his fitness and could be available again at Meadow Lane, having picked up a knock in the 2-0 win at Luton Town last month. Winger Will Hayhurst is still recovering from a cruciate knee ligament injury and is almost certain to be out, while Stanley Aborah is unlikely to be selected following the public fallout between himself and the club this week. Fullarton also has a decision to make regarding the goalkeeper after he played Scott Loach on Tuesday, having opted to rest Roy Carroll. How do you think Notts will fare against Bristol Rovers? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Former Notts County goalkeeper Fabian Spiess has revealed how he turned down a trial at La Liga outfit Espanyol when he was 14 years old, a decision which eventually led to his signing for the Magpies. The 22-year-old, who currently plays for Boston United, was spotted at an amateur tournament in Dubai by Mick Leonard, who was County's academy manager at the time. Writing for the Lincolnshire Echo, Spiess said: "Just before me and my family were set to go to Dubai for a property search, I had the chance to go La Liga side RCD Espanyol for a trial. "However, I turned the trial down. I would never have gone to Barcelona at the age of 14, it was simply too big of a move and, therefore, I didn't believe it was worth going for the trial. "Some people would look back and think 'what if', but I would go crazy if every time I made a decision in life I thought 'if only I had done that'. "The decision to go to Dubai rather than attend a big tournament in Spain changed everything for me. "My stepdad's son was living in Dubai with his mother. He was playing for a local expat team, the equivalent of a Sunday league team. "Before we left he told me to bring my football boots and gloves because they needed a goalkeeper for their game on Saturday. "The game was at the Jebel Ali complex, a classy set-up where a lot of professional football teams go during their international breaks. "After the game, a gentleman who was standing on the side came up to me and my stepdad. He said he had been watching me during my warm-up with my stepdad and that he was very impressed with what he had seen. "His name was Mick Leonard, an ex-professional goalkeeper who had played in the Football League with Notts County and Chesterfield, among many others. "He invited us to come down on Monday to do a session with him. After the session he said he was very impressed with me and that I had all the right attributes and great potential to become a professional. "Mick was about to take on the job as academy director at Notts County. The youth set-up had been scrapped a few years before, but was being reopened and it was his job to fulfil this task. "He invited me to go to Nottingham and have a trial at Notts County." What do you make of Spiess' decision? Would you like to see him back at Meadow Lane? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County midfielder Stanley Aborah has given an interview to BBC Radio Nottingham admitting that he did ask to leave Notts County, but only after he felt frozen out of the squad by current manager Jamie Fullarton. The Magpies boss said the club had received correspondence from the midfielder's agent which confirmed he no longer wanted to stay at Meadow Lane because he had signed for previous manager Ricardo Moniz. Aborah has hit back at Fullarton's suggestion that he 'didn't want to play for the club' and explained his reasons for asking to leave. The Belgian said: "To me it's not a difficult situation. He came in. I was dropped. Therefore I asked him if he wanted me to leave. I said I don't have to leave but if I could find a club it's fine by him. "That's where we stood but I told him that as long as I was here I would do what he wanted me to do; fight hard for the club and do my best as I have done the previous months. "I asked him to leave because I felt I wasn't going to play. It has to be made clear; I didn't ask to leave because I wanted to leave. "I asked to leave because I knew from his actions the weeks before not being selected on the bench, not playing, he wasn't going to pick me. "It was strange. I fought hard to get a contract when I came in on trial. I did my best to be selected by the manager Ricardo, to do my best for the club. "Imagine my shock when I wasn't selected for the first three games (under Fullarton). "We spoke after a couple of games. I spoke with him and said, you're the manager, do what you have to do, but I want to play. "I can see I'm not going to play. Can I go somewhere else and play?" Aborah added that, although he had a good understanding with Moniz, he did not want to leave the club specifically after the Dutchman was sacked. "I came to Notts County to play for myself, not for Ricardo Moniz. I came here through Ricardo Moniz, that's all there is to it. "I have a very good understanding with Ricardo. If he goes to another club and there is the opportunity to go there then maybe I would take it. "If he goes to a club that isn't good for me I wouldn't go. Why would I put my livelihood at stake for one manager who gets sacked? It doesn't make sense." Aborah also hinted that Fullarton was a liar because of the reasons given to the media for the player’s absence. "The question gets asked to him after a game he doesn't say this. First he said he makes informed decisions or something like that. "Then he said I'm not available. That wasn't true. He said I was ill, for the York game. That's it. I was thrown under the bus yesterday. I was shocked." Aborah says he spoke to Fullarton on Monday prior to last night's goalless draw with Dagenham & Redbridge. He said: "It wasn't a good conversation. I don't want to do this through the media. I don't think it's right. I want to say basically it's a conversation to end my contract. "I want to play football. I want to play for Notts County. That's been taken away from me. If you can't get a chance here you go somewhere else where you can. "I want to play and do well. Maybe I can improve and get the chance to go to a higher level. That will benefit the club. The way I was playing for six months there was a chance to do that. "I think there are two sides to a story. Probably I could have done some things better. "I don't know what I have done to be in this situation. The manager got sacked, I was played against Oxford. "The new manager got appointed and I was out of the team. What's my fault in this?" In response, Notts issued a statement which read: "In a meeting between Jamie Fullarton and Stanley Aborah shortly after the manager had been appointed, Stanley expressed his desire to leave Notts County Football Club. "This was followed up by email correspondence to the club from Stanley's representative on 20th January which confirmed Stanley's desire to leave the football club. "It was the hope of the club & the manager that Stanley's position on this would change and he would be committed to contributing to the team. However, in a further meeting on 29th February Stanley again expressed his desire to leave the football club. "The club will be making no further comment." What do you think of Stanley's interview and the club's response? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County and Dagenham & Redbridge have met just nine times, and all the meetings have come in the last nine years. The first clash was back on 15 September 2007, when the Magpies beat the Daggers 1-0 at Meadow Lane in League Two. Last time round, on 29 September 2015, the East London side drew 1-1 against Notts at Victoria Road in the league. Notts are just ahead in terms of head-to-head, with four wins to their opponents’ three, plus two draws. Based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, the club was formed in 1992 through a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham. The club can trace back its ancestry to 1881 as Redbridge Forest was an amalgamation of three of the amateur game's most famous clubs, Ilford, Leytonstone and Walthamstow Avenue. Between the clubs they won the FA Trophy once, FA Amateur Cup seven times, Isthmian League 20 times, Athenian League six times, Essex Senior Cup 26 times and London Senior Cup 23 times. Tony Roberts, the club’s record appearance holder with 507 games over 10 years, is the only goalkeeper in the history of the FA Cup to have scored a goal from open play. He netted against Basingstoke Town in October 2001, a fourth qualifying round. The highest ever scoreline in the first leg of a play off game is now held by Dagenham & Redbridge, who defeated Morecambe 6–0 on 16 May 2010, although they could not build on this afterwards with a 2–1 defeat in the second leg. The Daggers also hold the record for highest scoring penalty shootout in professional football history, defeating Leyton Orient in the second round of the Football League Trophy 14–13, 27 penalties in total, on 8 September 2011. This was later equalled, but not bettered, by Liverpool who beat Middlesbrough in a League Cup penalty shoot out by the same score in September 2014. In addition, they hold the joint highest aggregate score in a League Cup match, with 12 – On 12 August 2014, Dagenham & Redbridge drew 6–6 after extra time at home with Brentford in the first round of the League Cup. They went on to lose 4–2 on penalties. -- Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has no new problems as his search for a first home win in charge continues against Dagenham & Redbridge. The Magpies fell to theit third straight defeat on Saturday, but the Scot has plenty of options at his disposal should he wish to make changes, with the likes of Alan Smith, Liam Noble, Graham Burke, Thierry Audel and Izale McLeod all starting on the bench at Plymouth Argyle. Defender Scot Bennett, meanwhile, has missed the last four games with injury and he will be checked on once more. Rock-bottom Dagenham, who are without a win since January 2 and on a five-game losing streak, remain without a trio of players. Midfielders Luke Guttridge and Frankie Raymond have missed three and two matches respectively due to ankle injuries that are set to keep them out for another month. Forward Zavon Hines, meanwhile, is a long-term absentee with a knee issue. How do you think Notts will get on against the Daggers? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County defender Haydn Hollis has called for the players, staff and fans to remain united in what he calls a “tough time for the club”. The Magpies have slipped to three defeats on the trot, while off the pitch, Ray Trew has resigned as chairman and put the club up for sale. Trew cited abuse from fans as a reason for his decision, which came just two days before the Magpies' 1-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle. Hollis told reporters: "I've been at the club since the chairman came in and he's been nothing but good with me. "As players we've just got to concentrate on the performances on the pitch and let the people at the top take care of everything else. "It is a tough time for the club, it's uncertain and I think everyone has got to come together – the players, the management, the fans. We've all got to be as one.” Discussing the Home Park defeat, Hollis added: "We're disappointed because I don't think they were much better than us, but when things are going against you they just fall against you. "It's always good for me if I'm playing well, but ultimately we need to pick up points and we haven't. I'd rather have an average performance and pick up points. "I feel confident. The new gaffer has come in and I've played every game under him so he's shown belief in me, but I still go in the changing room and sulk when we don't win. "It just wasn't to be so we've got to get ready for out next game (against Dagenham & Redbridge) on Tuesday now. We've got to forget about it, put it behind us and crack on.” Can Notts get a result against the Daggers? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has called on his attacking players to be more ruthless in front of goal following their defeat at Plymouth Argyle. The Scot felt his side created the best chances during Saturday’s League Two clash between the Pilgrims and the Magpies at Home Park. Jon Stead weighed in with a number of chances in County’s 1-0 loss, while Adam Campbell fired wide in the closing minutes of the first half. Fullarton told reporters: "It's disappointing (to lose) on the balance of play. The players are frustrated because they should have and could have got something better from it. "I think we had some very good opportunities in the game. I don't think there were many that I can recall of Plymouth opening us up other than the goal, which was a well-taken goal but also disappointing from our point of view. "So when we have such good opportunities, particularly in that first half, it's important that you take them, especially when you are playing against a team that is second in the league and at home." Speaking of Campbell’s spurned chance on 41 minutes, Fullarton added: "That's what happens sometimes. As I've said on many occasions, I won't criticise someone for missing chances. I think the most important aspect is that you continue to create chances and I felt we did that. “We've got to take positives from it. I think the players should. There is a level of frustration in the dressing room because they didn't get something from the game when we very much merited it, against a team that is sitting second in an automatic promotion position. "We're looking at progression, we're looking at those building blocks for us to kick on and that is a positive and now we really need to look at combining getting the points we merit to reflect how we played. "The worry and the concern come when you don't create chances and I think, away from home against a team that's in the position they are in, we created the best chances in the match." How do you rate the Magpies’ performance against Plymouth? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County fell to their third defeat in a row on Saturday as Plymouth Argyle's Graham Carey struck the only goal in their League Two fixture to secure all three points at Home Park and leave the Magpies empty-handed on the long trip back to Nottingham. Neither team was able to muster a proper chance until around 13 minutes in, when Jason Banton’s low driven cross fell to Jon Stead, who had a pot shot, but Hartley cleared the effort off the line. After Stead’s effort, both sides continued to go through the motions, but in the last five minutes of the half, Notts weighed in with two dangerous chances. First Elliott Hewitt let rip with a shot that Luke McCormick had to backpedal to palm away, then Adam Campbell fired just wide of the back post following Rob Milsom’s sumptuous through ball. The half-time whistle saw both sides go in level at the break, but just three minutes after the restart Carey pounced onto a loose ball in the box and drilled past Roy Carroll to put the Pilgrims ahead. Notts countered through a curling effort from Stead that sailed over the bar, before Oscar Threlkeld had a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 to Plymouth, but scuffed his shot wide. Just before the hour Notts were in panic mode again after losing possession and allowing Craig Tanner to break quickly, but Carroll dived to his left and made the save. At the other end, Blair Adams forced a great save from McCormick after a pull-back by Ronan Murray, but despite two corners, his side was unable to make anything of it. Despite seven minutes of injury time at the end of the game, Plymouth were able to hold onto the win and secure all three points. What did you make of the performance and result? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

It is goalless at half time in the League Two clash between Plymouth Argyle and Notts County at Home Park. The first foray of the game fell to Argyle, as Craig Tanner headed straight at Roy Carroll in the opening minute of the match. Jamie Fullarton’s charges then countered through Jason Banton and Blair Adams down the left wing and made some headway in the opposition half. Neither team was able to muster a proper chance until around 13 minutes in, when Banton’s low driven cross fell to Jon Stead, who had a pot shot, but Hartley cleared the effort off the line. After Stead’s effort, both sides continued to go through the motions, but in the last five minutes, Notts weighed in with two dangerous chances. First Elliott Hewitt let rip with a shot that Luke McCormick had to backpedal to palm away, then Adam Campbell fired just wide of the back post following Rob Milsom’s sumptuous through ball. Nevertheless, it proved all square come the ref’s half-time whistle. What did you make of the first half? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Speculation has emerged that former Manchester City, Crystal Palace and Reading manager Steve Coppell is in line to become Jamie Fullarton’s assistant at Notts County. The 60-year-old was at the Magpies’ last home game against Leyton Orient, while Notts chief executive Julian Winter revealed Fullarton is "in dialogue" with somebody over the position. Asked directly if the person he is speaking to about the No.2 role is Coppell, Fullarton appeared to sidestep the question by replying: "It is important that we bring in people with the right skill set that complements and supplements what we already have in the building. "We have a lot of very good staff at the moment that bring something different. So that's our job over a period to assess and then hopefully add to what we have." Would you like to see Steve Coppell as Notts County’s assistant manager? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County owner Ray Trew and Nottinghamshire businessman Alan Hardy have reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement allowing them to stage meaningful discussions over a potential takeover at Meadow Lane by the latter. The two men are said to be clashing over their respective valuations of the club, despite ongoing talks for two months, with Trew understood to be wanting between £8m and £10m for Notts. By allegedly signing the agreement, it would suggest that Hardy, who owns The Nottinghamshire Golf, Hotel & Country Club and is chief executive of Nottingham-based group Paragon, is a serious bidder. Under the terms of the agreement, neither individual can speak publicly about any talks between them, but should they eventually agree on a price, Trew can open the club's books to Hardy for him to carry out confidential due diligence with a view to completing a takeover. Magpies chief executive Julian Winter, meanwhile, said he had not met or spoken to Notts fan Hardy – it is understood the bidder has dealt directly with Trew from the start and will continue to do so going forward. Winter also suggested the process may be lengthy. He told local media: "I have been involved in these things and I have never seen a quick one. Don't get me wrong they do happen from time to time, but they are not the norm." Are you in favour of Trew leaving? What do you know about Alan Hardy and could he be a good fit for Notts? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Out-of-favour Notts County midfielder Stanley Aborah has not been told to find another club, according to manager Jamie Fullarton. The 28-year-old has not played since the Scot took charge at Meadow Lane last month, despite being a regular starter under former manager Ricardo Moniz. Aborah was rewarded with a new contract until the summer of 2017 on Christmas Day thanks to a series of performances that made him a fan favourite, but has not kicked a ball since their 4-2 home defeat against Oxford United on 2 January. When Fullarton was asked if he had told Aborah he can leave the club, the boss replied: "No, very much it's not the case. I've been consistent with my reply to it; he is part of the team, the club, and the squad. "We have a big squad, as you know, and he's available for selection. And what we feel is best to go and compete and win the game against Plymouth, I'll make that decision." Should Aborah be reinstated to the starting XI? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County and Plymouth Argyle have met a total of 43 times over the years, with the Magpies winning 23 times; the Pilgrims have triumphed 11 times, and nine draws have taken place. The first meeting took place on 13 Jan 1923, a FA Cup clash in Plymouth which ended as a goalless draw. We met earlier in the League Two season, on 11 October 2015 at Meadow Lane; Reuben Reid struck on 18 and 86 minutes to give the Pilgrims the win. Plymouth club takes its nickname from an English religious group that left Plymouth for the New World in 1620. The club crest features the Mayflower, the ship that carried the pilgrims to Massachusetts. The city of Plymouth is the largest in England never to have hosted top-flight football. They are also the most southerly and westerly League club in England. The club was founded in 1886 as Argyle Football Club, the first match taking place on 16 October 1886 against Caxton, a team from Cornwall and saw the Pilgrims lose 2–0. Poor performances on the pitch led to the club going out of existence in 1894 before being resurrected in 1897 as one part of a general sports club, the Argyle Athletic Club. Much speculation surrounds the origin of the name Argyle. One explanation is that they were named after the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, an army regiment with a strong football side of its own. Another theory is given the respective geographical placements–suggests the name comes either from the nearby public house, The Argyle Tavern, where the founder members may have met, or the local street named Argyle Terrace. An alternative suggestion is that their initial kit was decorated in the famous Argyle diamond pattern. The club adopted its current name when it became fully professional in 1903 joining the Southern League, under the management of Bob Jack. Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles (one Division Two and two Division Three), five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The team set the record for most championships won in the third tier, having finished first in the Third Division South twice, the Third Division once and the Second Division once. In March 1973, Plymouth played a friendly against Brazilian giants Santos - who had a certain Pele in their ranks. However, the Devon club shocked the crowd of over 37,000 people at Home Park by cruising to a 3-0 lead and going on to win the game 3-2. --- Several Plymouth players are missing ahead of Notts’ visit to Home Park. Midfielder Carl McHugh and top scorer Jake Jervis were among those who required treatment during the midweek encounter at Yeovil Town and face a race against time to be fit for Saturday. Striker Tyler Harvey misses out once again with an ankle injury but he is set to return to action in early March. Notts midfielder Stanley Aborah has been left out of the squad recently, but is hoping to be involved this time, while Scot Bennett has missed the last three games with injury and will be checked on before the squad travels. Will you be heading down to Devon for the game, or following it on the radio/online? What do you think the score will be? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has decided to focus on the positives from his side’s game at Accrington Stanley as they travel to Plymouth Argyle at the weekend. The Magpies were beaten 3-2 at the Crown Ground in midweek, though their performance was arguably better than the one that saw them lose at home to Leyton Orient last weekend. Despite upheaval off the pitch, with Ray Trew stepping down as chairman and putting the club up for sale, the Scot will be attempting to ensure his squad's focus remains firmly on the football. "I think you have got to have a combination of results with performance and we've got to strive to have both," said Fullarton. "As you can tell I'm never happy not winning the game, but there is a token of positivity to come from the performance and particularly against a team that is in the top three in the league. “Obviously [Accrington] are in the league position that they are because of what they've done over the course of the season. "For us to go there and give ourselves an uphill task, being 2-0 down at half-time, I thought our reaction was a positive one and something that we'll take from the game. "Obviously when we're 3-2 down and got momentum, and playing with that belief, we're looking to get something from a game, which we felt on the second half we should have." Can Notts pick up a result against Plymouth? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Nottinghamshire-based businessman and Notts County fan Alan Hardy has reportedly been identified as a serious bidder to take over the Meadow Lane club after Ray Trew stepped down as chairman and put the club up for sale. Hardy, the owner of The Nottinghamshire Golf, Hotel & Country Club and chief executive of Nottingham-based group Paragon, is believed to have been in ongoing discussions with the club for several weeks about a takeover at the club. Trew cited the 'foul, mindless abuse' he and his family have been subjected to from fans in recent weeks as a reason for his decision, described as being made "in light of recent events". He paid Peter Trembling £1 for the Magpies six years ago, taking on more than £1.5mi in debts in the process, and watched his side win the League Two title at the end of his first season in charge. In the letter, which was posted on Notts' official website, Trew wrote: "It is with very mixed emotions that I announce the end of my tenure as chairman of Notts County Football Club, as I put the club up for sale, having re-evaluated my position in light of recent events. "I must start by stressing that this is not me backing away from a challenge. I do not do that and, indeed, if I'd have wanted to I would have done so some time ago because it has been a difficult journey at times. "However, when my family are subjected to kind of foul, mindless abuse that they have been in recent days - both in person and courtesy of the oh so brave keyboard warriors - regardless of whether this is just the minority ruining it for the larger supporter base, I have to make changes. "That said, whilst I have a somewhat bad taste in my mouth from the vitriol spouted by some, I do not walk away lingering on any negativity but instead will take with me the many happy memories that I have accrued from my time at Meadow Lane." Notts are 16th in League Two having been relegated last season, and appointed Jamie Fullarton as manager in January following the sacking of Ricardo Moniz. What do you make of Ray Trew's decision to sell the club? Share your thoughts by signing up to the Pride of Nottingham website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman has publicly slammed his side after they almost threw away a three-goal lead against Notts County on Tuesday. Stanley were in complete control by the 51-minute mark, but County substitute Ronan Murray pounced on a defensive lapse after 72 minutes to pull a goal back before Adam Campbell, another replacement, slid the ball home with nine minutes left to make it a tense finish. "I am absolutely furious," said Coleman. "We let each other sink to below our standards. "For the first 20 minutes were played some irresistible football and we cut through them like butter. Then we stopped playing and they smelt it and on another day they could have got a draw and maybe even a win. "We weren't clinical enough and we have dodged a bullet. I have let the players know that that is not good enough. I am fuming." Is this a fair assessment of the Magpies? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has praised all of his players for the character they showed in pegging Accrington Stanley back to within a goal in Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at the Crown Ground. Three down by the 51-minute mark, the Magpies struck twice through substitutes Ronan Murray and Adam Campbell as they mounted real hopes of getting a point in Lancashire. Fullarton said: "You can't just isolate the two players that came on. I think there was another nine on there that helped with the contribution in the second half, for us to go and score the two goals and get ourselves in touching distance of getting back in the game. "How we started the second half gave us an insight that we were capable of coming back into the game and it was encouraging that we keep believing and pushing forward. "I think on reflection if you are going to give two goals away when you're away from home against one of the top teams in the league, then it's a very tough task for us. “But I think the lads showed their character to get themselves into a position where with a little bit of pressure and forcing the issue in the last five minutes we could have maybe taken a draw." Notts travel to Plymouth Argyle in their next game. What do you make of Fullarton’s comments? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County battled bravely in the second half of their League Two game at Accrington Stanley but could not undo the damage from the first half as the match ended 3-2 to John Coleman's side. The hosts took the lead after just 13 minutes when Billy Kee rifled the ball inside Roy Carroll's right-hand post from 30 yards out. Just eight minutes later Stanley doubled their lead, with a cross from the right falling kindly to Romuald Boco, who made no mistake with an unmarked header. It looked like game over just after the restart as Boco added a third after a long ball forward was flicked on and prompted a calamitous mix-up in the Notts back line – the Benin international looped it over Carroll and rifled home on the line. Jamie Fullarton’s charges, however, were able to get onto the scoresheet when substitute Ronan Murray got onto the ball and made the most of indecision from the Stanley back line to slot home comfortably. With just ten minutes to go, the hosts were made to sweat as Notts struck again, this time through Adam Campbell, another sub, as he lashed in from the edge of the box. However, it proved too little too late as Stanley were able to withstand their opponents and clinch all three points come the final whistle. What did you make of the game? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County are succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Accrington Stanley in their League Two clash at the Crown Ground. The hosts took the lead after just 13 minutes when Billy Kee rifled the ball inside Roy Carroll's right-hand post from 30 yards out. Just eight minutes later Stanley doubled their lead, with a cross from the right falling kindly to Romuald Boco, who made no mistake with an unmarked header. The Magpies stepped it up somewhat following the second strike but had to watch their backs once again as a half volley was hooked over the Notts crossbar from six yards, and ultimately, Jamie Fullarton's charges were unable to pull a goal back come the half-time whistle. Share your thoughts on the game so far by visiting the Pride of Nottingham forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have only played Accrington Stanley 14 times in their history. The first fixtures 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 called League Two, on 9 September 2006. The result was a 3-2 win to Notts. The last time the two met was on 22 August 2015, a 1-1 draw in League Two. 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 discussed in a late 1980s advert by the Milk Marketing Board (for all you younger readers, Ian Rush was one of the greatest strikers of his day, and Liverpool's all-time leading goalscorer). 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. --- Accrington manager John Coleman may have to draft a youth-team player on to his bench because of so many injuries to his side. Joe Wright was forced off in the win over Oxford United while centre-back partner Tom Davies was sent off and will begin a suspension alongside the already banned Shay McCartan. Mark Hughes is also doubtful while Josh Windass and Dean Winnard are considered another three weeks away. However, Coleman's squad is boosted by the returns of Matt Crooks and Adam Buxton from suspensions of their own. Notts manager Jamie Fullarton and his players were booed off after the home defeat to Leyton Orient on Saturday and changes could be afoot. Mawouna Amevor, fit again after a shoulder injury, Thierry Audel, Ronan Murray, Adam Campbell and Graham Burke will be pushing for recalls. Stanley Aborah and Rob Milsom could be back in contention after illness and a knee injury respectively to bolster Fullarton's midfield options. Defender Scot Bennett has missed the last two games with injury and he will be checked on before the squad travels. How do you think this game will pan out? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has empathised with fans who booed him and his team in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Leyton Orient at Meadow Lane. The Scot has presided over three wins in his first six games, but both home games, against the O’s and AFC Wimbledon, saw the Magpies walk back into the tunnel with no points. A minority of supporters chanted against Fullarton late on against Orient, and Notts were booed off come full time. Fullarton said: "I see the frustration and disappointment. We share it. Have no doubt about that. We're going to strive to do the best we can to change it. "I'd combine disappointment with frustration. Myself and the players, when we come to play at home, we're looking to do better. "I'd never question their attitude but in certain aspects we've got to do better to eradicate their frustration. "You've got to be honest and say how you see it. We're disappointed. I feel the frustration the fans are entitled to feel. "We've shown we're resilient away from home and gain points. We've got to show that here in front of our fans. "I stress that I understand the frustration. The only way we can eliminate it or ease it is by winning games at home. That's what we'll aim to do. "We've had a good week. The performance at York was the most emphatic we've had away from home, but it wasn't matched by the result. "The players took everything on board this week. The preparation was right for the game. We'll regroup and we'll re-assess where we could do better and look to kick on on Tuesday. “I was expecting more today. The players expected more. We want to correlate the effort with quality to get a performance." Notts travel to Accrington Stanley on Tuesday. Can they get a result? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.