Joe Jones

Notts County boss Jamie Fullarton says he understands the pain Will Hayhurst is going through as he too has suffered knee ligament injuries. The former Preston North End winger, 21, is undergoing rehabilitation for his own cruciate problem, and is not expected to be fit until the summer. He has also not kicked a ball competitively for Notts since April 2015 and is out of contract at Meadow Lane at the end of the season. Fullarton said: "I've spoken to Will and having suffered injuries myself, cruciate on both knees in particular, I can offer advice and guidance on the way forward for him from a football point of view. "We have a fantastic setup here in terms of sports science and medicine which only reinforces the message they are saying. "It's like when I tell my son to do something he doesn't listen or believe, but when he listens to the same thing from a teacher he listens to them. "So when you have a football-minded coach or manager who can relate to a player and his situation, it reinforces what he is being told. Will has to be patient, but he is working hard on a daily basis. "It's tough mentally as opposed to recovering physically, but he is coping very well with that because John (Wilson) and Becci (Knight) are giving him coping strategies and helping him when it's tough. He is making good progress. "We are patient, he's not. But you have to hold players back. We've got to make sure when he is back, he stays back. We don't want any other issues because we have a duty of care. "To be fair he is listening to those with his best interests at heart. I've been through it and I can sympathise with him. I did both of my cruciates. I understand the process and the anxiety that goes with it. All I am doing is reinforcing what the medical department is telling him." Do you want to see Will Hayhurst in a Notts shirt next season? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County are not expected to offer Miles Addison a deal at Meadow Lane after he reportedly failed to show up for his trial. According to local media, Addison was supposed to report to training last week alongside fellow trialist Jason Banton. The former Derby County man, however, did not show up, and the reasons for the absence remain unclear. Addison, who was recently let go by Peterborough United, has also been on trial at Southend United and Hamilton, but neither club has offered him a permanent deal. What do you make of this story? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County legend Les Bradd has described current club manager Jamie Fullarton as sharing ‘similarities’ with Jimmy Sirrel. Bradd, Notts' all-time leading scorer with 136 goals, played for the Magpies for 11 years – nine under Sirrel, arguably the club’s finest ever manager. He told BBC Radio Nottingham: "I have met Jamie twice and have had good conversations – and, dare I say it, there is a little similarity with Jimmy. "They are both Scots and they both use this term about being effective. Jimmy taught all the players he had in the group what was required. "You weren't on the pitch to play football; you were going out there to do a job and in each role you had a job to do. I think Jamie is preaching that from what I hear from one or two of the players. "They know exactly what they have to do out there. They have a structure to play and, in that structure, they have a freedom to play. But we must start from not conceding goals." Sirrel managed Notts from 1969-75, 1977-1982 and 1985-87 and guided the team to three promotions. Do you reckon Jamie Fullarton is worthy of being compared to Jimmy Sirrel? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Legendary Notts County management duo Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler have been awarded with the honour of having a Nottingham tram named after them. The pair led the Magpies through the most successful periods in the club’s history, winning promotion to the First Division in 1981. They join the likes of Colin Slater, Brian Clough, Torvill & Dean, and Carl Froch in having their names on a Nottingham tram. “He would have been very honoured,” said Jimmy’s daughter Audrey at the Wilkinson Street tram depot unveiling. David, his son, added: “He would have enjoyed the moment, and knowing him as we did, he would have been in charge of this whole meeting! “He was the boss, when he walked in the room. And if you didn’t know who was the boss, you soon did.” The naming follows an appeal to tram operator NET by former County player and manager Charlie McParland. He said: “Jimmy was a legend. A legend off the pitch, a legend as a manager, he had a character in how he dealt with players. He was a one-off there will never be another Jimmy Sirrel. Jack died in 2009 aged 89, a year after Jimmy’s death at the age of 86. What do you think of the accolade? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County trialist Jason Banton has received a glowing report from Nottingham Post reporter Leigh Curtis. The 23-year-old winger, formerly of Crystal Palace, Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers, left Adams Park last month by mutual consent. He is not by any means an unknown quantity to Magpies boss Jamie Fullarton, who worked with Banton at Selhurst Park. He also shared a dressing room with Guy Branston at Home Park in 2013 – the Notts scout, then a defender at Argyle, said Banton had the ability to play in the Championship. Curtis wrote: “It's clear there is an abundance of talent that has not reached anywhere near its potential. He's quick, he possesses a trick, he's strong and has the ability to go past people in the blink of an eye. “Since Julian Jenner left – after what was a pretty uninspiring few months – Notts do not have any player like it in their squad. “Graham Burke is more suited to a more central position, while Adam Campbell and Ronan Murray are forwards being played out wide. “Banton could certainly provide something that Notts don't have in that respect, although he seems to be the type of player who needs to be kept "on top" of. If you can and you get consistency, then Banton has enough quality to be one of the best wingers in the division.” Should Notts County sign Jason Banton? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County defender Haydn Hollis has called on his teammates to “emerge from the pack” and mount a late surge towards the League Two playoffs. The Magpies have three games in hand on some teams above them in the table, with the gap to the top seven being nine points after the weekend's fixtures. Notts were without a game because their League Two clash with Hartlepool was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. Hollis said: "It's only natural to think like that as a player. You're looking at the table thinking 'can we achieve something'. "But there are so many teams fighting for those play-off places.You have to bear in mind there will be teams above us and below us saying exactly the same thing too. "You've just got to take it week by week… but there's always one team which emerges from the pack. It would be nice if it was us. "Looking at the next three fixtures we've got to see where we are after those and take it from there. "It's just so important to keep picking up points first and foremost and then you can have a look and see where it takes you." Notts will take on basement side York City next Saturday, the first of four games in the space of 10 days for them. After the clash against the Minstermen they will travel to Hartlepool United for the rearranged game, which was postponed on Boxing Day. That is then followed by a home clash against Leyton Orient, before a trip to play-off chasing Accrington Stanley on February 23. Can Notts make the playoffs? Sign up to Pride of Nottingham, visit the forum and join the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has claimed he will not appoint an assistant manager for the sake of it, with no updates on an appointment thus far. The Magpies boss has been without a right-hand man since his arrival last month after the club sacked Ricardo Moniz and assistants Dave Kevan and Dean Yates. Current under-21s coach Richard Dryden has been assisting Fullarton both in training and on matchdays. The manager said: "There's no update at the moment. “We are working towards seeing what the current staff bring to the table and how they fit in with what I am. "We are also just seeing what kind of skill set we need that will make us stronger and better. "You don't want to bring somebody in for the sake of it. It's important to get it right. "It has to be the right person and somebody who adds value rather than just bring somebody in just to fill the role." Who should Fullarton choose as his right hand man? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County and Hartlepool United have met 28 times over the years. The first meeting was on 21 September 1959 at Victoria Park, and the Magpies won 4-2. The head-to-head record stands at 11 wins for Notts, 12 defeats and 5 draws. Our last five meetings stand at two wins for Notts and three defeats, including the last time both sides met, a 3-2 defeat in the 2013-14 FA Cup. Saturday's game is the first league encounter between the two sides this season after the first fixture, which was supposed to take place on Boxing Day, was postponed due to adverse weather. In 1905, the amateur team West Hartlepool won the FA Amateur Cup which at the time was considered second only to the FA Cup. Partly as a result of this the opportunity for a professional team arose in 1908, when West Hartlepool Rugby Club went bust leaving their stadium Victoria Ground vacant. The stadium was bought and the current club was founded under the name ‘Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company’, representing both the town of West Hartlepool and the original settlement of Old Hartlepool. The new team joined the professional North-Eastern league and West Hartlepool F.C. lost some of their players to the new professional side. West Hartlepool managed to continue for a few seasons, but it was not long before they broke up leaving Hartlepools United as the only team in town. In 1968 the "s" and the "United" were dropped from the team name of "Hartlepools United". This was in connection with West Hartlepool being absorbed along with the old smaller town of Hartlepool and the village of Hart into one new borough named "Hartlepool". The appendage of "United" was finally restored in 1977. Brian Clough was invited to manage Hartlepools in 1965. His reaction was: "I don't fancy the place," but he took the job anyway and stayed for two seasons alongside Peter Taylor. Under Cyril Knowles' management the club won promotion to the Third Division in 1990, but Hartlepool's greatest moment occurred in 2005 when they narrowly missed promotion to The Championship. According to local folklore, the term “Monkey Hangers”, which Hartlepudlians are sometimes called, originates from an incident in which a monkey was hanged in the town. During the Napoleonic Wars, a French ship of the type chasse marée was wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor was a monkey, allegedly wearing a French uniform to provide amusement for the crew. On finding the monkey, some locals decided to hold an impromptu trial on the beach; since the monkey was unable to answer their questions and because they had seen neither a monkey nor a Frenchman before, they concluded that the monkey was in fact a French spy. Being found guilty the animal was duly sentenced to death and hanged on the beach. An alternative theory is put forward alongside the above on the "This Is Hartlepool" town guide, stating: "Then there are some who point to a much darker interpretation of the yarn. They say that the creature that was hanged might not have been a monkey at all; it could have been a young boy. After all, the term powder-monkey was commonly used in those times for the children employed on warships to prime the cannon with gunpowder." In the 2002 council election, the team's mascot "H'Angus the Monkey", aka Stuart Drummond, was elected mayor of Hartlepool as an independent, under the slogan "free bananas for schoolchildren". Even though his candidacy was just a publicity stunt, Drummond has since been re-elected after throwing off his comedy image and identifying himself increasingly with the Labour group on the council. On 5 May 2013, Drummond left his post of Hartlepool's mayor after a November 2012 referendum meant that Hartlepool would no longer have a mayor, instead being led by committees. In recent years the most visible fan of the club has been Jeff Stelling, presenter of Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports. The rock star Meat Loaf, Janick Gers of the metal band Iron Maiden, MP Peter Mandelson, and film director Ridley Scott are also fans of the club. --- Notts boss Jamie Fullarton could hand a debut to Gary Mackenzie after the experienced defender arrived on a month’s loan from Doncaster Rovers on deadline day. Midfielder Stanley Aborah was back on the bench for County’s win at Luton Town at the weekend but Fullarton could be tempted to restore him to the starting XI after a knee injury. Winger Will Hayhurst is likely to miss the rest of the season after sustaining cruciate knee ligament damage. Luke James is in line to make his second debut for Hartlepool after rejoining the club on loan from Peterborough United, while fellow Deadline Day signing Josh Laurent is also in contention this weekend. Captain Billy Paynter came off the bench against Exeter City and pressed his claims for a starting spot by scoring for a second game in succession for the reserves on Monday. Carl Magnay also featured as a substitute in Saturday’s game at Victoria Park and he will now be considered for a start after shaking off a troublesome groin injury. Matthew Bates missed out on the game against Exeter after further problems with his toe but could be fit to face the Magpies. Michael Duckworth underwent a scan on his injured stomach earlier this week which proved inconclusive so the full-back continues to receive treatment and won’t feature. Harry Worley is closing in on a return to fitness after completing his rehabilitation following an ankle operation but this Saturday’s game will come too soon for the centre-back. Share your thoughts on this article and the provisional team news by signing up, visiting the Pride of Nottingham forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton hasn't ruled out the option of adding new players to his squad once the emergency loan window reopens. The Scot has made just one signing so far in recruiting Gary MacKenzie on loan from Doncaster Rovers on transfer deadline day. Fullarton said: "The loan window is certainly an option to us, but much of it will depend on movement and circumstance.Whether we make a move for somebody or whether we don't, remains to be seen. "The pertinent question that will need to be answered is, will it make us better? If it is something that appeals and it answers that question, then of course we will look at it." Notts take on struggling Hartlepool United in the league on Saturday. Does Fullarton need to make more signings? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager has called on his players to play even better than they did against Luton Town and grab a first home win under his tenure against Hartlepool United. The Scot has two wins in his first three games in charge, but his one game at Meadow Lane ended badly as AFC Wimbledon cruised to a 2-0 win. Fullarton said: "I want to see improvement. Not only do I want an improvement on the previous home performance, and result, but an improvement on what we did at Luton. "We go to win every game we play, and that's clear in my message to the players. And I believe that we can do that no matter whom we play. "It's about transferring that into our own environment because at home the onus is on you a little bit more to attack. Rather than shy away or be affected by it, embrace it and use it as a positive. "Against Wimbledon we didn't do that. The game plan they implemented affected us and meant we couldn't perform to the level we are capable of.” Can Notts bring joy to their home fans with victory against Hartlepool? Let Pride of Nottingham know.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has admitted the club could extend Gary MacKenzie’s stay at Meadow Lane. The Doncaster Rovers defender joined the Magpies on a month-long loan just before the closure of the January transfer window. Fullarton believes that the 30-year-old’s arrival will only help his young back four improve, with Blair Adams being the oldest at Luton last weekend at 24. He said: "When we realised Gary was available and we had the opportunity to bring him in, we worked fast on it. "He is a presence and a voice and he will help with the young defenders what we have in the coming weeks. "Gary is a defender and I think sometimes, and this applies to all levels of the game, we forget what the role and responsibilities are. The aim is to defend and the second role is to defend again. “He will have influence, he takes responsibility, he organises and he has fitted in very well already with the younger lads. We are quite young in that department. "Since coming in, Gary has showed his qualities already. He is a professional. "He is experienced enough not just in football, but also in life too. He is 30 and that's a good age. He will get game time here, which he has been short of at Doncaster. "It's a win-win scenario all round. We'll see how it goes, but it is definitely an option (loan extension). Much of it will depend on the circumstances at the time.” What do you make of Gary MacKenzie's presence and loan deal at Meadow Lane? Sign up to Pride of Nottingham, visit the forum and join the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has praised the attitude of former defender Gill Swerts, describing him as a “gentleman”. The former Belgium international had his Magpies contract terminated by mutual consent on transfer deadline day – just six months into a two-year deal – after a move to Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta failed to materialise. Having started plenty of games at the start of the season, Swerts lost his place in the team recently and, towards the end of his Meadow Lane tenure, had not even made the substitutes' bench. "He was a gentleman," Fullarton said of Swerts. "He came to work with the right attitude and worked in a way that you would expect any professional to do. "Sometimes that doesn't happen, especially when you are not close to the team. But you never would have been able to tell that Gill wasn't involved with the team, given his excellent attitude towards training. "Superficially, it's tough to let people like that leave, but you have to be as objective as you can in terms of what's the aim and what's the best decision for the football club. "Even in conversations with Gill, who didn't agree with the decision, realised it was best for all." Should Gill Swerts have left Notts County? Share your opinion – sign up to Pride of Nottingham, visit the forum and join the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has admitted that the club reluctantly agreed to let Jimmy Spencer leave after he expressed a desire to find first-team football. The striker left Meadow Lane last Friday and subsequently signed a six-month deal with Shaun Derry's Cambridge United, for whom he scored on his debut at Leyton Orient on Saturday. The forward had struggled to regain his first-team place after a serious knee injury in the summer of 2014. Fullarton told local media: "Jimmy expressed a strong desire to leave the club for game time which, like all other players, I could not guarantee. "So after long discussions we as a club reluctantly agreed to let Jimmy go – we wish him all the best for the future. "The other players who left were in a different situation as they were not part of the first team squad and were unlikely to be able to force their way into contention. "It was best for all involved that they further their careers elsewhere." Spencer was one of four players to leave the club during the window, with midfielder Gill Swerts, winger Julian Jenner and defender Civard Sprockel also released. What do you make of the circumstances surrounding Jimmy Spencer's departure? Sign up to Pride of Nottingham, visit the forum and join the conversation.

Former Notts County trainee Darren Powell has taken charge of United States football side USL San Antonio. The 43-year-old, from West Bridgford, took the reins last month at the new franchise, playing in the American third division. He said: "From the very first conversation I had I could see it was a very exciting project and I'm keen to help and be a part of it. I don't see it as daunting. When you're coaching and you're ambitious and learning your trade all the time at various levels, you're always aspiring to be at the next level. "It's a natural progression at this point in my career. It's more than building a first team, you're also trying to set a structure in place for young players in San Antonio.” Powell made the move across the Atlantic in 1991, having been a trainee with the Magpies when Neil Warnock was manager. Do you know Darren or have similar stories to share, either about yourself or others that have made a similar leap into world football? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Former Belgium international Gill Swerts has had his Notts County contract terminated by mutual consent. Having arrived at Meadow Lane on a two-year deal last summer, the ex-Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar and Vitesse Arnhem player made 16 appearances before falling down the pecking order in recent weeks. Jamie Fullarton told the official website: "We received an offer for Gill last week but that fell through at the last minute which was disappointing for the player. This led to discussions between myself and the player which resulted in the decision that it was in the interests of both the club and Gill for him to move on. “He’s been a top professional since I came through the door and I know he’ll be missed in the changing room. Sadly though he wants first team football at this moment but I can't guarantee any player that but we obviously wish him all the best in the future.” What are your thoughts on Swerts' departure? Let Pride of Nottingham know by joining the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County midfielder Alan Smith has praised Jamie Fullarton’s structural approach to the game and team setup, comparing him to Shaun Derry’s brand of management. The Magpies made it two wins out of three since the ex-Nottingham Forest youth coach took charge as they claimed a 2-0 victory at Luton Town. Smith said: "I think since the gaffer's come in we've worked on a structure, trying to emphasise the fact that you are free to go and play, but you play from a structure. "It will take time, but we've had two away performances and you've seen that infrastructure pay dividends already. "The demands with the new manager are based on a structure and a platform to go and express yourself. "It needs to be from that structure and it reminds me of when Shaun Derry was here – structure and how he wants things done in terms of discipline and so on. "With that you can create talented players, but players who are knowledgeable about how to play football the right way, at the right time, at difficult places like Luton. "It can't be overlooked that Luton is a difficult place to go. Things like that build players for the future. "And I think that the more we work as a team together we can only get better. Once confidence builds and we get a few more wins we can hopefully have a good end to the season." The win at Kenilworth Road puts Notts 14th in League Two on 36 points, eight points off seventh place and with at least one game in hand over five of the seven teams above them, up to and including seventh-placed Mansfield. Comment on this story by signing up to the Pride of Nottingham community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Another matchday, another gambit of emotions for Notts County fans. First came relief with a solid yet unspectacular win at Crawley. Then despair with a poor performance against AFC Wimbledon. And now, delight as the Magpies clinch an impressive 2-0 win away at Luton Town, with former Notts star Alan Sheehan opening the scoring with an own goal before Jon Stead wrapped up all three points with a fantastic solo strike. The Magpies began the half brightly and piled on the pressure onto their opponents with a succession of set pieces, but the Hatters then upped their game and forced a number of corners, though Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu volleyed over the bar in the 18th minute. The Hatters succeeded in getting the back into the back of the net on the half-hour mark, but Cameron McGeehan handled the ball in the build-up and accrued a booking for his troubles. The first half ended with both sides on the attack, as Stead was denied by Elliot Justham and moments later lashed a daisy cutter wide, and at the other end Ruddock Mpanzu had arguably one of the best chances to open the scoring when he was clean through on goal but failed to find the back of the net. It was a case of backs to the wall for Notts after the restart as Luton were quick off the starting blocks and maintained a good spell of pressure, although Elliott Hewitt very nearly scored from a 50-yard free kick after spotting Justham off his line. Just before the hour, however, Notts surged into the lead, and it was a bit of a “script moment” as a Magpie surge down the Hatters right was followed up by an effort from Wes Atkinson, which took a hefty deflection off none other than Sheehan before dropping into the net. Jamie Fullarton’s charges were invigorated after the opening goal, though they still had to watch out when Joe Pigott lined up a shot on the edge of the box, but Haydn Hollis was on hand to block before Carroll claimed. Midway through the second half it got even better for Notts as Stead picked up the ball in midfield and drove at the Luton defence single-handed before slotting underneath Justham for his side’s second goal. The win at Kenilworth Road is Notts County's second win in three games and only the third away win of the season, while Fullarton's away record reads two played, two won, three scored and zero conceded. Credit to Dan Westwell for the image. What did you think of the game? Sign up to Pride of Nottingham, visit the forum and join the conversation.

It is goalless between Luton Town and Notts County at the halfway point of Saturday’s League Two clash at Kenilworth Road. The Magpies began the half brightly and piled on the pressure onto their opponents with a succession of set pieces. On the whole, the first quarter of an hour or so proved relatively scrappy, before the Hatters upped their game and forced a number of corners, though Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu volleyed over the bar in the 18th minute. The game opened up around and past the midway point, with Ruddock Mpanzu scuffing an effort wide 23 minutes in before drawing a save from Roy Carroll five minutes later. In between the 22-year-old's chances, Izale McLeod shanked a shot over the Luton bar after being put through by Jon Stead. The Hatters succeeded in getting the back into the back of the net on the half-hour mark, but Cameron McGeehan handled the ball in the build-up and accrued a booking for his troubles. Notts continued to repel the hosts’ attacks but there was panic when Craig Mackail-Smith got the better of two defenders as he marauded down the pitch, although his 30-yard effort was ultimately stopped by Carroll. More tenacious play was to follow from Mackail-Smith in the 39th minute, this time down the left, as he got the ball over to McGeehan, who couldn’t get his shot away. The half ended with both sides on the attack, as Stead was denied by goalkeeper Elliot Justham and moments later lashed a daisy cutter wide, and at the other end Ruddock Mpanzu had arguably one of the best chances to open the scoring when he was clean through on goal but failed to find the back of the net. What did you think of the first half? Visit the Pride of Nottingham forum now and join the conversation.

Notts County midfielder Liam Noble has expressed his delight at Alan Smith’s decision to remain at Meadow Lane instead of moving to Plymouth Argyle. The ex-Manchester United man turned down a switch to the League Two promotion contenders, who had offered him an 18-month deal last week, in order to stay at Meadow Lane. Noble is delighted with the 35-year-old's decision and admitted he had become his go-to man for advice this season and even said he had helped improve his goalscoring. Noble said: "If the team that is near the top of the league want you, then you must be doing something right. "It's brilliant and all the lads look up to him, especially me. I love him. He plays in my position and I've learned so much from him. "Early on in the season when I was arriving late in the box and scoring goals that was down to him. "He was taking me on the training pitch telling me I was too eager to get into the box and I had to time my runs a bit better. "I've got eight goals this season and that's down to him. He's first in, last out. "It's absolutely brilliant he is staying until the end of the season." What do you make of Noble’s opinion of Smith? Let Pride of Nottingham know.

Three players have departed Meadow Lane today as Jimmy Spencer, Civard Sprockel and Julian Jenner have all left Notts County by mutual consent. The latter two were recruited by previous boss Ricardo Moniz last summer and have struggled to hold down a place in the first-team. Jenner has made 15 appearances for the Magpies this season, although just four of them have been starts, while his teammate has started seven games for the club. Spencer, meanwhile, joined in February 2014 and scored five goals in 13 games, but suffered a knee ligament injury in July of that year and was out for eight months. He has started just one game this season. Head of recruitment Guy Branston said: "Jimmy's aware there are clubs chasing his signature so he won't be without a club for too long. He's been a great pro throughout a lengthy spell on the sidelines. "Civard and Julian have been true professionals throughout and have always tried their best to break into the first team. "Unfortunately it hasn't worked out for either player in the way we had hoped, and all parties have agreed it is in the best interests for both to move on." Would you have kept any or all of these three players? Join the Pride of Nottingham community, visit the forum and join the conversation.

Notts and Luton have faced off 67 times, with the first meeting coming in January 1912 when the Magpies secured a 4-2 away win in the FA Cup. The record is heavily slanted towards the Hatters, who have 34 wins to Notts’s 14, 19 draws completing the head-to-head. Out of the nine matches between the two that have taken place since the turn of the century, Notts have won three, drawn three and lost three. Luton Town Football Club was formed on 11 April 1885, the product of a merger of the two leading local teams, Luton Town Wanderers and Excelsior. The club was the first in southern England to turn professional, making payments to players as early as 1890 and turning fully professional a year later. It joined the Football League before the 1897–98 season, left in 1900 because of financial problems, and rejoined in 1920. Luton reached the First Division in 1955–56 and contested a major final for the first time when playing Nottingham Forest in the 1959 FA Cup Final. The team was then relegated from the top division in 1959–60, and demoted twice more in the following five years, playing in the Fourth Division from the 1965–66 season. However, it was promoted back to the top level by 1974–75. Luton Town's most recent successful period began in 1981–82, when the club won the Second Division, and thereby gained promotion to the First. Luton defeated Arsenal 3–2 in the 1988 Football League Cup Final and remained in the First Division until relegation at the end of the 1991–92 season. Between 2007 and 2009, financial difficulties caused the club to fall from the second tier of English football to the fifth in successive seasons. The last of these relegations came during the 2008–09 season, when 30 points were docked from Luton's record for various financial irregularities. Luton then spent five seasons in non-League football before winning the Conference Premier in 2013–14, securing promotion back into the Football League. The club's nickname, "the Hatters", reflects Luton's historical connection with the hat making trade, which has been prominent there since the 1600s. The nickname was originally a variant on the now rarely seen straw-plaiters. Supporters of the club are also called Hatters. Luton is associated with two very different colour schemes—white and black (first permanently adopted in 1920), and orange, navy and white (first used in 1973, and worn by the team as of the 2015–16 season). During the 2014–15 season, Luton Town had an average home league attendance of 8,702 – the second highest in League Two behind only Portsmouth. In the 2013–14 season, when the club were in the Conference Premier, the club had significantly higher support than the other clubs in its league, with an average home attendance of 7,387; more than twice compared to the second highest of 3,568. The record for the most appearances for Luton is held by Bob Morton, who turned out for the club 562 times in all competitions between 1946 and 1964. Morton also holds the record for the most Football League appearances for the club, with 495. Fred Hawkes holds the record for the most league appearances for Luton, having played in 509 league matches. Six players, Gordon Turner, Andy Rennie, Brian Stein, Ernie Simms, Herbert Moody and Steve Howard, have scored more than 100 goals for Luton. --- Luton will be without Danny Green and Josh McQuoid when they face Notts on Saturday. The former is out of action with ankle ligament damage sustained against Cambridge United, earlier in the month, while McQuoid underwent a knee operation this week and is expected to be out of action for at least a month. Hatters manager Nathan Jones could have goalkeeper Mark Tyler and winger Ryan Hall back in contention but they are going to make a last minute decision on the pair. Stanley Aborah remains a concern for Notts after sustaining a knee injury in training. He missed last weekend's home defeat to AFC Wimbledon and is still struggling with the problem. Fellow midfielder Liam Noble is back in contention for a starting place after making his comeback from a four-match suspension as a second-half substitute against the Dons. Winger Will Hayhurst has cruciate knee ligament damage and is unlikely to play again this season. Discuss the build up to Saturday's game on the Pride of Nottingham forum.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has claimed that his ambition at the club is “to produce a football team which the fans are proud of”, but that it will take time to achieve this. The 41-year-old Scot began life at the Magpies helm in promising fashion with a solid 1-0 win at Crawley, but this was followed up by a lacklustre 2-0 defeat against AFC Wimbledon at Meadow Lane. Fullarton told reporters on Thursday: "My aim, and it is my sole aim, is to produce a football team which the fans are proud of. “I want to win every game and I want everybody to perform to such a high level that everybody involved with the club is so proud of us. "But there has been a change in environment and it is different to what's gone before. It's not a reflection on anybody else, it's just fact. “It is going to take time to adjust to the demands and the ways of working, which will then bring not only results but performances. "It's not an excuse, but it will take time to bed in. In the meantime we've got to keep the plates spinning in terms of winning games and that's the aim. "The lads have been fantastic in their attitude and they have shown the intent to do what I am asking, but I've got to work quickly to help them understand it. Once they do, they can then do it in an uncontrolled environment in a game. "I want it to become habitual rather than having to think about it. But we want to fast track it as much as possible and that's why we are working hard every day. "I think the phrase 'work everyday as if it's going to be your last, but plan if you are going to be there forever' is very apt." Can Fullarton turn Notts into a team to make the fans proud? Join the conversation on the Pride of Nottingham forum.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has not ruled out adding fresh faces to his squad ahead of Monday's transfer deadline. The 41-year-old has not made any new signings since arriving at Meadow Lane as Ricardo Moniz's successor, though there have been departures in the shape of Nicky Wroe joining FC Halifax. Fullarton told reporters on Thursday: "We are still working through that aspect of making sure that anything we do improves us. It has to be the best decision for the football club and the team. Everything that I do is based around that. "As long as you make the decisions for those two reasons - the club and the team - then you are all the better for it. But I am not ruling anything out." Belgian defender Gill Swerts could be the next player to leave Notts as he is believed to be attracting interest from Cyprus. Who should Fullarton sign ahead of the transfer deadline? Should Swerts be kept on? Join the conversation on the Pride of Nottingham forum.

Notts County defender Blair Adams has thanked Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray for helping restore his confidence after former boss Ricardo Moniz froze him out of the Magpies first team. The 24-year-old played for Notts in Saturday's 2-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon, his first game for the Magpies since returning from a three-month loan spell with the Stags. Murray admitted that he wanted to sign the left-back on a permanent deal, but new Notts manager Jamie Fullarton decided to keep his player at Meadow Lane. Adams said: "I was in talks to extend my stay and to be honest I thought I would be going there. But at the last minute, I've ended up coming back for the new manager to have a good look at me in training. I must have done something right because he has kept me here "I've had a smile on my face which I had lost earlier in the season because it was hard coming in under the previous manager knowing I wouldn't be in the team. It was so good to get back in the team because it got rid of a lot of frustration "But I would just like to thank Mansfield and Adam Murray because he has been one of the best managers I've worked with. He gave me my confidence back and I was enjoying each game. I would like to wish them all the best because they were absolutely brilliant with me." Adams, who arrived from Coventry City in 2014 and has made 43 appearances for Notts, is now hoping to finish the season by playing as many games as possible before resolving his future in the summer when his contract at Meadow Lane runs out. "I just want to keep my place in the team for as long as possible now," he continued. "I've played left wing, and while I can play there and have done plenty of times, I don't think it's my strongest position. "I played in midfield plenty of times under Shaun Derry last season, but at the moment it's just about playing and enjoying myself. Once we get to the summer, then we will see what happens.” Should Blair Adams continue to feature in the Notts first team? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the discussion.