Joe Jones

So much for “showing off their progress” – Notts County may have clinched three wins on the road under new manager Jamie Fullarton, but in front of their own fans they once again came up short, this time in a 1-0 defeat to Leyton Orient. The hosts threatened through Curtis Thompson but his teasing cross just evaded his side’s forwards early on, while Jason Banton, making his Meadow Lane debut, also flashed in a number of balls into – and through – the box, to no avail. The visitors had their first effort on goal midway through the half but Armand Gnanduillet’s cross-shot lacked power and was easily held by veteran goalkeeper Roy Carroll. Jay Simpson then had an opportunity from a Sammy Moore cross but his header looped up safely into the arms of Carroll, and Shaun Brisley went close with a header towards the end of the half but Jon Stead managed to block the ball. With neither side opening the scoring in the first half, Notts began brightly after the restart, with Alan Smith blasting wide from distance and Liam Noble testing Alex Cisak, also from range. Orient, however, were soon back on the front foot and made the breakthrough in the 76th minute when Baudry’s shot was blocked and Brisley poked the ball home after an almighty scramble in the penalty area. The Kop faithful soon began voicing their bemusement at what they were witnessing, with Fullarton coming under fire for his tactics and shyness when it came to substitutions – not making any changes until the 78th minute. As the game ebbed to a close, four minutes of injury time were announced, but the closest Notts came was a Stead header over as the visitors clinched all three points. What did you think of the game? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County striker Jon Stead is eager for his side to show the home fans how much progress they have made under new manager Jamie Fullarton by putting in a great display against Leyton Orient at Meadow Lane on Saturday. All of the Magpies' three wins under Fullarton have come on the road, at Crawley Town, Luton Town and Hartlepool United, while their only other home game ended in a lacklustre 2-0 defeat against AFC Wimbledon. Stead, the club’s top scorer with 11 goals, said: "We want to show what we've been doing. It's been getting us some success on our travels, but we need to show that here. "It's a good opportunity to do that against a side that are slightly above us in the table, and one we feel we can claw back a bit and gain some ground on and catch. We've got to be looking to do that if we want to get anywhere near where we want to be at the end of the season." Talking about the Hartlepool game in midweek, which finished 3-2, he added: "I think the way the game swung when it got to 2-2, I think the majority of people probably wrote us off as we were going to draw the game or lose it. "I'm not going to sit here and say it couldn't have gone either way because it could have done. They had a great chance to make it 3-2, but we hung on and we got there and we got the result, which was massive and it keeps us with the opportunity of getting to where we want to be." Can Notts defeat Leyton Orient today? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

The first time that Notts County faced Leyton Orient was 103 years ago, when the Magpies travel to Millfields Road for a Division Two fixture. The East London outfit won 1-0. A total of 76 fixtures have taken place between the two, with the Nottingham outfit holding the upper hand historically, as 30 games have been won by the Magpies, with 27 O's wins and 19 draws. Leyton Orient were founded in 1881, and have had several name changes throughout the years, including Eagle Cricket Club, Orient FC and Clapton Orient FC. The O's, who play in Waltham Forest, are the second-oldest league club in London behind Fulham. The club's unusual name is alleged to come from one of the club's early players (Jack R Dearing) who was an employee of the Orient Shipping Company. During the First World War. 41 members of the Clapton Orient team and staff joined up into the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (the Footballers' Battalion), the highest of any football team in the country and the first to join up en masse. During the Battle of the Somme, three players gave their lives for King and Country: Richard McFadden, George Scott and William Jonas. Prior to the First World War, O's striker Richard McFadden had saved the life of a boy who was drowning in the River Lea as well as rescuing a man from a burning building. History was made on Saturday 30th April 1921 when the Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VIII, visited Millfields Road to see the O's play Notts County. The Orient won 3-0 and this was the first time a member of royalty had attended a Football League match. Leyton Orient were involved in a dispute with the Premier League over its decision to allow West Ham to use the Olympic Stadium in London, with the O's expressing an interest in the 2012 Olympics venue, but this has now been settled with a "confidential agreement". Arguably the most famous fans of the club are Andrew and Julian Lloyd Webber. The album Variations, used as the theme tune for London Weekend Television's South Bank Show, was written by Andrew as the result of his losing a bet to his brother on the result of a Leyton Orient match. Julian later presented a gold disc of Variations to the club chairman at half time during a game with Leicester City. In addition, David Beckham and Alfred Hitchcock were born in the borough. --- Stanley Aborah and Rob Milsom could be back in contention for Notts County against Leyton Orient on Saturday. The midfielders have been absent recently through illness and a knee injury respectively but both players now have a full week of training under their belts. Mawouna Amevor and fellow defender Scot Bennett missed out at Hartlepool in midweek through injury and will be checked on by Jamie Fullarton, who has kept the same starting XI for the last two games. Orient player-manager Kevin Nolan, meanwhile, has no fresh injury or suspension worries. The O's are hoping to bounce back from their 4-0 defeat to Northampton last Saturday and sit just two points below the play-off places. Back-up goalkeeper Charlie Grainger remains a doubt for the clash after he missed last weekend's match due to a wrist problem. Lloyd James, Paul McCallum and Dean Cox are all still unavailable.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has called on his charges to produce a more positive result in his second home game, against Leyton Orient, than they managed in the first. The Magpies boss has been at the helm for five matches since taking over from Ricardo Moniz, but only one has been at Meadow Lane - a 2-0 defeat to play-off chasing AFC Wimbledon. He said: “We've only had one home game and it was against a team that's pushing for the play-offs. We didn't do as well as what we had done, but that was the second week. “I think come Saturday, with the confidence and the belief and the momentum that we're gaining, and the progression each week and each day in training, we're looking for a different outcome. “I'm never happy. When you're always striving and you're relentless in the pursuit to be successful, as I've stated from day one, you're always wanting more and to be better. But ultimately, each day and each week, we're looking for progression. “I think, in general, we can see overall, not just in performances, we've got to match that with results, which I thought we did on Tuesday night.” Can Notts claim a win against Leyton Orient? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has claimed that his players are growing in confidence with each passing game. Since replacing Ricardo Moniz at the helm, the Scot has overseen a return of nine points from a possible 15 in League Two. On Tuesday night, the Magpies survived a fightback from Hartlepool United to secure a 3-2 win. They had been two goals up at Victoria Park at half time, before being pegged back by their hosts, only for Jon Stead to bag his second of the night in the 80th minute and clinch the victory. Fullarton said: "I think we deserved the three points. On reflection of the overall game, I think the three points were well merited. "But the way the game panned out, it taught me something else about the group, individually and collectively, in terms of their resilience that they're growing together with the confidence and the belief in what we're doing. "It tells you how we're evolving as a group, and believing in what we're doing. I thought some of our play, our passages of play and chances created throughout the game, was a step up and a progression from what we've done in the last month." "I think with the conditions as they were, they would play a part, in my eyes, on how they would resort in the second half when they were 2-0 down. "I thought it would be a real test for us. The two chances in particular that could have put it beyond doubt in the first half, and gone in at half-time with three or four, changes the dynamics of the game. "The impetus they gained when they did score a goal, it would have been lessened (if the Magpies had been 3-0 up) because I thought their crowd and the atmosphere was a testing cauldron. I think that then reflects really well on our group; how we responded." What do you think of Fullarton's post-match thoughts? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County surged into a two-goal half time lead against Hartlepool, relinquished it, and went on to win 3-2 in a topsy-turvy League Two clash at Victoria Park - Jamie Fullarton's third away win, and third victory in his five games so far. Just four minutes of the first half passed when Jon Stead stole the ball in midfield, powered down the pitch and nonchalantly lashed the ball from range into the top corner of the net. The hosts attempted to mount a fightback in the ensuing minutes, Michael Woods attempting a drive from long range which flew well over Roy Carroll's bar. In the 13th minute, however, the Magpies were two goals to the good, with Elliott Hewitt's cross just out of Izale McLeod's range but landing perfectly to Liam Noble, who slotted home to send the visiting fans into a frenzy. Hartlepool lost their shape after that and found themselves on the receiving end of a number of Notts forays forward, Jason Banton twice coming close to adding a third for his side. As the first half ebbed to a close, Craig Hignett's charges enjoyed more fruitful chances as Luke James came close to edging his side back with a shot from within the Magpies box, but Carroll was able to pull off a smart save and keep his side two goals up. It proved a similar story after the restart as Notts continued to plug away at the Pools goal, with Noble’s deflected 50th-minute shot edging just the wrong side of the post. The hosts, however, picked themselves up and halved the deficit just after the hour, courtesy of Jake Gray’s shot from the inside right channel which flew past Carroll, off the far post and into the net. Just four minutes later they were level as Nathan Thomas found space on the left and whipped a low ball across, which Billy Paynter finished off. As the game edged into the latter stages, Notts surprised everyone in the crowd by suddenly taking the lead again, a corner falling to a dumbfounded Stead, whose header looped into an unmarked net. A shocking five minutes of injury time were announced at the end of the game and Notts were forced to withstand a barrage of Pools attacks, Thomas rifling just wide of Carroll's post, but Jamie Fullarton's charges were able to secure all three points. What did you think of this game? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County have taken a barnstorming 2-0 half time lead against Hartlepool United in Tuesday's League Two clash at Victoria Park. Just four minutes passed when Jon Stead stole the ball in midfield, powered down the pitch and nonchalantly lashed the ball from range into the top corner of the net. The hosts attempted to mount a fightback in the ensuing minutes, Michael Woods attempting a drive from long range which flew well over Roy Carroll's bar. In the 13th minute, however, the Magpies were two goals to the good, with Elliott Hewitt's cross just out of Izale McLeod's range but landing perfectly to Liam Noble, who slotted home to send the visiting fans into a frenzy. Hartlepool lost their shape after that and found themselves on the receiving end of a number of Notts forays forward, Jason Banton twice coming close to adding a third for his side. As the first half ebbed to a close, Craig Hignett's charges enjoyed more fruitful chances as Luke James came close to edging his side back with a shot from within the Magpies box, but Carroll was able to pull off a smart save and keep his side two goals up. What did you think of the first half? Let Pride of Nottingham know by visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County manager Jamie Fullarton has described the first 20 minutes of his side’s game at York City as the best under his tenure, and left it late to make changes because he was confident his starting XI could force an equaliser. The Magpies fell two goals behind at Bootham Crescent in the first half as Michael Coulson and Bradley Fewster struck for the hosts, and although Lubo Satka’s second-half own goal kept the visitors in the game, 2-1 was the final scoreline. Speaking ahead of his side's clash against Hartlepool, Fullarton said: "It's disappointing to lose any game, but on reflection of the performance, it's even more so. The first 20 minutes was probably the most accomplished we've produced since I've been here. “It's vital we don't give teams something to hold on to, especially ones struggling to stay in the division. We did and they grew in confidence. At no point did I feel we were out of the game, I always felt we could get something. "We waited to make changes. If you see the reaction of the other bench, they would agree. They made changes earlier." Do you agree with Fullarton's assessment of his side and his approach to substitutions? Let Pride of Nottingham know by visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

New Hartlepool United manager Craig Hignett could name an unchanged starting line-up for the visit of Notts County in his second game in charge. The North East side, who parted company with Ronnie Moore last week by mutual consent, made a winning start under their new boss in Saturday's 2-1 home win against Yeovil Town and have no new injury or suspension concerns. Right-back Michael Duckworth remains sidelined with a stomach muscle injury and fellow defender Harry Worley is working his way back to full fitness following ankle surgery. Midfielder Michael Woods, meanwhile is expected to resume after returning to the starting XI at the weekend after a back strain. Mawouna Amevor is a doubt for Notts after sitting out Saturday's 2-1 defeat at York City with a shoulder injury, while Scot Bennett also missed the game following a knock he suffered against Luton Town. Midfielder Rob Milsom remains doubtful with a knee injury and faces a fight to be fit for Jamie Fullarton's side, but former Wycombe Wanderers winger Jason Banton is likely to continue in the side after his debut at the weekend. Hartlepool are 21st in the table and have only won five out of 15 home games, although Notts have only won three times on their travels in League Two and lost to York, who had previously won just three games on their own patch all season. Will Notts get their fourth away win of the season at Hartlepool? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Former Wycombe Wanderers winger Jason Banton has signed with Notts County until the end of the season. The 23-year-old had a successful trial with the Magpies this week and his signing was confirmed ahead of kickoff at York City on Saturday. Banton played under Fullarton in Crystal Palace's Under-21s earlier in his career, and says he thrived under the Scot for the Eagles. "We worked really well together, so when he gave me the opportunity to come here on trial I took it and happily it's led to a contract," he told the Post. "I did really well under him at Palace. I enjoyed playing for him because everything was really structured and disciplined. "He knows what he wants from the players and I know exactly what I need to do under him. If we can rekindle that form I had when I was under him then it would be really good. “Notts are a good, strong team. I've played with Izale McLeod at MK Dons and we linked up really well there. “Everyone knows Jon Stead's played in the Prem and done really well, so it's very exciting to have two front players that are going to stick the ball in the back of the net given the right service. "It's not out of the question, the play-offs. Mathematically we can do it, so we've got to take each game as it comes. "It was frustrating training at Wycombe every day and not playing, just watching the games on the weekend, so I'm raring to go. I want to take my opportunity. "I'm very pleased to be here. It's a big club in the league, one that should be higher." What do you think of Jason Banton's arrival? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Struggling York City have secured a 2-1 against Notts County in today's League Two match at Bootham Crescent. The Magpies, buoyed from having won both away games under new manager Jamie Fullarton and with new man Jason Banton in their starting XI ahead of the game, started brightly and notched up eight corners in the first 20 minutes alone. York, however, struck unexpectedly midway through the first half when Michael Coulson caught Roy Carroll off his line and struck a ball goalwards which looped over the stranded Notts keeper and into the net. Fullarton's charges set about trying to get back into the game and forced another corner as the Minstermen continued being under the cosh, but the hosts grew with confidence and struck again seven minutes before the break, a well-worked move finished off by Bradley Fewster from three yards out. The second half began in a sloppy manner, with York winning their first corner of the game 48 minutes in, but Jon Stead came close two minutes later with a turn and shot on the edge of the box that whistled past the far post. Notts laboured against their opponents without really making any breakthrough, but just after the hour they were given a lifeline when, under pressure from Stead, Lubo Satka looped a header over Scott Flinders and into the Minstermen net. The hosts, however, were able to weather the storm without too much difficulty, despite Notts’s continued accruing of corners, and so the full time whistle saw York clinch all three points. What did you think of the performance and result? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the site, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

York City have taken a 2-0 half-time lead against Notts County in today's League Two match at Bootham Crescent, both goals coming largely against the run of play. The Magpies, buoyed from having won both away games under new manager Jamie Fullarton and with new man Jason Banton in their starting XI ahead of the game, started brightly and notched up eight corners in the first 20 minutes alone. York, however, struck unexpectedly midway through the first half when Michael Coulson caught Roy Carroll off his line and struck a ball goalwards which looped over the stranded Notts keeper and into the net. Fullarton's charges set about trying to get back into the game and forced another corner as the Minstermen continued being under the cosh, but the hosts grew with confidence and struck again seven minutes before the break, a well-worked move finished off by Bradley Fewster from three yards out. What do you think of Notts County's performance so far at York City? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County currently feel like they can beat anyone in League Two, according to defender Elliott Hewitt. The Magpies have won two out of two away from Meadow Lane under new manager Jamie Fullarton, beating Crawley Town 1-0 and Luton Town 2-0, and will head to bottom side York City on Saturday. "We fancy ourselves against anyone at the minute," said Hewitt, who could be switched to right-back against the Minstermen if loanee Gary MacKenzie is preferred in central defence. "York are struggling, but you know what it's like, any team can beat anyone in this league. "I think it will be tough. They will try to get at us, so we've got to make a quick start, try to get the first goal and kick on from there. "[Fullarton] has made us more solid as a team, The two away performances were probably the best ones we've had in a long while, especially against Luton I thought we did really well. "Everything is a lot more organised. You know your job; he gets his message across clearly to you. "Under the last gaffer, he was a lot more attacking. We played lovely stuff at times, but were just left a bit wide open at the back. "We just need to get the right balance, which I think we're starting to get now. "Obviously being a defender it's good for us because it's clear what he wants us to do, and that's first and foremost defending. "And I think we've done that really well, in the last two away performances in particular." Can Notts get a result at York? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the community, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County and York City have met a total of 38 times over their history. The first meeting came on 12th March 1955, with the Minstermen winning 1-0 at Meadow Lane in the FA Cup. The Magpies have 20 wins and 10 draws, only losing 8 times. Our recent record is also very good – in the last 28 clashes, Notts have only lost twice! Founded in 1922, York joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their time in the lower divisions. The club briefly rose as high as the second tier of English football, spending two seasons in the Second Division in the 1970s. At the end of the 2003–04 season the club lost its League status when it was relegated from the Third Division. York remained in the Conference Premier until the end of the 2011–12 season, when they were promoted back into the League via the play-offs. York have enjoyed more success in cup competitions than in the league; highlights include an FA Cup semi-final appearance in 1955. In the 1995–96 League Cup, York beat Manchester United 3–0 at Old Trafford; Manchester United went on to win the FA Premier League and FA Cup double that season. Also, in the FA Cup, York beat Arsenal in 1985, and held Liverpool to a draw in two consecutive seasons in the mid-1980s. York made an appearance at Wembley Stadium in 1993, beating Crewe Alexandra in the Third Division play-off Final. After defeats in the 2009 FA Trophy Final and the 2010 Conference Premier play-off Final, York finally recorded a victory at the new Wembley against Newport County in the 2012 FA Trophy Final. --- York will be without suspended midfielder Luke Hendrie for their home game against Notts. The Burnley loanee was shown a straight red card for his foul on Ricky Holmes in last week's defeat at Northampton Town and starts a three-game ban. Recent signing Lubomir Satka could make his first start in Hendrie's absence while striker Derek Riordan played 70 minutes for the reserves in midweek and is hoping to be involved for the first time following his recent arrival. Defenders Mawouna Amevor and Scot Bennett are fresh injury concerns for the Magpies. Amevor is likely to miss the trip after landing awkwardly on his shoulder during a reserve-team game against Rotherham this week while Bennett is struggling to recover from a knock he sustained in the game against Luton. Midfielder Rob Milsom is highly doubtful with a knee injury and is not expected to be involved, while Will Hayhurst is a definite absentee with his knee problem. Cruciate ligament damage has ruled him out for the rest of season. What do you think of this article and the provisional team news? Sign up to Pride of Nottingham, visit the forum and join the conversation.

On this day 22 years ago, Notts County fans were in dreamland as they vanquished local rivals Nottingham Forest 2-1 in a Division One match at Meadow Lane, a match remembered to this day as “Sir Charlie Palmer Day”. A crowd of 18,655 were treated to a topsy-turvy clash where Gary McSwegan gave the Magpies a shock lead on the hour after previously being denied by the woodwork. Dave Phillips then equalised for the Reds with five minutes left to play, but around 60 seconds later, a Mark Draper free kick curled perfectly into the path of Charlie Palmer, who powered home an emphatic header to clinch all three points. Incredibly, it was his first goal for two seasons and his first league strike since 1990, making it extra sweet for him. He ran almost the length of pitch in celebration. “I lost it at the point," recalled Palmer. "I just went wild with emotion." Here is the goal in all its glory: Were you there on that day? Share your memories of the match, the season and Charlie Palmer himself by signing up to Pride of Nottingham, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County will play host to American football side Tampa Bay Rowdies, a team featuring former United States prodigy Freddy Adu, next month. The North American Soccer League club, from Florida, are touring England as part of their pre-season preparations and will play both a Magpies XI and a Nottingham Forest XI. They arrive in England on March 6 and will immediately travel to Nottingham to face Forest on Wednesday March 9 at the Nigel Doughty Academy, where they will also spend five days training. Two days later, on Friday, March 11, they take on Notts – it is yet to be decided whether that will be at Meadow Lane or at the Reds' training ground. They will then head to St George's Park, in Burton-upon-Trent, from March 12-17 and will take on a Leicester City XI on March 16. The Rowdies squad includes Adu, who has 17 caps for the USMNT, Leyton Orient defender Tamika Mkandawire and ex-QPR goalkeeper Matt Pickens.

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.