Joe Jones

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. - Josh Windass and Matt Crooks are both available for Accrington's fixture with Notts. On Wednesday the duo signed pre-contract terms with Scottish side Rangers to move to Ibrox in the summer, but Stanley manager John Coleman confirmed they will be considered as normal in the meantime. Joe Wright, Brad Halliday and Liam Wakefield all extended deals with the east Lancashire club until the end of the season this week so will also stay in the reckoning. Central defender Dean Winnard, however, has been absent since mid-November. Notts caretaker managers Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden expect to have Alan Smith available, despite the experienced midfielder holding transfer talks with League Two leaders Plymouth. Scot Bennett will be back in the squad after returning from his loan spell at Newport. It was hoped the defender would be able to feature last weekend against Oxford but international clearance was not received in time. Bennett will be vying for a recall to the starting line-up along with the likes of Thierry Audel, Curtis Thompson, Jimmy Spencer and Ronan Murray. Midfielder Liam Noble will complete a four-match suspension while winger Will Hayhurst remains a long-term injury absentee.

Leyton Orient president Francesco Becchetti has admitted part of a Football Association misconduct charge. Television pictures appeared to show him aiming a kick at his club's assistant boss Andy Hessenthaler after their 3-2 win against Portsmouth on Boxing Day. A club statement said Becchetti accepted his actions on the touchline were 'improper conduct', but added that he "strongly denied" it was violent conduct and had requested a personal FA hearing. - League Two side Luton Town have appointed Brighton & Hove Albion first-team coach Nathan Jones as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal. The 42-year-old Welshman, who enters his first permanent managerial role, succeeds John Still, who was sacked last month. Luton, on a run of one win from their last nine games, sit 15th in the table. "We believe we have found the best man to lead the club's footballing aspirations forward," chief executive Gary Sweet told the club website. "Nathan is a professional, disciplined, strong and open-minded character who is going to install a hard-working team ethic and, importantly, the prospect of fast-flowing football to Kenilworth Road. "The board believe Nathan will modernise our club's football culture, blending the elements of our footballing heritage with a modern, forward-thinking philosophy. "As a club we realise a change of thinking will not happen overnight, but we are already excited at the prospect of Nathan's ideas and vision for Luton Town." - Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman has accused Josh Windass and Matt Crooks of disrespecting his club on social media after sealing their moves. The pair have signed pre-contract deals at Rangers after snubbing the chance to stay with the League Two side. But Coleman has slammed the duo for their posts on social media about making the switch to a 'massive club'. He said: “I don’t get embroiled in social media but I do think going on and seeing the players had tweeted about ‘buzzing to play for a massive club’ is disrespectful to our fans. “Our fans have backed them through thick and thin and I do think there should be more respect in place. When I became a manager, my ethos was always to treat players how I would want to be treated and I just wish there had been more communication from the players to myself. - Plymouth Argyle manager Derek Adams has admitted that he hopes to start contract negotiations with his players soon. Most of his squad are out of contract in the summer, with players such as Graham Carey, Reuben Reid and Jake Jervis able leave the club for nothing. "I hope to do that very soon," Adams said when asked when talks would begin. "I just need to get the go ahead to do that and then we'll be in a place to speak to the players because I think that's important." - Cambridge United left-back Greg Taylor has been ruled out for the rest of the season as he requires ankle surgery. The 25-year-old has made 19 appearances for Shaun Derry's side this term, but was injured in the Boxing Day victory over Dagenham & Redbridge. - Midfielder Michael Collins has left Oxford United by mutual consent, having failed to make an appearance for the League Two club this season. The 29-year-old played 42 games for the Us after joining from Scunthorpe in the summer of 2014. The former Huddersfield player spent time on loan at York City earlier this season, making seven appearances. - Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore has claimed his side's extended break might help them in Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Championship side Derby. Pools have not played since 19 December after their games with Notts County, Carlisle and Newport were postponed. "It's unusual, missing the Christmas period. I've never had that, only when I'm out of work," Moore told BBC Tees. "Hopefully it's come at the right time, maybe we needed a bit of a break and hopefully we can kick on." - Bristol Rovers have signed Shrewsbury Town club captain Liam Lawrence. Lawrence, 34, has played 23 times for Shrewsbury this season, having joined them from Barnsley in July 2014. The former Republic of Ireland midfielder, who won 15 caps for his country, started his career at Mansfield and has also played for Sunderland, Stoke and Portsmouth. What are your thoughts on this week's news in League Two? Visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation.

Richard Dryden has played down reports of Alan Smith leaving Notts County, insisting that he is still in the squad for now. Plymouth Argyle have reportedly offered Smith a deal until the end of next season, with the 35-year-old keen to extend his playing career before moving into coaching. A photo emerged on Wednesday of what appeared to be Smith walking alongside Pilgrims manager Derek Adams in the Devon city. Dryden, however, told reporters on Thursday: "Alan is in the squad. "Alan is Alan. He comes in and works hard, people look up to him as a leader. "He's going to be involved with us from now until the end of the season hopefully. I take it he is still going to be here." Do you want Alan Smith to remain part of the Notts team, or are you happy to see him head to the South West? Visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation.

Two new names have emerged in the running for the Notts County manager’s job. One of those is Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst, who led his side to the Conference play-off final last season, which they lost to Bristol Rovers at Wembley. Hurst was a teammate of Notts head of recruitment Guy Branston at Rotherham United when they won promotion to the second tier in 2001. The Magpies are said to have been monitoring Hurst, whose side have lost just two of their last 14 league and cup matches, racking up nine wins in the process. Grimsby have also recorded an emphatic 3-0 win over Notts in pre-season, a display that the Kop faithful still refer to today as a particularly poor performance from their side. As well as Hurst, Northampton manager Chris Wilder's odds also shortened dramatically as he was installed as second favourite. Wilder is based in Sheffield and played for Notts in the 1996/97 season. He was reportedly considered for the Cambridge United job, which was eventually given to ex-Magpies gaffer Shaun Derry. The Cobblers, who are second in League Two, have been plagued by off the field problems, but have since been taken over by Kelvin Thomas, who was Wilder's chairman at Oxford United.

Notts County midfielder Alan Smith will wait until a new manager is in place before discussing his future, according to reports. The 35-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and is said to be on the radar of Plymouth Argyle, an offer that he is considering. According to the Nottingham Post he has informed the Magpies board that he is happy to stay should they offer him a new deal, but will speak to the new boss over his role at Meadow Lane going forward. A poll carried out by the Plymouth Herald found that 68 percent of Argyle fans would welcome the former Manchester United man at Home Park. Would you like to see Smudger remain at Meadow Lane, or is it time for him to go? Visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation.

Notts County midfielder Liam Noble is attracting interest from Portsmouth and Cambridge United, according to reports. The mercurial 24-year-old is out of contract in the summer, and with less than six months remaining on his current deal, he can now talk to other clubs regarding a move away from Meadow Lane. According to the Nottingham Post, former Magpies boss Shaun Derry, now at Cambridge, is understood to be keen on linking up again with Noble, having signed him when manager of Notts following his release from Carlisle in June 2014. Pompey manager Paul Cook is also said to be a firm admirer of the former Sunderland man, who has scored eight goals this season. In total, Noble has made 60 appearances for Notts, scoring 14 goals in all competitions, but his time in the East Midlands has been plagued with a poor disciplinary record, accruing five cards in one-and-a-half seasons. Should Noble stay or should he go? Visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation.

Curtis Thompson has claimed that Oxford United’s second goal proved the turning point in Notts County’s 4-2 weekend defeat at Meadow Lane, because that is when their “heads dropped”. Liam Sercombe drew first blood with a penalty in the first half, but Jon Stead levelled on the hour. Thompson then struck 76 minutes in to put the Magpies in the lead, but just three minutes later Alex MacDonald scored the U’s second, before late goals from Callum O'Dowda and Kemar Roofe sealed the win. Thompson told local media: "The first half was very difficult because Oxford were the better team. They were popping the ball around and you could see why they are further up the table. "In the second half we came out with a bit more belief and we started to get on the ball a lot more. We played with a bit more confidence and it showed because we got back into the game. "We made it 1-1, then made changes when I came on and managed to score, which was great. We looked strong at that stage and looked the better team. But they got the second goal and from then on we switched off a bit. "They were good goals late on, but after their equaliser our heads dropped. We lost our shape, we didn't tuck in and the discipline went. "A lot of gaps were created which they took advantage of. But we've got to put it to the back of our minds, pick ourselves up and go again against Accrington." To discuss this article, visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation. Credit to Dan Westwell for the image.

Notts County’s search for a new manager continues, with former Cardiff City and Watford boss Malky Mackay considered to be out of the frame for the Magpies gig. Mackay is rumoured to be interesting Celtic – a club where he used to ply his trade as a player – as their current manager Ronny Deila is under pressure following a run of poor performances. John Sheridan, the current boss of Newport County, remains the favourite to claim the Notts job, while the currently unemployed Mark Cooper is also set for talks with the club and has made it clear he is keen on the position, a season after guiding Swindon Town to the League One play-off final. According to local media, interviews are set to be held this week with chairman Ray Trew and chief executive Julian Winter, with an appointment not expected to be made until after the League Two clash with Accrington Stanley. This means that means Richard Dryden and Mick Halsall will remain in charge of the club in a caretaker capacity and are hoping to bounce back from Saturday's 4-2 defeat at home to Oxford United. To discuss this article, visit the Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation.

Notts County co-caretaker manager Richard Dryden has bemoaned referee Carl Boyeson's decision to award Oxford United a penalty on the stroke of half time in their win against Notts County on Saturday. Two late strikes from Callum O'Dowda and Kemar Roofe helped the U's to a 4-2 win at the managerless Magpies, but it was the crucial penalty decision that angered Dryden. He was convinced that goalkeeper Roy Carroll had not brought down Liam Sercombe and thought the decision changed the game. "It was tough on us especially to go in a goal down before half-time," Dryden told local media. "I've seen the challenge from Roy again, because at the time from where I was stood you couldn't say yes or no. "But watching the video again, Roy was a mile away and it was never a penalty. It was a minute before half-time and while it was not the end of the world, it knocks you back a bit. "We only really started to show how we could play in the second half. We knew, from watching footage of them, that Oxford were a really good attacking side with lots of pace. They like to suck you in a bit, and then hit you on the counter-attack. The fourth goal summed that up. "We sat a little bit deeper than usual and it was no secret we've tried to work on the defensive organisation of the team. We've made a few changes at the back and it's almost a brand new back four." The result sees Notts slip to 17th in League two with 30 points from 24 games. Credit to Dan Westwell for the image. Join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion - Here.

Notts County showed flashes of class interspersed with sloppy play in their League Two match against Oxford United, but looked set for a point until two late goals condemned them to a 4-2 defeat at Meadow Lane. Michael Appleton's side could have gone ahead early on, but Roy Carroll kept Chris Maguire at bay with an excellent save. The Magpies worked their way into the game and, near the stroke of half time, found themselves in a good position on the edge of the U’s box, but referee Carl Boyeson stood in the way of the ball, allowing the visitors to break. At the other end Liam Sercombe burst into the box and was hauled down by Roy Carroll, prompting the ref to award Oxford a penalty, which Sercombe himself converted. George Baldock hit the post for the visitors early in the second half, before the Magpies – who sacked previous manager Ricardo Moniz on Tuesday – drew level when Jon Stead powered in Stanley Aborah's free-kick. Notts then sent their home faithful into a frenzy with 15 minutes left on the clock when Curtis Thompson lashed in superbly following a wonderful lay-off by Stead to edge into the lead. Unfortunately Oxford equalised almost instantly, as Alex MacDonald slotted home from close range in after the hosts failed to deal with a corner. Just as it seemed like the hosts would hang on to at least a point, the 90th minute saw a draw cruelly snatched away from Notts when Callum O'Dowda fired past Carroll, prompting several of the Magpie players to slump onto the ground in shock and frustration. And just a minute later, the hosts were wounded again as their decision to commit men forward prompted the U’s to slice through their defence and score again, this time through Kemar Roofe. Discuss all the key moments from within the game over within our community forum - here.

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray has expressed his interest in bringing Notts County defender Blair Adams to Field Mill on a permanent deal. The 24-year-old has impressed for the Stags since joining on loan in October last year, but his loan deal expires on January 19, with the left-back out of contract at Meadow Lane in the summer. Speaking of Adams, Murray told local media: “I want to keep him. He has always been a League One player so if we do something long-term I think he is someone who allows us to get success in the long term. “If we get promoted this year Blair Adams is a League One player. If it takes a bit longer Blair Adams will get us there. “I would like to keep him but you know in all of these dealings, it's not that easy. We have spoken to him briefly and I'm hoping this week we'll have more conversation, but it's not about me and Notts County, it's about the football club, Notts County, Blair Adams and his representatives. “I imagine they (his representatives) will have other options, he's been great.” Adams signed for Notts in the summer of 2014 and made 40 appearances in all competitions that season, but only featured twice for the Magpies in the current campaign. What do you think? Should we allow Blair Adams to leave? Have your say within our discussion - Here.

Notts have met Oxford United just 27 times in their history, the first meeting coming on 17 October 1964 when a goalless draw at Meadow Lane was the result. The U's have the upper edge - but only just, with ten wins, nine draws and eight defeats The last meeting between the two was on 18 March 2006, again a goalless draw at Meadow Lane. Oxford United were formed as Headington in 1893, adding the suffix United in 1911 after merging with Headington Quarry. In 1950, Headington United became the first professional club in Britain to install floodlights, and used them on 18 December against Banbury Spencer. They initially played in orange and blue shirts, but changed to yellow home shirts for the 1957–58 season. The reason for the change is unknown. In 1960, Headington United was renamed Oxford United, to give the club a higher profile. Oxford won the League Cup in 1986 - then known as the Milk Cup - after beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the final at Wembley. In 2001, Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries conducted an exorcism after the feeling of a malicious force and the team's loss of thirteen of their first seventeen games at the new stadium was blamed on a gypsy curse placed on the club by a Roma man who had been evicted from the site during construction. The city is known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. University College (in full The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford) dates back to 1249. To put it into context, the Magna Carta had only been signed 34 years prior. Buildings in Oxford are said to demonstrate examples of every English architectural period since the arrival of the Saxons. - Notts County caretaker bosses Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden will take charge for the first time when Oxford visit Meadow Lane. Halsall and Dryden were placed in temporary charge following the sacking of Ricardo Moniz after Monday's home draw against Morecambe had left the club in 15th place. Liam Noble is unavailable as he sits out the third game of a four match ban but fellow midfielder Stanley Aborah was back in the side to face Morecambe following a knee injury. Meanwhile Thierry Audel is expected to resume at the heart of defence again following the return of Alan Sheehan to parent club Bradford. Oxford defender Johnny Mullins is an injury doubt after a heavy knock in Monday's goalless draw at Yeovil forced him to leave Huish Park in a protective boot. Chey Dunkley replaced Mullins on Monday and is on stand-by if he fails to make it. Striker Chris Maguire missed out on Monday due to a hamstring injury sustained in the Boxing Day win against Exeter and also remains doubtful, but boss Michael Appleton has not ruled out either player. Appleton has no other new injury or suspension worries as the U's bid to maintain their automatic promotion challenge.

Notts County caretaker manager Mick Halsall has called on his charges to simply knuckle down and “get on with it”, referring to his side’s upcoming game against Oxford United. Former boss Ricardo Moniz was sacked after less than nine months at the helm, alongside first-team coaches Dave Kevan and Dean Yates. The dismissal came after the Dutchman guided the Magpies to a lacklustre 15th place at the halfway point of the League Two season, conceding 40 goals in 23 league games and suffering a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league Salford City. Ahead of Saturday’s clash at Meadow Lane, Halsall told reporters: "It's never nice (for a manager to be sacked), but we have to get on with it don't we, and (the players) will understand that. Everyone in the game understands it. "I want to win. We don't know how long we are going to do it for, but we'll try to give it our best, get the boys working in the way we would like them to, although we've only got a short space of time to do that. We will be positive and fingers crossed we can get a decent result and take it from there. "It's about making sure they understand what we want from them in our game plan. We know about Oxford, we'll have enough time. We'll be okay.” Asked if they can change much, he added: "Do we need to? I think we need to tighten up defensively, everyone's seen that. "That's been a big concern from the beginning of the season, so if that's something we need to change we'll look to do that. "In essence we can't change much because we've got what we've got, in the way of personnel, but we're mindful of the defensive side of our game.” "That belief they have got to go forward has been terrific, if you look at the games that they've come back in, especially at home. "But should we be conceding those goals? And that's what Richard, myself and the rest of the staff will be looking to try to improve. "I do know the characters," he said. "I know Roy (Carroll), I know Alan (Smith), I know Nobler (Liam Noble). You look at them when you are in and around the training ground and get a feel for them "We haven't been a part of it that much, but you do get a feel for them and their personalities.I do know them it's just about getting a tune out of them come Saturday. "All we need to say to them is let's get on with it. Let's be positive, let's get on with it. "They are good players and we think if we can fine tune the defensive side, and I know I keep going on about the defensive side, we believe we've got enough going forward to create. "There may be games when we don't get the goals that we think we should have, but if we can just tighten that up as a team. "That's all we will be saying; listen, let's go to work, let's get on with it and let's see what we can do.” Who do you feel should be the next manager? Join in the debate within our community - here.

Notts County have decided to recall defender Scot Bennett from his loan at Newport County. The 24-year-old was scheduled to play his final game for the Exiles on Saturday against Hartlepool, but could go straight into the Magpies' squad for their home game against Oxford. Bennett, Newport manager John Sheridan's first signing when he joined them in October, has made 12 appearances for the Welsh club, and has played a crucial role in helping guide them away from the bottom of League Two and out of the relegation zone. He was part of a team that went on a ten-game unbeaten run which, ironically, was ended by Notts earlier this month - a game in which he could not play due to the conditions of his loan. He has made just two appearances for the Magpies after signing from Exeter in the summer, but returns to Meadow Lane at a time when Sheridan has been linked with the vacant manager's job after Ricardo Moniz was sacked on Tuesday.

Here we go again with a look at the first League Two games of the New Year and with Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden temporarily taking the reins for Notts County. My first choice important game this week features 7th placed Carlisle v top League Two Preview Saturday 2nd January 2016 of the table Plymouth. The Cumbrians are at home but due to their ground struggling with the recent flooding this fixture will be played at Blackburn's Ewood Park. No need to remind Pie fans that last time out Carlisle's loss of home advantage didn't upset them as they won 3-0. A similar scoreline would dent Plymouth's title ambitions and help Carlisle's play off hopes but I've predicted a 1-1 draw. My second game features 11th placed Mansfield at home to 8th placed Accrington. Only one point separates these two teams so a win is vital for both teams play off aspirations. I've forecast 2 – 2. My third game is 2nd placed Northampton at home to 18th placed Barnet. The Cobblers will be hoping to keep in touch with Plymouth, while Barnet will be hoping to climb away from the bottom end of League Two. I’ve gone 3 – 1 to Northampton. My final important game is bottom club Yeovil at home to 22nd placed York. Points are obviously vital to both teams. I’ve predicted a rare win for Yeovil. *Important games **Key Game Saturday 2/1/2016 Bristol Rovers v Luton– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 0) Cambridge v Wimbledon– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 0 *Carlisle v Plymouth– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 -1 Exeter v Dagenham & Redbridge– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 0) *Mansfield v Accrington– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 2) *Newport v Hartlepool– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 1) *Northampton v Barnet– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3 - 1) **Notts County v Oxford United– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3 -2) Portsmouth v Crawley– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 – 0) Stevenage v Leyton Orient– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 1) Wycombe v Morecambe– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 1) *Yeovil v York– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 0) My key game, for obvious reasons, once again features Notts, this time at home to Oxford United. This game was important even before the sacking of Ricardo Moniz. Can Notts get back to winning ways and climb nearer the play off places? When Notts visited Oxford earlier this season on 18th August they lost 3 -1 despite Audel scoring first for Notts. The overall record between Notts and Oxford is: Notts won 8 Oxford won 10 Draws 9 I've forecast is a narrow 3 – 2 win for Notts – I wonder how Halsall/Dryden will approach this game and how will the players react? Plenty to discuss once again.

Notts County caretaker manager Mick Halsall has not ruled out becoming Magpies boss on a permanent basis, but remains focused on the immediate job ahead for now. The 54-year-old has been placed in charge of Notts along with Under-21s coach Richard Dryden following the sacking of Ricardo Moniz, and the pair will be in charge for the club’s home League Two clash against Oxford United on Saturday. Halsall told reporters: “Let’s get off to a winning start, let’s see what we can do. “Richard is very similar to myself, we just want to do the best we can, give the players the best opportunity to do what they can come Saturday “We know it’s a difficult game, don’t get me wrong, they are a good side, but why not? Bring it on. I’m here to do a job and we’re just going to give it the best we can.” Halsall has not yet spoken to club chairman Ray Trew about the vacant job, but he knows a good run of results will help push him into contention. He added: “We’ve got to win games, we’ve got to show that we’ve got a belief and an understanding as a team. The consistency has got to come into the game, for our players. “Can we go and be hard to beat away from home? That’s the big thing Richard and I will be looking at." Halsall has previously been placed in the caretaker role when he was made joint interim boss with Paul Hart before the now-departed Dutchman was appointed last April. Who do you feel should be the next manager? Join in the debate within our community - here.

Ricardo Moniz has been sacked as manager of Notts County after just eight months in charge of the club. The 51-year-old was appointed County boss in April following the dismissal of Shaun Derry, but was unable to keep the club in League One, suffering relegation on the final day of the season. Despite a signing spree in the summer, helped out by a sponsorship deal with Ladbrokes described as ‘the most lucrative in the club’s history’, Moniz has failed to light up League Two this season, leaving the club 15th in the table and out of the FA Cup following an embarrassing 2-0 defeat at non-league Salford City in the first round. Moniz's assistant Dave Kevan and defensive coach Dean Yates have also been dismissed by the Notts board. "I made it clear when appointing Ricardo that I wanted someone who would bring an exciting, attacking brand of football to Meadow Lane and I think it would be fair to say that in part he has done this, with some eye-catching attacking play on show at times this season," Notts chairman Ray Trew told the club's official website. "However, whilst showing considerable flair at times, particularly here at home, I feel that we have lacked a level of discipline and organisation in our defensive play throughout the season which has undermined our efforts and our right to play this free-flowing attacking style." Trew added: "My goal for this club is, and always has been, to improve and whilst I by no means want to keep chopping and changing managers, I refuse to let us stagnate and I feel that the time is right for a new approach to reignite our season and get us back on track to where we want and need to be." County's academy manager Mick Halsall and U21's coach Richard Dryden have been placed in caretaker control of the first-team ahead of Saturday's home match with Oxford United, with no appointment expected until after the weekend. Names reportedly in the hat for the Notts manager's job include former Swindon boss Mark Cooper - who was spotted in the stands at Meadow Lane for the Magpies' game against Morecambe - and Newport manager John Sheridan, while Halsall has also not ruled out taking the job permanently. Join in with our discussion regarding the dismissal of Ricardo Moniz - Here.

Izale McLeod was the saviour for Notts County on Monday afternoon as his brace secured a point in a 2-2 draw against Morecambe in their League Two meeting at Meadow Lane. Defence has not been a strong point for Ricardo Moniz’s side in recent months, and this weakness was exposed once again as, just eight minutes in, Jamie Devitt picked up the ball and played a defence-splitting pass into the path of Shaun Miller, the striker making no mistake as he put the ball into the empty net from a tight angle. After twenty-one minutes played, it was to get even worse for the Magpies as Miller outpaced defender Theirry Audel, who brought him down in the penalty area and conceded a spot-kick which the Shrimpers forward took himself. Carroll managed to parry his shot but Kevin Ellison - who had already hit the crossbar with a shot after five minutes - was quicker to react than anybody else and smashed the ball into the net to put the visitors two goals to the good. With the home crowd increasingly on their side’s back, County started to press and won several corners before McLeod found himself one-on-one with the visiting goalkeeper after 37 minutes and tried to lob the ball over him – Barry Roche collected it comfortably, however. Nevertheless the former Crawley striker atoned for his error when he managed to beat Roche with a volley from a cross in the dying moments of the first half, getting his side back in the game and giving them the chance to mount a concrete comeback after the restart. With just after an hour played, McLeod sent Meadow Lane barmy after Thierry Audel rose highest to meet a corner and sending his header goalwards, before it was flicked home by his attacking teammate from close range to complete the comeback. Having come back from the brink, the hosts went in search of a winner, Roche beating away Jon Stead’s first-time shot after a flowing move 20 minutes from time before Graham Burke fired a shot into the side netting. Ultimately, Notts couldn’t maintain the attacking momentum and strike a winner, giving them a share of the points at the final whistle as the pressure continues to mount on Moniz.

Notts County manager Ricardo Moniz has not given up hope of achieving a playoff position this season. The Magpies sit 16th in League Two as they reach the halfway point of the campaign with their home tie against Morecambe on Monday. Despite the lowly league position, Notts remain just eight points off the top seven, and Moniz is eager to find the consistency needed to get his team up the table. He said: "The gap can close to the top seven and some still believe we can do it which inspires me a lot. And we certainly need inspiration from different angles. "I still believe we can turn this inconsistency and there have been many times this season when we thought we were on the verge of doing so. "The Christmas period and our inconsistency means I have not had a lot of time to celebrate, but that's the job. You have to accept the good time with the bad "We set the highest goal and I am very black and white in that respect because we wanted to be the favourite in this division. I don't hide myself either. "But we have young players in the team and with young players you have to accept they will make mistakes. The consideration now is to make a change because you have to. We can either look at more experience, or how we possess the pitch and be difficult to break down."

Notts and Morecambe have only met seven times in their history, with the first ever clash taking place all the way back in September 2007. The Shrimpers have a slight advantage, with three wins over Notts, two draws and two defeats. Our last meeting, in August this season, was a 4-1 defeat for us. The fixture on 19 September 2009 was former Arsenal and England legend Sol Campbell's only game in a Magpies shirt, while the rematch later in the season, on 17 April 2010, is when Notts mathematically secured promotion to League One. Football in the town dates back to the turn of the 20th century; however, it was not until 7 May 1920 that Morecambe FC was formed. The club then took its place in the Lancashire Combination League for the 1920–21 season. The fourteen years from 1960 could be said to be Morecambe's golden era. This included an FA Cup third round appearance in 1961–62, a 1–0 defeat to Weymouth; a Lancashire Senior Cup Final victory in 1968, a 2–1 win over Burnley; and an FA Trophy success at Wembley in 1974, a 2–1 win over Dartford in the final. Morecambe, a non-league side for most of their history, were promoted to the Football League for the first time in 2007 after winning the Conference Playoff Final, beating Exeter City 2–1 at Wembley in front of over 40,000 fans. Morecambe was a thriving seaside resort in the mid-20th century. While the resort of Blackpool attracted holiday-makers predominantly from the Lancashire mill towns, Morecambe had more visitors from Yorkshire, due to its railway connection, and Scotland. Between 1956 and 1989 Morecambe was the home of the Miss Great Britain beauty contest. - Notts midfielder Stanley Aborah is hoping to prove his fitness for Monday's clash with Morecambe. The 28-year-old had been doubtful for the Boxing Day trip to Hartlepool after suffering a reaction on his comeback from a knee injury but that game's postponement has given him extra time to recover. Midfielder Kyle de Silva had also been hoping to force his way into contention after a knock, while Liam Noble is unavailable for the game at Meadow Lane as he serves a four-match suspension. Morecambe will also hope to have benefited from an unexpected day off on Saturday. Their home encounter with Mansfield was called off because of a waterlogged pitch, potentially giving two players longer to prove their fitness. Midfielder Andy Fleming, out for a month with an ankle injury, was hoping to make his comeback. Forward Tom Barkhuizen had also been a doubt with a dead leg but he is now expected to be fit.

Notts County midfielder Stanley Aborah has extended his contract at Meadow Lane, committing to a deal which will run until the summer of 2017. The Belgian, who has been one of the Magpies’ standout players this season, has made 21 appearances for the club so far, scoring one goal. Manager Ricardo Moniz managed Aborah when they were both at Hungarian club Ferencvaros and it was the Dutch boss who invited the former Ajax midfielder to train with the Magpies this summer before signing him. At the end of November Aborah suffered a serious knee injury following a tackle from Barnet's Sam Togwell, but he could return to the Notts squad against Morecambe tomorrow.

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. So let’s get a win and balance the record perfectly! 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. 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. - Hartlepool’s Carl Magnay missed Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Plymouth with the groin injury he suffered in the 2-0 FA Cup second round replay victory over Salford on December 15 and remains a doubt for the Boxing Day clash against Notts. Full-back Michael Duckworth is facing up to a further four weeks on the sidelines with the stomach strain which has sidelined him for the last two games. Manager Ronnie Moore is still without striker Billy Paynter and defender Harry Worley, although loan signings Kal Naismith, Adam Jackson and Jake Gray are not due to return to their respective clubs until after the Newport game on January 2. Stanley Aborah has been out for the past month with a knee injury but returned as a substitute in the 3-0 loss against Carlisle. His comeback was ahead of schedule and the 28-year-old has suffered a reaction. Liam Noble misses the festive fixtures due to his four-match suspension while Kyle De Silva has been nursing a knock and will probably not be fit in time for the trip to the north-east. The likes of Jimmy Spencer, Ronan Murray, Genaro Snijders, Julian Jenner and Civard Sprockel are vying for recalls as Notts look for their first away league win since the opening day of the campaign.

Notts County captain Roy Carroll has called on his teammates to stop stressing on the objective of reaching the playoffs, insisting that he and his fellow players need to “take each game as it comes”. The Magpies missed out on the change of closing the gap to the top seven in League Two in the last week by drawing at Wycombe Wanderers and losing heavily to Carlisle United. First-choice goalkeeper Carroll told local media: “We are not thinking about the top seven places. We just have to take each game as it comes. “If you get too far ahead of yourself that's when things start falling apart. That's what I think a lot of players have been doing – thinking about the playoffs. “What we have to do is work hard. We’ve got a big game against Hartlepool on Boxing Day when we will look to try to get a result and a clean sheet. That's got to be the priority.” Ricardo Moniz's side are seven points off the playoffs as things stand, with the post-Christmas trip to Hartlepool followed by a home clash against Morecambe.

Notts County defender Wes Atkinson has been recalled to Meadow Lane following a loan spell at Eastleigh FC. The 21-year-old former West Bromwich Albion right-back, signed by the Magpies in the summer, was sent out on 20 November to cover for a spate of defensive injuries at the Hampshire club. He has now returned to Nottingham following three appearances for the National League side, but Spitfires manager Chris Todd has expressed his desire at seeing Atkinson return to Ten Acres in the near future. Todd said: “Wes has been called back from his loan by Notts County, otherwise we would have kept him. He’s done brilliant for us and shown himself to be a very talented player. “If he became available, he’s someone I’d look to do something with in the future. He’s a nice lad, really honest, and totally professional in what he does. He’s a credit to himself.”

Ricardo Moniz has hit out at Notts County's "childish mistakes" in their 3-0 defeat to Carlisle United. The League Two clash on Saturday had to be played at Preston North End’s Deepdale stadium after Carlisle's Brunton Park was hit by Storm Desmond over a fortnight ago. Despite this, former Magpies manager Keith Curle’s current side were two goals up by half time thanks to a Danny Grainger penalty and a strike by Jabo Ibehre, before the latter scored again after the break to earn the ‘hosts’ a thumping win. Moniz told local media: "To concede a penalty so early brought them into the game. We should have cleared the ball and these are childish mistakes. You can't dribble in your own box, you learn that when you are playing in the under-12s. We did hit the post which, had that gone in, would have given us an equaliser and put us right back into it. But I do not think they were better than us. They had three moments which they scored from. "We had moments, but didn't score. In the second half we had a few good chances. But you can't make individual mistakes like we have been doing." Notts will spend Christmas 15th in the table, their 29 points from 22 games putting them seven points behind the playoffs.