Joe Jones

Notts County were thrashed 3-0 by a Carlisle United side playing at Preston North End's stadium in front of 3,067 Cumbrians fans who made the 85-mile trip. A Danny Grainger penalty and two Jabo Ibehre goals were enough for victory at Deepdale, which staged the game after flood damage at Brunton Park. Was the result fair? The score line is fair, Notts didn’t do enough to warrant anything from the game and Carlisle looked like scoring more than just three goals by half time. How did Notts play? Notts put a staggering performance in, in hindsight I would say it was caused by missing key players but with the depth of our squad, we should have adequate cover. They just didn’t do enough, and with the midfield, being fairly none existent it always meant Notts would struggle. How did Carlisle play? Carlisle played like they had a point to prove, from the back they were tight and structured but going forward they worked as one unit. I am genuinely impressed by what seems to be a very sterling performance by the Cumbians – they just made it difficult to give Notts an inch on the field, with dominating football, it was always going to be one sided. Did our tactics work out? The simple answer is no, on paper the selection looked very good but they lacked any sort of mental awareness within the game. It appeared as if the ideas Moniz had wouldn’t work, as no matter what he did, Notts couldn’t adjust to Carlisle’s play. How did the referee perform? The referee didn’t really make any untoward decisions and generally called the game well. Who do we play next? Next up for Notts is Hartlepool on boxing day, this is the game whereby I don’t expect any points because our track record in recent years hasn’t been very good. Hartlepool are a side which play very well at home and Notts play like they did against Carlisle, it will be a longer journey home for our own fans. How should we play them? We should keep the game finally balanced between slow building and positive forward play, I think if we turn the tempo when it suites – this will make it hard for Hartlepool. They will expect us to go out all attacking and this would suite them more than it would us, as it would allow them to put strain onto our defence and for anything to come out of this game, Notts will need to bide their time. Here is what the Carlisle fans thought about their performance, courtesy of TheCumbrians.net: Jumpforfun: I thought each and every player was superb today and without any real stars we completely controlled the game for long periods. Yes NC had an odd shot or half chance which on other days might have gone in but generally we were excellent. Loving Jabo's goals but the energy and work rate of Kennedy, Dicker and Sweeney, the quality.of Grainger's delivery and the sense that the goalkeeper and back 4 weren't going to miss anything all day just made it a great day to be a Carlisle supporter. Well done to the manager, the team and all the staff for a great performance. Huge well done also to the 3000+ who made the journey Seesaw50: Absolutely great day for the Blues and the 3366 fans who got down to Deepdale, you`d have thought there was 10k there today. We are going from strength to strength and if we don`t go up this season, it’s gonna be hard to take. Up to 5th COYB. Wukkie: Excellent result and a rare clean sheet in the League. A bit peeved I couldn't go due to work but we seem to be getting stronger as the season goes on. Top seven minimum it looks like. Now get that contract signed KC. BaggersBlue: The only concern for me was that we faded in the second half and Notts County had 3 or 4 guilt edged chances which a better side would have taken.

One step forward, two steps back. Notts County’s exhilarating win against Newport last week and a decent away point at Wycombe in midweek were quickly forgotten as the Magpies were picked apart by Carlisle United at stand-in ground Deepdale, home of Preston North End, in a 3-0 defeat. The disappointment began early for the black and white faithful as, just five minutes in, Jason Kennedy was upended by Graham Burke in the box to gift the designated hosts a penalty, which captain Danny Grainger thumped down the middle to give his side the lead. Jabo Ibehre, the Cumbrians’ biggest threat with 10 goals in 13 games prior to kickoff, doubled their lead shortly before half-time, converting an easy volley when unmarked after Michael Raynes had helped on a Mark Ellis long throw. Carlisle stepped up the pressure after the restart as Mike Edwards, who played for the day’s opponents in between spells at Notts, made a vital close-range block as Ibehre looked certain to score during a heavy spell of pressure. The visitors almost grabbed an equaliser through Burke, but his 20-yard shot hit the post, and moments later, Mark Gillespie made a fine save to keep out Jon Stead's header. The big frontman then grabbed his 14th goal of the season in the 59th minute, lashing home from 12 yards after the Magpies defence had failed to deal with Grainger's cross, and killed off the game as the Carlisle fans celebrated a comprehensive win.

Notts could go as high as ninth in League Two and a solitary point off the playoffs if they win away at Carlisle United and results go their way – a victory would put us on 32 points. The Cumbrians, meanwhile, are just within the top seven, but with four teams – Mansfield, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient and Wycombe – just three points or less behind them, they could be slip out. Today’s other League Two fixtures (all 15:00 kickoffs): · Barnet v Crawley · Cambridge Utd v Mansfield · Dag & Red v Bristol Rovers · Exeter v Luton · Hartlepool v Plymouth · Leyton Orient v Yeovil · Newport v AFC Wimbledon · Northampton v Portsmouth · Stevenage v Accrington · Wycombe v Oxford Utd · York City v Morecambe Prediction: Carlisle are in great form at the minute – they are unbeaten in five, with three wins and two draws, and in their three victories they scored 12 goals. Notts have stopped the rot somewhat with a 2-2 away draw at Wycombe and a 4-3 home win against Newport, but the defence remains shaky. A draw would be a good result for Notts in my opinion, though there is the chance that the Cumbrians may not be at full focus as the game is being played on neutral ground, at Preston’s Deepdale stadium. Match odds: Home 11/8 Draw 13/5 Away 7/4 Head to head: Carlisle United and Notts County have met on just 28 occasions since their first clash back in October 1959, a Fourth Division clash that was won 2-0 by the Cumbrians. Out of those, the Magpies have won 16 and lost 9, with just 3 draws. Our last meeting was on 22 March 2014, with Notts clinching a 4-1 win at Meadow Lane in League One. The Cumbrians were relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season. Key man: Wycombe: Jabo Ibehre has been on fire since joining Carlisle on a free transfer in the summer, following his release from Colchester. The 32-year-old is in the form of his life, having scored 10 goals in just 13 games, and with a strong build and 15 years’ experience, he could test the shaky Notts defence on Saturday. Notts: Adam Campbell has really come into his own in the last few games, with wonderful performances in midfield against both Newport and Wycombe. With the mercurial Liam Noble ruled out for four games due to his suspension, Campbell will be relied upon more than ever to control the game in the middle of the park and help launch attacks into the final third.

Carlisle United and Notts County have met on just 28 occasions since their first clash back in October 1959, a Fourth Division clash that was won 2-0 by the Cumbrians. Out of those, the Magpies have won 16 and lost 9, with just 3 draws. Our last meeting was on 22 March 2014, with Notts clinching a 4-1 win at Meadow Lane in League One. The Cumbrians were relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season. Carlisle United is one of the northernmost clubs in the Football League, just 10 miles from the Scottish border, and one that’s normally mentioned among the most difficult away days – talk of “Carlisle away” is one for the most hardcore fans, especially in midweek (Newcastle United are further north than Carlisle, however). The Cumbrians have spent a season in the top flight, back in 1974-75, and recorded a double over Everton, as well as home victories over eventual champions Derby County, former titleholders Ipswich Town, Arsenal, Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers. They were relegated at the end of the season though. Carlisle is the smallest location, by population, to have had a resident top-flight English football club since 1906. Prior to this, Accrington FC, Darwen, Grimsby Town & Glossop North End were smaller. Despite their small stature, the club has experience moderate success with regards to silverware – they have won a Third Division title back in 1965, two Fourth Division championships in 1995 and 2006, and two Football League Trophies, back in 1997 and 2011. Carlisle are famous for one of the most dramatic Great Escape scenarios in all of English football, when on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored in the last 10 seconds of their final game of the 1998-99 season against Plymouth Argyle to keep the Cumbrians in the Football League at the expense of Scarborough. - Carlisle will stage their 'home' fixture against Notts County at Preston North End's Deepdale stadium as work to restore Brunton Park continues following severe recent flood damage in Cumbria. Manager Keith Curle, who used to be at the helm of the Magpies, has no major new injury worries and is not expected to make many unforced changes, but defender Tom Miller remains doubtful due to the hamstring injury which has kept him out for three matches. Goalkeeper Mark Gillespie returned for last week's 1-1 draw at Oxford in place of Dan Hanford following illness and is expected to resume. On-loan Newcastle midfielder Macaulay Gillesphey was back on the bench as an unused substitute last week following a pelvic injury and is hoping to feature. Liam Noble is suspended again for Notts after his red card at Wycombe in midweek. It was the second time this season the midfielder has been sent off so he will serve a four-match ban. Stanley Aborah is back in training but unlikely to be risked. The Belgian injured his knee against Barnet a fortnight ago and the best he could hope for would be a place on the bench. Kyle De Silva is also struggling with a knock and is likely to be missing from the travelling squad.

Some great news from the Jimmy & Jack Memorial Fund, as they have confirmed that they have reached £101,000 – leaving just a further £1,000 to raise. Thanks to a generous donation of £1,500 from the former players’ association, in addition to the fans’ ongoing support in the drive to raise funds, we are on the home straight in terms of meeting the overall total and begin proceedings to bring Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler home. It is hoped that we can achieve this by calling on fans to get behind our Christmas online donation campaign and join the "This One is for Jack" Pub to Club walk on Sunday 10th January 2016 - the sixth anniversary of Jack's passing. “This one is for Jack” starts at the Wollaton Pub and Kitchen at 12:30pm, with entry costing £5 with the option to raise additional funds through sponsorship. Entry forms can be found in the club shop or on the Jimmy & Jack table on match days. To donate to the Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund Christmas Appeal, the details are as follows: Bank account name: Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund Sort code: 40-08-46 Account number: 81848178 It really looks as if 2016 will be the year that Jimmy and Jack will come home – with your help, we can finally cross the line and elevate Notts County’s greatest ever managerial duo to immortality right outside Meadow Lane! Please pledge your support by donating just £1 to the J&J Statue Fund.

Notts County manager Ricardo Moniz has criticised Liam Noble after the midfielder was sent off in his side’s 2-2 draw at Wycombe Wanderers. The 24-year-old earned his second red card of this campaign at Adams Park with County 1-0 up through Jon Stead's penalty at the time, receiving his marching orders after a clash with Luke O'Nien off the ball. Michael Harriman levelled for Wycombe before half-time, and though Adam Campbell restored the visitors' lead shortly after the restart, Aaron Holloway earned the Chairboys a draw, much to the frustration of Moniz. "We gave the three points away," he said. "We totally outplayed them in the first 30 minutes and then Liam Noble gave them the chance to get back in the game. "The red card was very inconvenient. I will always protect my players, and I haven't spoken to Liam Noble, but you can't do that. "Even with 10 men we were 2-1 up and shouldn't lose it. You have to take the three points, otherwise we would have been two points off the play-offs. "But the glass is half full. I'm always like that. It's a big compliment for the guys. They've done well. They dug in and the team gets fitter. But we are a bit disappointed not to get the win. "It was very intelligent play from us in the last 30 minutes. It shows the strength of the team. It was the same against Bristol Rovers [0-0 draw in October] only there was more effort in this game." Notts now sit 13th in League Two, just four points below the playoffs.

Alan Sheehan has expressed his happiness and pride in playing the 300th professional game of his career in a Notts County shirt. The defender, on loan from Bradford City, reached the landmark in Tuesday night's 2-2 draw at Wycombe Wanderers, where he put in another good shift on the way to a crucial and morale-boosting away point. In a career spanning 13 years, more than half of Sheehan's games have been for the Magpies over two different spells, and he admitted he was happy to hit 300 in the black and white of Notts - especially because he was ill at Adams Park. He told local media: "My dad always used to say 'if you aren't right, don't play', because once you cross that white line you are judged the same as everybody else. But you've got to get out there and put a shift in for the team. "Tuesday was my 300th competitive appearance and it's nice to think that nearly half of them have come for Notts County in a period spanning three years and a bit. "Obviously I am happy, but there's been some bad games in that 300! But hopefully we can keep on putting a run together. We've just got to keep building on that performance because we looked very good in spells." Sheehan has two more games of his loan spell left to play with his final game set to be the Boxing Day clash at Hartlepool United.

Notts County twice took the lead against Wycombe Wanderers in Tuesday's League Two clash at Adams Park, but were pegged back twice following Liam Noble's sending off to leave them travelling back to Nottingham with a point following the 2-2 draw. The Magpies were ahead inside eight minutes after Adam Campbell was tripped in the box by Aaron Pierre, prompting the referee to award a penalty, and Jon Stead coolly converted from the spot. The visitors were then reduced to 10 men shortly before the break when Noble clashed with Luke O'Nien off the ball and was given a straight red card - his second of the season and fifth in just over a year. The Chairboys took advantage minutes before half time as winger Michael Harriman placed a glancing header beyond Roy Carroll after Paul Hayes had picked him out with a pinpoint cross from the left. Ricardo Moniz's charges, however, restored their lead after the restart when Rob Milsom's low cross found Campbell who steered the ball past Matt Ingram to shock the ever-improving hosts. Wycombe levelled on the hour mark as Sam Wood's cross, following Campbell's ball loss in midfield, found Aaron Amadi-Holloway, whose header looped over Carroll and into the net to deny the Magpies their first away win since the opening day of the season.

Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers have faced each other a total of 30 times over the years, with the first meeting coming as late as 1995, when the Magpies won 2-0 at Meadow Lane. The Chairboys are way ahead in the head-to-head, having beaten Notts 15 times and drawn seven – we have beaten them eight times. The last meeting came on 28 April 2012, a thrilling 4-3 win for us at Adams Park that saw Dele Adebola and Alan Judge turn the game around with goals in the last few minutes. In 1887, a meeting held at the Steam Engine public house in Station Road, High Wycombe saw the formation of Wycombe Wanderers F.C. It is highly likely the club was named Wanderers after the famous Wanderers, winners of the first FA Cup in 1872. The club played just friendly matches between 1887 and 1896. Wycombe first entered the FA Amateur Cup in 1894 and the FA Cup in 1895. In 1895 the club moved to Loakes Park, which would become its home for the next 95 years. In 1896 the club joined the Southern League and competed in the Second Division until 1908, but in the summer of 1908 the club declined the invitation to retain their membership of the Southern League. The club decided to pursue amateur instead of professional football and joined the Great Western Suburban League and remained there until the outbreak of the First World War. After the hostilities had ended the club joined the Spartan League in 1919 and were Champions in successive years. In March 1921 the club's application to join the Isthmian League was accepted. Wycombe enjoyed a fairytale season in 2000–01 as the club reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. First Division sides Grimsby Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Wimbledon were all beaten before a memorable quarter-final with Premier League Leicester City. In a game that has gone down in FA Cup history, striker Roy Essandoh headed an injury-time winner to seal a 2–1 win at Filbert Street as manager Lawrie Sanchez looked on from the dressing room, having been dismissed from the touchline during the game. The ensuing semi-final at Villa Park saw Liverpool pushed all the way before claiming a 2–1 victory. - Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth is expected to select from an unchanged squad on Tuesday. The Chairboys' fixture at Accrington was postponed on Saturday and Ainsworth has no new injury or suspension problems. Defender Aaron Pierre hopes to return to action following suspension, but midfielder Marcus Bean and defender Joe Jacobson are still out. Ainsworth's side, three points off the play-offs, have lost only one of their last six league matches. Notts defender Elliott Hewitt is an injury doubt and will be monitored after sustaining a knock which forced him out of Saturday's home win against Newport. Midfielder Stanley Aborah has missed the last two games due to a knee injury and is not expected to feature and defender Mike Edwards is also struggling after missing out on Saturday through illness. Striker Jon Stead overcame a muscle injury in time to play the full 90 minutes at the weekend, while wingers Julian Jenner and Genaro Snijders, plus midfielder Alan Smith, are among those pushing for recalls. Boss Ricardo Moniz has no other new injury or suspension worries as his side chase their first away win since August.

Notts County dismayed and delighted in equal measure on Saturday by beating Newport County 4-3 in their League Two clash at Meadow Lane. The Exiles struck twice in the opening 10 minutes through Mark Byrne and Alex Rodman, but the Magpies were level by the break through Liam Noble and Izale McLeod. The former Crawley man powered a diving header into the opposition net in midway through the first half to put Notts ahead, but Newport levelled with just six minutes to play through Scott Boden. Just when it seemed like it would be honours even at the Lane, Noble popped up six minutes into injury time following sustained pressure in the box from Notts to give his side a thrilling win. Pride of Nottingham is eager for fans to relive the game in comforting hindsight and knowledge that it resulted in a victory for the Magpies, so we have provided a link to the match highlights. Read the PON: 'Match Report' or join our 'Match Discussion'.

Ricardo Moniz has praised Notts County for not giving up against Newport and ‘deservedly’ winning the game 4-3, even though their ‘two-faced’ aspect needs to be sorted out. The Exiles struck twice in the opening 10 minutes through Mark Byrne and Alex Rodman, but the Magpies were level by the break through Liam Noble and Izale McLeod. The former Crawley man nodded in midway through the first half to put Notts ahead, but Newport levelled with just six minutes to play through Scott Boden. Just when it seemed like it would be honours even at the Lane, Noble popped up six minutes into injury time to clinch a thrilling win. Moniz said after the game: "We can be brilliant or we can be horrible. In the first 30 minutes what was going through my mind was that we must show some fight because that's all you can do. "You want to reach out to the players because you cannot give up, even if it had become 3-0 which it could have happened. “We were totally lost, but we had to restore the organisation of the team and they were powerless when we began to put them under pressure "It was such a big win for us. The players were unbelievably happy, but everybody will be saying how come you have these two faces? "The inconsistency is the story of the season. We are trying to get a little bit nearer to sorting it. But it was a deserved win." Notts are now 14th in League Two, five points behind the playoffs.

Notts County came from two goals down against Newport County to clinch an emphatic 4-3 win in a topsy-turvy clash at Meadow Lane. The Magpies got off to the worst possible start when Mark Byrne curled a free kick over the wall and beyond the reach of Roy Carroll to give the Exiles the lead after just five minutes. In the tenth minute the visitors struck again as Alex Rodman rifled the ball into the roof of the net, which set off a chorus of boos and jeers from the Meadow Lane faithful. Ricardo Moniz’s side soon got into gear and began threatening their opponents, before Liam Noble seized on a Joe Day error just after the half-hour mark to take the ball round the Newport players and pick his spot accurately, a goal that was celebrated with gusto by the ex-Carlisle man. Noble then turned provider just before the break when he smashed a free kick against the post, which Izale McLeod picked up and smashed home to send the Kop into frenzy. The restart saw both teams battle it out in a bid to get the upper edge, and the fifth goal duly went the way of Notts, with McLeod planting a free header into the far post after a sensational Jon Stead ball. Seven minutes from time it looked like the visitors had salvaged a point when substitute Scott Boden managed to poke the ball into the Notts net following a goalmouth scramble. However, with six minutes of stoppage time added on due to an injury to Elliott Hewitt midway through the second half, Noble popped up again to pounce from close range in the final minute of added time and send the home faithful into delirium.

Notts County and Newport County have met a total of 44 times over the years, the first fixture coming in 1930, which the Magpies won 3-2, and the last previous game taking place in 1987, a 5-2 win for Notts. The head-to-head record is skewed in the Magpies’ favour, with 23 wins, 9 draws and 12 defeats. Notts’s record league win is against Newport – an 11-1 victory! We have also beaten them 5-0, 6-2, 7-0, 6-0 and 8-1 over the years. A similar win would be nice on Saturday! Newport County, originally nicknamed "The Ironsides" due to Newport being home to Lysaght's Orb Works steel works, started out in the Southern League in 1912 at Somerton Park. The official name of the club was The Newport & Monmouth County Association Football Club, although the shorter Newport County was soon adopted. The club were reformed in 1919 and were first elected to the Football League in 1920. Newport County were Welsh Cup winners in 1980 and subsequently reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in 1981. The club was relegated from the Football League in 1988 and went out of business in February 1989, but reformed shortly afterwards and entered the English football league system at a much lower level. In 2013 the club then won promotion back to the Football League for the first time since 1988. In the 1970s and 1980s comedian Frank Carson was appointed as a Director and Vice President in order to raise the profile of the club. Newport based rappers Goldie Lookin' Chain are also supporters of the club and were the team's shirt sponsors for the 2004–05 season FAW Premier Cup matches. - Stanley Aborah and Jon Stead are injury concerns for Notts ahead of the visit of Newport. Aborah has a knee problem and has undergone a scan and Ricardo Moniz will give the midfielder as long as possible to prove his fitness. Striker Stead is nursing a muscle injury but Moniz is hopeful he will still be involved on Saturday. Elsewhere, winger Julian Jenner returns to the reckoning after serving a three-match suspension. Newport's on-loan defender Scot Bennett is unable to play against his parent club ahead of his return to Meadow Lane on January 2. Bennett has played a big part in the Exiles' 10-match unbeaten run under new manager John Sheridan since joining from Notts in October. Oliver McBurnie, who scored a 23-minute hat-trick on his debut against Luton Town, is set to start after missing last weekend's FA Cup victory at Barnet as his parent club Swansea City did not want him cup-tied. Fellow striker Zak Ansah is likely to be on the bench when he is involved for the final time before returning to Charlton Athletic at the end of his 93-day loan spell.

Notts County defender Thierry Audel has expressed his eagerness to put the result at Cambridge United behind him and move forward, adding that he and his teammates are more comfortable than they were following their two-week break. The Magpies welcome Newport County to Meadow Lane on Saturday, the hosts’ first game since the 3-1 defeat against Shaun Derry’s new side on 28 November. Audel told reporters: “We’ve been working really hard this past week. When there is a break you have to rest, but also you have to communicate with the other players so you can come back better after the break." “We have to put Cambridge behind because that’s football. Whether you win a game or lose a game, you have to move forward." “We don’t have the results that we want, but it’s midway through the season, we have lot of games coming, and all of us as players feel more comfortable now – but we need to get results." “We’re still working on it, I’m sure we will do well as we have a lot of good players in every position and we believe we have the ability to do it now.” Notts currently sit 16th in League Two, seven points off the playoffs.

Notts County manager Ricardo Moniz has urged his team to train like ‘every day is their last’ in a bid to improve their form away from home in League Two. The Magpies’ record at Meadow Lane is impressive enough, with six wins and a draw out of 10 games, but on the road it’s a completely different story, with just one win out of nine. Moniz told local media on Thursday: "We didn't win too many home games last season, but this season we have tried to excite the crowd." "We have only lost three at home in the league and okay against Northampton we didn't have enough." "We played very well against Plymouth but lost, and against Mansfield we lost too which was deserved." "The rest of the games we have dominated, but of course it is away from home we need to improve." "Sometimes we have a lack of confidence to go and make the 2-0 like Thierry (Audel) at Cambridge for example." "(Izale) McLeod can make the 2-0 at Wimbledon, but we are not confident enough in our own strength." "But it is a process you cannot implement in three months. What we can do and what we must do is train every day like it is your last." "And of course we confront each other on the inside, it is sharp and nobody must underestimate that. I must give confidence to people who don't have it." "I see in a game who wants the ball and who doesn't, who wants to press his opponent for 90 minutes and who doesn't." "A lot of time it is to do with a lack of physical power. In League Two, when a defender is under pressure I believe he will panic." "We are okay at home, but for Cambridge for example, we refused to keep the ball. That is what we must improve." Notts welcome Newport County to the Lane on Saturday. Discuss what's happening in and around Notts within our community forum - Here.

Football League chairman Greg Clarke has announced he will stand down from his post at the end of the season. The former Leicester City chairman, who was appointed in March 2010, will stay in the role until the league holds its annual general meeting on 10 June. "I leave with the Football League in excellent health and with solid foundations in place," he said. "Clubs are largely in better financial shape and there is a greater solidarity between our three divisions." - Portsmouth defender Matt Clarke says he is open to extending his stay at Fratton Park. Clarke joined Pompey on loan from Championship side Ipswich Town in August. The 19-year-old has made 16 appearances for the League Two side so far this season. - York City have released defender Keith Lowe by mutual consent. The 30-year-old joined the Minstermen from Cheltenham in January 2014 after a loan spell. He won the club's player of the year award last season but found himself out of favour after Jackie MacNamara took over from Russ Wilcox last month. Lowe, who started his career with Wolves, made a total of 92 league appearances for the Bootham Crescent side. - Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray says defender Luke Jones will almost certainly have to retire because of an Achilles tendon injury. Jones, 28, has not played for the Stags since rejoining them from Stevenage for a third spell in May 2014. "He's had two years of hell. His main focus is being able to live day-to-day life as best he can," Murray told BBC Radio Nottingham. "He still can't walk to 100% and we're gutted for him as a football club." Jones made 25 league appearances in his first spell with the club before helping them to promotion back to the Football League in 2012-13, scoring eight goals in 33 league games. - Oxford United manager Michael Appleton has questioned why any of his key players would want to leave the League Two leaders. Midfielders Kemar Roofe and Callum O'Dowda have excelled this term for the in-form U's. Roofe, who has scored 12 goals this season, has been linked with a move to the Premier League. "I think the most important thing for them to do at the minute is to do it here," Appleton told BBC Radio Oxford. "Why would you want to go to a Championship club right now when the reality is you might be on the bench each Saturday? "If there are big clubs monitoring Callum and Kemar, at the right time, they will make a serious offer." - Armand Gnanduillet's loan spell at Stevenage from Chesterfield has been extended until January. The 24-year-old striker has scored twice in 10 appearances for the League Two side, helping Boro go unbeaten throughout November, a run of five matches. Gnanduillet has had previous loan spells at Tranmere and Oxford since signing for Chesterfield in 2013. Stevenage are currently 18th in League Two having won five league games from the 20 they have played this season.

As many of you have realised, the Pride of Nottingham website has undergone a vast revamp. Not only has the layout completely changed, but its functions have also been improved. In this article, site webmaster Notts Joe discusses the changes made to PON. So when you click on the site, it looks completely different. Why did you change it? With the original PON page, that was effectively the first site I created for the purpose of supporting Notts. The old site had things about it which frustrated me, both as a member and as a webmaster. So I decided that using available options to me, would improve things, whilst the experience for everyone overall would be far better. The expertise I gained within a number of few years is very useful when it comes to this. It’s built on the same foundations as the original site – things like a forum, articles and so on – but this is so much more up to date, functional, attractive and just more of a pleasure as both admin and user. What exactly is new compared to the old site? The homepage is totally new, it's more modern and stylish. If you prefer a more tradition view of articles, it's covered by adding /home/ to the main domain and I like that. The community section is clearer, features are far more obvious and the design is completely new. There are several features, such as the way members can find our content which is completely new – like the activity stream which replaces our former 'live centre'. How is it better for visitors and fans? With the improvements, it allows PON to make use of even better web principles and in turn this allows me to not only speed our server up but it enables us to offer much more. Overall, it gives us the foundation to move forward and better serve the Notts fan base. And on a personal level, I just feel that how clean and tidy it looks is far better than the old site and, combined with the speed increase, it makes for a much better experience for users and visitors of the site.

Adam Campbell has claimed that just one away victory could change Notts County’s poor form on the road. The Magpies succumbed to their fifth away defeat last Saturday when they were beaten 3-1 by Shaun Derry's Cambridge United – leaving them with a record of just one league win away from Meadow Lane. Campbell said: "I can't put my finger on it at all. It's the million dollar question isn't? We are so good at home, yet away we are struggling. "We thought we had turned the corner against Bristol Rovers where we ground out a good 0-0 draw. And then we went to Exeter, played really well and perhaps should have won the game given the chances we created. It looked then that we might have cracked it, but then came Salford and we know what happened there. "It's so frustrating, but I genuinely think if we can get that first away victory then I think that could spark us off. The sooner we get it the better. Not just for the players, but the fans as well because they've been tremendous and have always travelled well.”

Notts County Ladies have welcomed Matt Alexander as their new Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of Luke Negus-Hill. Previously a scout for the men's team, he is now tasked with helping to bring the Lady Pies forward and build on their two sensational seasons thus far at the top of the women’s game, including two cup finals. Matt spoke to BBC Radio Nottingham’s Match Talk on Thursday about how he picked a role at Meadow Lane over one in the top tier of English men’s football, and why he made that decision. He said: “I had been approached by a Premier League club to go and work with their Under-21s, but then the opportunity came by to work with the Ladies and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. “The women’s game is on the cusp of something quite big. Just from the league we’re in with Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, we’re kind of like the underdogs, but we have real heart, fantastic players adnd the ability to really make a mark on the women’s game. “Me and my little girl went to the cup final in Rotherham. She’s really interested in women’s football, at just seven years of age. She’s a massive fan of Carly Telford – these women are idols for little girls and are accessible. “If I can help to bring the women’s game forward so in future my little girl is still watching and enjoying it, that would be fantastic.” Discuss the arrival of Matt Alexander within our community forum - Here

The Football League’s Stand Up & Be Counted campaign saw fans of English clubs below the Premier League vote in droves to try and get their team to the top of the rankings – and be in with a chance of winning a trip to England to watch their club in action. Much to the surprise of clubs unaware of our amazing support all across the world, Notts steadily climbed up the table and entrenched themselves at the summit – at no point did they look like relinquishing top spot. Today the polls closed and the results were finally confirmed – out of all the clubs in the country outside the Premier League, including a number of champions of England and even Europe, the title belonged to the Magpies. Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Queens Park Rangers, Preston North End, Derby County and, sweetest of all, Nottingham Forest – all pale in comparison to Notts in terms of global fanbase. Pride of Nottingham played its part in the Magpies’ no. 1 finish, by promoting the competition time and time again, and mobilising all of the international fan groups to spread the word and get voting – and it has paid dividends, showing just what a well-supported and historic club Notts is. Stars of County’s table-topping achievement are without a doubt the Italian Magpies, who contributed 3502 votes out of the total of 6359 cast for us. We spoke to Giorgio Zunino, the leader of the Italian Magpies, about the marvellous achievement. Q) How active were you and the Italian Magpies with regards to campaigning for the Stand Up & Be Counted’ campaign? A) We tried to involve as many people as possible to vote for the Magpies. We focused on the challenge to prove that the Italian Magpies are always interested in Notts County's activities. Our goal was initially to be the first supporters’ group. Q) More than 3500 Italian-based Notts fan voted, this achieved the highest amount. Are you surprised how high it is? Do you feel the Italian Magpies and Juve connection helped? What are your personal thoughts to this? A) The result is really high, unbelievable. Also because we have "just" 3.000 likes on Facebook. We tried our best talking about the link between Notts and Juventus to make people conscious of the need to vote and to make them proud to push the black and white higher and higher. We gave updates day by day to supervise the situation. We asked people to vote both for Notts County, both for the Italian Magpies as we strongly wanted to be the first supporters. It was great to see how many votes come from Italy. I though no other team received so many votes from just one country. The Juve connection was fundamental! An English guy we know talked to every Italian friend and spread the word to keep a lot of votes. At the beginning I was just focused on make Notts County arrive in the Top 10. It was quite impossible to get the first three places. And would have been ok as we challenged very big teams! I wanted the Italians to overtake the Hungarians. And when we did it was great. Then we really started to climb up the table. We were third and the two teams ahead lost many many votes due to the reuse of email addresses (they've probably voted more than once with the same email or the same IP). We were finally close to the peak! 3) After the announcements broke regarding Notts having won, what was your reaction and what do you feel this achievement represents to a club like Notts? A) I am proud for what we did as a great family. There were many moments when other team's votes were growing and we pushed firmly on our call of duty. I am proud for our group and proud to see "Italy" on top of the countries. I really hope somebody from the Italian Magpies will win the final prize. I think is really amazing for the club to prove that is more known and supported than Championship clubs. But I think this could be just the beginning and more has to be done, in particular for the fans abroad that've showed this unbelievable support! One lucky overseas Magpies follower will be rewarded with a special prize on Monday, which will be announced by the club. A total of over 52,000 supporters from around the globe took part in the initiative, with at least one fan registered in 247 different territories. Join the discussion within our community forum - Here | Discuss this feature below.

Ricardo Moniz has claimed that he is upset with Notts County’s inconsistency, despite appearing calm on the surface. The Magpies were beaten 3-1 by Cambridge United on Saturday, as Shaun Derry got revenge against his former employee – as player and manager – and boyhood club. Just four days earlier, Notts had secured an impressive 4-2 win over Barnet at Meadow Lane. The club’s home form is solid enough, with six wins and a draw out of 10 games, but it is a completely different story on the road, with just one win in nine. Moniz told local media: "I am always disappointed. Maybe I do not show that because I must stay calm, but Saturday was a massive disappointment. "And of course I am upset every single day (with inconsistency), but they are things I keep inside. "You always have to protect from the outside world. But on the inside you can confront and people do not know what we say." Notts currently sit 15th in League Two, seven points away from the playoffs.

Notts County have confirmed that veteran defender Mike Edwards will be having his testimonial year in 2016. The 35-year-old is currently in his tenth year with the Magpies, having made 269 appearances in an eight-year spell between 2004 and 2012 at Meadow Lane before returning at the beginning of the 2014-15 season. As reward for Steady Eddy’s service with Notts, the Football League has granted him a testimonial year after a committee of fans applied to honour the defender. The celebrations will include a number of events, including a testimonial match, all of which will be announced in due course. During his first spell with the club, Edwards was part of the team who lifted the League Two title six seasons ago under the guidance of Steve Cotterill. After leaving Meadow Lane to join Carlisle United in 2012, he then returned to Notts a year ago, taking on the role as strength and conditioning coach as well as registering as a player. Despite his coaching responsibilities, Edwards’s performances on the pitch have seen him make 15 appearances this season and scoring five goals, an astounding ratio for a centre-back. Speaking on the announcement, he said: “I'm truly honoured that a committee has got together to ask the club for permission to hold a testimonial year for me. “It's a massive honour for me and I'd like to say a big thank you, not just to everyone in the committee, but also to the Chairman Ray Trew and to Aileen Trew for their support in granting the permission. “I'd also like to say a big thank you to the fans, you've always made me feel welcome in my ten years at the club and I'm excited to soon be able to announce what we have planned.”

One step forward, two steps back. Much like Notts County’s win over Portsmouth was followed up by the humiliating defeat at Man Utd Juniors and a loss against Northampton Town, so has the strong 4-2 win over Barnet been superseded by a 3-1 defeat at Cambridge United, managed by former Notts manager Shaun Derry. The Magpies are certainly having to eat enough humble pie this season to make Bruce Bogtrotter’s consumption of an entire chocolate cake in Matilda seem like antipasti. The first half was good enough for Notts, as Graham Burke went close early on after being found in the clear by a terrific ball in from the left by Adam Campbell, but the ex-Aston Villa man blasted against the bar and only the flag going up for offside spared his blushes. Luke Berry then fired wide with a half-chance from the left-hand side soon after for the U’s, while Izale McLeod spurned a decent opportunity for the Magpies midway through the first half when he blazed well over the bar after being first to a poor clearance from Sam Beasant. Adam Campbell went on to give the visitors the lead on 24 minutes by poking home from close range following a goalmouth scramble after Beasant had produced a fine point-blank save to deny McLeod. Notts had Roy Carroll to thank for ensuring they remained ahead at the break though, after he palmed away Luke Berry's header from a Jordan Jones corner. Just five minutes after the restart, however, the hosts has a chance to draw level from the spot after Ben Williamson had been brought down in the box by Alan Smith, and Barry Corr made no mistake with a ferocious penalty into the roof of the net. Taylor fired a shot into the side netting soon after while Berry saw a 20-yard effort go just over as United asserted their dominance, and in the 77th minute they were ahead in bizarre fashion when Carroll’s clearance hit Williamson and looped over the goalkeeper and into the net. Berry then settled matters three minutes from time with a cool finish from 15 yards after good work by Williamson to leave Notts fans facing another unpleasant journey back home.

Notts and Cambridge United have met just 23 times in their history, with the first meeting coming on Boxing Day 1970. The result? A resounding 4-1 win to the Magpies at Meadow Lane. Notts hold the advantage in the head to head, with 11 wins, 7 draws and just 5 defeats against the U’s. The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United before taking the name Cambridge United in 1951. It first competed in the Football League in 1970 and stayed there until relegation in 2005, nine seasons in the Conference following until climbing back out of non-league. Cambridge have had two spells in the league's second tier, and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup twice and Football League Cup once during the early 1990s, the club's most successful era to date. United's highest ever finishing place in the Football League is fifth in the Second Division during the 1991–92 season, competing in a season-ending four team playoff for the final promotion slot to the Premier League's inaugural season. The club is based at the Abbey Stadium on Newmarket Road, approximately 1.86 miles east of Cambridge city centre. The stadium has a capacity of 8,127, made up of terracing and seated areas. During their days in Division Two, with John Beck at the helm in the 1980's, the club earned a reputation for bizarre training methods and "dirty tricks" to make their opponents feel ill at ease. These included freezing cold showers for his own players, dirty changing rooms and deflated kick-about balls for the opposition and long grass in the corners of the pitch to slow the long balls into those areas, allowing the U’s forwards to reach them. Beck carried on his dirty tricks even after leaving to take charge of Preston North End – taking nine of the Cambridge United players with him. He was not the only famous manager at the club, with Ron Atkinson taking the club from Fourth to Second division and Ex-England and Derby County centre-half Roy McFarland also sitting in the hot seat. Before their entry into the League, a local animal sanctuary had an escapee and it was found grazing on the pitch at the Abbey Stadium. This lead to the moose connection with the club, and in the club shop you can buy a range of moose souvenirs to show your allegiance to the U’s. Famous alumni include Dion Dublin and Luke Chadwick, while famous fans include football commentator Gary Newbon and Tom Findlay of Groove Armada. And connecting the two clubs – none other than former Notts manager Shaun Derry, now a the helm of the U’s. --- Cambridge have added Middlesbrough winger Jordan Jones to their squad ahead of Saturday's League Two clash with Notts. Jones has penned a loan deal that sees him link up with Derry's side until January 2 and he will be available for this weekend. Derry recalled skipper Mark Roberts for his first win as U's boss at Morecambe, although Elliot Omozusi is likely to miss out with an ankle problem. Keith Keane is definitely out with a long-term groin injury as Derry looks to put one over on his former club. Notts County look certain to be without Stanley Aborah, with the midfielder nursing a knee injury following the midweek win against Barnet. Aborah was on the receiving end of a tackle from the Bees' Sam Togwell which forced him to be substituted shortly before half-time, and the club are awaiting the results of a scan to determine the full extent of the damage. Goalkeeper Roy Carroll and striker Jon Stead are both carrying knocks but should be fit. Midfielder Julian Jenner will complete a three-match suspension while Taylor McKenzie has joined Wrexham on loan.

A brace from veteran defender Mike Edwards set Notts County on their way to a convincing 4-2 win over Barnet in Tuesday's League Two clash at Meadow Lane. The Magpies were fast out of the blocks and took the lead in the sixth minute when Adam Campbell teed up Steady Eddy for his fourth goal of the season. Just three minutes later Ricardo Moniz's charges doubled their lead as the creative Campbell picked out Jon Stead for the ex-Bradford City striker to blast home his second goal in as many games. Shaun Batt forced Notts goalkeeper Roy Carroll into a save at his near post but it was the hosts who struck again midway through the second half, when Alan Sheehan scored with a ferocious low shot from 25 yards out. Aaron McLean then pulled one back for Barnet with a free-kick to restore a smidgen of hope for a comeback, before Edwards made sure of all three points when he headed in his second of the game just a minute later. Luke Gambin struck a consolation late on with a clinical finish that beat Carroll at his near post to make the scoreline a bit more respectable for ex-Notts boss Martin Allen's current side.