Joe Jones

Victory for Notts County against Wimbledon on Saturday would be history in the making – the Magpies have never beaten them. Granted, they have only ever met six times, and they’ve drawn twice, but nevertheless it is a statistic that they will want to rectify. The first meeting was Boxing Day 1984, where the Dons beat Notts 3-2 at Plough Lane. Meanwhile the last meeting was in an FA Cup replay back in January 2001, where Trond Andersen scored a goal a minute from penalties in extra time to clinch it for the London side. Notts will be without several first-team players for Saturday's trip, with midfielder Rob Milsom still some weeks away from fitness after a serious knee injury which was sustained in training. Also missing for Ricardo Moniz is right-back Elliott Hewitt, who sustained a hamstring injury in the League Cup defeat at Aston Villa and is expected to be out for a few more weeks alongside Kyle De Silva and Civard Sprockel. There are also long-term absentees to contend with as Taylor McKenzie and Ronan Murray are out. For Wimbledon, Jake Reeves is set to keep his place, but Lyle Taylor will not feature, as he serves the second of a three-match suspension following his dismissal at Mansfield. Forwards Ade Azeez and Sean Rigg will be hoping for starts in Taylor's absence, after recent substitute appearances.

Finally, a positive result that restores some positivity at Meadow Lane – Izale McLeod’s double and Liam Noble’s stunning last-minute free kick have given Notts County a 3-2 victory against Luton Town, in a game where the visitors pegged the Magpies back from two goals up. Ricardo Moniz’s charges started brightly and had a goal chalked off for offside when Mawouna Amevor headed in a free kick, before Stephen O’Donnell felled McLeod in the box, only for the striker’s penalty appeal to be waved away. Roy Carroll was then called into action to save from Olly Lee after his shot was deflected off Graham Burke, who himself countered through a shot that cleared the bar 26 minutes in. Notts took the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when a Burke cross found an unmarked McLeod, who duly rose and nodded home. Genaro Snijders could have then doubled the home side’s advantage shortly before the break, but his shot drifted wide. Neither side made any changes at half time as the Magpies got the game back underway, and just three minutes after the restart, they succeeded in doubling their lead when Thierry Audel’s cutback was rifled home by McLeod, who secured his brace and was on a hat-trick. With just under twenty minutes to go, Luton clawed a goal back through Cameron McGeehan, who finished off a team move that included touches by Scott Griffiths, Josh McQuiod and Craig Mackail-Smith. The Hatters then drew level in the 76th minute, much to the chagrin of the Notts faithful, when Jonathan Smith equalised to wipe out the hosts’ two-goal lead completely. It set up a chaotic final 20 minutes as both sides went for the winner and, after Scott Cuthbert saw red for a professional foul on McLeod, Noble stepped up to blast an unstoppable free kick from 20 yards out into the net to send the home fans barmy. The result means that Notts climb to 18th and build some distance between themselves and the bottom three. To discuss the game, come onto the relevant Pride of Nottingham forum thread and join the conversation. Credit to Dan Westwell for the image.

Notts and Luton have faced off 66 times, with the first meeting coming in January 1912 when the Magpies secured a 4-2 away win in the FA Cup. The record is heavily slanted towards the Hatters, who have 34 wins to Notts’s 13, 19 draws completing the head-to-head. Out of the eight matches between the two that have taken place since the turn of the century, Notts have won two, drawn three and lost three, including the last fixture – a 2-0 defeat in League Two back in Match 2009. Luton Town Football Club was formed on 11 April 1885, the product of a merger of the two leading local teams, Luton Town Wanderers and Excelsior. The club was the first in southern England to turn professional, making payments to players as early as 1890 and turning fully professional a year later. It joined the Football League before the 1897–98 season, left in 1900 because of financial problems, and rejoined in 1920. Luton reached the First Division in 1955–56 and contested a major final for the first time when playing Nottingham Forest in the 1959 FA Cup Final. The team was then relegated from the top division in 1959–60, and demoted twice more in the following five years, playing in the Fourth Division from the 1965–66 season. However, it was promoted back to the top level by1974–75. Luton Town's most recent successful period began in 1981–82, when the club won the Second Division, and thereby gained promotion to the First. Luton defeated Arsenal 3–2 in the 1988 Football League Cup Final and remained in the First Division until relegation at the end of the 1991–92 season. Between 2007 and 2009, financial difficulties caused the club to fall from the second tier of English football to the fifth in successive seasons. The last of these relegations came during the 2008–09 season, when 30 points were docked from Luton's record for various financial irregularities. Luton then spent five seasons in non-League football before winning the Conference Premier in 2013–14, securing promotion back into the Football League. The club's nickname, "the Hatters", reflects Luton's historical connection with the hat making trade, which has been prominent there since the 1600s. The nickname was originally a variant on the now rarely seen straw-plaiters. Supporters of the club are also called Hatters. Luton is associated with two very different colour schemes—white and black (first permanently adopted in 1920), and orange, navy and white (first used in 1973, and worn by the team as of the 2015–16 season). During the 2014–15 season, Luton Town had an average home league attendance of 8,702 – the second highest in League Two behind only Portsmouth. In the 2013–14 season, when the club were in the Conference Premier, the club had significantly higher support than the other clubs in its league, with an average home attendance of 7,387; more than twice compared to the second highest of 3,568. The record for the most appearances for Luton is held by Bob Morton, who turned out for the club 562 times in all competitions between 1946 and 1964. Morton also holds the record for the most Football League appearances for the club, with 495. Fred Hawkes holds the record for the most league appearances for Luton, having played in 509 league matches. Six players, Gordon Turner, Andy Rennie, Brian Stein, Ernie Simms, Herbert Moody and Steve Howard, have scored more than 100 goals for Luton. --- Liam Noble is available again after a three-match ban for Notts, while Roy Carroll, Mawouna Amevor and Rhys Sharpe are all back in contention following their return from international duty with their respective countries. Gill Swerts, Haydn Hollis, and Stanley Aborah, all had to be substituted during Notts' last match against Mansfield in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, and Swerts' fitness is still in doubt. Civard Sprockel, Blair Adams, Elliott Hewitt, Curtis Thompson, Rob Milsom and Kyle De Silva missed out against the Stags through injury. Luton have midfielders Cameron McGeehan and Paddy McCourt available again, the former having been on international duty with the Northern Ireland senior team, while the latter was suspended after rejecting an opportunity to play for Northern Ireland Under-21s. The suspended Jack Marriott is serving the second game of his two-match ban, and Paul Benson is considered doubtful because of a neck injury. Full-back Dan Potts and midfielder Nathan Doyle are also both expected to miss out as both are carrying hamstring injuries.

League leaders Leyton Orient were thrashed 4-0 by Exeter City at St. James Park, as Tom Nichols scored twice from the penalty spot and Alex Nicholls and David Wheeler rounded off the scoring. The East London outfit remains first but Wycombe Wanderers are hot on their heels, having moved up to second in the table after they beat Hartlepool United 2-1, with the result being Pools's third defeat on the bounce. Teddy Sheringham picked up another victory as Stevenage manager as his side beat Plymouth Argyle, with first-half goals from Connor Ogilvie and Chris Whelpdale giving the former England star the victory and causing the Pilgrims to slip to third. Oxford United, who played on Sunday, registered a 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers that saw the visitors climb to fourth. Portsmouth couldn’t capitalise on their South Coast rivals’ defeat as they could only claim a goalless home draw against Accrington Stanley, a result that sees Pompey drop to fifth. Morecambe came back from two goals down to grab all three points against 10-man Yeovil Town, after Shaun Jeffers saw a first-half red card in their 4-2 loss – the Shrimpers climb to sixth with 10 points, the same as seventh-placed Exeter, while the Glovers slip into the relegation zone. Carlisle United came out on top in their five-goal thriller against Barnet, as Derek Asamoah netted a brace to give the home side all three points and climb to 11th. Matt McClure bagged a first-half brace for Dagenham & Redbridge in their 2-1 away win at Northampton Town. Luton Town comfortably overcame 10-man Cambridge United, as Luke Guttridge, Luke Wilkinson and Danny Green scored the goals for the away side. Mansfield Town and AFC Wimbledon shared the spoils in their match, as Chris Clements cancelled out Tom Elliott's opener. York City condemned Newport County to their fifth defeat of the season, leaving them bottom of League Two after goals from James Berrett, Reece Thompson and Vadaine Oliver won it comfortably for the away side. Notts County and Crawley Town didn’t play following international call-ups, so the Magpies slip to 22nd and the Red Devils to 18th, albeit with a game in hand. Results in full (half-time scores in brackets): Cambridge United 1-3 Luton Town Carlisle United 3-2 Barnet Exeter City 4-0 Leyton Orient Mansfield Town 1-1 AFC Wimbledon Newport County 0-3 York City Northampton Town 1-2 Dagenham & Redbridge Portsmouth 0-0 Accrington Stanley Stevenage 2-1 Plymouth Argyle Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Hartlepool United Yeovil Town 2-4 Morecambe Notts P-P Crawley Here's how the table looks like after matchday 6: Leyton Orient remain at the top of the league but by a whisker, with Wycombe hot on their heels. Plymouth, Oxford and Portsmouth sit just behind, while Morecambe and Exeter round off the promotion places. Down at the bottom, Newport's dreadful start to the season continues, while Yeovil's fall from grace shows no sign of stopping. Notts are just above the drop zone, but they have a game in hand.

Leyton Orient maintained their winning start to the League Two season, remaining top of the table with five wins from five matches after beating Bristol Rovers 2-0 at Brisbane Road. Plymouth Argyle beat Newport County 1-0 as Graham Carey's 43rd-minute strike, his fourth of the season, saw the Pilgrims remain in second place. Morecambe took the lead against Notts County through Alan Goodall, but were pegged back soon before half time by Genaro Snijders’s wonderful long-range strike. Substitute Paul Mullin gave Morecambe the lead for a second time, striking past Roy Carroll into the top corner. Another sub in the form of Alex Kenyon made it 3-1 in the 88th minute, before Jamie Devitt sealed a 4-1 win minutes later. Portsmouth left it late against Luton Town to claim a 2-1 win at Kenilworth Road, with Gareth Evans putting the hosts ahead. Pompey’s Craig Mackail-Smith then equalised from the spot, before Matt Tubbs struck at the death for the Hatters. Carlisle United came from behind twice to record a 3-2 victory at Hartlepool United as Scott Harrison put the hosts in front six minutes in. Jabo Ibehre's eighth goal in seven games then made it 1-1 in the second half, before Billy Paynter dispatched a penalty to make it 2-1 to Pool. Tom Miller again levelled the scoreline, but Ibehre's second five minutes from time gave Carlisle all three points. Oxford United claimed a 2-0 win against Yeovil Town through Danny Hylton and Callum O'Dowda. Mansfield Town ran out 2-1 winners at York City as Reece Thompson opened the scoring for the hosts, but Matt Green’s subsequent brace ensured that the Stags left Bootham Crescent with all three points. AFC Wimbledon won by the same scoreline against Exeter City, George Francomb putting the hosts ahead, Ryan Harley levelling the scores minutes later, and Ade Azeez firing the winner for the 1988 FA Cup holders. Northampton Town and Accrington Stanley shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, with Marc Richards's third strike of the season putting the Cobblers into the lead. A Josh Windass penalty early in the second half then brought the scores level, with no further goals settling the result. Dagenham & Redbridge and Stevenage also shared a 1-1 draw as the hosts – without a league win this season – took an early advantage courtesy of an Ashley Hemmings goal. Stevenage then drew level through Tom Hitchcock, finishing from Brett Williams' knockdown after Tom Conlon's crossfield pass. Elsewhere, there were goalless draws between both Crawley Town and Wycombe Wanderers, and Barnet and Cambridge United. Results in full: Accrington 1-1 Northampton AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Exeter Barnet 0-0 Cambridge Crawley 0-0 Wycombe Dagenham & Redbridge 1-1 Stevenage Hartlepool 2-3 Carlisle Leyton Orient 2-0 Bristol Rovers Luton 1-2 Portsmouth Morecambe 4-1 Notts Oxford 2-0 Yeovil Plymouth 1-0 Newport York 1-2 Mansfield Here's how the League Table looks like after Matchday 5: Leyton Orient and Plymouth are the early pacesetters, with Wycombe remaining in automatic promotion contention despite dropping two points, but with Portsmouth snapping at their heels in fourth. Oxford, Hartlepool and Bristol Rovers occupy the remaining playoff slots. It's still early days as just four points separate eighth from 20th - ironically, Mansfield and Notts - but Newport will be worried after claiming just one point from their opening five matches. To discuss all the happenings in League Two and across the other leagues in the country, visit the Pride of Nottingham English Leagues section and join the conversation.

Notts County gave their fans something to cheer about in the form of a much-needed good performance, capped off with a comprehensive win over a local rival to whom they'd lost badly a few weeks prior, and finished off with cup progress and positive hopes for the next few games. Sure, it was "just", as some say, the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, but nevertheless Notts claimed a solid 3-1 win over Mansfield Town - the opposition goal only scored from the spot in the 95th minute - which has gone some way towards changing the fans' outlook from glum to something brighter. Notts started well, with opposition goalkeeper Brian Jensen having to pluck two crosses from the air and winning a race to the ball in the opening stages, while Graham Burke saw a shot blocked in the eighth minute. The Magpies came close to opening the scoring just after the quarter-hour mark when Adam Campbell cut into the box from the left and rifled an effort against the post. Jensen was once again involved when Jon Stead breached the Stags defence in the 25th minute, frantically getting down to claim the ball. Ten minutes before the break, however, the visitors had a sterling chance of their own when McGuire sent Yussuf through one-on-one with Loach, only to see the keeper turn the ball behind for a corner. An extended period of pressure from Mansfield followed, but Notts ended the first half strongly as Wes Atkinson fired across the face of goal and Haydn Hollis headed just wide of target. Gill Swerts picked up an injury at the break, prompting veteran Mike Edwards to take his place on the pitch, but this didn’t affect Notts as they picked up from where they left off. On 47 minutes, the impressive Campbell played a one-two with Stead to carve the Stags back line open, but Jensen palmed the ball out for a corner, which Edwards subsequently nodded over. The breakthrough finally arrived on 52 minutes and, much to the relief of the increasingly nervous Notts fans, it fell their way as Izale McLeod was played through on goal before the move was finished off with a cute chip over Jensen and into the net. Mansfield upped gear and pressed forward in a bid to force an equaliser, but with 11 minutes to go the hosts doubled their lead, courtesy of Steady Eddy himself, who got onto a loose ball following a scramble in the box and slotted between Jensen’s legs. A cathartic, redemptive evening was confirmed in the 90th minute as Stead’s 20-yard free kick took a heavy deflection and wrongfooted the Stags stopper en route to the back of the net. Mansfield did manage a late consolation as Edwards brought down Craig Westcarr in the last of five added minutes for a penalty, which the ex-Notts man converted, but it was too little too late as the final whistle blew on a solid victory which made amends for the league defeat just weeks ago.

Notts midfielder Stanley Aborah returns to the reckoning for his side as they prepare to host neighbours Mansfield Town in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The 28-year-old missed the 4-1 League Two loss at Morecambe on Saturday as he served a one-match suspension, having received five yellow cards already this season. Fellow centre men Liam Noble, who will complete his three-game ban against the Stags, Curtis Thompson and Rob Milsom remain unavailable. Ricardo Moniz is looking to sign another striker before the transfer window closes on Tuesday night and any new addition may be included in the squad for the first-round tie. Mansfield goalkeeper Scott Shearer is not expected to be available. The 34-year-old Scot has been laid low with an infection in his ankle after being "bitten by something" earlier this month and, even though he was discharged from hospital a week ago, the short trip may have come too soon for him. Without Shearer, Stags boss Adam Murray is left with just one goalkeeper in 40-year-old Brian Jensen. Summer signing Matt Green, in his second stint at Field Mill, will hope to continue his goalscoring streak after bagging a brace during Saturday's 2-1 victory at York City, while winger Matty Blair remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury. The match marks a second visit of Mansfield to Meadow Lane in the space of a few weeks after their league meeting on Friday August 14, a 2-0 win for the visitors. To voice your thoughts and opinions on this fixture, come on to Pride of Nottingham's dedicated match forum and join the conversation.

A lacklustre and wasteful Notts side were torn apart at the Globe Arena on Saturday by a patchwork Morecambe side that, despite missing a number of key players and seeing several more subbed off with injuries, still ran four goals past them. It was a frantic start from the visitors at the Globe Arena as Adam Campbell twice forced saves from goalkeeper Barry Roche and whistled a cross across the face of goal. There was action at the other end too with Aaron Wildig’s lob from 20 yards causing Roy Carroll to back-pedal frantically, though he was lucky to see the ball land on the roof of the net. Morecambe went on to take the lead 20 minutes in when Alan Goodall was given way too much time and space on the ball, leading to a 25-yard drive which flew beyond Carroll and into the net. The visitors were inches from pulling level on the half-hour mark but after a fine one-two on the edge of the area Jon Stead cannoned his subsequent shot off the crossbar with Roche stranded. Five minutes before the break, however, Genaro Snijders gave the travelling fans a moment to savour - and at the time, cause for hope - when the ball dropped to him 20 yards out and he responded by lashing a ferocious volley into the top corner of the net. Having lost captain Shaun Beeley towards the end of the first period, Shrimpers manager Jim Bentley was also forced to replace Wildig at the break. Morecambe found themselves on the back foot in shortly after the restart, but grew into their revised three-at-the-back system, Jamie Devitt slicing wide from just inside the box. Ricardo Moniz's charges continued to press the issue but were sucker-punched when, against the run of play, Paul Mullin bore down on goal from the left and curled a shot beyond Carroll. The visitors immediately went in search of an equaliser, with Campbell blazing wide from 15 yards and Stead forcing a save from Roche with a volley. Two minutes from time it was all over as Alex Kenyon was given free rein to blaze into the area and slot the ball through the legs of Carroll. Then, on the 90-minute mark, Devitt added gloss to the scoreline and stuck a further knife into the pride of the travelling fans by beating the offside trap and helping himself to another goal of utter simplicity. Mullin nearly made it five in stoppage time but saw his shot from the edge of the area whistle over the crossbar, but by this time the point had been hammered down - Notts are ill-equipped and ill-prepared for life in this league.

Notts County travel up to Morecambe on Saturday 29th August for a league clash that sees both sides try to improve their lukewarm form. The Magpies began the season brightly with a league win at Stevenage and the shock victory at Huddersfield in the League Cup, but poor showings against Meanwhile the Shrimpers have lost three in five but and saw a late goal deny them victory at Portsmouth, the match finishing 3-3. The match officials for the game will be referee Ross Joyce, assistants Alf Greenwood and Paul Marsden, and fourth official James Mainwaring. Referee: Ross Joyce From: Cleveland He has never refereed a Notts game. Run down of his last four games: League Two: Saturday 15 Aug 2015 - Northampton 3-0 Exeter (4 yellows, no reds) League Two: Saturday 22 Aug 2015 - Bristol Rovers 3-1 Barnet (3 yellows, no reds) Conference: Sunday 17 May 2015 - Bristol Rovers 1-1 Grimsby (4 yellows, no reds) Conference: Saturday 25 Apr 2015 - Forest Green 0-0 Dover (4 yellows, no reds) In his last four games 15 yellow cards and no red cards have been shown. So far this season in a total of two games he has shown seven yellow cards and no red cards - 3.5 yellow cards per game. Assistant Referee: Alf Greenwood From: Yorkshire Last three games: National League North: Saturday 22 Aug 2015 North Ferriby 1–1 Hednesford Town National League North: Tuesday 18 Aug 2015 Gainsborough T 3–1 Stalybridge Celtic Championship: Saturday 15 Aug 2015 Huddersfield Town 1–1 Blackburn Rovers (1st assistant) Assistant Referee: Paul Marsden From: Lancashire Last three games: League Two Saturday 22 Aug 2015 Carlisle United 1 - 1 AFC Wimbledon (1st assistant) National League North Tuesday 18 Aug 2015 Stockport County 1 - 1 North Ferriby League One Sunday 16 Aug 2015 Wigan Athletic 0 - 0 Doncaster Rovers (Fourth official) Fourth Official: James Mainwaring From: Lancashire

Notts and Morecambe have only met six times in their history, with the first ever clashi taking place all the way back in... September 2007. It's perfectly even between both sides - two wins, two draws and two defeats. The last two fixtures between the two are both notable - the first of the two, on 19 September 2009, is Sol Campbell's only game in a Magpies shirt, while the latter, on 17 April 2010, is when Notts 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. --- Morecambe defender Alan Goodall faces a late fitness test after limping out early in the second half of last week's 3-3 draw at Portsmouth. Defender Ryan Edwards and midfielder Kevin Ellison are both still ruled out through suspension. Stanley Aborah is the latest player who must serve a suspension for Notts County, who have had three red cards in their first six league and cup games. Aborah's absence, however, is a consequence of collecting his fifth yellow card of the season during the Capital One Cup defeat to Aston Villa - he will serve a one-match ban. With Liam Noble also banned after his dismissal against Accrington and Curtis Thompson and Rob Milsom injured, it leaves Ricardo Moniz with problems in midfield.

It’s hard work being a Notts County fan. This isn’t just an opinion – a poll back in 2007 officially crowned the Magpies as the most stressful club to support in the Football League. Financial troubles, relegation battles, backroom changes – and this is just the last few years. Thank goodness, then, for the calming influence of Colin Slater. The Notts County correspondent for BBC Radio Nottingham has commentated on Magpies games for the past half-century, his dulcet tones interwoven within the very fabric of the club. What few people know, however, is that The Voice of Notts County could have so easily become The Voice of Bradford City. Colin was born and raised in Shipley, West Yorkshire, and the Bantams were the first football club he followed. “I was first taken to football aged nine by my dad and I can remember the game against Barnsley at Valley Parade,” he says, sipping a mug of coffee on a warm spring’s day in West Bridgford’s Café Nero. The young Colin knew from an early age that he wanted to be a journalist, recalling a civic occasion in Shipley’s town square where he noticed the local press reporting on the event from a vantage point. He proclaims with pride: “That set me thinking that, if journalists get such a good view, that’s what I want to do because that’s where I want to be!” Colin carried this ambition with him throughout his formative years, getting a job at the Shipley Guardian after finishing his secondary education at Belle Vue Grammar School – which also taught literary genius John Boynton “JB” Priestley – and, within a few years, becoming the newspaper’s editor. So, how did he find himself in Nottingham, a city with which he had no prior connection? The answer is as honest as it is pragmatic. “I stayed at the Shipley Guardian for nine years, which was perhaps too long. I wanted a change, and the best offer I got was in Nottingham.” His role at the now-defunct Nottingham Evening News was twofold – he would be the newspaper’s local affairs correspondent as well as being responsible for Notts County coverage. But his lack of familiarity with the Magpies led to him needing a crash course prior to starting work. “I had just three weeks between moving to Nottingham and getting to know Notts County’s players, officials, and directors before covering my first game!” After cutting his teeth for nine years covering the Magpies in print format, Colin moved to BBC Radio Nottingham to provide live audio commentary for his newly adopted team, and the rest, as they say, is history. One of the most notable things about Colin’s presence on the radio is just how well spoken he is. The word “gentlemanly” springs to mind. Bafflingly, some people have accused him of being “posh” and “privileged” – and this accusation angers him no end, especially because it brings back tragic memories. Colin explains: “I started my working life on 30 shillings a week – £1.50 in today’s currency. So I get a bit riled when anyone thinks I must have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I wasn’t, because my dad, who was a great hero figure to me, died when I was 14, so I know what it’s like to lose my father at a young age and start work fresh out of school for little money. Hardly a gilded sort of life, was it?” The veteran broadcaster also opens up about Jimmy Sirrell, undoubtedly the greatest Magpies manager of all time, and reminisces about an encounter he had with him following their 2-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in May 1981 – a result which saw Notts promoted to the old First Division. “I went into the players’ dressing room to have a glass of champagne, and Jack Dunnett, the chairman, came in and invited me up to the boardroom. Jimmy eventually came in and asked if my friend – who drove us down to the game – and I were stopping on the way back. I said yes, then asked him if he was going to stop anywhere.” Colin laughs, then adopts a Scottish brogue: “His reply was, “Aye! We’re going to stop at the first shop I see which is open, I’m going to get the biggest tin of glue that they sell, and I’m going to keep the players’ feet on the ground!” As heart-warming as those memories are, there is also an element of melancholy and sadness attached, as virtually no fan under the age of 30 is likely to remember these long-forgotten halcyon days. The Magpies were relegated from the top flight in 1992 and it’s been nothing but slim pickings since, with little more than a half-decent cup run now and then and a fourth tier championship to make up for perpetual strife, anxiety and relegation battles in the lower reaches of the Football League. And Colin believes the fans should not put up with it any longer: “The ground they have, the tradition they have, the great players they’ve had down the years, all demands that Notts should be in the Championship, and it’s against that yardstick that they will be judged, whoever the manager is and whoever comprises the board of directors. It has to be their target to get back there…” and he makes a point of enunciating each and every letter, “ASAP!” Share your thoughts about this interview on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.

Newport manager Terry Butcher has claimed that the Supporters Trust's share launch this week will be a "hugely significant" day for the club. Trust members will be able to buy shares on the club following the launch at the Riverside Theatre. The NCST is already running the club, but aims to take over the ownership of the League Two outfit. - Carlisle manager Keith Curle has claimed that the celebrations after their League Cup win at QPR were to show their thanks to the loyal travelling supporters. The Cumbrians won 2-1 in one of the shocks of the second round, and were rewarded for the victory with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in round three. - Mansfield Town have agreed a new "incentive-based" contract with Matty Blair following his recovery from a serious knee injury. The 26-year-old winger joined the Stags from Fleetwood Town in January, but suffered cruciate ligament damage playing against Carlisle United. - Dagenham & Redbridge defender Matt Partridge has left the club by mutual consent just two months after signing a new one-year deal. The 21-year-old made three appearances for the Daggers this season, after featuring 28 times for them in the 2014-15 campaign. - Luton Town will receive over £1m in sell-on fees from Andre Gray's £9m move from Brentford to Burnley. The 24-year-old moved to Kenilworth Road in 2012 and left for the Bees for a reported £500,000 last summer. Gray scored 18 goals as the London club reached the Championship play-offs last season, leading the Clarets to pay a club-record fee for him. Luton will receive £1.1m spread over three seasons, and a further £700,000 if he helps Burnley win promotion. - York City have terminated Lindon Meikle's contract by mutual consent. The former Mansfield player failed to score in 32 games for the Minstermen last season, having joined on a free in July 2014. The 27-year-old striker, who was placed on the transfer list in May, has failed to make an appearance for York this term. - Northampton Town have signed defender Adam Yates on a one-month loan from Port Vale. The 32-year-old right-back will provide cover for the suspended Josh Lelan and injured Brendan Moloney. Yates is Vale's longest-serving player, having made 234 appearances since joining in 2009. - Accrington Stanley’s Matt Crooks could be a millionaire if he worked on his game, says club manager John Coleman. The midfielder joined in February after his release from Hartlepool and scored his second goal of the season in the 1-1 draw at Notts. - To discuss the latest news in League Two as well as English football in general, come to the dedicated Pride of Nottingham forum and join the conversation.

Notts County came to Aston Villa, they saw plenty of chances, and they very nearly conquered. They took the Premier League outfit all the way, leading not once, not twice but three times in the game. An outrageous refereeing decision ultimately proved the Magpies’ downfall as the hosts survived the regulation 90 minutes with the scoreline poised at 3-3, before toughing out the period of extra time and making the most of the visitors' increasingly tired legs to sneak an extra two goals and claim a 5-3 win. It was a game that toed the script as Jack Grealish shone on his homecoming performance against the club where he cut his teeth and ex-Villa man Graham Burke nearly grabbed the win against his former employers with a stunning 30-yard strike. The Magpies began the game well, more than holding their own against their top-flight opponents, but few could have predicted just how far they’d go in such a short space of time when, in the 16th minute, Alan Hutton gave the ball away near his own box, allowing Genaro Snijders to pick up possession and curl a shot into the net, via a deflection, from 20 yards. It looked like business would resume as usual just five minutes later as Grealish, so impressive for Notts when he played on loan two seasons ago, weaved into the box before squaring to Adama Traore, who duly converted with a low finish to level proceedings. With both sides poised to go in level at the break, however, Izale McLeod’s burst into the Villa was thwarted by goalkeeper Mark Bunn, the foul prompting the referee to give the visitors a penalty. Jon Stead stepped up and duly fired home from the spot to give his side the lead on the stroke of half time. Grealish was the key man once again for Villa’s second equaliser shortly after the restart, the young winger setting off on a superb run before playing a low cross in for Scott Sinclair to tap into an empty net. A topsy turvy game in every sense of the word, Ricardo Moniz’s charges simply wouldn’t let it go, and for the third time in the game took the lead – in absolutely spectacular fashion, as former Villa man Burke let rip with a ferocious shot, just before the hour, all of 30 yards away which ricocheted off the underside of the bar and into the net. Cue delirium in the away end. Every classic football game, however, needs some controversy added into the mix, which duly came when Stanley Aborah’s seemingly clean tackle on Kieran Richardson in the box saw the ex-Manchester United man tumble to the ground and the referee point to the spot. Sinclair stepped up to the spot and, despite Roy Carroll going the right way, the penalty was just too powerful, flying into the net and pegging Villa back for the third time in the match. Villa stepped it up in the latter stages of the game in normal time but weren't able to finish Notts off in the 90 minutes of normal time, so extra time it was. In the first period of the added half hour, the hosts edged themselves in front for the first time in the entire game when Sinclair converted Joe Cole’s low cross from close range to clinch his hat-trick. As legs tired and spaces opened up, Jimmy Spencer spurned a great chance to make it 4-4 when he poked wide from Julian Jenner’s cross, while at the other end Sinclair’s chip flew off target when clean through on goal with only Carroll to beat. Despite this, the superior stamina and endurance of the Premier League side proved crucial in the late, late stages of the game as substitute Joe Bennett clinched the win by marauding to the edge of the box before firing a low shot into the far corner of the net. To discuss this game, visit the Pride of Nottingham forum thread dedicated to the match, and join the conversation.

With Notts taking on Aston Villa this evening in the League Cup, all eyes will be on Jack Grealish, the young winger whose fruitful loan spell at Meadow Lane and recent performances for Villa have make him a popular figure in the eyes of both sets of fans. Pride of Nottingham spoke to Kevin, Jack's proud father and a lifelong Villa fan, about his son's upbringing, his early days in football, his loan spell at Notts, and what he hopes the player will achieve in his career. Hello Kevin, pleasure to speak to you. First of all we'd like to ask you, what are your earliest footballing memories? I started going down to Villa when I was about eight or nine and got a season ticket when I was 13. The memories that stand out? Seeing them win things like the European Cup… in fact, winning everything bar the FA Cup (we’ll forget about that one). Later on in life, bringing Jack and my other son Kevan down to Villa Park. How did Jack get into football? He began getting into football aged four, and within a year he was playing football in a small kickabout team. By age six he was training with Villa, and at age seven they signed him and he’s been there ever since. Quite a few clubs were enquiring about him, such as Crewe, Birmingham, West Brom and Wolves, but Villa’s his club. How did you know that Jack had something special and could have gone on to play professionally? When Jack was seven, I went into a bookmaker’s and asked to put a bet on that my son would go on to play football professionally. The guy behind the counter told me to look on the internet, but back in those days (2002) not everyone had it – I was one of those, and I didn’t chase it up! But it was then, when he was seven, that I knew he had something about him and that he was standing out a bit. He was playing in older age groups and was still holding his own. What was Jack like at school? He was good at maths, okay at English, but the football did sidetrack him a bit, he didn’t do as well as he should have done. When he was around 13 years old he was taken out of school two days a week and educated at Bodymoor Heath (Aston Villa’s training ground). And during his last year, all his education was there. How did the Notts County loan move come about? I’ve always known about Notts County, everyone knows about them – they’re the oldest league club in the world. On the Wednesday before he was due to go there I got a phone call from Gordon Cowans, Villa’s Under-21 manager, and he said: “Jack’s going on loan to Notts tomorrow morning!” I checked where Notts were in the league and they were near the bottom of the table so I thought: “We’ve got a battle on our hands here!” At first it was only a loan until Christmas, for around six weeks, but then by late December he started playing some good games, creating and scoring goals and generally having a great influence in matches – and the Notts fans liked him. Also, the rest of League One started taking notice of him. In fact, six clubs came in for Jack while he was at Meadow Lane – two of them in the Championship, but we said no, Notts were good enough to give us a try so we agreed to stay here. One of those clubs was Peterborough, who were riding high in the league. Jack could have gone on to play at Wembley as a 19-year-old but we stayed put at Notts and as it turned out the team ended up surviving. It was a great move for Jack. As a father how did it feel coming down to Notts and watching your son play first-team football? It was brilliant. Before that he was playing in Under-21 games in front of around 60 or 70 fans, and now we were at Notts who were getting four, five thousand fans. It meant something to the fans and we had a reason to play football to try and keep the team in the league. The lads there, Callum McGregor, Alan Sheehan, JCR, they got on great and he had a great connection with them all. And I really enjoyed going to Notts. I used to never miss Villa games, but where Jack plays, I go and watch him, and we had a great time. What are your proudest memories of Jack’s time at Notts, and did you have any memorabilia from it? We have Jack’s away shirt – the purple one – framed in our house, “Grealish No. 7”. I was really happy he got that number as some top players over the years have had that number, it means “let’s see what you can do”. We also have his home shirt (Kevin kindly brought it along to the interview) and we’ll get that framed soon. The proudest memory would have to be keeping Notts up in the final game of the season. That was a fantastic, unbelievable experience. The whole of Meadow Lane appeared to be there at Oldham. As for goals, the Gillingham goal, where he collected the ball outside the area, beat one defender, then another, then another, and walloped past the keeper – their manager said: “We made him look like George Best!” The best game he had was Colchester away – scored one, set up a few and I thought he was just outstanding. This is the second time we’ve spoken to you (we first spoke to Kevin for our Meet The Fans feature at Meadow Lane). What are your thoughts on Pride of Nottingham? It’s great what you lads do. The way you connect with the fans and give them an insight of things at the club – even bringing me back, even though Jack played at Notts over a season ago, is great. Fans still have fine memories of Jack and what he did at Meadow Lane. I think what you lads are doing, a lot of other clubs can follow. Do you still keep tabs on how Notts are doing? We were looking all last season – one of the first questions we asked at Villa in the players lounge after a game was: “How did Notts do?” You had a great start to the season and then sadly the wheels fell off. Me, Jack and the rest of the family are always keeping tabs on how they do. They’re the club that gave us a go, you’ve got to look out for teams like that. We could have moved on in the January transfer window and tested Jack further but we wanted to stay with Notts. What are your hopes for Jack’s career? He’s had a fantastic season last year, signing a new four-year deal at Villa, being voted Young Player of the Year both with his club and with Ireland’s Under-21s, and playing a part in keeping a team up for the second season in a row. Considering where Villa were in January, we looked done for, but it was fantastic – not to mention getting to the FA Cup final and playing at Wembley. My career ambition is for him to go one better and win trophies at Villa, because that’s his club. Pride of Nottingham would like to thank Kevin Grealish for his time and for speaking to us. Best of luck with Villa's game tonight, for the rest of the season and of course for Jack's career! If you want to discuss this interview, or to view the interview in its original video format, head down to the Pride of Nottingham forum, view the YouTube video and join the conversation.

Notts County travel to Aston Villa in the League Cup keen to replicate their heroics in their match against Liverpool two years ago, where they took the Reds to extra time. Villa, meanwhile, will be keen to avoid another surprise early exit from the competition when they host the League Two side. Last season they were dumped out at this stage by Leyton Orient, who triumphed at Villa Park thanks to Romain Vincelot's winner. In this piece, Pride of Nottingham speaks to devoted Villa fan Kevin - whose son plays for the first team and was once on loan at Notts - about how he feels his club got on last season and what he hopes to achieve in tonight’s game and for the season as a whole. Firstly, could you please tell Pride of Nottingham a little about yourself? My name’s Kevin Grealish, I’m from Solihull, and I’m Villa mad! What are your stand-out moments from last season at Villa? Seeing my son play at Wembley in the FA Cup final. Not only as a Villa fan, but as a father. Are you optimistic about your season ahead and what do you think of the squad assembled by Tim Sherwood? We’ve built a complete new team, with plenty of youth. Hopefully we’ll be able to play some nice attacking football – 10th in the league will do nicely for us! How do you think Jack will perform against Notts? He will want to win. And score. Sorry Notts fans! Who do you think will the win the League Cup? I’d love to see the Villa win it! That plus Notts going up would cap off a great football season on a personal level. Who will be your key men against the Magpies? Jack, of course! And also Adama Traore, the new lad from Barcelona. He is seriously pacey – you better watch out or you’ll be blown away! Lastly, what do you think the score and scorers will be? 2-1 to Villa. Jack and Rudy Gestede for us, Graham Burke to pull one back for you. Of course, all the best for tonight. Up the Villa and Come On You Pies! - Many thanks to Kevin for his opposition view. To discuss the game, join us on Pride of Nottingham's dedicated match thread and join the conversation.

Notts County and Aston Villa have met a total of 83 times over the years, with the first fixture coming on 12 Feb 1881, a FA Cup clash which Villa won 3-1. Notts have won 21 times and lost 42, with 20 draws. Meetings used to be incredibly regular in the olden days, but have tailed off considerably after the mid-1920s. 63 of the meetings were before 1927, and a gap of 44 years followed until the next fixture. The last meeting between Notts and Villa was on 22 Jan 1997, an FA Cup replay which ended 3-0 to the Premier League side. The last league fixture was all the way back on 10 Mar 1992 – three years before Jack Grealish was even born! Aston Villa were formed in March 1874 by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth, now part of Birmingham. The four founders were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood. Their first match was against the local Aston Brook St Mary's Rugby team. As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under rugby rules and the second half under football rules. The club won their first FA Cup in 1887, with captain Archie Hunter scoring in every single round of the competition and becoming one of the game's first household names. Aston Villa, alongside Notts, were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural Football League in 1888 with one of the club's directors, William McGregor, being the league's founder. Villa are among the most successful football clubs in the history of English football. They won the 1981–82 European Cup, beating Bayern Munich 1-0 and making them one of only five English clubs to win the main European trophy. They also have the fifth highest total of major honours won by an English club, having won the top tier of the English league seven times, the FA Cup seven times, the Football League Cup five times and the UEFA Super Cup in 1982. In addition the club has produced a record 73 England national team players, equalled only by Tottenham Hotspur. Villa is one of an elite group of seven clubs that has played in every Premiership season. Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are the other six. They currently hold the record number of league goals scored by any team in the English top flight - 128 goals were scored in the 1930-31 season. Villa were the first British club to give up a shirt sponsorship fee - in order to promote the Axorns Children’s Hospice charity beween 2008 and 2010. --- Villa may call up summer signing Adama Traore after he impressed off the bench in Saturday's 2-1 league defeat at Crystal Palace. Ex-Notts loanee Jack Grealish is expected to take part in the game after returning from a hamstring injury, but Jores Okore and Jose Angel Crespo remain out. Notts, meanwhile, are without Liam Noble after he was red-carded in Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Accrington Stanley.

Football is a game with an incredibly rich history and, as many of you reading this will be aware, Notts County are part of parcel of the sport’s annals. The main identifying trait with this historic institution – a tagline, if you will – is that it’s “the world’s oldest professional Football League club”. With a history stretching all the way back to November 1862, the Magpies were formed during a time when Queen Victoria was still on the throne, Abraham Lincoln was still President of the United States of America, and Charles Darwin’s magnum opus “On The Origin Of Species” was only three years old. Charles Dickens had not yet released “Great Expectations” and the London Underground had not yet come into existence. “History of football” and “Notts County” are virtually synonymous. In fact, Notts County are so rich in tradition that you can write a book chronicling a significant event in the club’s history for every single day of the year. How do I know? Because it has been done – and how. “Notts County: On This Day” is the brainchild of Nottingham freelance journalist Tim Evershed, a meticulously researched 192-page book containing key events from each day in Notts County’s history that succeeds in educating and enthralling at the same time. Some entries are entertaining, others are upsetting, but all are incredibly engrossing. Nothing is whitewashed in this book – it’s about as definitive as you can get in terms of capturing the history of the club. The sheer level of research that has gone into this book is staggering. Events that took place in the 1860s are written with the same accuracy and detail as those that happened in 2014. I can pretty much guarantee that anyone reading this book, from the Generation Z teenager to the veteran multi-decade season ticket holder, will discover things they never previously knew about the Magpies. Just to give you an idea of how thorough the book is – it talks about Albert Iremonger in as much detail as Roy Carroll. It’s almost baffling to think that there was a period in time when the Magpies not only graced the same pitch as Barcelona, but were able to beat them every time, including a 10-3 thumping, or that a Notts player was responsible for an incident similar in vein to that of Luis Suarez in the 2010 World Cup that would eventually lead to the game-changing decision to introduce penalty kicks in football. Did you know these facts? Me neither. No qualms about it – “Notts County: On This Day” is an absolute gem of a book, and if you’re a Magpies fan, this book needs to become part of your library as soon as possible. Notts County: On This Day by Tim Evershed Available on http://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/ Hardcover: 192 pages Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd ISBN-10: 1785310402 ISBN-13: 978-1785310409 RRP: £9.99 To discuss "Notts County: On This Day" by Tim Evershed, visit the Pride of Nottingham forum thread on the book review and join the conversation.

Portsmouth maintained their unbeaten start to their League Two season after Jayden Stockley scored a 95th-minute equaliser against Morecambe, despite being a man down. The Shrimps dismantled Pompey in an impressive first-half display, as Tom Barkhuizen, Alan Goodall and Andrew Fleming all scored for the away side. Morecambe led 3-1 before the break, with Gary Roberts clawing a goal back for the hosts minutes before half-time. Roberts scored again in the second half before Enda Stevens received a second yellow in the 72nd minute, seemingly dooming his team to an unassailable task, but Stockley snatched a draw for his side moments before the final whistle. Leyton Orient continue to lead the fourth tier table, with a 3-2 win over Newport County, but Plymouth Argyle remain hot on their heels after seeing off Northampton Town 2-0. Yeovil Town pulled off an impressive comeback from two goals down with a 3-2 win over Luton Town, Ryan Bird's second-half brace helping the hosts to all three points. Aaron Pierre netted a 95th minute equaliser for Wycombe Wanderers against Dagenham & Redbridge in a 1-1 draw, after their goalscorer Matt McClure was sent off for picking up two yellows. Teddy Sheringham picked up his first win as Stevenage manager in a 2-0 win over Hartlepool United, Fraser Franks and Brett Williams grabbing the goals to end the visitors’ winning start to the season. Bristol Rovers continue to climb the table as Lee Brown, Matt Taylor and Jermaine Easter's goals helped the Pirates to an impressive 3-1 win against Barnet. Roarie Deacon's brace was enough for Crawley Town to see off Cambridge United, the 23-year-old’s first goals for the club adding to Gwion Edwards’s late tap-in for a heavy 3-0 win. Jabo Ibehre’s goalscoring run continues as his 67th-minute equaliser rescued a point for Carlisle United against AFC Wimbledon, Andy Barcham’s goal nine minutes before the break not proving enouth. Kemar Roofe's second-half penalty gave Oxford United a share of the spoils in their 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town, with ex-Notts man Craig Westcarr giving the Stags an early lead against the U’s. Finally, Exeter City and York City played out the only goalless game in this weekend's round of League Two fixtures. Results in full: Bristol Rovers 3-1 Barnet Cambridge Utd 0-3 Crawley Carlisle 1-1 AFC Wimbledon Exeter 0-0 York Mansfield 1-1 Oxford Utd Newport 2-3 Leyton Orient Northampton 0-2 Plymouth Notts County 1-1 Accrington Portsmouth 3-3 Morecambe Stevenage 2-0 Hartlepool Wycombe 1-1 Dagenham & Redbridge Yeovil 3-2 Luton The table is as follows: As previously mentioned, Leyton Orient lead the table with four wins out of four, with Wycombe two points behind them in second. With it being early days, there's a lot of movers all over the place, as Plymouth edge themselves into third place and Bristol Rovers rise to fourth, while Hartlepool, Portsmouth and Cambridge all slip. Notts drop to 16th while, at the foot of the table, Newport slip to 23rd, with Dagenham & Redbridge propping up the table in 24th. To discuss all the happenings in League Two and across the other leagues in the country, visit the Pride of Nottingham English Leagues section and join the conversation.

Notts County’s wait for a home win this season continues after Accrington Stanley showed Meadow Lane exactly who they are when they scored a 90th-minute equaliser to nick a 1-1 draw. The Magpies started off well with Jon Stead having two early efforts blocked while Seamus Conneely had a looping strike deflected wide for Stanley all in the opening two minutes. Ricardo Moniz’s charges almost opened the scoring in the 18th minute when lively Graham Burke’s long-range strike cannoned off the crossbar and fell to Genaro Snijders, who sliced the rebound over the bar. Josh Windass then fired a 20-yard free kick straight to Roy Carroll, while Stanley Aborah’s tackle on Matt Crooks 35 minutes in led to the Ghanaian-Belgian being shown a yellow card. The visitors came close to breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half time when Piero Mingoia raced clean through on goal, but Carroll denied him with his legs. At the other end, Noble’s effort on the stroke of half time was tipped over by goalkeeper Jason Mooney. Following the restart, the Stanley stopper denied Campbell with his legs after the winger latched onto a looping ball over the top on 49 minutes, while on the hour, Snijders raced through on goal but was also thwarted. Notts kept the pressure on and came close midway through the second half through Burke’s troubling cross, which was punched away, and Noble’s 20-yard free kick, which flew just wide. In the 76th minute it looked like the hosts had done enough when a cross from Noble was emphatically headed home by Burke from just a few yards out. Sadly it wasn’t to be, as Noble was dismissed with three minutes left for a challenge on Windass that took the player out and was deemed to have an intent to stamp. In the 90th minute Stanley clawed back their equaliser when Sean McConville’s corner bobbled around the area before being finished off by Matt Crooks. It could have been worse for Notts as Terry Gornell and Mingoia came close in injury-time for the visitors, but ultimately the final whistle signalled a sharing of the spoils, with Notts having to take yet another red card and subsequent match suspension into account as well as a loss of two points and a poor patch of form. To voice your opinions on this game, visit the dedicated Pride of Nottingham forum thread and join the conversation.

Notts County have signed striker Izale McLeod from Crawley Town for an undisclosed six-figure fee. The 30-year-old, who scored 21 goals last season as the Red Devils were relegated from League One, has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Meadow Lane. McLeod was unveiled to a warm reception at half time during the Magpies' league game against Accrington Stanley, which finished 1-1. Chairman Ray Trew told the club's official site: “We’ve been trying to sign Izale for the last month and eventually we were able to strike a deal with Crawley which we’re very happy with. “Obviously we still have a few issues with the team which we’re addressing. Ricardo wants a proven goal scorer and we’ve got that for this level. At Huddersfield we played exceptionally well but we’re always searching for players who are going to improve the playing squad .” McLeod has plenty of experience in English football and can count Charlton Athletic, Derby County and Portsmouth among his former clubs. To discuss the signing of Izale McLeod and voice your opinions, visit the dedicated Pride of Nottingham player thread and join the conversation.

Notts County have only played Accrington Stanley 13 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 18 November 2014, an FA Cup first round replay which ended 2-1 to Stanley. 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. --- Jimmy Spencer's leg fracture has added to Notts County's injury woes ahead of the visit of Accrington. Spencer suffered a small crack to the tibia during the defeat to Mansfield last weekend and the striker, who subsequently missed the loss at Oxford on Tuesday night, is expected to be out for around a month. He joins defender Civard Sprockel and midfielder Curtis Thompson in the treatment room while Ronan Murray and Taylor McKenzie remain long-term absentees. However, Ricardo Moniz is boosted by the return of defender Mawouna Amevor from a three-match suspension. Accrington have a fully fit squad going into the clash, with forward Shay McCartan back from a broken wrist. McCartan, who has been selected for the Under 21's Northern Ireland squad, sustained the injury in a freak training ground incident and has missed the opening fortnight of the season. Terry Gornell will be pushing for a start after he was restricted to the bench in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Mansfield after an ankle problem.

Just one week ago we were celebrating Notts County's tremendous start to the season. But "Stevenage" and "Huddersfield" are words long cast out of the Magpie lexicon, replaced with "Mansfield" and now "Oxford" as words laden with negativity and doubt. Notts had the chance to redeem their horrendous home defeat to Mansfield with a trip to Oxford United, but all that was achieved was another inadequate performance, another defeat and an increased level of despair that has left the Black and White Army positively dreading the rest of the season. The Magpies didn't exactly get off to the best start as the U's weighed in with a number of chances, but the visitors managed to break the deadlock in the 21st minute when Thierry Audel nodded in Graham Burke's inswinging free-kick at the back post. Jon Stead also cracked a shot from long range just over Sam Slocombe's crossbar, prompting Oxford manager Michael Appleton to replace Patrick Hoban with Callum O'Dowda just after the half-hour mark. It proved an inspired change and within four minutes the substitute snuck in at the back post to nudge the ball past Roy Carroll from eight yards to level the scores. Four minutes into the second half he would once again have an effect on the game as his low cross was completely miscued by Scot Bennett, leaving Kemar Roofe to slam the ball into the net. From then on it was all Oxford, who threatened time and time again, and in the 57th minute they had a chance to put the game beyond their opponents when Danny Hylton was brought down in the area for a penalty. Carroll then gave the travelling fans cause for cheer when he dived low to save from Alex MacDonald's spot kick, keeping the Magpies in the game. This would only turn out to be a temporary reprieve, however, and by 78th minute it was all over for Notts. Hylton dribbled all of 50 yards to present himself with a chance at goal, and even though Carroll saved the initial effort, the striker converted on the rebound. After three games Notts find themselves 14th in the table, with one win and two defeats. The way things are going, and with the football we're playing, many fans will happily take that come the final whistle of the 46th league game. Join the conversation, voice your opinions on the game and find out what fellow Notts fans think with Pride of Nottingham's dedicated matchday forum. Credit to Dan Westwell for the match photo.