Joe Jones

Notts have met Oxford United just 26 times in their history, the first meeting coming on 17 October 1964 when a goalless draw at Meadow Lane was the result. The U's have the upper edge - but only just, with nine wins, nine draws and eight defeats The last meeting between the two was on 18 March 2006, again a goalless draw at Meadow Lane. Oxford United were formed as Headington in 1893, adding the suffix United in 1911 after merging with Headington Quarry. In 1950, Headington United became the first professional club in Britain to install floodlights, and used them on 18 December against Banbury Spencer. They initially played in orange and blue shirts, but changed to yellow home shirts for the 1957–58 season. The reason for the change is unknown. In 1960, Headington United was renamed Oxford United, to give the club a higher profile. Oxford won the League Cup in 1986 - then known as the Milk Cup - after beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the final at Wembley. In 2001, Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries conducted an exorcism after the feeling of a malicious force and the team's loss of thirteen of their first seventeen games at the new stadium was blamed on a gypsy curse placed on the club by a Roma man who had been evicted from the site during construction. The city is known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. University College (in full The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford) dates back to 1249. To put it into context, the Magna Carta had only been signed 34 years prior. Buildings in Oxford are said to demonstrate examples of every English architectural period since the arrival of the Saxons. --- Oxford manager Michael Appleton may rest Liam Sercombe and Ryan Taylor, as they started Saturday's 2-2 draw at Luton despite nursing pre-season knocks prior to the game. Patrick Hoban could start after coming off the bench and scoring an injury-time equaliser on the weekend. New signing John Lundstram is pushing to make his full league debut despite lacking match fitness. Notts will check on Civard Sprockel after the Dutch defender came off injured for the second time this season against Mansfield last Friday. Gill Swerts comes back into the reckoning after missing the defeat through suspension but Mawouna Amevor is still banned - he will complete his three-match absence on Tuesday night. Ricardo Moniz may make changes following the Stags loss and with a squad of some 30 players to choose from he will not be short of options. Rob Milsom continues to nurse a knee problem while Ronan Murray and Taylor McKenzie are not yet ready to be considered either. Credit to Dan Westwell for the image.

Ricardo Moniz has made it clear that his Notts County side need to be more clinical and incisive in attack if they are to progress in League Two this season. The Magpies succumbed to a meek 2-0 defeat at Meadow Lane against bitter rivals Mansfield, a loss that changed the mood among the Notts faithful from euphoric to funereal within 90 minutes. Aside from the two poorly conceded goals, another worrying thing for Notts was how little they offered in the final third – Stags goalkeeper Brian Jensen was barely tested all game. Moniz said: “We were not able to create anything in the first half… in the first two games I was critical about that. In difficult games where it's so close you need the escape. "In the first half, Jenner, instead of shooting, he had to pull the ball back. In the second half we had the cross from Burkey but it's not enough to be a favourite team (to go up) when we are so limited up front. "This is not an offence to anyone, but you need that extra quality against a compact wall of defenders. "Jon was too isolated in the first half. He needed support from Jimmy Spencer – he was fresh. They have to create chances but they depend on the crosses and Mansfield were very organised at the back. "We had the cross from Burke and two possibilities with Jenner. This is not enough. Blair Adams and Scott Bennett have to overlap so we can create more." Notts have the chance to redeem themselves almost instantly with Tuesday evening’s visit of Oxford United.

Amazing how quickly a positive atmosphere can evaporate, eh? Following Notts County’s great start to the season, which saw a solid 2-0 win at Stevenage and a stunning 2-1 win at Championship side Huddersfield in the League Cup, more than seven thousand Notts fans came through the Meadow Lane turnstiles to watch what they hoped would be a gutsy, positive and possibly fruitful performance from the Magpies against Mansfield Town, their local rivals. At 9:45pm, what we ended up with was a nearly funereal mood as Notts were outplayed, outmuscled and outscored on our own patch, with nearly three thousand Stags fans going barmy in the away end – and rightfully so, given that their team cruised to an ultimately straightforward 2-0 win. Defeats are always hard to swallow, but by including the fact that the performance was so meek, so bland, and that it was against a bitter rival that will now claim bragging rights, it makes it all the more difficult. Inevitably the early stages were all about getting stuck in, something that Mansfield were always going to do. Three crunching tackles came in the first two minutes, with Nathan Thomas’s clatter with Civard Sprockel saw the latter rolling around in agony and the former shown an early yellow card. On six minutes, the visitors could have easily gone ahead after Thierry Audel gifted the ball to Chapman. He found Matt Green, who set up Nathan Thomas in front of goal, but Roy Carroll pulled off a wonderful save, flinging his body in the way and deflecting the ball onto the bar. Notts could barely get out their own half for the first quarter-hour as Mansfield pressed emphatically, but on 18 minutes they had their first concrete chance as a Hunt clearance clipped Pearce and landed in the path of Julian Jenner, whose powerful shot whizzed wide of the side netting. Sprockel was then booked three minutes later for handling on the edge of the box, and Ryan Tafazolli was then booked for infringement, clattering into Carroll and dropping him into the net. Stanley Aborah set up Notts' best move of the half when he released Jenner to lash a low ball into the box which Jon Stead connected with, drawing a good save from opposition stopper Brian Jensen. For Notts’s occasional flashes of quality, Mansfield fully deserved their lead when it came nine minutes before the break. Green released Clements into the box, and the latter bore down on goal and curled a low effort into Carroll’s bottom-right corner, sending the away contingent into delirium and the home fans into mourning. A double change for Notts ensued at the break when Jimmy Spencer replaced Curtis Thompson and Graham Burke came on for Kyle Da Silva on the left wing, the intended formation a 4-4-2. The tone was set for the rest of the evening when Sprockel suffered an injury just three minutes after the restart, as Haydn Hollis had to be subbed on. Notts had no more substitutions left. Despite this hindering situation, Notts began the second half brightly as Spencer shot over and Jenner drew a decent save from Jensen. At the other end, Green set up Thomas for a shot from a right angle that Carroll was forced to turn round at the near post. The action yo-yoed between the two sides for a period as, on 53 minutes, County’s best move so far saw Stead send Jenner in on goal, Jensen smothering his low finish. In the 67th minute, Green was inches away from being able to reach a Jack Thomas cross from the left and head home from close range. Notts then countered with Burke cutting a low cross into the path of Spencer, and a tap-in is all it would have taken to put us level – but Malvind Benning bailed Mansfield out with a stunning sliding interception on the line. The Pies soon cooled down and ran out of steam as the persevering Stags struck their match-killer with nine minutes to go, Benning whipping a long free kick from the left and Tafazolli rising virtually unmarked to head home just inside the post. Many Notts fans had seen enough at this point and, over the next ten minutes, seats were vacated, while some trouble flared up at the far-left end of the Kop after it appeared that a Mansfield fan ran across to start a fight. The Kop faithful all turned to watch the action on their left, well aware that, by that point, there was nothing really worth watching on the pitch any more. Notts had been defeated. There was little to suggest that they could pull back even just one goal, and when the final whistle blew, the procession out of the ground began. It’s early days, of course, but given that the last few years have been dross for many of the home-attending Notts fans, and with hopes and expectations sky-high for those entering Meadow Lane on Friday evening, this was not good enough. Ricardo Moniz and his charges will need to go back to the drawing board, because in League Two, many teams will play how Mansfield did - and if we keep playing to their tactics and meekly surrendering, they will win like Mansfield did. (Credit to Dan Westwell for the image - and congrats on the result, you totally deserve it)

Manager Terry Butcher has expressed hopes that Regan Poole will remain at Newport County beyond this transfer window. After impressing in County's 2-1 League Cup defeat at Wolves, Poole said he did not know if a move would happen during the window given he’s said to be on Fulham’s radar. Butcher said there had been no fresh inquiries and added: ''I am very optimistic he will stay here.'' Poole, 17, still has a year left on his scholar's contract, but has already been offered a new senior deal by the club. -- Portsmouth midfielder Ben Close has signed a one-year contract extension at Fratton Park. The 19-year-old's current deal at the League Two club had been due to expire at the end of this season. Having come through the ranks, Close has made 10 senior appearances following his debut in the last campaign. His most recent appearance came in Pompey's 2-1 win at home against Championship side Derby County in the League Cup first round on Wednesday. -- Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale has claimed that centre-back Jordan Moore-Taylor could be available by the end of the month after returning to training. The 21-year-old had surgery in June after breaking the same bone in his foot for the third time in a year. "He should be back in the reckoning in two or three weeks," Tisdale said. -- Oxford United have signed midfielder John Lundstram on a free transfer following his departure from Everton. The 21-year-old, who has played for England up to Under-20 level, has agreed a two-year contract, having ended last season on loan at Scunthorpe. Lundstram came through the Everton youth system but never made a first-team appearance for the Toffees. -- Mansfield boss Adam Murray has claimed that he wants the club to progress every year after last term's relegation near-miss. The Stags have made 14 signings so far this summer and drew their first game of the season at home to Carlisle United. Murray, 33, said: "Last year we were nearly relegated. We need to make sure that this year we progress and become a team. "Our aim is to progress every year as we move forward through the season. It's not just about the team, it's about taking the club forward. We know we can be successful in this league." -- Striker Jabo Ibehre can be a useful goalscoring option for Carlisle United, manager Keith Curle has claimed. The 32-year-old had scored just 83 goals in 461 league games with eight clubs before his summer move to Brunton Park, but has three in two for Carlisle so far. -- Hartlepool assistant manager Sam Collins has admitted he does not know if he’s preparing his side for Saturday's trip to York City, with boss Ronnie Moore in Spain with his ill daughter. Collins took charge of Pools' 1-0 League Cup win at Fleetwood Town on Tuesday in Moore's absence as Billy Paynter's winner maintained their 100% start to the season. "It's been not a nice few days but that win is for Ronnie and his family," Collins told BBC Tees. "I'm sure he'll be really pleased, we'll see how Charlotte is for Saturday and hopefully she'll be feeling a lot better." -- Oxford United midfielder Kemar Roofe has claimed that his 40-yard lob against Brentford in the League Cup is the best goal of his career. Roofe was among the scorers as Michael Appleton's side stunned Championship Brentford at Griffin Park in a 4-0 win. "Originally, I was going to hit first time. But, I knew the keeper was off his line and I had time to take a touch," Roofe said. -- Morecambe captain Peter Murphy will be out for 12 weeks after damaging knee ligaments in Saturday's opening League Two game at Hartlepool. The 25-year-old midfielder joined the Shrimps from Wycombe this summer, but in the eighth minute of his competitive debut at Victoria Park he suffered a tear of his medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Notts County and Mansfield Town have met 44 times over the years, the first fixture coming in October 1937, a 2-0 win for the Magpies in Division Three (South). Out of the 44 games, Notts have the upper hand with 17 wins, 14 defeats, and 13 draws. Between 1989 and 2001, the two sides met six times – and Notts won each time. It’s not been quite so good for Notts in recent years though – we’ve won just twice in our last 10 meetings, with four defeats and four draws. Our last meeting was a win though, the Stags beaten 2-0 at Meadow Lane in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy just under a year ago. The Stags were formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans, changing their name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910. Mansfield won the Football League Trophy in 1987, in their first game at Wembley Stadium. After a 1–1 draw with Bristol City, they won the cup 5–4 in the deciding penalty shootout, thanks to Kevin Hitchcock saving two penalties. That remains the only cup win in their history, though they did win the Division Four title in 1974-75, Division Three two seasons later, and the Conference in 2012-13. Famous people from Mansfield include Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington, media presenter Richard Bacon, FA Cup-winning goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic and award-winning fashion designer Elspeth Gibson. --- Mawouna Amevor will be serving the second of a three-match suspension after being sent off on the opening day at Stevenage. Gill Swerts is also out after being red carded in the League Cup game at Huddersfield. There is a slight doubt over striker Jon Stead, who came off against the Terriers after hurting his back in a fall, and Liam Noble is also rumoured to be nursing an injury. Mansfield, meanwhile, will be without Lee Collins due to a foot injury, the defender currently wearing a protective boot. Striker Matt Green missed out the Stags’ League Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday through injury and is expected to be out at Meadow Lane. Midfielder Matty Blair, out of contract at Field Mill, is reportedly making good progress from a serious knee injury and could sign a new deal.

Notts County have thrown down the gauntlet to both League Two and the League Cup following a stunning 2-1 win over Championship outfit Huddersfield Town in Tuesday’s first round clash at the John Smith’s Stadium. The Magpies were quickest off the starting blocks as opposition goalkeeper Joe Murphy was called into action early on, racing out of his goal to kick clear as Kyle Da Silva chased Liam Noble's pass, then saving a header from ex-Terrier Jon Stead. Harry Bunn had the hosts’ first chance in the sixth minute when he let rip with a shot that Roy Carroll smartly palmed away for a corner. Da Silva then fluffed a great chance to put the visitors ahead after 14 minutes when he fired well wide from Stanley Aborah's dinked pass. Huddersfield enjoyed a good spell on the half-hour mark as Ishmael Miller had two attempts to open the scoring before Murray Wallace broke the deadlock on 35 minutes when he was left unmarked to head home from a corner. It then took a timely block by Thierry Audel to deny Nahki Wells before Notts levelled things up through Noble. De Silva got things underway as he fended off Martin Cranie, before sending a low cross to the edge of the box, where Noble took a touch and smashed beyond goalkeeper Joe Murphy into the corner. As good as that strike was, it was nothing compared to his second, spotting the Terriers stopper off his line and smashing a truly wonderful lob from 35 yards out which glided delightfully into the net. With Notts on the front foot, they succeeded in holding on and seeing the game out, although they made things difficult for themselves when Gill Swerts became the second Magpie to see red this season after being adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball. Ricardo Moniz’s charges, though, held on valiantly until full time, when celebrations broke out as they claimed the scalp of a team two divisions above them and put themselves through to the second round of the cup, where Premier League teams are in the hat.

Notts County have played Huddersfield Town 33 times in their history, the first fixture coming in December 1913, when the Magpies coasted to a 3-0 victory. Out of all the games, Notts have won 11 and lost 15, with seven draws. Our last game against the Terriers was in January 2012, a League One game which ended in a 2-2 draw. Notts haven’t beaten Huddersfield since March 2003, a 3-2 win in the old Second Division. Three defeats and the 2012 draw followed. Huddersfield entered the Football League for the first time in 1910, just three years after their formation. In 1926, it became the first English team to win three successive league titles – a feat that only three other clubs have been able to match. Huddersfield Town also won the FA Cup in 1922 and have been runners-up on four other occasions. During the club's heyday, on 27 February 1932 the club achieved a record attendance of 67,037 during their FA Cup 6th round tie against Arsenal at Leeds Road – this attendance has been bettered by only 13 other clubs in the history of the Football League. The town of Huddersfield is known for its role in the Industrial Revolution and for being the birthplaces of rugby league, British Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and the international film star James Mason. Huddersfield railway station is a Grade I listed building described by venerable poet and writer John Betjeman as 'the most splendid station façade in England' second only to St Pancras, London. Iron Maiden immortalised the name of the town with a song called “Sheriff of Huddersfield”. -- Notts County defender Mawouna Amevor is suspended after being sent off in the 2-0 win over Stevenage. Amevor's fellow defender Civard Sprockel came off injured at half-time so is a doubt, but Blair Adams is expected to be fit. Huddersfield will be without Sean Scannell, Joe Lolley and James Vaughan as they are out with hamstring & shin injuries and concussion respectively.

Notts County got their League Two campaign to a near-perfect start with a 2-0 win away at a tricky and feisty Stevenage side in a game marred only by the late sending-off of Mawouna Amevor. The visitors had the edge in the opening quarter of an hour, though opposition forward Dipo Akinyemi came close with a goal-bound shot which deflected over. From the same period of pressure, the teenager was unmarked two yards out and somehow missed, while just after the half-hour mark Brett Williams fired straight at Roy Carroll. This proved the catalyst for a deadly counter-attack that saw Liam Noble maraud down Boro's exposed left side before passing to Jon Stead. The ex-Bradford man then cut the ball back across the box, where Curtis Thompson was on hand to slice home at the far post and send the visiting fans barmy. Notts looked the most likely to notch up another goal as Chris Day was forced to save at his near post from Julian Jenner shortly after the restart. Kyle De Silva also went close with a stinging volley which drew another excellent save from the opposition keeper, before Stead curled a shot just wide of the far post on the spin. Stevenage twice went close through Tom Hitchcock, while Williams also threatened, but Notts could have doubled their lead on 75 minutes when Thierry Audel’s powerful header was kept out by Day. It felt at times like Notts were riding their luck but luckily they killed the game off in the final few minutes of normal time as a long-range shot from Stead was stopped low by Day, before Amevor tucked in the rebound. In injury-time, a scuffle between Hitchcock and Amevor saw red cards for both, while Mark Hughes struck the bar with a 20-yard shot moments later, but the move was declared offside as Notts saw the game out and celebrated all three points. The result sees the Magpies end their first matchday in sixth place - it's a great start from Ricardo Moniz's charges, who put in a great display and were rewarded with three points and a clean sheet. (Credit to Dan Westwell for the article image)

Notts County and Stevenage have only ever met seven times, the first meeting coming on 17 September 2011 at Broadhall Way (known as the Lamex Stadium). The result on that day was 2-0 to the Magpies. Our head-to-head record is pretty simple: three wins for Notts, four wins for Stevenage. We have never in our history drawn against Stevenage. Stevenage have only been in existence since 1976 - manager Teddy Sheringham is a whole ten years older than the club itself. Much like Doctor Who, there have been numerous incarnations of the club that stretch back over a century. A club called Stevenage FC was formed in 1894, but they soon adopted the name Stevenage Town. In 1951 the club were founder members of the Delphian League. In 1956 they merged with Stevenage Rangers to form Stevenage FC, before reverting to Stevenage Town four years later. They had some success in the Southern League but folded in 1967, after which Stevenage Athletic were created in their place a year later. This incarnation again knocked about in the Southern League but went bankrupt in 1976. This brings us to Stevenage Borough, formed shortly after Athletic's demise, and this time they managed to prosper and work their way up the leagues until finally reaching the Football League in 2010, at which point they took the whole thing full circle by dropping the Borough from their name and becoming Stevenage FC. Despite their relatively short history, Stevenage have won a number of trophies and competitions, including two FA Trophy cups in 2007 and 2009. The Lamex Stadium holds 6722 people, 3142 of which can be seated. To put it into perspective, three full houses at Stevenage could fit into the Meadow Lane stands with 45 seats to spare. The highest attendance recorded at the stadium was 8040 for a match against Newcastle United in the FA Cup fourth round on 25 January 1998. A temporary stand was erected behind the away end to increase the stadium capacity to 8100, enough to satisfy FA requirements. Two films were set in and around Stevenage, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and Boston Kickout. Spy Game was partly filmed in Stevenage but set in Washington DC. A number of famous sporting figures were born in Stevenage, the most notable of which are Lewis Hamilton, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young, Ian Poulter, Kevin Phillips and Jason Shackell. --- Teddy Sheringham takes charge of Stevenage for the first time in competitive action against Notts County with few injury concerns. Striker Brett Williams, defenders Mark Hughes and Fraser Franks, plus midfielder Steven Schumacher could all make their competitive debuts. Striker Ben Kennedy, however, is a long-term absentee following an operation on a hip problem, while midfielder Chris Whelpdale is also out for a lengthy period with a groin injury. Notts, meanwhile, travel to Hertfordshire without several first-team players. Midfielder Rob Milsom, one of 18 summer signings, is nursing a knee problem while striker Ronan Murray and defender Taylor McKenzie are also sidelined through injury. Transfer-listed duo Nicky Wroe and Will Hayhurst are not expected to be involved. Left-back Blair Adams is striving to be fit after missing the final pre-season friendly fixture against Scunthorpe United.

Tomorrow, Saturday 1st August 2015, English football history will be made. The FA Women’s Cup final is being played at the iconic Wembley Stadium for the first time in its history. It’s set to be the biggest in the competition's history, with more than 26,000 tickets already sold. Neither Notts County nor Chelsea, the two teams contesting it, have ever won the showpiece of the women’s game in its 44-year history. And of course, given England’s wonderful showing at the World Cup, interest in the women’s game on these shores has never been greater. So great was the Lionesses’ impact in Canada that the final will now be shown on BBC One instead of BBC Two as previously planned. For anyone who’s forgot exactly what England’s campaign contained, let’s go through a checklist: - Opening day defeat in the group stage? Check. - The team rallying round and claiming two victories in the subsequent matches to qualify? Check. - Defeating a strong nation in the round of 16 and getting people to think 'we may be on to something'? Check. - Knocking out the hosts in the quarters and getting further than ever before? Check. - A heartbreaking defeat at the death which has created a valiant yet unlucky and heartbroken hero which everyone rallies round to show support? Check. - Beating Germany, one of the best sides in the world, by means of a penalty scored by a player who has overcome adversity the likes of which most people would have never experienced, and with a stunning redemptive performance by the previous round's hard done by player to secure World Cup medals and get further than any England side barring the 1966 winners? Check. England's class of 2015 effectively played out the perfect World Cup campaign, which contained hope, skill, passion, heartbreak and redemption. The last time I can think of an England football team that delivered anything close to the above was in 1996, or at a push, 2002. And if you want to remember the last time England actually got their hands on some medals, you have to go back 49 years, to… you guessed it, 1966. Needless to say, tomorrow’s game is going to be a very, VERY big deal. And Ray Trew’s decision to invest heavily in the women’s team at Notts County appears to have paid dividends. Myself, I cannot believe that I’m going to Wembley to watch my team represented on the biggest domestic stage of all, at the home of football. It’s absolutely incredible. It promises to be a wonderful day, and this is even before taking into consideration the fact that Notts could be bringing the first major piece of silverware to our city since 1990, when the noisy neighbours brought home the League Cup. No matter what happens, it’s going to be an amazing occasion, but if Laura Bassett, whose indomitable narrative during the World Cup was just as powerful as that which befell Paul Gascoigne on the Stadio Delle Alpi pitch 25 years, ends up lifting the trophy for the Lady Pies, it’ll be sensational beyond words. Lady Pies, I’d like to wish you all the best. We at Pride of Nottingham will be in the stands supporting you every step of the way, come rain or shine. You’ve made the city proud and, as one of the teams which play in the Women’s Super League and have contributed so many players to the Lionesses class of 2015, you’ve made the entire country proud. COME ON YOU PIES!!!

The Notts County Football Club Official Supporters’ Association are pleased to announce that they have made a substantial donation of much-needed equipment to the club’s Academy. Ahead of the start of the new season, the committee liaised with Academy director Peter Jarvis about what was needed to take the youth team to the next level. He highlighted the need for the Academy to adopt a video analysis system, which would enable two more jobs to be created to help film matches and give detailed feedback to both players and coaches. Jarvis said: “This is one area that we struggled in resourcing last season – the equipment would make a huge difference to the Academy and the support we can give to the players.” Following the consultation, the OSA duly dipped into their coffers and provided a cheque for the purchase of the appropriate equipment at a value of £765. This kind-hearted gesture is not a one-off – just five months ago the committee gave the Academy a cheque for £1,300 and, over the years, have raised a total of £1,800. The Association works hard throughout the year, both on-season and off-season, raising money through raffles, competitions and other fundraising initiatives. We spoke to OSA Membership Secretary Lois Brough who told us that the fundraising is beneficial both to the club and to the Academy’s youngsters. She said: “All fundraising is hard work but it is a way of getting to people who do not know of the work of the Academy and also supporters who do not realise the good work done by those running the Academy. “When I think of the footballers that have made it to the first team from the Academy I feel we must help these young ones achieve their dream. “Equipment is so expensive and we will do all we can to help them and we have very good and loyal supporters who willingly support us in this.” Lois also highlighted the importance of getting more fans on board with the Association, which would enable them to have a voice within the club and to make new friends. She said: “By joining the OSA Supporters have the chance to have their voice heard the chance to meet one another at events and also meet at the AGM. “I believe all renewals and welcome letters should have a personal message to each and every member, new and old. They will always receive a welcome when either visiting the office or emailing us.” “I hope that with all these new players coming to the club, our supporters can join with us at the OSA.” The OSA will be at the Open Day at Meadow Lane on 2nd August. If you want to donate money to go towards the Academy or join the Association, pop down and have a chat with the members. In addition the OSA is looking for prizes for the tombola, so if anyone has any please contact the Secretary by emailing Lois at [email protected]

When the final whistle blew at Priestfield on Sunday 3rd May, I surely cannot have been the only person who felt numb, drained, disappointed and fearful. Notts had lost 3-1 to Gillingham despite leading 1-0 until the 88th minute, and following a season that began so promisingly but collapsed quicker than a sixth form leaver on his first lads’ trip abroad after his tenth shot of tequila, the Magpies’ relegation was confirmed. But not only that, it was also the uncertainty that followed. The rot had started to set in the season before, when survival was also at stake on the final day of the season. In the end we were lucky as we held on with that exhilarating 1-1 draw at Oldham, but nobody can argue that the team built on that reprieve. If anything, the spine of the team was then ripped out as our remaining best players left, and let’s face it, with the exception of Roy Carroll, they weren’t adequately replaced. And with Notts now slipping into League Two, what chance would we have had to rebuild the mess? What would happen to the team, the finances, and ultimately, our future as a club? Well, I must say, as I write this at the tail end of June, around two months after the end of the 2014-15 season, I’m a hell of a lot more confident for the future. First of all, Roy Carroll has signed a contract extension and will be with Notts for another season. I wouldn’t have blamed him at all for leaving the club following relegation and signing for a team in League One or even the Championship. He went above and beyond the call of duty for us – not least for playing for Notts the day after turning out for Northern Ireland – but in sticking with the club despite dropping to the fourth tier, he’s effectively ensured himself a status at the club not unlike that of Gigi Buffon, who stayed with Juventus following their relegation to Serie B nine years ago. Alan Smith also committed his future to the club, meaning that he will be able to use his experience and know-how both on the pitch and in training as a coach and mentor to help other players out. The new signings we have made so far have been very shrewd too. Four so far, all very promising – Scot Bennett, Rhys Sharpe, Robert Milsom and now Gill Swerts, who let’s not forget, has played for Feyenoord and Belgium and has won the Eredivisie with AZ. A great blend of youth, hunger and experience between the four. And the icing on the cake – a two-year shirt sponsorship deal with Ladbrokes described by chairman Ray Trew as the most lucrative in the club’s history. An absolute coup of a deal to have pulled off, which hints at an increased budget and the chance not only to build just for the season ahead, but for the next few years. In my humble opinion, last season ended up being a bit of a farce, and relegation was frankly deserved, but it looks like the board is doing all the right things in this vacuum that is the close-season / pre-season gap. Gone are the stopgap loans and the friendly team sheets that had four or five trialists listed – this appears to be a real rebuilding process, with the right players coming on board, on decent contracts, and all under a new manager with a great track record who is now looking to stamp his authority on the team after being thrown in at the deep end last season. I’m not going to lie, I really wasn’t looking forward to the start of the new season back in May, but things appear to be heading in the right direction now and, with another five weeks yet to go before the league kicks off again, I feel a lot more reassured and raring to go. The future is bright – the future is Black and White!

It pains me to say this folks, but Notts County have been relegated from League One. Despite a decent enough start to our season that saw us in the playoff places, it's been a freefall towards the bottom of the table, culminating in a 3-1 defeat away at Gillingham that sees us end the season in 21st place. The Magpies began matchday 46 outside of the relegation zone on goal difference, so a win would see them survive the drop. Ricardo Moniz's charges set about trying to find an early goal to settle nerves as Balint Bajner forced a corner after just 30 seconds. The Gills, however, were deft on the counterattack and enjoyed a good spell with the likes of Cody McDonald, John Marquis and Bradley Dack all weighing in with chances. Notts soon picked themselves up and Garry Thompson, Graham Burke and Haydn Hollis all test the opposition back line. The first half finished goalless, which would not have been enough for the Magpies to survive as other results were going against them. This changed for the better when Burke opened the scoring to the rapturous delight of the travelling Notts fans, the on-loan Aston Villa man picking up a Liam Noble pass and rifling past Glenn Morris. There was genuine belief that the Magpies could hold onto the win and secure League One football for another season, but sadly it would all go pear-shaped in the latter stages of the game. With two minutes left the Gills levelled the game as Egan powered home Doug Loft’s cross and in stoppage-time, as Notts struggled to clear, Ben Dickenson smashed the ball home to put the hosts ahead. Dickenson then turned provider moments later, as the Gills burst forward, laying off the ball for Luke Norris to fire home a third and condemn Notts to the bottom tier of the Football League.

Notts County's head-to-head record against Gillingham is historically pretty poor, winning 10 games, drawing seven and losing 15 since our first fixture on 25th October 1930. Fixtures between the two tend to come thick and fast for a certain period of time before ceasing to be for years on end. Between 1985 and 1989 we played each other nine times, then no meeting for seven years, squaring up again in October 1996. Since that league meeting (lost 1-0), another five games took place until March 2000, and then, nothing for eight years! For over 50 years, the record for the fastest hat-trick in the Football League belonged to Jimmy Scarth, who scored three goals in two minutes and 30 seconds against Leyton Orient, on the 1st November 1952. Sadly in 2004, James Hayter of Bournemouth dispossessed Scarth of said record; he came on as an 84th minute substitute in their game against Wrexham, and scored three times in two minutes and 20 seconds! Gillingham do however retain one record; having conceded the fewest goals in a 46-match season, when the team conceded only 20 goals during 1995–96. The Gills could have radically changed the face of English football had they not lost against Manchester City in the 1998/99 Second Division play-off final. Had they won, City may have never recovered from a second year on the bounce in the third tier, by their own admission. And let's not forget Gillingham were leading 2-0 will less than two minutes left on the clock! Instead, as things went, City were back up in the top tier within a few years, just in time to catch the eyes of some very wealthy people casually window shopping in the Premiership. --- There are no new injury or suspension problems for Gillingham but Mahlon Romeo will not be involved after he left the club by mutual consent earlier this week. Notts will once again check on Paddy McCourt as they look for the win to guarantee their League One survival. McCourt hobbled off injured during the defeat at relegation rivals Crawley on April 18 and the problem has seen the Northern Ireland international winger miss the last two matches. Defender Mustapha Dumbuya is the other injury doubt for Ricardo Moniz's charges, who go into the final game of the season outside the drop zone on goal difference.

So this is it then. It'll go down to the final day. Notts County managed to tear up their formbook as they secured a 2-1 win against Doncaster Rovers that edged the hosts just out of League One's drop zone - on goal difference. The Magpies were quickest out of the starting blocks as Gary Jones and Balint Bajner saw efforts blocked in the early stages of the game.Donny countered through Nathan Tyson, who drilled wide from 12 yards out, but the Magpies would break the deadlock eight minutes in when Garry Thompson slotted past goalkeeper Marko Marosi after connecting with Graham Burke's cross. The visitors, who had nothing to play for, got into their groove as the first half minutes ticked away, twice going close through long-range shots from James Coppinger and Kyle Bennett. It would get even better for Notts after the restart as Burke floated a cross into the area and Noble lost his man, brought down the ball and slotted it past Marosi. A Donny consolation came deep into injury time when Haydn Hollis was adjudged to have fouled Tyson in the box, allowing the striker to slot home from the spot, but it proved too little too late for the visitors. Notts moved out of the bottom four as a result of this win after Crawley blew a 3-2 lead to lose 4-3 at Peterborough. However, Colchester also gave themselves hope of survival with a 3-2 win at Fleetwood and a win for them at Swindon on Tuesday will put the Magpies back into the drop zone.

Notts County have met Doncaster Rovers 53 times over the years, with the first fixture coming on the 13th December 1930. On that occasion, an FA Cup tie, the Magpies triumphed 1-0. Rovers have the upper edge head-to-head, but only just. They have 23 wins against Notts and 22 defeats, with eight draws. We've played them twice this season already - we beat them in a JPT tie in December, before a goalless draw in the league the following month. The club was founded in 1879 and turned professional in 1885. They have spent the majority of their playing history between the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system and are one of four clubs to win the Division 3/League Two title three times, the last being in 2004. Football League rules state that any team who wins a trophy three times can keep it. However, when Rovers tried to retain ownership of the actual Third Division trophy, the Football League claimed that Rovers could not keep the trophy because the league names had changed from Fourth to Third Division, and so they had not won that particular league three times. The team's mascot is a brown dog known as Donny Dog, who wears the red and white Rovers jersey. Before a scheduled appearance during the game against Huddersfield Town at the Galpharm Stadium on 4 March 2006, police prevented Andrew Liney from entering the stadium in costume, citing unspecified "police intelligence", and refused him permission to wear any part of the costume within 50 metres of the stadium. Mr Liney later received a full written apology for these unfounded allegations from the head of West Yorkshire Police. The mascot was next portrayed by Tracy Chandler and in June 2011, she was relieved from the position after she posed in her underwear for a Sunday newspaper. Later in the same week she was reinstated back as the clubs mascot. Arguably the club's most famous fan is One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson. The 23-year-old had agreed to play in a charity game at the Keepmoat to raise money for the Bluebell Wood Charity and was offered a deal by Donny to join the club on non-contract terms after impressing in the game. Tomlinson also put himself forward to take over the club alongside John Ryan, but the deal fell through in July last year. --- Paddy McCourt is a major doubt after limping off in the defeat by Crawley, while Jamal Campbell-Ryce is not expected to feature. Doncaster boss Paul Dickov has no new injury or suspension concerns. Rovers' season is effectively over as they have nothing to play for - they are unable to reach the League One play-offs. Notts, meanwhile, are two points adrift of safety and without a win in 11 games.

Two games to go. That's all Notts have left if they are to salvage their League One status after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat at home to seemingly Championship-bound Preston North End. The Lilywhites broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when Jermaine Beckford produced a thundering finish from Joe Garner's setup. Garner then got on the scoresheet himself just after the half-hour mark when he fired in from inside the six-yard box after some poor Magpies defending. Notts set about trying to reduce the deficit and saw Graham Burke twice force goalkeeper Sam Johnstone into saves. The hosts' persistence paid off with just under 20 minutes left when Jimmy Spencer scored his first goal of the season after holding off a defender before turning and firing home. Meadow Lane roared their boys on and were rewarded with some great attacking play as they searched for an equaliser. Garry Thompson spurned a massive chance to draw level when put through by Liam Noble, but he could only fire at Johnstone's legs. And it proved costly as Beckford bagged his second five minutes from time when he raced through to drive past Roy Carroll and kill the game off.

Notts County and Preston North End are two of the oldest football clubs in the country (and by extension, the world), whose history goes back over 125 years. The first fixture between the two took place in November 1888, when North End defeated the Magpies 7-0 in the first ever season of the Football League. The 1888-89 season saw Preston remain unbeaten throughout, and would go on to become English football's first "Invincibles". This feat which remained unbroken until 2003-04 when Arsenal also went a whole top-flight season without losing - so really, Notts being thumped so heartily wasn't quite as bad a result as it seems! Aside from Preston going the whole season unbeaten, they were also the first EVER winners of the Football League. Oh, and they won the FA Cup that year too! The two clubs have met a total of 89 times, and sadly (for us Notts fans) the Lilywhites have the upper hand by quite a significant margin. They're won 42 times, while the Magpies have won 23 games. 24 draws have taken place. The two teams that have played the most games overall in the Football League are, in fact, Notts County and Preston North End! Meanwhile, Preston are ranked as the fourth most-successful English football club of all time domestically. Over the years, there have been some varied scorelines. We've talked about the 7-0 back in 1888, but we've also had 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, 4-3 and 4-2. Recently, meetings have been tamer (from a goal-scoring perspective). Since the turn of the millennium, only ten goals have been scored in the ten games we’ve played. We've played them twice this season, first in the league, a 1-1 draw away in August, and then a 1-0 defeat at Meadow Lane in the JPT. The National Football Museum was originally situated in Deepdale, Preston, but was moved to Manchester in 2012. Deepdale was used as the venue for the England U21s when they played Iceland in March 2011. Deepdale was used again at the end of the 2011-2012 season to host three U19s Elite Round matches with England, Slovenia and Switzerland all taking to the famous pitch. The three games were held at the end of May over six days. Preston have made the play-offs in a record eight seasons, spanning all three league divisions, but have not yet been promoted via this route. --- Paddy McCourt is an injury concern for Notts as he hobbled off after 33 minutes of the 2-0 defeat at Crawley on Saturday. Midfielder Liam Noble trained on Sunday and he could come back into the Magpies' squad after missing the last three games, while winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce will miss the remaining three matches with a knee injury. For Preston, Scott Laird, Jermaine Beckford and Paul Huntington all overcame problems to start at Port Vale last Friday as North End stretched their unbeaten run to 16 League One games, but three successive draws have seen MK Dons breathing down their necks in the bid for automatic promotion.

Well folks, it's looking grim now. Notts have three games to save their season after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat away at Crawley, compounding a run of 11 games without a win which puts us two points from safety. The opening goal at the Broadfield Stadium came on 15 minutes as defender Kelly Youga converted Anthony Wordsworth's corner with a spectacular overhead kick to leave Roy Carroll stranded. Notts were right up against it just two minutes later when Wordsworth's free kick was nodded home by Darren Ward. The visitors set about trying to reduce the deficit and went on to threaten as Blair Adams’ cross found the head of Jimmy Spencer, who forced Brian Jensen to tip the ball over the bar. Jensen then made another fine stop minutes later, diving to save Garry Thompson’s header, before coming up trumps later on when he kept out Gary Jones's volley. Youga had the sheer audacity to try out another overhead kick in the latter stages of the first half, but this time it sailed over the crossbar. Notts came out with intent after the restart, but failed to provide much of a threat as Izale McLeod’s header dropped wide on 57 minutes, before the same player forced Carroll into a stop just after the hour. With ten minutes to play, Crawley squandered a huge chance when Jordan Williams miscontrolled the ball and McLeod raced through. The striker was denied one-on-one by Carroll and, from the rebound, substitute Dean Morgan missed an open goal. Notts weren't able to muster up anything special in the last few minutes as Crawley sealed all three points and came out of the drop zone. Meanwhile the Magpies' descent into League Two creeps ever closer, unless Ricardo Moniz's boys are able to rip up their current form book and conjure up another Great Escape.

Notts County have only ever played Crawley Town five times in their history. The first ever fixture between the two was two and a half years ago, on November 10th 2012. This milestone first meeting between the two, played at Meadow Lane, finished 1-1. Meanwhile the return fixture, played away on the 9th March 2013, ended as a goalless draw.The last meeting was an exhilarating 5-3 win for the Magpies back in November, as Garry Thompson's hat-trick helped his side up into the playoffs. Crawley Town have been a non-league side for the majority of their history – 11 years ago, while Notts were struggling to survive in the old Second Division, Crawley had just been promoted from the Southern Football League! Crawley have won plenty of silverware in their history, though the majority of it is amateur-based. This changed when they won the Conference National title in 2011 and the League Two title just a year later. 2010-11 was a record-breaking season not just for Crawley, but also for the Conference. The West Sussex club broke the points total in one season (105) and tie with other teams for most wins in one season (31), fewest defeats (3), and highest goal difference (+63). Because of this season, alongside the funds they had to buy players and an unlikable manager (Steve Evans), they were known as “the Manchester United of non-league football”. Crawley have the smallest stadium in League One; the Broadfield Stadium holds a meagre 5,996 people. You could fit just over three and a half Broadfields inside Meadow Lane! The town of Crawley is known for being close - just three miles in fact - to Gatwick Airport, the world's busiest single-runway international airport. Famous people who have links to Crawley include Australian footballer Kevin Muscat (born in Crawley), Gareth Southgate (attended the town's Hazelwick School), English rock band The Cure (formed in Crawley, several of its members attended St Wilfrid's RC School) and Gorillaz lead singer 2D (a fictional character, his back story claims he grew up in the town). --- Crawley defender Darren Ward is back fit after a heel injury, while midfielder Josh Simpson could feature for the first time since November. Marvin Elliott will be assessed after an infection, but Dean Leacock and Conor Henderson are ruled out. Notts County midfielder Curtis Thompson is fit again and Balint Bajner's late equaliser against Barnsley has him pushing for a starting place. Both sides are in the relegation places with 47 points each. Leyton Orient, who are one place above the League One drop zone, are also on 47 points, but Crawley have played one more game than Notts and Orient.

Notts County have faced Barnsley a total of 65 times in their history, with the first meeting going back over a hundred years, on November 29, 1913. The result? A 3-1 win for the Magpies. Prior to this season, the two sides hadn't faced off for a decade, what with different leagues separating them both. The last game before this season, a Division 2 league match at Meadow Lane on January 21, 2004, ended in a 1-1 draw.Earlier in the season Notts beat Barnsley 3-2 away, thanks in part to Michael Petrasso's brace. That win saw us climb to fifth in the league... Barnsley FC was established in 1887 by a clergyman, Tiverton Preedy, under the name Barnsley St Peter’s, and played in the Sheffield and District League from 1890 and then in the Midland League from 1895. They joined the Football League in 1898, and struggled in Division Two for the first ten years, due in part to ongoing financial difficulties. In 1910 the club reached the FA Cup final, where they lost out to Newcastle United in a replay match. However, they would then reach the 1912 FA Cup Final where they would defeat West Bromwich Albion 1–0 in a replay to win the trophy for the first and only time in their history. Their sole season in the top flight came in 1997-98, where they were there for one year before going straight back down. The Tykes have played at Oakwell, a 29,003-seater stadium, since 1888. Also, they’ve spend more time in the second tier of English football than any other club in Football League history. Barnsley were one of a quartet of teams that made the 2007-08 FA Cup so special, as they beat Liverpool and Chelsea to join West Brom, Cardiff City and Portsmouth in the semi-finals. The following season, the Tykes fielded the youngest ever player in the history of the Football League at Ipswich Town when Reuben Noble-Lazarus came on aged 15 years and 45 days. Famous Barnsley fans include cricket umpire Dickie Bird, cricketer Darren Gough, and legendary chat show host Michael Parkinson. --- Jamal Campbell-Ryce is unlikely to feature on Tuesday night as he is nursing a knee injury sustained against Yeovil Town at the weekend. Notts are awaiting the results of a scan. Lee Johnson will assess his Barnsley squad after a couple of unnamed players missed training on Monday. The Tykes boss admitted that some of his players had picked up niggles during Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chesterfield and they will be checked before the trip down the M1. Jean Yves Mvoto remains doubtful with a groin injury, so Peter Ramage looks set to keep his place in defence.

A strange game in which to welcome two new managers to a football club, six games before the end of the season, saw Yeovil Town relegated from League One as Notts County held them to a 1-1 draw at Huish Park this afternoon. Ricardo Moniz secured his first point as Magpies boss, while Paul Sturrock's immediate project with the Glovers is to see out the season then rebuild for life in League Two.Notts were quickest off the starting blocks as Garry Thompson was denied by a Stephen Arthurworrey last-ditch challenge. The hosts then countered in the 10th minute through a Sam Foley free-kick and, with Byron Webster pressuring Haydn Hollis, the defender headed into his own net to give Yeovil the lead. The visitors tried to regroup and looked dangerous going forward, but the Yeovil defence managed to hold back their opponents. Hollis then nearly made his second major mistake of the match when he misjudged a back pass to Roy Carroll. The goalkeeper had to sprint from his box to beat the onrushing James Hayter to the ball. The Northern Irishman rescued the Magpies from conceding further with two great saves to deny Stephen Kingsley and then Chigozie Ugeu from close range. There was a warning moment for the hosts on the stroke of half time as Jimmy Spencer set up a good opportunity for himself just outside the box, but his left-footed effort went just wide of Artur Krysiak's post. Yeovil came out all guns blazing in the second half as Hayter had a shot saved easily by Carroll, before Ugwu showed his pace to beat Mullins but sliced his effort wide. Notts continued to push hard for an equaliser but found Krysiak in good form with the big Pole pulled off a stunning save to deny substitute Graham Burke. The Magpies eventually succeeded in pulling level with just 11 minutes remaining when Campbell-Ryce whipped a fine cross into the box for Garry Thompson to head in from a few yards out. Sensing all three points were now a realistic prospect, Moniz's charges pushed forward and, after a fine pass from Thompson, it took a brilliant diving block from Liam Shephard to thwart Burke's shot on goal. Yeovil then nearly grabbed an unexpected winner when Seth Twumasi sent a ball forward to Kieffer Moore and, after bringing the ball under control, his shot went just wide. Moore and Twumasi combined once more in added time, although this time it was the striker who was the provider and the latter's shot was well saved by Carroll. The final whistle ultimately blew on the game as both sides were left feeling distinctly glum. Yeovil's relegation to the bottom tier of the Football League was confirmed, while Notts continue to sit in the bottom four, though a mere point separates them from safety.