Joe Jones

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.

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.