Joe Jones

Saturday is just the 11th time that Notts County have faced Yeovil Town. The first meeting between the two came back in 1961, with the Magpies winning this FA Cup tie 4-2, but a whole 43 years passed until the second meeting, which came in 2004! Back in November the Glovers beat Notts 2-1 at Meadow Lane, thanks to two goals in the last six minutes by Jordan Clarke. Yeovil Football Club was founded in 1890, and shared their ground with the local rugby club for many years. Five years later they were renamed Yeovil Casuals and started playing home games at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground. In 1907 the name Yeovil Town was adopted, which on amalgamation with Petters United became Yeovil and Petters United. The name reverted to Yeovil Town prior to the 1946–47 season. The Somerset outfit have spent most of their existence in the lower leagues, though they briefly made a name for themselves in the 1948-49 season when they beat Sunderland 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round. In the 1980s, Yeovil were founder members of the Football Conference, where they remained for the next two decades, save for a few relegations to the Isthmian League which usually resulted in an instant return to the above tier. Yeovil Town earned promotion to the Football League in the 2002-03 season, by winning the Football Conference by a record 17 points margin, accumulating 95 points and scoring 100 goals, remaining unbeaten at Huish Park. In their second ever season in the Football League, the Glovers went one better by achieving promotion to the third tier as champions of League Two, and in the following years even reached the League One playoffs, beating Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals in 2006-07 before losing to Blackpool in the final at Wembley. Six years later, however, Yeovil achieved what had been deemed unthinkable a decade earlier - they reached the second tier of English football after beating Brentford in the 2013 League One play-off final. Their stay in the Championship was brief, however, and after being relegated at the end of the season, they've found themselves struggling back in the third tier, currently sitting at the foot of the table. Yeovil is a pretty small town, home to just 40,000 people - two Meadow Lanes could comfortably take in the entire population! In the 21st century, Yeovil became the first town in Britain to institute a system of biometric fingerprint scanning in nightclubs, and the first English council to ban the children's craze Heelys (those trainers with wheels that popped out from the heels) --- Saturday's game will see both sides with new managers in charge, somewhat of a rarity this late on in the season. Paul Sturrock, appointed as the Glovers' new boss on Thursday, will most likely miss captain Joe Edwards as he continues to struggle with an ankle problem. The likes of Nathan Smith, James Berrett and Kieffer Moore will all hope to feature at Huish Park. Six defeats in a row have left Yeovil 13 points adrift at the bottom of League One and defeat to County would see them relegated to the fourth tier. Meanwhile, Ricardo Moniz will also take charge of Notts County for the first time. Ronan Murray, Curtis Thompson and Taylor McKenzie remain unavailable to the Dutchman through injury. Blair Adams and Jordan Williams are defensive options for Moniz should he wish to make any changes to the starting line-up, while midfielder Liam Noble and forwards Leroy Lita and Balint Bajner provide alternatives in attack.

Shaun Derry will always have a place in the hearts of Notts County fans after his miraculous work in keeping the Magpies up during the 2013-14 season. Born in Nottingham, he began his career at Meadow Lane before making a name for himself at a host of clubs including Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Queens Park Rangers, proving a popular figure in every team he graced. In November Derry was appointed Notts manager, where six wins in his last nine games and a draw on the final day of the season kept the Magpies up despite having been eight points from safety just a few weeks earlier. After a bright start this season, results ended up tailing off and Derry was dismissed in March, but nobody will ever forget the exhilarating “Great Escape” of 2013-14. Derry appeared on talkSPORT this week to discuss his time at Notts as well as his general career across the many clubs he’s played for. Are you enjoying being out of management after the intense period you’ve had at Notts? I was disappointed when the news came my way on Monday, but I am an optimistic person whose mindset is “don’t get too down and disillusioned”. I’m enjoying being back in London, spending more time with my kids and wife. I’m not going to lie, I am disappointed with what happened, but I’m looking forward. How did you find that transition from player to manager? It was very strange and it happened so quickly. As a player I always respected managers who told me the truth. I can’t say that I had a strategy of what I was doing because I’d come from being a player. I had an experienced assistant in Greg Abbott, and when I spoke to him I said, “I’m going to try and be honest with all the players”, and that’s what I was. When you got the job did you ask for advice from fellow managers, or look to do things your way? I made a claim to do it my way and I wanted to have a go at it. Older players have a strong opinion, and the opinions of confident older players can sometimes get in the way. When I was playing at QPR and Millwall I wanted to have a go at management. I was given the opportunity at Notts to state my own ethos and I wanted to be me. How far are you in terms of doing the coaching badges? I’m not yet on my pro licence, I’m just on the A licence at the minute. I think there’s a huge scope of improvement on the badges, if I’m honest. The badges give you a platform to build on the experience you gain, but I don’t think any badges could have got me ready for the past 17 months I’ve had. How do you feel about having managed Notts? Notts County is a club that will always be close to my heart. Nottingham is the place where I was born, I played my first game for Notts on my tenth birthday, so to go ahead and manage them was a dream come true and I thoroughly enjoyed my 17 months there. Why did things turn so bad towards the end of your spell at Notts? Ultimately as a football manager you get judged on results. When Greg and I walked into the club, it was very low on confidence. The structure wasn’t there, and we managed to put that structure ready for the next person to take control and I think in time it will be a very good football club to manage. At this moment in time, the reason I got sacked was because the results weren’t good enough; it’s as simple as that. Derry also talked about Jimmy Spencer: Jimmy is a talisman they’ve missed all season. He’s a thorough-back. He was our main signing and we were waiting for him to recover from his injury. Now he’s back, it will be down to him if Notts are to stay up. He’s your old-fashioned number nine. He gets the ball, holds it, heads it and brings players in. With JCR on the right wing, if they can get the right service to Jimmy, he will cause so many problems for opposition defenders. He’s also shown very strong character to recover from his cruciate ligament injury in the space of seven months, which is why I reckon Notts have a good chance of staying up this year.

Notts County remain in the bottom four following a third draw in a row, a goalless stalemate against Coventry City at Meadow Lane. After a cagey start from both sides, Alan Smith played Hayden Mullins in, the latter letting rip from 25 yards and forcing a diving save from goalkeeper Lee Burge. Garry Thompson was then brought down moments later to gift the Magpies a free kick, but Gary Jones' dead-ball effort cannoned into the wall, with the rebound drilled wide. The Sky Blues had a decent spell towards the end of the first half, winning several corners that put pressure on the hosts, but as it was, there was no breakthrough come the half-time whistle. Coventry continued to look bright after the restart, with Adam Barton latching onto a cross at the back post but firing wide. Paul Hart's charges countered with a series of attacks, one of which saw Burge spill the ball the way of Nicky Wroe. The 29-year-old headed towards goal but the Coventry defence was able to frantically clear. Just after the hour there was more reason for Notts fans to raise their voice as Thompson smacked a header against the post. Both sides went hell for leather in the latter stages of the game, as Coventry saw Jordan Willis force a save from Roy Carroll with a flukey cross that seemed goalbound, while Liam Noble combined well with Mullins and Balint Bajner to curl an effort just wide. The Sky Blues nearly sealed all three points at the death through a goalbound Barton header, but the veteran Notts stopper pulled off a marvellous save to secure a point for his beleaguered side. Notts will visit relegation-bound Yeovil Town at the weekend in what will be an incredibly nervy and edgy game, because time is running out on our stay in the third tier as things stand.

There haven’t been many fixtures between Notts County and Coventry City, in all fairness: just 37 in the last 95 years. The first took place on the 6th November 1920, the Meadow Lane match ending in a 1-1 draw. There have plenty of high-scoring games between the two, with several 5-1s, 3-0s and 4-2s over the years. Notts County have the upper hand in the head-to-heads – 19 victories over the Sky Blues, 11 defeats and 7 draws.In 2001, Coventry were relegated from the Premier League after 34 years in the first tier. At the time, only Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal could boast longer tenures in the top flight. In 2012, Coventry were relegated to the third tier in English Football for the first time in 48 years. Coventry’s new stadium, the 32,609-capacity Ricoh Arena, was opened in August 2005, but following a rent dispute with the ground's owners the club opted to play their home games at Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium starting in the 2013–14 season, a move which didn’t prove popular with Sky Blues fans. On 21 August 2014, it was announced an agreement had been reached allowing the club to return to the Ricoh Arena for the next two years with the option of another two years. The club’s proudest moment was undoubtedly the 1987 FA Cup final at Wembley, which was won by the Sky Blues thanks to an enthralling 3-2 win after two hours of football. Following Tottenham Hotspur player Gary Mabbutt’s own goal in extra time, which set Coventry on the way to their win, a fanzine was created called GMK – Gary Mabbutt’s Knee! --- Notts County have no new injury problems for Monday's game. Ronan Murray, Curtis Thompson and Taylor McKenzie all remain sidelined for the hosts while Alan Smith and Liam Noble could be in line for a recall. Nick Proschwitz may return for Coventry with Dominic Samuel returning to parent club Reading and Marcus Tudgay injured. Reda Johnson is unlikely to be risked but James Maddison may be on the bench after three months out.

Notts have made it two games unbeaten as they performed admirably against a tough Walsall side at the Banks's Stadium and secure a point in a 0-0 draw. The hosts had the first sniff of goal just two minutes in when Haydn Hollis's mistake allowed Jordan Cook to surge into the area, but despite the one-on-one opportunity, he clipped the ball wide of the post.Notts then threatened as Sean Newton sent a cross the way of Jimmy Spencer, who failed to get his head over the ball to trouble goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell. Walsall enjoyed the bulk of possession in the first half without truly testing Roy Carroll, and seven minutes before the break the Magpies could have taken the lead through Graham Burke's rocket from 25 yards, only for O'Donnell to tip the ball over. The Saddlers continued to push on after the restart and saw Cook head against the post before firing against the woodwork in a frantic two-minute spell. Cook thought he had scored when he saw a header clip the bar and drop onto the line before it was hacked clear, before he was denied again by a superb save by Carroll. Substitute Liam Noble proved a livewire for the visitors as he shot wide of the post shortly after coming on before testing O'Donnell with a low drive. During the attack, Garry Thompson appeared to have been held back by Adam Chambers, prompting penalty calls which were not answered. With the ball still in play, Jordan Williams then let rip with an effort towards goal that took a deflection and went out for a corner. In the final stages of the game, Gary Jones was sent clean through from a Noble pass and tried to beat O'Donnell at his near post, but the Walsall keeper pulled off a smart save to ultimately see the game end goalless.

Notts and Walsall’s fixture history dates back to the 1890s, but there haven’t been that many fixtures despite over a century of head-to-heads. The first game took place on the 20th January 1894 and resulted in a 2-0 win for the Magpies. In total, there have been 63 fixtures between the two sides, and this time, Notts hold the upper edge with 26 wins. The Saddlers have won 21 times, and 16 draws have taken place, with the last game back in November 2014 being won by them 2-1 at Meadow Lane. Walsall were formed as Walsall Town Swifts in 1888 when two local teams, Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. merged. The newly formed team’s first match was against Aston Villa, and resulted in a draw Two players from this early era received England caps while at the club: Alf Jones and Albert Aldridge. They remain the only Walsall players to be so honoured. In 1896, the Swifts changed their name to Walsall FC, the name that lives on today. The club's nickname, The Saddlers, reflects Walsall's status as a traditional centre for saddle manufacture. Walsall had Arsenal and England legend Paul Merson on their books a decade ago, as player and player-manager. Sky Sports' Soccer AM have given Walsall the nickname "Warsaw" due to the similarity when pronouncing Walsall and Warsaw. The presenters of Soccer AM often refer to Walsall as "our friends from Poland". In the film Fever Pitch, the day Arsenal were beaten by Walsall in the League Cup Fourth Round in 1984 is mentioned by Mark Strong as Steve during a game of pool with Colin Firth as Paul. Rob Halford from Judas Priest grew in in Walsall, while drum and bass musician and actor Goldie was born in the city. --- Tom Bradshaw is out as he is struggling with a hamstring problem. Romaine Sawyers is back, though, after being on international duty with St Kitts and Nevis last week. Rico Henry has returned to full training after a dislocated shoulder which had left him sidelined since February. Roy Carroll and Paddy McCourt return to the Notts squad following international duty with Northern Ireland. Paul Hart and Mick Halsall drew their first game in charge against Scunthorpe last weekend and may keep an unchanged side. Ronan Murray, Curtis Thompson and Taylor McKenzie are all set to miss out with injury for relegation-threatened Notts.

Notts stopped the rot today but will rue the missed opportunity of securing a priceless three points as they held Scunthorpe United to a 2-2 draw at Meadow Lane. The visitors began in outstanding fashion as they won two successive corners in the first minute. From the second of these, Paddy Madden’s header was tipped on to the bar by Kevin Pilkington, before Theo Robinson pounced to nod in the rebound. Notts quickly came back as a fingertip save by Luke Daniels from a Garry Thompson strike stopped the hosts from pulling level. Gary Jones then let fly from distance but Daniels just managed to hold on to the ball. A few minutes later, however, he smashed an effort into the net from 25 yards which left Daniels helpless. The home side continued to fashion the better of the chances as Daniels rushed out quickly to deny former Iron loanee Jimmy Spencer as he raced clear. Scunthorpe then came close to retaking the lead on the half hour mark as Isaiah Osbourne was fouled on the edge of the box and Gary McSheffrey's free kick was deflected narrowly wide. The Iron started the second half strongly as a weighted pass from Liam O’Neil found Robinson who then released McSheffrey, but Kevin Pilkington was quick to smother his effort. Notts replied quickly as they won a free kick 25 yards out and Sean Newton’s effort clipped the top of the bar before going over. They then took the lead with 15 minutes to go as a ball into the box fell to the feet of Balint Bajner, who lashed home from 12 yards out. Scunthorpe fought their way back into the match, though, and four minutes from time a McSheffrey free kick found Niall Canavan in the box, heading home via the post.

Notts County against Scunthorpe United is a relatively new fixture in English football - the first time these two faced off was on the 4th January 1969 in the old Division Four. On that day, goals by George Kerr and Nigel Cassidy gave the Iron a 2-1 victory (Richie Barker netted the consolation for the Magpies). Since then, the two sides have played 26 games, Notts winning 18, losing five and drawing three. The last meeting was on October 25 last year, where Zeli Ismail's last-minute goal gave the Magpies a 1-0 win at Glanford Park. Scunthorpe United was formed in 1899. In 1910 they merged with local rivals Lindsey United to become Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, and joined the Midland Football League in 1912. In 1950 was accepted into the Football League, ahead of Workington and Wigan Athletic when the league structure was expanded, with the "Lindsey" part of the name being dropped shortly after. Ever since the club entered the league their nickname has been ‘The Iron’, a metal which has long played a role in the team’s nomenclature. Before 1950s Scunthorpe United were known as the Knuts. The origin is uncertain but it is generally accepted as being when they won one of the local charity cups. The vicar of Frodingham, the Rev Cryspant Rust, said “that indeed Scunthorpe and Lindsey United were a tough (k)nut to beat”. For a small club, the Iron have an impressive roll call of former players and managers. The most notable is Kevin Keegan, one of England's greatest ever footballers, who played for Scunny between 1966 and 1971. Other alumni, either in a playing or managing capacity, include Ray Clemence, cricketer Ian Botham, Ian Storey-Moore, Neil Warnock, Jermaine Beckford, Billy Sharp, Andy Keogh, and current Leicester City manager Nigel Adkins, who used to be the club's physiotherapist. --- Caretaker boss Paul Hart has Liam Noble available for his first game in charge - the midfielder has missed the last three games through suspension. County's 4-1 defeat at MK Dons last time out signalled the end of Shaun Derry's reign as boss with the club only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. New loan signings Graham Burke and Jordan Williams are set to be thrown straight into the starting line-up. Meanwhile Scunthorpe's new loan signing Theo Robinson could make his debut for the club after arriving from Doncaster Rovers on Thursday. The Iron will be without defender Miguel Llera, who sits out a one-game ban following his dismissal for two yellow cards in the midweek defeat at Sheffield United. On-loan Everton midfielder John Lundstram made his debut in midweek as boss Mark Robins made five changes. Forward Gary McSheffrey, midfielder Liam O'Neil and winger Hakeeb Adelakun will also be hoping to retain their places.

Notts find themselves ever closer to the League One drop zone after capitulating in the second half at the hands of the MK Dons in a 4-1 thrashing. The first concrete chance of the game came in the tenth minute when Carl Baker swept an effort just wide of the post. Ben Reeves had a shot blocked and Roy Carroll was forced into several smart saves by efforts from Lewis Baker and Daniel Powell. Devante Cole was then sent clean through on 20 minutes but his shot went wide, before Ben Reeves forced another great save from Carroll. The Dons were unable to break the deadlock in the first half, but just after the hours they eventually opened the scoring when Carl Baker collected Reeves's pass before smashing home. Notts conceded again in the 75th minute as Lewis Baker scored with a cheeky lob, but the deficit was halved six minutes later when substitute Jimmy Spencer forced a save from David Martin that was spilled out to Elliott Whitehouse, who tapped home to make it 2-1. The hosts regained their two-goal cushion with seven minutes remaining when Dean Bowditch reached the byline before lashing a cutback towards Grigg, who poked home to kill off the game. Grigg then added a fourth in stoppage time to compound Notts's misery and leave them with a lot of work to do if they are to survive the drop.

If we take into account that the Milton Keynes Dons began their history in 2004, then Notts County have faced the club just 13 times. The first fixture took place in 2006, which was won by the Dons 3-2. Its predecessor, Wimbledon, was around for over 110 years, but nonetheless, Notts have only played six games against them.A depressing statistic: out of 19 games between the Magpies and both Dons incarnations, we’ve only won once. The last game, on Boxing Day 2014, was a 1-0 defeat at Meadow Lane. The Buckinghamshire-based outfit has been the subject of much controversy since its former incarnation, Wimbledon, moved from London to Milton Keynes, discarded its previous history and became the Milton Keynes Dons. Many feel aggrieved that such a move was allowed to take place. A new club was then created called AFC Wimbledon that, in the space of less than a decade, rose through the leagues to reach League Two. Fate has drawn the two teams together on the pitch three times in two years, with MK winning twice and losing once. The first fixture between the two sides took place in the second round of the 2012–13 FA Cup, where they were drawn to play each other at stadium:MK. MK Dons won that match 2-1, with a winner scored in injury time by Jon Otsemobor and dubbed by the fans as "The Heel of God”. In the second game when Kyle McFadzean scored the opening goal with his heel it was immediately dubbed "The Heel of God II". The town of Milton Keynes, about 56 miles (90 km) north of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a new town in 1967. It is known for its statues of concrete cows and many, many roundabouts (300, or if you count painted bumps, over a thousand). --- MK Dons forward Dean Bowditch may be rested after struggling with a groin problem. Midfielder Dele Alli is not ready for a return from an ankle injury, and Darren Potter serves the final game of a two-match ban. Notts have Jamal Campbell-Ryce back from a leg injury and he is likely to replace Elliott Whitehouse. Midfielder Liam Noble remains unavailable as he serves the final game of a three-match suspension.

Another matchday, another defeat. The dark clouds truly are hovering above Meadow Lane. Rochdale were this week's beneficiaries, helping themselves to three points at Notts County's ground on Tuesday night as the Magpies lost 2-1. The hosts threatened first through Paddy McCourt, who weaved his way into the area before attempting a lob that failed to trouble Jamie Jones but showed intent. Dale countered through Ian Henderson, who got to a Tom Kennedy cross at the back post but saw his volley go over. The 30-year-old came close again not long after as he fired wide with the outside of his right foot, but Notts were then able to push on as McCourt strode forward and sent a low shot towards goal that the Dale keeper kept out. Shaun Derry’s charges were smelling blood and went on to take the lead on the half-hour mark, as Elliott Whitehouse’s cross ricocheted off the back post and out, where Garry Thompson was able to nod into the net. Sadly the visitors were level after just five minutes, Mike Edwards’s misjudged back header was seized upon by Henderson, who piled forward and slotted home. Notts set about trying to restore their lead and came within a whisker of doing so when Leroy Lita cut the ball back to Thompson, but he failed to connect from close range. The score was 1-1 come the break, and after the restart the Magpies threatened as Thompson drew a brilliant save from Jones. Just as Notts were beginning to build momentum, however, Dale went on to take the lead when Henderson's long-range shot cannoned off the foot of the post. The ball came back out to Peter Vincenti who, with an open goal, had the simple task of slotting home, and he did just that. Notts appeared to crumble after conceding their second of the game and, despite a decent Blair Adams effort that Jones was able to keep out, Dale were able to hold on for all three points and consign the hosts to yet another defeat.

Notts and Rochdale have only met a total of 39 times over the years, with the first meeting coming on the 10th December 1949. During this FA Cup clash at Spotland, the Magpies triumphed 2-1. The last meeting between the two was in December 2014, a 2-2 draw at Spotland. Rochdale AFC was formed in 1907, and in their entire history, they have only ever switched divisions six times. They have had three promotions and three relegations, with promotion coming in 1969, 2010 and 2014, while relegation came in 1959, 1974 and 2012. The club reached the League Cup final in 1962 – the first time a club from the bottom league division has reached the final of a major competition – where they lost to Norwich City. Rochdale played 36 consecutive seasons in the Football League's bottom division from 1974 to 2010, the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the League, with some even derisively renaming it "the Rochdale Division". The club have the lowest average position of all the clubs which have existed continuously in the Football League since its expansion to four divisions in 1921–22 (76th), and since its expansion to 92 clubs in 1950–51 (79th). Additionally, they share with Hartlepool United the distinction of having played the most seasons in the Football League without ever reaching the top two tiers (82 seasons through 2009–10). Rochdale play their home matches at Spotland, which has a capacity of 10,249. The stadium was built exclusively for the Dale in 1920, but since 1988 the ground has been jointly owned by the football club, Rochdale Council and Rochdale Hornets. --- Notts will check on Jamal Campbell-Ryce after he missed the home draw with Bradford on Saturday because of a leg injury. Midfielder Liam Noble remains unavailable as he serves the second game of a three-match suspension. Rochdale midfielder Stephen Dawson and defender Olly Lancashire are pushing for recalls to the starting line-up. Meanwhile, defender Joe Rafferty remains doubtful due to a hamstring problem and Calvin Andrew is recovering from minor knee surgery.

Today it honestly looked like it was going to be another stumble towards the trapdoor, yet another phase of the freefall. Luckily, Notts County managed to nab a point against Bradford City this afternoon at Meadow Lane, thanks to Mike Edwards's thumping header in the second half. County had gone the closest up to then in a tight first half when Garry Thompson’s goal-bound header against his old club was blocked in front of the net by Gary MacKenzie before being cleared. Curtis Thompson then tried his luck from 25 yards as his shot whistled past the post, but as the half went in to added time, Francois Zoko powered past Hayden Mullins and, from the byline, teed up Jon Stead to break the deadlock. City had great chances to extend their advantage after the break, particularly when James Hanson and Zoko were both denied on the line. Notts kept plugging, however, and they then pulled it back 15 minutes from time as Edwards thumped a header home following a corner from Gary Jones. The Bantams went straight back on the attack, Hanson sending a looping header just wide, while Notts came close through Balint Bajner and Curtis Thompson. The result edges Notts a notch up the League One table, with Shaun Derry's charges now sitting 18th, but still four points above the drop zone.

Notts have faced Bradford 66 times in their history - the first clash came in 1908, when the First Division fixture at Meadow Lane finished 1-1. Over the years, the Magpies have the edge, with 28 wins over the Bantams, 23 defeats, and 15 draws. The last game between the two was on December 28 year, a 1-0 win for Bradford at Valley Parade. Bradford City was founded in 1903. It was immediately elected into Division Two of the Football League despite not having played a previous game. Promotion to the top tier followed in 1908 and the club won the FA Cup in 1911, its only major honour. After relegation in 1922 from Division One, the club spent 77 years outside the top flight until promotion to the Premier League in 1999. City stayed up - with a then record low of 36 points - in the first season in the Premier League, but were relegated the following season. In the 2012–13 season, Bradford sent shockwaves through the world of football by becoming the first ever team from the bottom tier of English football to reach a major domestic Wembley cup final, the League Cup, but sadly the fairytale couldn't be completed as they lost 5–0 to Swansea City. The Bantams have never had a manager from outside Great Britain and Ireland. A number of recent ex-Notts players now ply their trade for the club, including Alan Sheehan, Gary Liddle and Francois Zoko. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Bradford rose to prominence during the 19th century as an international centre of textile manufacture, particularly wool. It was a boomtown of the Industrial Revolution, and amongst the earliest industrialised settlements, rapidly becoming the "wool capital of the world". Sadly, the textile sector in Bradford fell into decline from the mid-20th century. Since this time, however, Bradford has emerged as a tourist destination, becoming the first UNESCO City of Film with attractions such as the National Media Museum, Bradford City Park, the Alhambra theatre and Cartwright Hall. --- Liam Noble starts a three-match ban following his dismissal in the 3-0 loss to Swindon. Garry Thompson, Alan Smith, Nicky Wroe and Will Hayhurst are all in contention to fill the gap in Shaun Derry's starting line-up. Bradford City could give a debut to Jak Alnwick after the goalkeeper joined from Newcastle on Friday. Midfielder Mark Yeates came off the bench to score in Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Coventry and could start.

Gillingham striker Cody McDonald has signed a new two-year contract at the club. The 28-year-old, whose previous deal was due to expire in the summer, will now remain at the Priestfield Stadium until the summer of 2017. McDonald, who is in his third spell with the Gills, has scored 16 goals in 38 appearances this season. --- Port Vale have re-signed Cardiff City midfielder Tommy O'Sullivan on loan until mid-April. The 20-year-old was on loan at Vale Park earlier this season, making his only Valiants appearance from the bench against Walsall in mid-February. --- Doncaster Rovers have signed Rotherham United striker Jonson Clarke-Harris on a youth loan. The 20-year-old joined the Millers from Oldham in September for a club record fee and has scored three goals in 14 league games for the Championship side. --- Charlton Athletic midfielder Oliver Muldoon has signed a new contract with the Championship club and joined Gillingham on loan. The 20-year-old, who is yet to make his senior debut for the Addicks, will remain at The Valley until the summer of 2017. He will be with the Gills until the end of the season. --- Leyton Orient will be without Romain Vincelot for the remainder of their relegation battle after the midfielder suffered a knee injury. The 29-year-old Frenchman damaged medial ligaments in the 1-0 defeat at Peterborough on Saturday and will be sidelined for the rest of the campaign. Vincelot has scored four goals in 33 appearances for the O's this season. --- Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony intends to let caretaker manager Dave Robertson and his team continue in the role. "I haven't made a call and I don't intend to," MacAnthony told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. "Why would I? "The three lads who are now in charge, with the rest of the management staff, are doing a great job, and I don't want to put too much pressure on them." --- Aston Villa and Leeds United are said to be keen on signing Jake Andrews from Bristol City. A clutch of teams are supposedly hopeful of signing the 17-year-old, with the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Hull City and Ipswich Town also said to be keeping a close eye on the central-midfielder.

It was always going to be a hard task, wasn't it? Just a shame that it went from being promisingly goalless at the break to conceding three in the and having a man sent off - one who is increasingly proving a liability with his lack of discipline - in the second half of today's game, a 3-0 defeat away at Swindon Town. The Magpies started brightly and could have taken the lead early on as Gary Jones and Liam Noble both tested goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. Swindon countered through Andy Williams, who had a chance when Haydn Hollis missed a clearance, but the Robins man bent his shot wide of the post. The only moment of note being a flare up on far touchline that saw Jack Stephens and Paddy McCourt go in the book after a late tackle on Williams. Swindon were passing well and making Notts work hard to keep them at bay, with the goalless scoreline remaining that way going into the break. The hosts wasted a couple of chances in the first ten minutes after the restart, but just before the hour, they broke the deadlock. Taylor Swift, picking the ball up 30 yards from goal, marauded into Notts's final third before unleashing a curling effort to beat Carroll at full length.* Not long afterwards, Swift fired a shot that Carroll parried and in trying to get to the rebound bundled into Williams, prompting the referee to award the hosts a penalty. Williams duly stepped up and sent the Northern Irishman the wrong way to double his side's lead. After the goals Town controlled the game without creating much, and Notts self-destructed with six minutes to go when Liam Noble talked himself into two bookings and a sending off in quick succession. It allowed Harry Toffolo to complete the scoring with the game nearing its conclusion, latching on to Massimo Luongo’s rebounded effort to score from close range. --- *Actually is John Swift. Since the match report is so miserable, I thought I'd throw you something to make you sit up.

Notts County have met Swindon Town on 62 occasions, the first time being 103 years ago in the FA Cup. On that day in January 1911, the Robins beat the Magpies 2-0 at the County Ground. Of the 62 clashes, 24 have been won by Notts, 26 by Swindon, and 12 have been drawn. The last meeting between the two was in December last year, when the Robins won 3-0 at Meadow Lane, thanks to an Andy Williams brace and a strike from Massimo Luongo. The club was founded in 1879 by Reverend William Baker Pitt. Yes, you read that right! Whilst curate of Christ Church, the high church of Swindon, Pitt formed Swindon Association Football Club to provide recreation for young men in his parish. Swindon won the Southern League championship in 1910-11, earning themselves a Charity Shield clash with Football League champions Manchester United. This, the highest-scoring Charity Shield game to date, was played on 25 September 1911 at Stamford Bridge with Manchester United winning 8–4! Some of the proceeds of this game were later donated to the survivors of the Titanic. During World War II, The War Department – the government body responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces in the UK – took over the County Ground in 1940, where for a while prisoners of war were housed in huts placed on the pitch. For this, the club received compensation of £4,570 at war’s end. Swindon Town were the first League club to use floodlights, having had them installed in 1951. The County Ground is also the only football stadium in the world with a Rolex watch acting as its timekeeper –the clock on the Stratton Bank stand featuring its name was erected to celebrate promotion in 1963. Swindon have spent one season in the top flight, in 1992-93, during which Glenn Hoddle managed them. Sadly, they didn't do too well, being relegated at the end of the season after conceding 100 goals. The most notable silverware in the Robins’ possession is undoubtedly the League Cup, won in 1969 after beating Arsenal in the final at Wembley. Royle Family and Two Pints Of Lager actor Ralf Little was rumoured to be on trial at Swindon back in 2002, though the funnyman later claimed that he was just training with the squad. Pint-sized jazz singer Jamie Cullum is also a fan of the Robins. --- Swindon look set to be without Louis Thompson for a few weeks after the midfielder suffered suspected shoulder ligament damage last weekend against Crewe. He has returned to parent club Norwich City while he awaits a specialist's opinion on the injury. Nathan Byrne should recover from a dead leg sustained in the midweek defeat to Gillingham. Ben Gladwin is expected to be fit after a neck injury, while Jack Stephens and Anton Rodgers could return after suspension and injury respectively. Notts have no new problems as they look to seal back-to-back wins in the league for the first time since October. Leroy Lita could be handed his full debut after making his first appearance for the club as a substitute against Colchester United in midweek. Shaun Derry can also call on Alan Smith, Will Hayhurst, Nicky Wroe, Sean Newton and Balint Bajner should he want to reshuffle his his starting XI. Ronan Murray will miss the remainder of the season with a recurrence of a groin problem he suffered in training.

Notts County striker Ronan Murray will miss the rest of the season because of complications with a groin injury. Murray, 23, has not played since January because of the problem and boss Shaun Derry confirmed the forward will miss the last 13 games of the season. - Fleetwood Town have signed midfielder Akil Wright from Northern Premier League side Ilkeston.The 18-year-old has moved for a "undisclosed but sizeable fee" according to Ilkeston, with further clauses also included. Wright joins striker Ashley Hunter in moving to the League One side from the Derbyshire side this season. - Defender George Ray has signed a new two-year contract with League One side Crewe Alexandra. The 21-year-old centre-back has agreed a deal that will keep him with the Alex until the summer of 2017. - Colchester United boss Tony Humes does not know if defender Sean Clohessy has a future at the club, after a show of dissent towards the manager. Clohessy, 31, refused to shake Humes's hand while being substituted against Doncaster last weekend. He was then dropped for Tuesday's League One loss to Notts County and will not face Rochdale on Saturday. - Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson says reaching a Wembley FA Cup semi-final would be a bigger achievement than their League Cup final appearance. League One Bradford will reach the semi-finals for the first time in 104 years if they beat Reading on Saturday. - Peterborough United caretaker boss Dave Robertson hopes he is giving chairman Darragh MacAnthony a dilemma over whether to give him the job full-time. Robertson has won both of his games in charge since Darren Ferguson left his role as manager of the League One club. And this week he will meet MacAnthony, who is set to fly into the country. - New Coventry City boss Tony Mowbray says he hopes to help the Sky Blues back to where they "rightfully belong". The new City boss is charged with the task of halting the ex-Premier League side's relegation to the fourth tier of English football for the first time since 1959 - Blackpool's Steven Davies is on the verge of a move to Sheffield United after requesting to leave Bloomfield Road. The striker was pulled out of the side that lost 1-0 at Birmingham after asking manager Lee Clark for permission to speak to the League One club.

Notts picked up a desperately-needed three points this evening as a Paddy McCourt goal in the second half was enough to seal a 1-0 win away at Colchester United. Within the opening ten minutes of the game, Gary Jones saw his effort deflected behind for a corner. Moments later, Jamal Campbell-Ryce skipped past two defenders and struck a low shot that had to be tipped round the post by Sam Walker. The Colchester stopper continued to shine as he denied JCR once again before saving a venomous drive by Blair Adams that looked destined for the top corner. Notts risked conceding late on in the first half when slack defending left George Moncur with a free chance at goal, but Roy Carroll was equal to the effort. Following the restart, the Northern Irish keeper had to be at his best to deny Gavin Massey, who had unlocked the Notts back line and raced through on goal. The visitors were finally able to break the deadlock 68 minutes in when Campbell-Ryce curled a cross towards the back post, where McCourt was able to nod home. Minutes later, Notts got out of jail again when a deflected Macauley Bonne strike was deflected and required Adams to clear off the line. Following that attempt, the Magpies were able to see the game out and secure a much-needed three points. Notts are by no means out of trouble, and there's a very tricky fixture away at Swindon Town this weekend, but it's a decent start - let's hope we're able to turn the corner now!

Notts County have met Colchester United a modest 41 times over the years, all league encounters except for one Sherpa Vans Trophy tie in 1988. Notts hold the marginal upper edge, having won 19 games to Colchester's 14, with 8 draws. All league encounters between the two have never taken place higher than the third tier. The recent history between those two sides is very positive for the Magpies - we have won the last six games against the Essex side, by an aggregate score of 17-3! The last game was back in August last year, a 2-1 league win at Meadow Lane. Colchester United Football Club is a baby in English football club terms, having been born in 1937. However, Colchester Town Football Club, the club's predecessor, was around since 1873. Despite dwindling crowds in the mid-1930s, though, they refused to follow its neighbours Ipswich Town in turning professional, much to the disapproval of its fans and players. As a result, Colchester United was formed, with the intention of playing professionally, and went on from strength to strength while its stubborn neighbour fell into decline and eventually folded. Colchester United are responsible for one of the FA Cup's greatest ever upsets, when, in February 1971, they defeated the infamous Don Revie's Leeds United, an established top flight side who would finish second that season, by three goals to two. The U's were in the fourth division at the time. The U's won the Football League Trophy (now the Johnstone's Paint Trophy) in 1996-97. and also compete in a competition called the Essex Senior Cup, a tournament contested by mostly non-league clubs within the region (Colchester usually field a youth/reserve team for this), winning this trophy back in 2009-10. Micky Cook holds the all time club record for appearances with Colchester, having played nearly 700 games between 1969 and 1984. Notable former players include Titus Bramble, Alec Chamberlain, Mark Kinsella, Kevin Lisbie and Newcastle cult hero Lomana LuaLua. The town of Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who died in AD 79. It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain, and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network. Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state. --- Colchester midfielder Tom Lapslie could return from an ankle injury, but Sammie Szmodics is unlikely to feature as he is still recovering from a foot problem. George Moncur came off the bench in Saturday's loss at Doncaster and is pushing for a starting place after recovering from tonsillitis. Notts have no new injury worries - Alan Smith, Will Hayhurst, Sean Newton and Gary Jones are all options if boss Shaun Derry wants to make changes.

Another matchday, another defeat. A decent enough performance by Notts who nevertheless find themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against Port Vale. The visitors dominated possession in the opening five minutes at Meadow Lane, but it was Notts who had the first chance when Liam Noble’s 20-yard strike was caught by Chris Neal. Vale took the lead on seven minutes when Byron Moore curled a pass into the box for Williamson to run onto. Roy Carroll and Mike Edwards got in each other’s way as the ball ricocheted across the area to Mark Marshall and, faced with an open goal, the winger made no mistake as he volleyed home. Minutes later, Michael Brown’s low strike from long range was well held by Carroll before Jamal Campbell-Ryce found Paddy McCourt in the box, but the subsequent low shot was well held by Neal. Balint Bajner was next to threaten as his header was easily saved by the Vale keeper, and in the 34th minute McCourt cut inside to the area before unleashing a powerful drive which was also palmed away. The veteran Northern Irishman continued to impress when he found Garry Thompson behind the defence but his low strike from 12 yards forced another good save. Garry Thompson’s effort was then well saved before County wasted another chance as Bajner chested the ball down not far from goal but volleyed over. In the second half, Blair Adams volleyed over after a McCourt free kick sparked a goalmouth scramble. County went close again on the hour when Adams drilled the ball across the six-yard box. Garry Thompson tried to connect but could only deflect the ball straight to Neal. Noble should then have scored when he rose to meet Mullins’s cross, but headed over from eight yards out. The game almost swung back to the Magpies in the 71st minute when Campbell-Ryce broke free on the right of the area, but the Vale keeper was on top once again. It wasn’t to be Notts’s day as, for all their bluster in the latter stages of the game, they were unable to find an equaliser as they gave away another three points. They fall to 19th in the table and are three points from the drop zone. The way things are going, it’s time to think about a successive relegation battle.

Notts County have met Port Vale a grand total of 93 times over the years, with the first two fixtures coming within a week of each other back in February 1921. The Magpies won the first game 2-1, but lost 1-0 at Meadow Lane. Notts have the upper edge having won 39 games, lost 34, and drawn 20 against the Valiants, with the highest scoring matches coming in February 1927 (a 6-2 defeat) and April 1935 (a 5-3 defeat). Last time these two played, in August last year at Vale Park, the Magpies won 2-0. Port Vale is one of the few English league clubs not to be named after a geographical location. The name Port Vale exists on maps pre–dating the formation of the club, which probably occurred in 1879, and is a reference to a valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal, associated with the city's pottery industry. The club itself is actually based in Burslem, one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Port Vale have never been in the top tier of English football, and the last time they were in the second tier was back in 1999-2000. In terms of silverware, the Valiants have won the Staffordshire Senior Cup twice, in 1920 and 2001, whilst being runners-up in 1900 and 2010, as well as several other regional cups like the Birmingham Senior Cup, one of the oldest county football competitions still active. The club, despite being fairly small, enjoys the support of some world-famous celebrities. Robbie Williams is a huge fan, to the point that he held £240,000 worth of shares in the club and has a restaurant at Vale Park named after him. For the videogame FIFA 2000, he provided an original theme song called It's Only Us, on the condition that Port Vale should be included in the game, which they were, located in the Rest of World section! Also, in 2005, Williams founded Los Angeles Vale F.C., a Super Metro League team in the United States, named after Port Vale and based at his Los Angeles home. Darts star Phil “The Power” Taylor is also a big fan, while Blue (that Noughties boy-band) singer Simon Webbe was part of their youth setup until a ligament injury hampered any prospect of a career in football. --- On-loan Brighton man Paddy McCourt may make his Notts County debut when Port Vale visit Meadow Lane. The Northern Ireland international could get a chance on the wing on Saturday. The returning Jamal Campbell-Ryce, back on loan at County from Sheffield United, Haydn Hollis, Will Hayhurst, Balint Bajner and Billy Daniels are also options for Shaun Derry, Meanwhile, Ronan Murray will probably remain on the sidelines through injury. Shaun Harrad this week joined Cheltenham on loan while fellow striker Jimmy Spencer remains a long-term absentee after suffering a knee injury during pre-season. Notts are chasing only their second double of the season - the only team they have beaten home and away this season so far has been Vale's local rivals Crewe. Colin Daniel's return from injury means Vale travel with a fully-fit squad. Daniel is back in contention after three weeks out with an ankle problem but a place on the bench is probably the best the forward can hope for with Valiants boss Rob Page likely to name an unchanged starting line-up for the third game in a row following back-to-back wins. However, there is also plenty of competition to be named among the substitutes after Achille Campion, Greg Luer and Richard Duffy all missed out on the matchday squad last weekend.

Barnsley have appointed Oldham manager Lee Johnson as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half-year contract. The clubs have agreed an undisclosed compensation deal for the 33-year-old and his assistant Tommy Wright. The Tykes have been without a manager since sacking Danny Wilson on 12 February. --- MK Dons have signed Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker on loan until the end of the season, including play-off period. The 19-year-old helped the Blues win the Under-21 Premier League last season and scored 26 goals. Baker, who's an England Under-21 international, played four times during a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last month, starting two of those games. --- Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has left the club after Saturday's 3-0 defeat by MK Dons left them 15th in League One - the Posh have won just one of their last five matches in the league. Coaches Gary Breen, Gavin Strachan and Jimmy Walker, video analyst Stewart England and sport scientist Marc Lindsey have also left the club, with academy manager Dave Robertson put in caretaker charge. --- Bradford City have signed Oliver Burke on a month-long loan deal from Nottingham Forest. The 17-year-old winger was given his first Forest debut in a 4-4 Championship draw with Blackpool on 14 February. He has been given permission to play in Bradford's FA Cup quarter-final against Reading on 7 March. --- Football League clubs have voted not to reintroduce artificial pitches. A vote on the issue in November 2014 ended in a tie but clubs were balloted again last week and decided against the use of plastic playing surfaces. A Football League spokesman said the "majority" of clubs "prefer to play their matches on grass pitches". --- Peterborough United will not approach Rotherham United boss Steve Evans over their vacant managerial post, says chairman Darragh MacAnthony. The 52-year-old, who took the Millers up to the Championship last season, had been linked with the job after Darren Ferguson's dismissal on Saturday. But Evans is contracted at Rotherham until 2017 and MacAnthony says he will not pay compensation for a new boss.

Notts County fell to their second defeat in the space of five days - and their 10th in 14 games - after succumbing 2-1 at the hands of Fleetwood this afternoon. The Magpies had a bright start to the game, opening the scoring after 11 minutes when Mike Edwards's knockdown fell to Garry Thompson, who let rip with a thundering strike that soared into the top corner. Shaun Derry's charges could have pulled themselves further ahead when Chris Maxwell spilled a long ball punted into the box, with first Jeff Hughes and then Conor McLaughlin throwing themselves to block dangerous efforts from the visitors. Just as it seemed that Notts were in pole position to add to their tally, the Fishermen drew level. Nick Haughton picked out Antoni Sarcevic’s angled run into the right channel before drilling a low cross into the County box which Liam McAlinden calmly slotted home. Haughton was also involved in his side's second and decisive strike as he charged as far as the byline before pulling the ball back across the goal for David Ball to tap in. Town were dominant until Curtis Thompson was brought down by Stephen Crainey, who was given his marching orders by referee David Webb to leave Fleetwood a man down. Notts then laid siege to the Cod Army goal in a bid to try and find an equaliser, but Chris Maxwell pulled off a handful of reaction saves to preserve the lead. Ultimately, the final whistle blew to condemn the Magpies to their 10th defeat in 14 games in all competitions.

Saturday marks only the second time that Notts have met Fleetwood Town in a league match. The first meeting was at the start of this season, in August - when the Fishermen beat the Magpies 1-0 at Meadow Lane. And the first ever meeting between the two sides was around eighteen months ago when Notts beat Fleetwood 3-2, again at our place, in the League Cup. You might remember it as the game that preceded THAT epic clash against Liverpool at Anfield. In its current guise, Fleetwood Town has only been around since 1997, but the club has had predecessors in the form of Fleetwood FC, formed in 1908, and the original Fleetwood Town FC created in 1977. The original Fleetwood FC were champions of the Lancashire Combination in 1923–24, and registered a hat-trick of Lancashire Combination Cup wins in 1932, 1933 and 1934. Manchester City legend Frank Swift used to play for them at the time. This incarnation of the club folded in 1976 due to financial difficulties, before being reborn as Fleetwood Town FC. After some moderate success in the non-league, including a final appearance at the FA Vase in 1985, this guise also folded, in 1996. Re-formed in 1997 as Fleetwood Wanderers, the club was placed back in Division One of the North West Counties Football League (now the tenth tier of the English League system) and a sponsorship deal saw the club's name immediately changed to Fleetwood Freeport F.C. The club was promoted to the Premier Division of the North West Counties League in 1999 and subsequently renamed Fleetwood Town F.C, a name that remains today. Their meteoric rise to the third tier of English football began just ten years ago, as the Fishermen went from playing in the North West Counties League in 2004 to the Conference in 2010, before making it to the Football League in 2012 and eventually being promoted from League Two at the end of last season. Just to give you an idea how quickly they have developed in the last decade – the average Fleetwood Town attendance ten years ago was 134. Now it’s over 20 times that amount at 2819. The Fishermen currently hold the record for a non-league player sale, as Jamie Vardy left the then-Conference club for Leicester City, who paid £1m for his services (potentially rising to £1.7m). --- Fleetwood Graham Alexander has an almost fully-fit squad ahead of Saturday's game at Highbury. Striker Jamille Matt and full-back Danny Andrew are the Cod Army's only long-term absentees. Meanwhile, Ronan Murray will miss out for the Magpies after sustaining an injury in training last week. Aside from that, Notts have no other fresh injury or suspension worries and could be unchanged for the third game in a row.