Joe Jones

The relationship between a great player and the football clubs he plays for is one of the most diverse aspects of football. Some players spend most or all of their career at one club - Jamie Carragher, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville come to mind. Some players will transfer between clubs multiple times, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Nicolas Anelka. And some are in between, who have played for just a few clubs but made enough of an impact at each of them to be loved by each set of fans. Michael Johnson is one such player. Born in Nottingham in 1973, Johnson played for the well-known Clifton All-Whites, a regional youth team whose alumni include Jermaine Jenas and Garry Birtles. In 1991, he made his debut for Notts County, away at Arsenal. It proved a baptism of fire for the then 18-year old, as a tough Gunners team containing stars such as Ian Wright and Tony Adams triumphed 2-0. Johnson also played against Coventry, Norwich, Sheffield United and Manchester City that season. Sadly, it was to be his only season with Notts in the top flight, as the Magpies were relegated that year. The 92/93 season, in the newly rebranded Division One, saw Johnson becoming a first-team regular, playing 37 league games as the Magpies finished 17th in a very tight league, just three points above the relegation zone. Despite being only nineteen, Johnson played with maturity and composure beyond his years, and never gave less than 100%. 93/94 saw Notts perform admirably and finish in seventh, just three points shy of the playoffs. Johnson was once again a permanent fixture in defence, playing 33 league games. The Magpies also made it all the way to the final of the Anglo-Italian Cup, where Johnson faced up to the mighty Gheorghe Hagi, the Romanian who would go on to lead his team to the quarter finals of the World Cup just a few months later. Sadly, the 17,185 inside Wembley saw Brescia lift the Cup after outplaying Notts and winning 1-0. 94/95 was a devastating season for Notts, as Mick Walker was sacked early on, and a succession of managers and unsettling off-pitch turmoil led to poor results on the pitch. Johnson played 27 league games but couldn't stop the team finishing rock bottom, though he did at least get his hands on some silverware by helping Notts win the Anglo-Italian Cup against Ascoli in March. http://i2.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article9991665.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP1197988.jpg The summer saw Johnson move to newly promoted Birmingham City for around £300,000, and his powerful, swift and committed defending saw the Blues consolidate their position in the First Division. From that first season, the team went from strength to strength each year, finishing higher and higher, as Johnson developed more as a player and added goalscoring to his repertoire. By 98/99, he was indispensable, having played in every league game that season and scoring five times as they made the playoffs, where they lost to eventual winners Watford. This year would also see Johnson earn the first of his twelve caps for Jamaica, coming on as a sub against Sweden in a friendly played in Stockholm on the 27th May. Johnson would experience play-off heartache twice more in successive years, before his team finally nailed it at the fourth time of asking by beating Norwich to finally reach the Premier League. Throughout that long, arduous and often deflating journey, Johnson was always a first team regular. Heartache of a different kind came as the second-tier team made it all the way to the League Cup final, playing in Cardiff against Liverpool. They took the Reds, who would finish the season with three trophies, all the way to penalties, where they sadly lost out in the most erratic and agonising of ways. In a bid to survive their first season back in the top flight, a spate of signings were made at Birmingham, which saw Johnson lose his first-team place. After playing just six games all season, he was allowed to leave, and, remaining local, he signed for Derby County. It didn't take long for him to win a place in the Rams' first team and the fans' hearts, as he played 39 games and scored once, helping Derby survive a tumultous season where they narrowly avoided relegation. http://www.city-of-football.uk/media/1223/johnson500.jpg?width=500&height=342 Unlike his time at Birmingham, where each season was consistently good and saw the team finish in the top six, Derby were challenging for the play-offs one year and fighting relegation the next. Nevertheless, Johnson was consistently solid and reliable, becoming club captain in 2005/06. The following season, under new ownership and under the tutelage of Billy Davies, Derby cemented themselves into the promotion positions, leading for most of the season before a late drop in form saw them fall into the play-off zone. Johnson was in the first-team picture playing 29 times, although injury problems saw him miss the end of the season, including the winning play-off games which confirmed Derby's place into the Premier League. Another promotion, another set of hearts won over. Because of a change of management and new signings being made in the close season, Johnson found himself out of the first team. Anxious to find the right club at this late stage in his career, the then 34-year old opted for Sheffield Wednesday, joining the club on an initial one month loan in September. He instantly made an impact as he helped the Owls pick up the first points of the season against Hull on 22nd September. Such was his professionalism, class and commitment that his stay was extended to three months, the maximum possible term for emergency loans. Back at Derby, Johnson, in a bit of a limbo, nevertheless showed immense professionalism to do his best for the club, and when he came on for the Rams in a cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday, that rarest of occurrences took place: both teams cheered his appearance and were chanting his name and praising him, a testament to a great professional and great man. Sadly, despite improving the squad and winning the fans' hearts in just thirteen games, a permanent contract at Sheffield Wednesday wasn't to be, as the Owls opted to sign a young Mark Beevers instead. The Owls' loss was the Magpies' gain, and on 29th February 2008, Notts saw the prodigal son return to Meadow Lane. Initially on loan, Johnson slotted straight into the back four and played twelve times, scoring the winner against Rochdale and helping the team narrowly avoid relegation. His final season as a player was with his hometown club, as Notts signed the player on a permanent one year deal. Another tricky season for the club saw Johnson play 29 times, his experience helping the club survive another year in the Football League. His final game came against Dagenham and Redbridge on 25th April 2009. Earlier on in the year, he was offered the chance to become youth team manager the following season, which he duly took up. During the enigma that was the 09/10 season, he temporarily took over the first team reins with Dave Kevan, and during his two matches in charge, he won one and drew one. Sadly - and how many times have I found myself saying the word in this article - things didn't work out at Notts, he was dismissed when Paul Ince was relieved of his duties and replaced by Under 12s coach Brett Adams. Not one to be affected by setbacks, Johnson carried on studying for his coaching qualifications, and in June 2012, he qualified for the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence. In October, he rejoined Birmingham, taking charge of the Under-16s squad in the academy. A campaigner for equality in sport, he demonstrated his coaching techniques in a FA-funded scheme aimed at promoting coaches and managers from minority ethnic backgrounds in August 2012, and in November, he spoke to the BBC about the lack of opportunities for black and Asian coaches, drawing from his own experiences in the field. Johnson has also involved himself in several ambassadorial roles, which include Help Harry Help Others, a charity raising awareness of brain cancer, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Real United Football Club, a Nottingham-based team set up to reduce substance misuse and related criminal activity amongst young people in Nottingham. In the last two years, Johnson has been an ambassador at Derby, where he carries out a wide variety of roles including coaching, mentoring, assisting corporate clients and media for in-house station Rams TV, as well as a board member at the League Managers Association and a founder member of On Board and Sports People's Think Tank, and his latest role - manager of Guyana. A tireless, inspirational man throughout his whole career in every venture he's been involved in, few players are as cherished and revered by so many different clubs, fans and people as Michael Johnson. What did you think of Michael Johnson when he was at Notts? Do you have any stand-out memories of him? Let Pride of Nottingham know by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Walsall started the game brightly, and Bartosz Bialkowski, reinstated to the team after his injury spell, was forced into a save early on, a Jamie Paterson shot defused by Gary Liddle before being picked up by the keeper. Shortly after, Grigg rounded the Pole and could have scored if not for Alan Judge who heroically cleared the shot off the line. Neal Bishop, back in the team, attempted a wayward shot, but thirteen minutes in, the game appeared to have settled into a bit of a lull on the bumpy Bescot Stadium pitch. Fabien Brandy, who had a spell at Notts in 2011, was fouled by Alan Sheehan on twenty minutes, but the ensuing free-kick came to nothing. Half an hour in, Bialkowski rushed out to try and deny Paterson, but in the process fouled the striker and earned Walsall a penalty, which Grigg converted to give the Saddlers the lead. Buoyed by the goal, Walsall began threatening the Notts goal further. Brandy cut inside and fired, but Bialkowski came out on top. Just four minutes later, he powered a header towards goal which again was saved. As is often the case, former players are the most dangerous to play against, and Notts alumni Brandy and Craig Westcarr combined to breach the Notts defence, before Grigg's effort was skied. The half petered out uneventfully, save for a firework being set off from one of the stands which halted the game for a number of seconds, and 1-0 was the half time scoreline. The second half began brightly for Notts, who replaced Blythe with Yoann Arquin. Jamal Campbell Ryce cut inside in the Walsall area and fired towards the goal. His shot saved, the ensuing corner saw Jeff Hughes power a header against the keeper and scrambled clear. Shortly afterwards, Arquin and Judge weighed in with good efforts of their own, before a Sheehan free-kick saw Hughes and Judge again come very close to scoring. But 1-0 it remained at this stage. Liddle, having a great game, was the hero on the hour as a Westcarr chance was blocked by the defender. The Notts pressure in the second half finally paid off as Arquin, from a JCR cross, fired low into the corner, sending the travelling fans into ecstasy. 1-1, 66 minutes played, game on. On 78, a penalty appeal was turned down as Brandy was felled in the area, luckily for Notts. The ensuing counter attack however came to nothing. Just four minutes later, JCR bombed down the flank after Bishop won the ball back, before cutting inside and curling an effort towards goal, but this was saved. Just two minutes before full time, a Sheehan free kick was so nearly converted by Arquin, who completely changed the game after coming on, but the header was just wide. The closing stages of the game saw Gavin Mahon replace Hughes, and the game, lacking a climactic finish, ended 1-1, a precious away point against a dangerous side.

It's one of the most overused cliches in football. "It was a game of two halves". However, it perfectly describes today's game against Crewe, as the Railwaymen outplayed a lacklustre Notts in the first half, before the Pies' dynamic second half display ensured a share of the spoils. Playing in their first home game since January 22nd, Notts, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, started out well, debutant John Cofie earning a corner early with some good pressuring. Jamal Campbell-Ryce, arguably our best outfield player over the last few weeks, continued to impress, and managed to set up Cofie who, but for some bad footing, could have caused Crewe some trouble. Fabian Speiss has been nothing short of sensational since coming on for Bialkowski against Leyton Orient, and was called into action once again, as Ajay Leitch-Smith was fouled by Dean Leacock. The Notts defender was lucky to escape a booking, and the resulting free kick connected with Mark Ellis, but the young goalkeeper produced a stunning save to keep it out. Eight minutes in, Speiss once again showed his talent by tipping a Bradden Inman shot onto the post after the forward was given too much space, and not long after, Chuks Aneke was the next player to be denied, his long-range curler stopped by the young German. Cofie should have had a debut goal, but the referee disallowed the effort after Hughes was judged to have fouled Steve Philips. Jeff Hughes came close with a header from an Alan Sheehan cross, but on the whole, it was Crewe's half, and they got their reward when Gavin Mahon fouled Leitch-Smith in the Notts penalty area, and Luke Murphy converted to give his side a 1-0 lead on the stroke of half time. Chris Kiwomya must have given his players some very interesting words in the dressing room, because the second half brought an altogether different display form the Magpies. Cofie had the first shot of the half, before Notts, who reverted to 4-4-2 and replaced Mahon with Yoann Arquin, very nearly scored what would have been one of the goals of the season, an Alan Judge shot from 35 yards smashing against the underside of the bar but bouncing outwards. Eventually, the home team managed to get back on even terms, as the young Cofie, on loan from Manchester United, struck a low shot past Philips to make it 1-1. From the kick-off, Crewe pressed forward, and Murphy very nearly restored their lead, his powerful shot going just wide, but the momentum was clearly with Notts now. Another long range shot by Notts troubled the opposition goal, as Arquin fired from 30 yards, the effort just skimming past the post. A four-man defence, reinstated after some shaky performances, proved to be the right call, with the defensive performance much better than what the three-man formation displayed and the reinstated Julian Kelly supporting the front-line infantry with some great runs and crosses. The ever-dangerous Murphy more than met his match in the form of Speiss, who once again denied the forward, a stunning free kick saved by the truly fantastic keeper in the final ten minutes. Sheehan, another stand-out player, was agonisingly close to scoring a stunning winner, but his effort was just wide, and Notts, under pressure in injury time as the away side desperately pushed for a winner, rode out the storm and finished the game with a point. Truly a game of two halves, Notts' display in the second 45 made up for the poor first half, and will have provided Chris Kiwomya with plenty of food for thought, as the puzzle, though not finished, has definitely seen a couple more pieces slot finely together.

Whilst some players are able to drag a team to the next level, others are able to stop a team from falling into the previous one, inspiring their team mates and excelling where others are failing. A rare shining light during two of Notts County's darkest seasons, Glynn Hurst's goals helped keep the Magpies safe when they were at their lowest ebb, when "previous level" meant "non-league" and possibly "extinction". The Barnsley-born player, much like a lower-league Dimitar Berbatov, delighted and frustrated in equal measure, but will always be remembered fondly by the Notts fans. Born on the 17th January 1976, Hurst grew up in South Africa before returning to England, where he joined Tottenham Hotspur as an apprentice. In 1994, he joined his birthtown club, where, given his young age and the club challenging for a place in the Premier League, he spent time on loan at clubs like Swansea and Mansfield. Hurst played eight games for the Tykes in total before signing for Emley AFC (now known as Wakefield FC) in the Northern Premier League, where his impressive goal rate of twelve in fifteen appearances saw him snapped up by Ayr United, then in the Scottish First Division. It was during his three years with the "Honest Men" that Hurst established himself as a class striker; his two full seasons, in 98/99 and 99/00, he was the club's top goalscorer, with twenty and fourteen goals respectively, and by the time he left, First Division Stockport County paying £200,000 for his services, he'd netted 49 goals in 78 league appearances. Things didn't quite work out with the Hatters, his 27 appearances between February and December 2001 yielding just four goals, and he moved to Chesterfield before the year's end. With the Spireites, he had more success, scoring 29 goals during his time there over two and a half years in Derbyshire, but it is perhaps his final goal for the club which is the most remembered, his last-minute winner against Luton Town in the final game of the season ensuring Chesterfield, bottom at Christmas, survived the drop. Signed by Gary Mills with a view to rebuilding the squad following relegation and near-liquidation, Hurst rejected a new deal with the Spireites to sign for the Magpies, the striker debuting against Chester City in the first game of the League 2 season, and opened his account against Bristol Rovers a week later, his goal not enough to prevent a 2-1 away defeat. He put in a brilliant performance in the Pies' League Cup tie against West Ham on 21st September, before hitting a devastating hat-trick away at Rochdale four days later, prompting Mills to call him "...the best player at West Ham, and the best player here today." A natural goalscorer by trade, Hurst had great potential, and on form was a brilliant asset to the team, causing no end of problems with his bustling presence and talent in front of goal. However, Hurst was very much what you'd call a "confidence player", and although he was able to put in great performances, like he did against West Ham, Rochdale and Macclesfield in the first half of the season, his form, and as a result his confidence, dipped towards the second half, going eight weeks without a goal during one dry spell. Furthermore, there were many occasions where, sadly, his goals weren't enough to prevent Notts losing. However, despite this, he still finished the campaign with fifteen goals, a good achievement considering the team ended the season in 19th place. The beginning of the 2005/06 season saw Hurst back on form, scoring five in the first eight league games as the team propelled into the promotion places, before a fall-out with then manager Gudjon Thordarson saw the player dropped after a discussion between the two "became out of order". A month later, the striker bagged a hat-trick against Bury to give Notts the win, and two weeks later scored the first in a 2-1 win against Boston United, but despite being the team's top scorer, the combination of differences between player and manager and the club needing to cut costs saw Hurst released by mutual consent on the 29th December. Joining Shrewsbury a few days later, the striker scored on his debut against Wrexham, but he never quite regained his Magpies form, scoring just twice more in fifteen more matches. Back and achilles problems saw him lose his place in the Shrews first-team the following season, and to regain his form, was loaned to Bury. There, he burst into form, scoring five in five, impressing the Shakers hierarchy so much they decided to first extend his loan, then sign him outright. At Bury, it was a similar story to Notts - sporadic flashes of brilliance, followed by dry patches, with the occasional falling out with the coaching and management. He initially forged a fruitful partnership with Andy Bishop, but in 2007/08, his form once again dropped. He was nonetheless offered a new contract ahead of the 08/09 season, manager Alan Knill considering him to be a key squad player. In the summer of 2009, Hurst was released from his contract, and after playing a few pre-season friendlies with Chester City, spent time on the books of non-league Gainsborough Trinity, Hyde United and finally, FC United of Manchester. In 2011, Glynn Hurst officially retired from playing football, and after studying to become a teacher, he now teaches Religious Education at Sacred Heart Catholic College in Crosby, Liverpool. A good servant to the club during a tumultuous time, the Barnsley-born player will always be remembered fondly at Meadow Lane. Share your thoughts about Glynn Hurst on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

It's amazing how quickly things change. Just ten days ago, Notts County travelled down to London seeking their 23rd unbeaten game on the road against Leyton Orient, the one still shining light of an otherwise darkening season. Now, a four-match spell away from Meadow Lane has gifted us just one win, a laboured effort against abyss-destined Portsmouth, and three defeats. The latest one, against Stevenage Borough tonight, was the most disappointing, purely because of its predictability. Conceding an early goal? Check. Great build-up play but inability to convert chances? Check. The third box, which is conceding from set-pieces, stays unticked, at least tonight, but all three need to be addressed by the coaching team and players if we're to stop freefalling towards the lower echelons of the league, with a team that, on paper, should be challenging for promotion. Caretaker boss Chris Kiwomya made one change to the team that played Hartlepool at the weekend, Gavin Mahon replacing Joss Labadie in centre-midfield, while teenagers Greg Tempest and Tyrell Waite were on the bench. Stevenage, so often our bogey team, took only 21 seconds to go in front, and although it was quite freakish, Filipe Morais' shot deflecting off his team-mate into the path of Sam Hoskins, who converted leaving Fabian Speiss with no chance, you couldn't help but feel our three-man defence has not been so solid lately. Notts had the ball in the back of the net soon after the kick-off, but unfortunately Jeff Hughes' effort was disallowed for offside. The game settled before long, both teams having fair shares of possession, JCR being Notts' standout player, as per the last few games. He delivered some good crosses into the Boro box, but those weren't converted. Aside from an attempt from Stevenage to score another on the half hour mark, which Lucas Atkins failed to convert, it was all Notts from then on. The Magpies had six corners by half time, all in the last ten minutes, but none of these came to fruition and the half finished 1-0 to the home side, who had two players booked for bad tackles. David Gray's on Yoann Arquin was particularly horrific, and could have easily been a red. The second half started with Stevenage threatening, decent efforts from Gray and Greg Tansey being blocked by Dean Leacock, but Notts rallied to produce the best chance of the game so far, Arquin playing Zoko through but the Ivorian's shot just wide of the top-right corner. JCR then burst into the Stevenage box and saw his effort deflected, the rebound falling to Alan Judge whose shot was saved by Boro keeper Steve Arnold. The remainder of the game saw Notts and Boro trade chances, the former going through another spell of racking up corner kicks, before the home side, in a cruel twist of fate, then scored the second, despite all of Notts' efforts, as Gray's cross found Marcus Haber's head to beat Speiss and seal the victory. So at the end of the game, Notts remain five points off the play-offs, but considering we've lost our talismanic striker, are without a manager, and suffer from the same old problems resurfacing time after time - the brittle three-man defence, conceding early or from set pieces, and the toothlessness in attack - it's time to realise that this season is at risk of unravelling before our very eyes, and we must address these issues as soon as possible.

Just when it looked like Notts had got themselves back on track after beating Portsmouth in midweek, a second away defeat in three games, against the bottom team in the league, takes us back to square one. The unbeaten run now a distant memory, Hartley and Poole did it for Hartlepool, the appropriately named players scoring to beat the Magpies 2-1 at Victoria Park. The defeat proved to be Keith Curle's last match in charge, as the Notts board relieved him of his duties on Sunday. Neal Bishop’s three-game suspension meant Joss Labadie was handed his first start since September, as part of a 3-1-4-2 formation. Gary Liddle, a former Poolie, was handed the skipper's armband, and received a warm welcome from the home supporters after six years with the club. As has happened much too frequently this season, Notts were sliced open within minutes and conceded early. Jamal Campbell-Ryce did well to win a corner in the 4th minute, but it was cleared and Hartlepool broke, a Jonathan Franks ball connecting with James Poole, who lifted it over the back-pedalling JCR and struck a great volley to silence the travelling Notts fans. First blood Hartlepool. Notts came back all guns blazing, JCR's cross very nearly finding Judge while Labadie attempted a shot from distance, but Hartlepool followed with more chances of their own, Liddle having to be at his best to deny Charlie Wyke inside the six-yard box. It wasn't until the half hour mark that Notts threatened again, Judge firing wide and Hughes fluffing a close-range shot, Francois Zoko the architect of both those chances. Notts pressed on, however, and JCR very nearly equalised, but for a great block from Hartley, before the resulting corner connected with Arquin and, but for Neil Austin's block, would have been 1-1, the goalkeeper Scott Flinders beaten. JCR, having a fantastic game on the wing, crossed for Zoko but was headed into the keeper's arms, while at the other end, Fabian Speiss bravely kept out Poole, saving at his feet. Half-time saw Keith Curle replace Labadie with Julian Kelly, shifting Liddle into midfield, and only two minutes into the second half, Sheehan's high cross drew Flinders off his line, but Zoko once again headed straight at the keeper, a golden opportunity wasted. Speiss, proving himself to be a fantastic deputy for the injured Bialkowski, superbly saved Franks's powerful effort, and Notts' efforts came to fruition when, on 52 minutes, JCR beat two players and curled a brilliant shot into the far corner, sending the 271 travelling Magpies into raptures. 1-1. Invigorated, Notts pressed on, with Judge, Arquin and Sheehan all having chances, but sadly, their failure to convert this was punished, as that other weak spot in the team resurfaced - set-pieces. Evan Horwood's free kick wasn't properly defended and Peter Hartley met it with his head and trickled into the net. A poor goal to concede, 2-1 Hartlepool. It could have been 3-1 from exactly the same situation but for the excellent Speiss, who is sure to give Bialkowski a hard job forcing his way back into the first team once fully fit, denying Horwood and Poole from another free-kick. Notts kept attacking the Pools goal, but lacked the killer touch. Arquin fired a volley but was just off target, while Judge's header on 75 minutes was charged down by Sam Collins and smothered by Flinders. In a bizarre substitution, the losing side saw Arquin, a forward, replaced by the midfielder Hamza Bencherif, much to the chagrin of the Notts fans. The young Romello Nangle also came on for Zoko, but the Hartlepool defence would no longer be breached, and so it ended 2-1 to the County Durham side. They stay bottom, eight points from safety, while Notts remain tenth on goal difference, level on points with MK Dons, Crewe and Leyton Orient, and looking for a new manager after parting company with Keith Curle.

Over the years, many football clubs with a proud history and tradition have found themselves staring into the abyss. Manchester City, Portsmouth FC, Luton Town, Leeds United, Southampton FC, Sheffield United, and in recent times Swindon Town. Many more have come close to extinction because of problems, financial or otherwise. Notts County in the mid-2000s were one such club, administration and near-liquidation on the verge of condemning the club to a long spell outside the football league and possibly out of existence. Inspirational, hard-working, talismanic signings are needed to drag the club "kicking and screaming" out of the mire. Andy Morrison famously did so for Manchester City in 98/99, and for Notts, none were more determined and dogged, not to mention more "talismanic" (in a literal sense) than Richard "Ricky" Ravenhill. Brought in by Ian McParland in May 2009, with Notts County having finished a second consecutive year in the bottom six of the Football League, Ravenhill, part of the Doncaster Rovers team that scaled from the Conference to League 1 in just two years, knew what it took to get out of the bottom division of English league football. Born in 1981, the Doncastrian was part of the Leeds United academy, joining the club as a ten-year old. He then became part of Barnsley's youth team in 2000, and was a promising youth and reserve team player, before hometown club Doncaster Rovers snapped up the combative midfielder in early 2002. His arrival at the then-Conference side was a precursor to the club's rapid rise up the league pyramid, as the South Yorkshire club ended up being the first club to go up into the Football League by virtue of the play-offs in 2003. Previously, the Conference only admitted the winner into what was then known as Division Three. The following year, Ravenhill helped his team achieve back-to-back promotions, as Doncaster defied all expectations to win the title and propel his team to fixtures against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford, regional giants which were playing in the Premiership not long before. He also partook in Doncaster’s incredible 2005-06 League Cup run, beating Manchester City and Aston Villa before taking Arsenal all the way to penalties in the quarter-finals. In total, the midfielder clocked up 137 appearances for Donny. By 2006, however, Ravenhill found first-team opportunities scarce and, after a brief loan at Chester City, was released, signing a one-year contract with Grimsby Town. In January 2007 he went on loan to Darlington, where he finally found his stride and, once the Shakers made the deal permanent in the summer, became a fan favourite. In total, he made 88 appearances for Darlington, before financial issues meant the club had to allow him to leave on a free transfer. Notts County, rebuilding the team following two disastrous seasons in the bottom tier of the Football League, signed the midfielder, "Charlie" McParland describing the deal as a "massive bonus for (Notts)". He made his debut in the first game of the 09/10 season, playing part in a 5-0 drubbing of Bradford City at Meadow Lane. Throughout the course of the season, he became a fan favourite for his combative, full-blooded style of play, snapping away at opposition players, breaking up play and linking the defence and attack, while off the pitch, he would keep a calm, collective head in the face of the whirlwind events taking place at the Lane, often sharing his honest, erudite views with the local media. Despite all the uncertainty regarding his position in the team - marquee signings were often rumoured to be in discussions with Notts - and, later in the season, the future of the club itself, Ravenhill's professionalism, heart-on-sleeve approach and determination led to him starting 40 of 46 league games as the team conquered League Two, winning 14 of their last 18 games to clinch the title. Though he excelled in his role of midfield enforcer, not afraid to put his body and disciplinary record on the line for the good of the team, he also managed to get himself on the scoresheet several times in spectacular fashion. He scored the opener against Macclesfield away in August 2009, an outstanding volley against Burton Albion four months later, in a performance described by then-caretaker boss Dave Kevan as worthy of "man-of-the-match" (despite Lee Hughes scoring a hat-trick in the same game) and another stunning strike in the home game against Morecambe in mid-April, during which he admits he was tired and "heavy-legged" following the birth of his second child two days prior. A season fraught with uncertainty and drama, 2009/10 ended joyously for Notts, with Ravenhill overseeing a third career promotion and getting his hands on a second championship crown. The talisman had made it happen again. The 2010/11 season, with Notts back in the third tier after a six-year absence, saw more of the same from Ravenhill, playing 24 league games and taking part in two classic FA Cup matches against eventual winners Manchester City, nearly beating the Premiership giants at Meadow Lane. In September 2011, he was in the starting eleven against Italian giants Juventus for the first ever game at their new stadium, an unforgettable evening for both clubs. Sadly, things took a turn for the worse for Ravenhill, as a collision with a Tranmere Rovers player left him sidelined with concussion, and in his absence, Gavin Mahon cemented his position in central midfield alongside Neal Bishop. Ravenhill made only two more league starts for Notts, against Colchester United, two months after he was injured against Tranmere, and against Wycombe at Meadow Lane, but with his contract running out at the end of the season and manager Martin Allen not being able to guarantee him first-team football, the decision was made to let Ricky go on loan to Bradford City, where he impressed the Bantams so much they offered him a two-and-a-half-year contract. The player enjoyed a bright spell at the Yorkshire club as they battled to the final of the 2013 League Cup against all odds, beating three Premier League sides among the way, and earning promotion to League One at the end of the season. The twilight years of Ravenhill's career would subsequently take him to Northampton Town, Mansfield Town and Buxton FC, where he continues to play today. Share your thoughts about Ricky Ravenhill on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.

Notts County's amazing unbeaten away run came to an end at the Matchroom Stadium as the Pies were beaten 2-1 by Leyton Orient, in a frustrating afternoon which saw goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski carried off on a stretcher. The defeat deprived Notts of a 23rd consecutive unbeaten away game, and handed Keith Curle his first ever away loss. Unchanged from the impressive 1-0 win against Oldham, the Pies looked to make it back-to-back wins for the first time since November, and found themselves under pressure from the start, Lee Cook firing wide from a David Mooney cross. The first Notts chance fell to Neal Bishop, who, after great work from Jeff Hughes, found his attempt blocked by O's midfielder Lloyd James, JCR not being able to follow it up, while at the other end, the unmarked Mooney sliced it wide after a good Gary Liddle invervention. Then came the main talking point of the match: as MacDonald came towards the Notts goal, Bialkowski rushed out to make a save, but the Orient forward caught the keeper on the head as he tried to take the ball around him. Six minutes of treatment and a yellow card for MacDonald later, Bart was taken off on a stretcher, and the highly rated but untested Fabian Speiss came on in his place. Not long after the restart, some great work by Bish tested the O's defence, first with a low cross which couldn't quite find Showunmi and Arquin, then by winning a corner which saw Hughes' shot blocked and Sheehan fire wide. Shortly afterwards, Speiss was tested for the first time in the game, a fine reaction save denying Cook, before former Orient player Dean Leacock made a last-ditch tackle to thwart Mooney. The additional eight minutes of injury time saw the game spring back to life, Andre Boucaud playing a fantastic cross to Yoann Arquin, whose header smashed against the crossbar, before Alan Judge's half volley, again after some inspirational play, went just over. Speiss made another fine save to deny MacDonald, before the in-form Sheehan delivered another cross at the other end which connected with Showunmi and very nearly made it in. After the break, Showunmi, oozing confidence after his first league goal against Oldham on Tuesday, headed inches over, connecting with a JCR cross, while Judge's long-range hit forced the Orient keeper into a save. At the other end, Speiss showed just why he is so highly rated by the Notts hierachy, his full-stretch save denying Martin Rowland's deflected free kick, and blocking Mooney's placed shot with his leg. Eventually, Orient took the lead, as the Notts defence allowed Cook too much time and space on the ball. His shot was well saved by Speiss but the keeper could do nothing to stop Mooney scoring from the rebound. It wasn't long before Orient were in the Notts area again after the restart, Mooney's shot being deflected behind for a corner, and more lax defending saw Mathieu Baudry double the lead with a volley. Two goals conceded in the space of three minutes, the County players and fans shell-shocked. As Romello Nangle came on for Arquin, a lull followed where the match officials swapped positions as a result of the referee's injury, before Notts pulled one back, Showunmi's hard work allowing Jeff Hughes to finish from eight yards. 2-1, twelve minutes to go. Orient were dominant thereafter and could have scored several but for excellent defensive work by Sheehan and Bishop, and of course, the outstanding Speiss. But for a chance by Hughes, a glancing header, Notts struggled to pierce the O's defence again, and the match ended 2-1, the home team claiming all three points, Notts' sublime away record in tatters, the team eight points adrift of the play-offs and sweating over Bialkowski's fitness. At least Fabian Speiss proved to be a very capable deputy in between the sticks.

After snatching a draw from the jaws of defeat against Sheffield United the previous Saturday, Notts put in a dominant, lively display to outplay and defeat Oldham Athletic for their first win at Meadow Lane since November, courtesy of Enoch Showunmi's first league goal for the club. Just like the previous weekend, the snow and frosty weather meant the hard work had to begin well before the game, as club staff and supporters helped to clear the snow off the pitch to ensure Notts didn't suffer another postponement. Once the game was officially on, Notts lined up in the 3-4-1-2 formation used against the Blades, making only one change - Showunmi replacing Francois Zoko, suspended after the weekend's fixture. The home team dominated from the off, an Alan Sheehan free kick causing problems early on with Showunmi unable to convert with his back to goal, while a Bialkowski kick was helped on by the frontman and saw Jeff Hughes fire straight at Oldham keeper Dean Bouzaris. Then came the first real chance of the game - an Alan Judge free kick which whistled past the top-left corner, Bouzaris stranded. More chances were to come, Andre Boucaud playing a Xavi-esque pass to the Irish Messi, who rounded the keeper but only fired into the side netting, before Yoann Arquin headed wide and shortly afterwards saw a powerful shot also just miss. Before long, the pendulum swung Oldham's way, with forward Jose Baxter firing straight at Bialkowski. The away team then saw Matt Smith fire a volley which was denied by skipper Neal Bishop's outstanding block. Boucaud, now a permanent Notts County player, repaid the faith put in him by the club with another wonderful through-ball straight to JCR, who cut inside and took a shot. The ensuing deflection fell nicely into the path of Showunmi and was tapped in for the opening goal. Invigorated by taking the lead, the half finished with Notts playing some classy football, stringing passes together and showing moves off to the delight of the home fans, Jeff Hughes nearly making it 2-0 late on in the half. Oldham, lucky only to be 1-0 down at half time, pressed on, and nearly made Notts pay for their missed chances, Jonathan Grounds missing with his powerful header, before midfielder Chris Sutherland headed towards an empty net, having beaten Bialkowski, only for Gary Liddle to majestically clear it off the goal-line. The Latics, frustrated by their inability to breach the Notts defence, found themselves getting increasingly physical, and got several late tackles in before the ref decided he'd seen enough and got his card out, booking Grounds and James Welosowski in quick succession. Notts' chances kept on coming, Showunmi nearly connecting with a JCR cross, before Hughes flashed a header across goal after a Sheehan free kick, Matt Smith preventing the chance from falling to Bishop for what would have been a certain goal. The Irish Messi then saw his attempt just miss the right-hand upright after a mistake by Wesolowski seventy-eight minutes in, before Showunmi fired just over a minute later. In the dying stages, Oldham kept pressing, but never really bothered Bialkowski, substitute Robbie Simpson attempting a couple of long-range shots and Jose Baxter not doing much better, before Notts saw out the final five minutes and confirmed the 3 points, much to the delight of the 3,229 home supporters who were finally able to celebrate a win at Meadow Lane since November.

Young people often follow in their parents' footsteps. A person's behaviour, opinions and actions will doubtlessly filter through to their children, and the same can be said about a person's career - as they have inside knowledge of their chosen field, this will influence the son or daughter, and the likelihood of them entering the same field is high. This is also the case in football, with professional players' kids often getting into the sport, where they can benefit from the parent's knowledge, experience and connections. However, when your father is one of the greatest footballers of all time, sometimes it can place a burden on those young shoulders, especially when you're playing the same position as them. And when that position is goalkeeper, the most scrutinised of all, then there is a lot to live up to. Kasper Schmeichel, however, is doing just that. The son of Man Utd and Denmark legend Peter, Kasper was born in Copenhagen in 1986, and in 2002, signed terms with Man City, where Schmeichel Sr enjoyed a fantastic season helping the newly promoted team consolidate their place in the Premier League after years in the wilderness. As he learnt his trade, he was loaned out to Darlington, Bury and Falkirk, gaining valuable first team experience, before making his debut for City in August 2007, against West Ham. Against Arsenal, he kept a clean sheet and saved a Robin Van Persie penalty, further endearing him to the fans and earning him plaudits, but with the Thaksin Shinawatra takeover, all of a sudden City were expected to challenge for honours, a big ask for the fledgling keeper. Another loan period at Cardiff followed before Schmeichel decided to leave the City of Manchester stadium, and with Sven Goran Eriksson, with whom he worked at City, coming to Meadow Lane, he signed up for Notts County. An eye opening signing for the then League 2 team, the transfer fee was undisclosed but believed to have broken the club record, but straight from the off, it was clear Schmeichel was a cut above the rest. Keeping a clean sheet in his debut against Dagenham and Redbridge, he made the first-team goalkeeping position his, and by October the then 23-yr old had won the Player of the Month award. Tall and imposing, the young keeper played with grit and determination beyond his years, and any defensive slip-ups led to him angrily reprimanding and gesticulating to the other Notts players, in a manner reminiscent of his father. His goalkeeping style was also like Schmeichel Sr - he'd throw himself at any loose ball, and use every which part of his body to stop it going anywhere near the goal. He was also fond of going up into the opposition box if Notts were behind, and nearly scored a prodigious overhead kick against Morecambe away. Schmeichel's statistics speak for themselves - During his year with the Pies, the club conceded 0.67 goals per match - 29 goals conceded in 43 league appearances - and kept 24 clean sheets. A whirlwind season ended with the League 2 Championship and most importantly, promotion into League 1. If that wasn't enough, the keeper showed himself to be a true gentleman and agreed to be released, forfeiting his contract and all future wages, rumoured to be around £15,000 a week, plus bonuses, with the club facing an uncertain future after the boardroom and takeover issues which beset the club. Director Ray Trew agreed this to be "a huge concession by such a young man" and helped the club survive after a very turbulent period. After such a scintillating season, it wasn't long before bigger clubs showed their interest, and despite reported interest from Bayern Munich and Chelsea, Schmeichel opted for Leeds where first-team football was a certainty. More individual plaudits and nominations came his way as he was nominated for Player of the Month in August and won the Sky Sports POTM gong the same month. Injuries restricted his appearances but he still played 40 games, including a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates which earned an FA Cup replay. His time at Elland Road, however, ended acrimoniously, as Leeds accepted an offer from Leicester for the young goalkeeper, reuniting him with Sven Goran Eriksson. Manager Simon Grayson claimed it was "going to be difficult" for a new deal to be agreed at Leeds, whilst Schmeichel refuted these claims publicly, expressing his shock at being transfer listed. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because Leicester and Schmeichel proved a match made in heaven. To this day the Dane remains with the Foxes and has proved instrumental in their ascent to the Premier League in 2014 and, despite suffering a broken metatarsal in training midway through the season that kept him out for a month, he was part of their amazing great escape in the latter stages of the campaign that kept them in the top flight. Now 28 years old, his career has been one of fulfilment and stability since settling in Leicester, and to make things even better, he's become the Denmark national team's first-choice stopper. Quite frankly, it's nothing less than he deserves from the graft he's put in. One thing is certain and its that he will always be remembered at Notts - it was an absolute honour to have Kasper Schmeichel at the Lane, and he will always be a fans' favourite for his style, performances, achievements and putting the club before himself. A true gentleman of the game and a Notts County legend.