TheSkipper

It was great to see the youth players included. I am not sure why we have a trialist keeper. I hope he’s just warming up because, with how good Aidan Stone looked, we have more than enough cover with Tiernan Brooks and the experienced hands of Sam Slocombe. I think it would be a waste of money to bring in another keeper, which could be spent on a centre back.

Luke Williams knows what works. He’s a good talker and can get the players to understand the importance of his message. I think the depth and ability to rotate will help us out no end. It’s important to be ready for anything, so at least we have covered those unknowns and can go into the season with a full squad ready to take on League Two.

It’s good to read the thoughts of the fans. I think we are right to be excited about the return, and if we work hard enough this season, we might have a real chance at achieving back-to-back promotions. The signing of David McGoldrick adds a bit of a fairytale element to our story, along with our promotion last season and all the well-wishes from fans of other clubs who are happy to have us back. It’s also good to see Alice Kellett mentioned; she is someone the club can’t replace and is missed. I am looking forward to the season and seeing how it pans out, but first, we have pre-season to enjoy.

Mick Vinter had a successful career playing for many clubs, and it’s interesting to learn about his time at Notts and elsewhere. The history captured in this article is appreciated, as he had a great stint with Notts. It’s unfortunate that he wasn’t able to maintain his place at the club, but he went on to prove himself elsewhere. This article provides a very good insight into Vinter’s career.

This is our first chance to see some of the new signings. I hope we throw a couple of youngsters into the mix because one of them may fit the roles we still have open. It’ll be interesting to see how differently Notts may play and if Luke Williams will adjust anything to get the best out of the players.

I enjoy the way Luke Williams brings in players, allowing them to settle while selling his philosophy and ideas. He allows existing players to expand on what they may expect. It's apparent that we will lose key players at times, but how we replace them is a big factor in avoiding setbacks. Everything Luke Williams does makes the club the way it is. He has a great rapport with the players, and it's clear they respect him.

It is fantastic news that Aaron Nemane has signed a new two-year deal. This offers us the opportunity to progress further with this talented group of players. Luke Williams has brought in a lot of quality, but the fact that all players except for Ruben Rodrigues have been retained speaks volumes about the direction in which the club is heading. Nemane is a significant part of our success. He is a challenging player to play against, and on his day, he is exceptional beyond our level.

It's good to see the players back in training. The video of them training is great because you can see their enjoyment. Their spirits still seem quite high, but as Luke Williams says, players are talking and new recruits are hearing what's expected and what it's like at the club. I bet each of them is excited to play their first game at Meadow Lane against Stoke City. It's important that we continue to approach the season with a focus on high-demanding training, with the gaffer doing a great job ensuring that the players meet his high standards.

It’s a good insight into a lifelong fan, the backstory about being born in Stapleford and being part of a Magpie family. I bet he has seen many happier times watching Notts, so I’m pleased that we are on a new projection due to our ownership rebuilding the foundations to strive for success on the pitch. Fans like Nigel will have had those times when this peaks. I have seen limited success myself, but I do hope to be in the position when I’m older to share my story of being a Notts fan. This is fantastic - how he met his partner Sue is just one of those things that seems to be destiny rather than a coincidence.

Good thought for the day, @Fan of Big Tone. I think it’s the perfect quote for a lovely Sunday like today. We have to focus on the positives.

It’s great to hear that Crowley wants to add goals and assists to his game. It’s always important to have players who can contribute offensively, and if he can do that at Notts County, it will be a huge boost for the team. He sounds like he has all the ability to make a positive impact at the club; he’s such an exciting signing.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but the fixtures do look promising and I am pleased with the depth of our squad. There are some challenging matches close together, but I have confidence in this team. The away trips seem largely favourable and there are some great home ties. My only hope is that we can avoid any postponements during the critical stages of the season.

I think his time in the Netherlands will aid his development, as adapting to different leagues is a useful skill for players. He sounds like he has a lot of quality, and while comparisons aren’t always negative, I believe he will shine as his own player for Notts. I wish him all the best with the birth of his children; moving to Nottingham makes a lot of sense for this reason.

It is indeed amazing to see how far the team has come over the past four years. Notts has used their time within the National League to go from strength to strength. I can understand why you feel this is the best the club has been in during your lifetime. It’s exciting to see how we can learn from the experience of dropping down to the Non-League. This is brilliant.

This is a signing that should excite all fans. He’s an excellent player and someone who has been considered by fans as a realistic target. He has the ability to play at a much higher level; he just needs to settle in and find what works. I believe we will see the best of him at Notts - it’s one hell of a signing.

I’m glad it hasn’t ended yet. There was a brief point early in last season when I wondered if Jim would reflect on retirement at the end of the season, considering how the squad was taking shape and with his contract being up. Being the only surviving player from our relegation squad speaks volumes about him. He worked tirelessly to get the results we needed to stay up and then did the same when it came to trying to gain promotion to the Football League. It’s been interesting, but there’s still at least one more chapter in him. It would be great if we could add another promotion to it.

I’ve just gone through and made sure to follow people. I didn’t realise I didn’t follow the gaffer or even Liam! I should have paid more attention to users’ profiles, but with all the talk being inside the forums until learning you can post in a member’s profile, I just never thought about following people. I had some followed, like Super Ram etc. I must have thought I followed others at some point but hadn’t.

Jim O’Brien is a key player for Notts County, there’s no doubt about it. Some fans may think he’s past it because they’re moody, but it takes a great level of fitness and skill to keep going. Michael Doyle’s legs had gone the moment he arrived, but he was worshipped and I can’t understand why it isn’t the same for Jim. He’s by far the better player. I think if we had him from the beginning of the season we wouldn’t have been relegated. Yet, he fought for us in those four years when we were non-league and he’s helped to take us back. We can credit every squad player or just our favourites, but I for one will credit Jim’s loyalty and dedication to our club. He is a fantastic squad player and I look forward to seeing him in the upcoming season.

The Skipper has signed on for two years, which is fantastic. Cameron has improved the club in big strides; as captain, I don’t think we could ask for anyone better. He leads by example and just works tirelessly. I am pleased the defence will mostly be the same as last season; going into games with those existing partnerships and communication will only be a blessing.

There are some fantastic times supporting Notts, even the dark times make us thankful for the club we have. Tony’s story is interesting and serves as a reminder of how diverse our fan base is in terms of the memories we all have and what encourages us to move forward. This is brilliant, thanks Tony! Will it be another Tony next time, gaffer?

I hope he doesn’t swap his shirt at the end of the game, just pinch one of the England players when they’re changing. It would be a great souvenir for Jodi.

My takeaway from this is to give players all of your support, even in difficult times because they will pay off. Jim O’Brien has been a good servant to the club; he has everything you would want in a player. Having him in the dressing room, on the pitch, using his approach to help those around him is a great gift that he has. Just look at how he speaks about the players around him.

What a quote this is: ‘I’ve learned through my career and life that money doesn’t bring happiness. I truly believe that you have to find that happiness inside yourself.’ This reinforces his comments about having the desire to impact the team in a positive way. We know he has the ability, and while I don’t expect him or Macaulay Langstaff to repeat their goal tallies from last season, I believe both of them will score at least in the high upper digits. How wrong was I to doubt this move in the first place while it was still in the rumour stage.

I think Jim O’Brien is a superb veteran of the game. I know he mentioned that he dislikes the word ‘experienced’ because some fans use it as a throwaway comment. Yet, I don’t mean it in those terms. He’s a calm, focused midfielder who wants to defend and get forward. What he lacks in advanced years, he makes up for with the knowledge he’s picked up. His football mind is always switched on, and it’s incredible to see him think ahead of much younger players. To have him remain as a firm squad player is just a good boost to the squad. With Ruben Rodrigues departing, it’s good to have someone like Jim who can crack a joke or offer support to the surrounding players.