TheSkipper

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.

I have decided to post two weekly blogs, with the content first being considered by the gaffer for the front site. Those that don’t make the cut will go here, as I plan to write a lot about the club’s history and do quirky things with ex-players who are open to discussing things. In the meantime, would you please consider following the blog? I think I will start drafting ideas and communicating with @Chris about this. If I can reach 10 followers, that would be superb to start with.

Welcome, @JackMagpie95 to the Pride of Nottingham. Please do let us know a bit about yourself, if you need ideas on what to say. Check out the pinned post by @Fan of Big Tone.

I know a lot of Notts fans like to find something to whine about, but this isn’t one of them. We should be more bothered by the actual release of the shirts and the fact that the club extended a 5-year deal with a company that treats us fans as if we don’t matter. Not a paying sponsor, because this could put others off. It might make sponsors who don’t have red in their logo or name rethink if this is the type of fan base they want to associate with. It’s pathetic. These fans need to think about the important things, like the fact that we still exist and have good owners, etc. Not anything minor to make a molehill out of.

I am delighted that he has extended his time with Notts. A 2-year deal is the standard length, but it gives us time to work with him. I would say he’s either the most or second most important extension renewal between him and Kyle Cameron. Aaron Nemane was incredible once he got going; he thrived and shone in the departure of Cal Roberts. He’s exactly what we need. I am just hopeful we don’t push him onto the left-hand side because he has zero effectiveness there.

I can’t see this happening; I agree it’s just a weird fit for a player that the club has tipped. We see Notts praise talent like Tiernan Brooks, but very rarely do we see them sell or loan them out to a league where the competitiveness isn’t quite useful to us. The Irish league isn’t all that bad, but the National League North/South is a lot more competitive.

The original Gary Jones (before my years) played for Nuneaton Borough in 02/03.

He’s a good keeper, and at 29, it’s the perfect age for him to make the step up. It depends on who’s in front of him, but Burnley is usually a good defensive team. He should do well with them.

The Air Up fad makes me laugh. I get that it’s amazing how there’s no flavour to water and the pods allow you to mix flavours, but the number of people who use them as a prop or wave the bottles in your face, as if to say “look at my special cup, my water’s better than yours,” is just laughable.

I think most League Two teams will be linked with Andy Dallas until a deal is struck. I’ll hold off commenting on how he’ll fit in, but a player of his calibre in finishing would be a good signing for anyone. It’s a shame we’re so blessed in this department, as I’d like to see him play for us.

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.

Other clubs receive their shirts well before us, even with the same kit suppliers. Why are we always late to the party? I remember it being mentioned that our following season’s shirts are always designed and sent over before the season is even halfway through, so what holds up production so much? When the club says it’s out of their hands, I personally wonder if our payment pushes things back. It’s understandable that the club may not prioritize shirts over signings, but it’s not like the absence of a CEO can be used as an excuse for this. Notts needs to work out better timing for this. I can’t see Puma prioritising something for the clubs that already have their shirts ahead of us. I can imagine that production for bigger clubs takes time, but why do we just accept it without trying to bring things forward?

It’s great news that Notts has sold over 5,000 season tickets. I’m hoping there’s a good number in the empty-looking Family Stand. I also hope that now we’re a League Two team, we can focus on getting more fans into the stand. The Derek Pavis will have a fair amount, as will the KOP, so I’m pleased to see the numbers increase.

I think Luke Williams is aware of what’s happening, even if he doesn’t know all the details. It seems likely that he, the club, and Aaron Nemane have spoken. I’m partly wondering if at this stage something has happened that has caused him to take a step back from football. If this is the case, it would be understandable for Luke to be unworried about losing Nemane. Even if he knows Nemane is unlikely to sign a new deal, he’ll still be focused on the squad. It’s a very good interview; credit to the Notts County media team for doing this.

I think the retro shirts are awful. The badges don’t look right. The older single magpie looks fine, but the collar puts me off. The 1992/93 replica shirt mostly looks good, but it’s the smaller details that make me dislike it.

Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham, @NottsCountyKev. It's great to have you with us.

In my opinion, comparing players in football is a common practice that can provide valuable insights, but it’s not always straightforward. Sometimes, comparing players can help teams make strategic decisions by highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. For example, comparing the statistics of two strikers can help a team decide which player to start in a game. However, there are also times when comparing players simply doesn’t work. This can happen when players have different roles on the field or when they play in different leagues or competitions. In these cases, it’s difficult to make a fair comparison because the players are being evaluated based on different criteria.

@Fan of Big Tone I think the same can be applied to @KingWilliams. The longer we retain our best players and manager, the further Notts should progress. I don’t think Williams will lose the dressing room; he’s too captivating for that. Welcome back @DeadlyMacca.

Chrome for me, since, like others have said, it’s the default across multiple devices and the sync feature is something I find useful for work. There may be another browser war in the future, but while all but Firefox use Chrome’s engine, it’s hard to break it for now.

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.

As of yet, all we know is that the club has extended the deal with Puma for 5 more years after this season ends. This means we can speculate as to what the shirts might look like. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of either the home or away shirt last season, so I’m hoping for more of a traditional home kit. Juventus and Newcastle have both shown that a black and white kit can be creative, look different and escape those boring claims that there’s not much that can be done with the colours. If this were true, it would be the same for every club, with every colour. So what is it that you like about Notts shirts, both home and away? What previous season would you ideally like this season’s home and away kit to look like? Personally, I like broader black and white stripes - not just a few like the 2020 home shirt, but multiple ones like we had last season. More traditional, with no collar and parts of yellow or gold trimming. It would be nice to finally have a yellow away kit - not too bright, but with hints of Nottingham green along parts just to add subtle detail.

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.

Neal Ardley has transformed them from being an average team to one capable of reaching the playoffs. I was surprised to learn of his mutual release from Solihull Moors. I heard on Talk Sport not long ago that he’s linked with the Rotherham United job in the Championship.

I have some, around 7 home shirts and about 3 away ones. My favourite is the red away shirt we had a few years back, but I must admit I don’t often buy a new one anymore due to the costs.

It’s a well-written interview. David McGoldrick seems poised and ready to start playing. The fact he mentioned that players can still play at an older age is right, but few can cut it at the highest level. His coming to Notts will hopefully be good for him and the club.