TheSkipper

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.

Good luck to Michael Doyle. He shouldn’t have followed Ian Burchnall, but it worked out for him in the end, and even better for us as we now have a great manager and assistant head coach.

It’s a great gesture by Stoke City. I think Notts should make some form of donation, but they need to cover the costs of hosting the friendly. Maybe they can put part of the gate receipts or just the money from the sales of food/drinks towards it?

It would be a no from me, simply because we need to have people committed. If he has a family business, I don’t want Notts to lose his focus or for Notts to be used as a means to network that. I’m not saying it would happen, but it is a concern. I would like people unconnected to our rivals.

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.

Welcome @BigTom91, PON is a very good place to talk, read and engage with other fans. I hope you continue to find the site to be somewhere you feel able to spend time. It's important for a community to have fans on board,

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.

Matty Palmer would be the first name on my team sheet. It’s hard to see Notts performing as well without him. He does all the useful bits that often go unnoticed, but he also excels in areas that people do see. His pass rate is high and he has a great work rate.

Frank Vincent seems to have found the right club. They want to return to the Football League and with signings like this, they stand a chance of finishing in the playoffs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

@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.

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 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.