ARLukomski

This will be the first time Notts have met Eastleigh. The Spitfires reached the play-off semi-finals last season, losing out to Salford City on penalties after defeating Wrexham 1-0 at the Racecourse Ground. Notts will start away from home in the first game for the eighth time in nine seasons. Notts’ opening day record of late is poor, winning only one of their last six opening day encounters. Summer Business Eastleigh: Scott Rendell (Aldershot Town) (ST), Jack Payne (Ebbsfleet United) (CM), Sam Smart (Basingstoke Town) (CAM), Rob Atkinson (Fulham) (CB), Joe Partington (Bristol Rovers) (RB), Tyrone Barnett (Cheltenham Town) (ST) Notts: Ben Turner (Mansfield Town) (CB), Zoumana Bakayogo (Tranmere Rovers) (LB), Sam Slocombe (Bristol Rovers) (GK), Dion Kelly-Evans (Kettering Town) (RB), Damien McCrory (Burton Albion) (LB), Nathan Tyson (Wycombe Wanderers) (ST) Team News Joe Partington re-joined Eastleigh this summer, after two years away and will be looking to re-take his starting place on the opening day. Scott Rendell and Tyrone Barnett will look to pick up where Paul McCallum left off last season and provide the goals for The Spitfires. Most of Notts’ summer signings could start the opening day game at the Silverlake Stadium. Nathan Tyson will look to continue his goalscoring form, from pre-season where he scored four goals. Jim O’Brien could start after re-signing for the club in the summer. Share your thoughts about this preview on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

The inevitable has finally been confirmed. After nine months of mostly hell interspersed with slivers of hope, right into midway through the final match of the season, Notts County have been relegated from the Football League. That it went into the final day meant that sliver of hope, that "what if" always stayed, but as the old adage goes, "it's the hope that kills you", so now it's done and there is a little more clarity going forward, the relevant process of fixing this catastrophe can begin. Notts County's final game in League Two - for the time being, we hope - was a 3-1 loss at Swindon Town, and for a period, with the Magpies leading through Kane Hemmings' penalty and Macclesfield a goal down at Cambridge, that hope resurfaced again. But then, the culmination of the previous 45 games, all the off-the-pitch issues, the old problems that have beset the Notts team all season, and the reality of the permutations of the Macclesfield fixture - they had something to play for, the visitors didn't - meant that hope soon evaporated. Pride of Nottingham vlogger ARLukomski was at the County Ground, and here is his take on the game: Share your thoughts about this video on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County have stumbled from season to season with no real plan and no real direction. The club has no identity. There has never been any real stability. Notts have had 28 permanent managers since 1992. With Alan Hardy soon to be selling the club, here’s a list of things that needs to change at Notts if we are to make our way back up the leagues. Training ground and facilities In modern day football, the principle of the training ground is getting more important. A training ground along with facilities such as 3G pitches, indoor and outdoor pitches, a gym, a spa and media centres, attracts players and makes the club a more attractive proposition for players and coaches. This can filter down from senior to youth. Notts have previously trained on a park and at Basford United where the use of a 3G pitch as a first-choice training ground has left Notts’ squad with frequent injuries. The use of a 3G pitch as a first-choice training pitch can be risky and increases the level of injury of the playing squad due to the players being unfamiliar with the surface, as they usually play on grass. When it comes to matchday, it can be difficult to replicate something put into practice on a 3G pitch, on a grass pitch due to the different surfaces. A training ground can help with a squad’s fitness and this is a big importance if you want to play a passing style of play which requires a lot of running and movement. It can also help in the development of players and modern facilities at Notts could help bring out the best in the players and will aid their skill and ability. Youth team It is becoming more and more easier for top clubs to sign young prospects from lower league teams. In August, Notts lost Dongda He to Wolves for a small fee due to EPPP. It was made easier for Wolves, due to the fact that He didn’t have a pro contract with Notts. It was because of this that Notts quickly signed up their youth team prospects to professional contracts. The issue with this was, that it made an already bloated squad even bigger and because the first team was so big, it became more expensive to run. To avoid this happening, we’d have one of two options. To bring the academy status up to a good enough standard or to reduce the age groups in the academy to under 16 and over. The former would not be viable for Notts as it would mean spending excessively on upgrading the academy. Money that Notts don’t have in their current situation. That leaves the latter as the better option of the two. Starting at under 16 level would be better as that is the age in which clubs have to make decisions regarding scholarships. This would also mean the if clubs further up the football pyramid came calling, they would have to pay a bigger fee for the player, benefitting Notts. If Notts kept their current age groups in the youth academy, they could lose players who have been developed for several years, for a small fee. Having these select groups from U16 upwards would also mean that the club can pick more specific needs for the first time. For example, if they are without a ball playing centre-back or a technical midfielder. Recruiting players for the academy can be made easier by taking players from clubs around Notts that are higher in the league system such as Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Leicester City, Aston Villa and Birmingham City. These players would have had the input from a good quality academy and bringing them to Notts would benefit the club hugely. Brentford gave up their academy and instead developed a Brentford B team. They scout internationally and bring in young players from abroad as well as from the UK. They scout internationally due to the fact that, scouting the lower leagues of English football for players means that clubs higher in the football pyramid can lure players with their lofty budgets and state of the art facilities and training complexes. Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts have stumbled from season to season with no real plan and no real direction. The club has no identity. There has never been any real stability. Notts have had 28 permanent managers since 1992. With Alan Hardy soon to be selling the club, here’s a list of things that needs to change at Notts if we are to make our way back up the leagues. Managerial tactics Not just do the decisions made on a managerial appointment have to be crucial, but when the manager gets the job, they must be tactically aware. Too many times, Notts have had managers who are tactically inept. They don’t adapt to the oppositions way of playing. Against teams who pass the ball, you press the opposition and win the ball back as quick as possible (e.g. Crewe). Against physical teams, you put more robust and tall players in to cope with the physical challenge (e.g. Newport). They don’t install a style of play good enough to get us out of situations or get us to be successful on the pitch. Some managers put too much emphasis on one part of the pitch and that has cost them their job. Jamie Fullarton put too much emphasis on being strong at the back and didn’t focus more on getting Notts to score goals. Ricardo Moniz did the opposite. Also, you cannot want to play a certain style of play and then end up going against it. You have to believe in what you want to do. This mixes in with recruitment. If you want to play direct, you cannot have two strikers up front who are 5’9. You have to prepare adequately for what style of play you want to play. How many times do you see Crewe play long ball? You don’t. If it’s not working either, change it up. Too many times Notts have allowed teams to play with freedom and we don’t do enough to close the opposition down. We don’t press the opposing team and we are not brave enough with the ball. For too long we have relied on Jon Stead as an outlet. This is nothing against Jon, but he is 36 and we don’t use him correctly anyway. He has always liked the ball to his feet and constantly we use him as a target man and ask him to hold the ball up or produce a flick on for a faster player to get in behind. This rarely works and it has rarely worked this season (18/19). Plus, everytime we need to press the opposing team, we start Stead who is too slow and won’t close them down. Notts have not had any sort of quality on the wings in recent years other than Jorge Grant (who was a loanee and is more of a CAM). Terry Hawkridge worked hard but didn’t have enough end product whilst Lewis Alessandra doesn’t impact the game at all and doesn’t make runs. Players, Recruitment and Scouting Player recruitment has been a big factor in Notts’ downfall over the last decade. We do don’t enough due diligence or analysation on players who we want to bring in. Especially in the summer of 2018 where we bought in the complete wrong type of player and we went away from what we were good at. In League Two, you need a bruiser in midfield who is not afraid to put a tackle in as well as pass. David Vaughan wasn’t that player. Other clubs bought in the likes of Neal Bishop and Harry Pell. We wanted to play out from the back (even though we went away from something that was working) but didn’t bring in a ball playing centre-back. We didn’t strengthen the midfield or defence and we didn’t keep the leaders in the dressing room who were so important off the pitch in the 2017-18 season. A big factor for the shambles that has happened this season and in previous years has been the lack of a recruitment structure or scouting network. You have got to be vigorous in your recruitment process and, you must scout the players that fit your system and style of play, thoroughly. Scouts must be put in place to ensure you get the right type of players in and this must go further than just video analysis. You need scouts at games to watch the player and determine whether he is right for the team. Having scouts in place could mean scouting different parts of the country. Maybe have a couple in the south, a couple in the north, east and west etc. Have a few scouts go out and look at midfielders, another few at strikers, another few at defenders etc. The different roles within a scouting system are pivotal and they all have to work well together. If one part of the chain is broken, it cannot work efficiently. The director of football must be organised and must be used to dealing with a big workload. The DOF has to oversee the whole scouting system and make sure it is working properly. They have to deal with certain representatives in football, including agents and lawyers. Another role in a scouting network is a head of football operations. This is a very busy role, dealing with such things as: developing relationships with clubs (this can help bring players in on loan and can also go to the extent of getting Notts a feeder club), keeping an eye on players that have been loaned out or players that the club is looking to bring in on loan, highlighting players and of the manager and director of football and preparation for pre-season and where the best places to train and the finding the most adequate clubs to play against in friendlies. The head of football operations oversees the management and logistics side of the club. A first team scout has to deal with representatives from clubs to get the information and on player targets, who the manager wants to sign. The first team scout must have an eye for a player and identifying talent. This applies to both senior and youth level. Examining the type of player needed is crucial. A target man striker, a ball playing centre back, a deep lying playmaker in midfield, a direct winger, a poacher or a sweeper keeper can be some of the key roles that need filling in the squad. A scouting system can go a long way to making a football club successful and if put in place, can help Notts develop, improve and progress as a club and avoid the transfer window disasters of the past. Part 3 - Training Ground and Facilities, and Youth Team coming Wednesday Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts have stumbled from season to season with no real plan and no real direction. The club has no identity. There has never been any real stability. Notts have had 28 permanent managers since 1992. With Alan Hardy soon to be selling the club, here’s a list of things that needs to change at Notts if we are to make our way back up the leagues. Board level decisions This step is a crucial part of football and is key to the club’s future and whether it progresses or not. Decisions made by the board can make or break a club and can alter which direction the club goes in. Decisions on managers, recruitment, structure, policy and youth are all important. The decisions made on these areas shape a football club. Notts’ chairman has to be open and has to have a clear ambition for the club and what direction he wants to take the club in. The chairman must do his due diligence on managerial appointments and whether that is right for what state the club is in, whether we are midway through the season battling relegation or we are looking longer term and appoint a manager who will build a philosophy for seasons to come. They need to have full assurance over what they want the club to be run like. Do we need a director of football to forge a relationship between the owner and manager and to take over the football related matters that might be out of the owner or chairman’s reach? Do we need fellow board members and directors to help with the decision making at the club? All these decisions on how the club is run is crucial. Alan Hardy made a mess of how he wanted the club run. He sacked Kevin Nolan and suddenly decided afterwards he wanted a director of football and appointed Paul Hart to help Harry Kewell, only for it to fall apart after 11 games. Ray Trew also changed his ambition a dozen times. He never stuck with a manager long enough to implement a philosophy or ambition. When Notts went down the route of bringing in foreign players and bringing a passing style of play to Notts, it lasted only a few months. Along with the running of the club, the next Notts chairman or owner must have full assurances over finances and must make critical decisions on where to spend that money. The first priority for Notts would be a training ground and eventually getting a scouting network in place to help with recruitment. A big turning point in Notts’ fortunes was when Alan Hardy decided to spend the money gained on an FA Cup run, on the playing squad. Lincoln, on the other hand, spent their money on a training ground. Lincoln are now promoted to League One whilst Notts are staring non-league football in the face. That is key decision making for you. Living within your means is another problem Notts have endured during previous owners’ stints. Ray Trew and Alan Hardy both spent in the chase of success, both failed to attain this, and both times, the club ended up with financial issues. The message being for the next owner of Notts: Spend your money wisely and carefully. Decisions on managers For a long time now Notts haven’t really picked anyone that is forward thinking. Some managers that have been appointed have either been impact managers or shouldn’t have been given the job in the first place. Martin Allen, Keith Curle, Shaun Derry and to an extent Kevin Nolan are impact managers. They make an impact when they first come in, but they won’t take you forward. Managers like Jamie Fullarton and Chris Kiwomya shouldn’t have been given the job in the first place. Fullarton was an unpopular choice and it ended up being the last straw for Ray Trew. Kiwomya was appointed when fans were crying out for someone with at least a bit of managerial experience. Trew went with the cheap option and within two and a half months, Kiwomya left. The board must consider the job the last manager had as well. Neal Ardley’s Notts are currently struggling to score goals, a problem he carried over from his time at Wimbledon. The decisions on managerial appointments come from board level and for most of the last 15 years we haven’t really made a good appointment. Other clubs have taken chances on young coaches who have showed promise and it has worked because they are forward thinking and the board see the good job or jobs they have done before. Take Lincoln for example. They appointed Danny Cowley after he had steered Braintree to 3rd and a play-off semi-final with a small budget. A masterstroke of a decision from the Lincoln board. The decision making at board level is vital. Managerial appointments are only one of the things they have to get right. However, Notts have made too many bad decisions on managers over the past decade and a half and that has to stop. A manager with good tactical ability is key as well. We’ll get onto that soon. Others include Nathan Jones at Luton, Chris Wilder at Oxford, Northampton and now Sheffield United and Paul Hurst at Shrewsbury. Decision making is a massive part of football and something that has let Notts down consistently. Decisions need to be made and they need to be carefully thought out rather than rushed. Part 2 - Managerial tactics and Players, Recruitment and Scouting coming Tuesday Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County put in a woeful performance as Crewe Alexandra ran out 3-0 winners over the Magpies in Saturday's League Two clash at Gresty Road. Motherwell loanee Taylor-Sinclair got the scoring underway with his header into the far corner of Alex Palmer's net from Charlie Kirk's delivery following a short corner routine. Although Notts had a couple of chances, the Railwaymen doubled their lead on 77 when Ryan Wintle turned in Perry Ng's pull-back from close range. Substitute James Jones then saw his shot deflect off Sam Stubbs and loop over Palmer for the hosts' third seven minutes before the end. Pride of Nottingham vlogger ARLukomski was at the game to watch proceedings. Here is his video detailing his pre-match, mid-match and post-match views. Share your thoughts about this video on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts have met Crewe 46 times over the years. Notts: 23 Draw: 9 Crewe: 14 Notts have lost only one of their last fifteen games against Crewe, winning ten and drawing four. Despite their good record against Crewe, they haven’t won at Gresty Road since 2014. Stats Notts have lost only 1 of their last 5 games and have won their last two away games, scoring three in both games. Crewe have won only 1 of their last 4 home games but they overall, they are in the top 7 for their home form this season. Seasons in each division Division One (or Prem): 0 Division Two (or Champ): 12 Division Three (or League 1): 45 Division Four (or League 2): 37 Head-to-head stats and where they rank Goals scored: Notts – 43 (19th), Crewe – 49 (joint 14th with Newport) Goals conceded: Notts – 74 (1st), Crewe – 53 (11th) Top Scorer: Notts – Kane Hemmings (13), Crewe – Chris Porter (10) Most Appearances: Notts – Rob Milsom (32), Crewe – Perry Ng (39) Team News Notts will be without Elliott Hewitt for the rest of the season due to a knee injury. Kane Hemmings had fluid drained from his leg this week and will be available to play. The former Oxford striker has 13 goals this season. Emergency loan signing Alex Palmer will likely take his place in goal for Notts as Ryan Schofield is suspended and Ross Fitzsimons is ill. Crewe captain George Ray may return after serving a suspension, whilst wingers Charlie Kirk and Callum Ainley will look to make their way back into the starting eleven after being benched for last week's derby game against Port Vale. Share your thoughts about this preview on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County ended Saturday level on points with 22nd-placed Yeovil Town in League Two after rescuing a 2-2 draw against Northampton Town at Meadow Lane. Mitchell Rose had put the home side ahead with a long-range effort not long before the half hour mark after Kane Hemmings had seen his initial effort blocked. The Cobblers, however, drew level just a minute before the break, Daniel Powell turning home Sam Hoskins' cross. The start of the second half then went completely pear-shaped for the Magpies as a defensive lapse culminating in Ryan Schofield being sent off for bringing down Daniel Powell and Sam Hoskins scoring from the ensuing set piece. Neal Ardley's side didn't take long to draw level courtesy of Hemmings, who slotted home after 52 minutes following Jon Stead's pass, and keeper Ross Fitzsimons then saved well from Hoskins and Sam Foley in the closing stages as County clung on. ARLukomski was at the San Sirrel to watch proceedings - here is his take on the afternoon's action. Share your thoughts about this video on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County were beaten 1-0 by Exeter City on Saturday in cruel yet wholly predictable circumstances. The League Two encounter at Meadow Lane saw the Grecians fall down to ten men yet they still went on to win, in injury time of all times. Nicky Law was the match winner, stooping in to head in a Donovan Wilson cross three minutes into stoppage time. to crush Magpies hopes. With just seven games to go this season, Notts are six points adrift of 22nd-placed Yeovil Town, while Macclesfield Town have a game in hand to pull even further clear of Neal Ardley's side. ARLukomski was at the Lane for the game - here are his pre-match, mid-match and post-match thoughts on yet another traumatic matchday for the Magpies. Share your thoughts about the game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts have met Exeter 47 times. Notts: 18 Draw: 19 Exeter: 10 Notts have lost their last two meetings with Exeter and the last time they won against The Grecians at Meadow Lane was in 2012. Stats Notts have taken 10 points from a possible 15 in their last five games against teams in the top 10 in League Two. Exeter got back to winning ways last Saturday with a 3-0 win against play-off rivals Colchester. Striker Matt Jay has scored 3 in his last 5 apperances. Seasons in each division Division One (or Prem): 0 Division Two (or Champ): 0 Division Three (or League 1): 47 Division Four (or League 2): 39 Non-league: 5 Head-to-head stats and where they rank Goals scored: Notts – 38 (joint 20th with Macclesfield), Exeter – 50 (10th) Goals conceded: Notts – 71 (1st), Exeter – 37 (22nd) Top scorer: Notts – Kane Hemmings (11), Exeter – Nicky Law (8) Most appearances: Notts – Rob Milsom (29), Exeter – Jake Taylor (37) Team News Jim O’Brien maybe in contention to return for Notts after having his stitches removed from his leg, which were in place after a poor tackle from Carlisle’s Jamie Devitt. Jon Stead may also return after being out for a week due to injury. Experienced defender Aaron Martin will return from injury having played in The Grecians midweek reserve game. Fellow defenders Troy Brown and Pierce Sweeney are back in the City squad and will be pushing for a starting place. Share your thoughts about this preview on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County picked up another point in a dour stalemate against Morecambe in Saturday's League Two encounter at Meadow Lane. Neither side was particularly impressive, with crosses from Matt Tootle and Enzio Boldewijn the most that the Magpies could conjure up in the first half. At the other end, the Shrimps saw defender Steven Old head over the bar at the back post after connecting with a Richie Bennett cross. The second half was little better, although Boldewijn did test Morecambe goalkeeper Mark Halstead after being played in by David Vaughan and Mitch Rose had a go on the rebound. Aaron Collins did force Ryan Schofield into a good save at the other end but in the end it was a dour 0-0 honours even. Pride of Nottingham vlogger ARLukomski was at the San Sirrel for the game - here is his account of the day's events. Share your thoughts about this video on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County delivered yet another poor result as they drew 0-0 with Port Vale on Saturday, which keeps the Magpies five points adrift of safety. The game was dour and unispiring, with the 22nd-placed Valiants putting in a stronger performance than the beleaguered hosts at Meadow Lane. Vale pressed their game on the hosts early on in the game and dominated proceedings, with Tom Pope seeing a close-range header ruled out for offside and Tom Conlon hit the crossbar from 25 yards. In the end, the spoils were shared, just one point in the kind of fixture that Notts should be winning if they honestly want to survive relegation. Pride of Nottingham vlogger ARLukomski was at Meadow Lane to endure yet another deflating weekend, here is an account of his afternoon. Share your thoughts about this video on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts have met Port Vale 104 times in their history. Notts: 47 Draw: 21 Vale: 36 Notts currently have a three-game unbeaten run against Port Vale and have only lost 3 of their last 11 against The Valliants. Stats Notts will be looking to get back to winning ways following two successive defeats against Newport and Tranmere. Port Vale have only won two league games since they played Notts at Vale Park in the reverse fixture (November 3rd, 2018). Vale are the lowest scorers in the league (28) and have only scored once in their last six games. Seasons in each division Division One (or Prem): 0 Division Two (or Champ): 41 Division Three (or League 1): 45 Division Four (or League 2): 19 Head to head stats and where they rank Goals scored: Notts – 34 (21st), Port Vale – 28 (24th) Goals conceded: Notts – 66 (1st), Port Vale – 42 (joint 13th Swindon and Carlisle) Top Scorer: Notts – Jon Stead & Kane Hemmings (8), Port Vale – Tom Pope (8) Most Apperances: Notts – Ross Fitzsimons (28), Port Vale – Scott Brown (34) Team News Notts’ only injury concern before the game, is towards Elliott Hewitt who will be assessed after picking up a knee injury. Manny Oyeleke made his return from injury for Vale last week, but fellow central-midfielder Luke Joyce may miss the game. Share your thoughts about the game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts have met Tranmere 34 times. Notts: 18 Draw: 8 Tranmere: 18 The last time Notts won at Tranmere was in the 2010-11 season when Notts ended a run of 9 straight defeats and lifted themselves out of the relegation zone. Stats Tranmere’s home record this season stands at: PLD 16, W9, D4, L3. Notts have only played once away from home since deadline day, a 2-1 win at Forest Green Rovers. That was only their second away win all season, the other coming at Macclesfield. Seasons in each division Division One (or Prem): 0 Division Two (or Champ): 11 Division Three (or League 1): 58 Division Four (or League 2): 18 Non-League: 3 Head-to-head stats and where they rank Goals scored: Notts – 34 (joint 20th with Macclesfield), Tranmere – 47 (9th) Goals conceded: Notts – 65 (1st), Tranmere – 41 (joint 12th with Oldham, Swindon, Port Vale and Carlisle) Top Scorer: Notts – Jon Stead and Kane Hemmings (8), Tranmere – James Norwood (20) Most Apperances: Notts – Ross Fitzsimons (28), Tranmere – Scott Davies (33) Team News Tranmere will be without centre-backs Sid Nelson and Steve McNulty. Nelson is recovering from a broken nose and McNulty is suffering with an achilles injury. Notts boss Neal Ardley has said some players are nursing small issues after playing their second game in three days against Newport on Tuesday. Mellon and Ardley may be looking to make changes to their starting line-ups, with this being both teams’ 3rd game in seven days. Share your thoughts about this match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Following two weeks off and some deft reinforcements in the January transfer window, Notts County put in a much improved performance in Saturday's 1-1 draw with League Two promotion chasers Lincoln City at Meadow Lane. The Magpies began superbly and were ahead after just two minutes when they won a penalty with their first meaningful attack, Harry Toffolo fouling Jon Stead, who was trying to get on the end of Mitch Rose's cross. Referee Antony Coggins pointed to the spot and the veteran striker, who had missed a penalty in front of the Kop against Bury during the festive period, made no mistake from the spot this time around. However, just before the break, Bruno Andrade drew the visitors level with a 20-yard strike that goalkeeper Ryan Schofield could not keep out, and come full time, the scoreline remained as such for a share of the spoils. Pride of Nottingham vlogger ARLukomski was at Meadow Lane for the game and was pleased with what he saw from the Magpies. Share your thoughts about this video on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County put in a much-improved performance against Bury in a goalless draw that saw warm applause by the Black & White Army at full time. Neal Ardley had clearly talked some sense into his ailing players as they were bright from the off, with Rob Milsom going close with heading wide before rifling wide from just outside of the box, while Shaun Brisley also came close. David Vaughan then smashed the post with a superb effort from long range, while Kristian Dennis and Andy Kellett missed gilt-edged opportunities before the break, giving the Notts fans something to smile about - something which hasn't really happened often this season. In the second half, Bury picked up the pace as Chris Stokes headed just wide, but Notts soon regained the momentum and were given a superb opportunity from the spot when Andy Kellett's cross was handled in the box Jon Stead, County's top scorer with eight goals this season, took to the spot, but this time, Mr Reliable spurned the opportunity as he shanked his effort way over the bar into the Kop. Notts did dust themselves off and continued to impress, with Matt Tootle seeing a half-volley palmed away by Bury goalkeeper Joe Murphy, but in the end, the spoils were shared at the San Sirrel, with Notts three adrift of safety. Pride of Nottingham vlogger ARLukomski gives his pre, mid and post-match thoughts on the game in his latest video: Share your thoughts about the game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.