ARLukomski

I can understand it because once we bought in McDonald, we then have 3 left footed centre-backs in Bedeau, McDonald and Cameron. He's going to be a squad player and I agree he shouldn't be a starter for the forthcoming season. I also see in his statement, the change of captaincy was one of the reasons why he wanted to a new challenge. This shows it was Maynard's decision to change the captaincy and put it on Langstaff. I agree with this decision because Cameron was no longer the leader he was, when we were in the National League. Football doesn't stand still for anyone and we've got to move forward as a club and that includes bringing in new players to help us progress further. Players that are better at this level than the ones we had and will help us in the next few years. The stats don't lie. We had the worst defence in the league last season and the back line needed a complete revamp and that meant being ruthless. The defence was our biggest issue last season and it is being sorted. Adding to this, it shows the ruthlessness that was needed last summer. Cameron should not have gone last summer, but some players who were part of the squad last season, should've left in the summer of 2023 (after promotion). Our loyalty cost us progress and that goes to Richard Montague and also Luke Williams. One thing I must give Maynard credit for is his ruthlessness. Us Notts fans wondered if he had it in him. The answer is yes he does

That was the same account that said Stevenage were interested. Stevenage couldn't afford his right boot, never mind a whole Macaulay Langstaff. It's also the same account that said Derby were interested. The same Derby that have just signed Jerry Yates and Kayden Jackson. They've only paid 2 million in the past 5 years once and that was for Kevin Nisbet. Zian Flemming's deal was 1.7 million rising to over 2 million.

Can definitely play in a back 3 and has been great the last few seasons with Gateshead. Physically strong and able to play across the back line and is comfortable with the ball at his feet, as is expected of a Gateshead player

This is our current depth in every position. Obviously Bass, Brooks and Slocombe as well. I've not included Stone, Rawlinson or Randall as I think with the additions we've made, they'll be gone anyway. Still need at least 1 more centre mid and a right sided centre-back. If we don't sign Charlie McCann, I might just go and cry in the corner for a while. Kenton Richardson or Riley Harbottle for the RCB role

It'd be the greatest comeback arc in history. The 1 loan game raffle ticket winner to Notts' right sided centre-back. If he did sign it would give us the current options at centre-back... RCB - Lewis Macari, Kenton Richardson, Lucien Mahovo CB - Matty Platt, Rod McDonald, Lucien Mahovo LCB - Jacob Bedeau, Kyle Cameron, Rod McDonald

His best interview since he joined Notts. He looks a lot more calmer and confident now he's settled and is starting to shape the squad in his own way. There is a good head coach/manager in there. He's shown at Wealdstone that he can develop players (e.g. George Wickens, Sam Howes, Jed Ward, Riley Harbottle, Miguel Freckleton, Jacob Mendy, Deji Elerewe, Rhys Browne, Josh Umerah). Also, to get a Wealdstone team playing better than most would think, would mean creating a strong togetherness within the squad, which I think he will create over time. Matty Saunders said in his interview with Tom Williams, that he would phone players personally to explain to them why they weren't in the matchday squad. People can have their doubts still about him, due to last season, which is fine. I had my doubts through the end of the last season too. However when people come out and talk rubbish for the sake of their agenda, that's when it's ridiculous. Like mentioning the fact he says "management team" a lot. There's no constructive analysis or criticism given for the positives or negatives.

@StanfordPie I think I would sign one more centre-back, who is right footed. I heard we were interested in Riley Harbottle

Another one from the suggestions list Seriously though, what a signing

Since last Sunday evening/Monday morning I've had trouble breathing out. It's taking a lot of effort to breathe out. My heart feels like it's beating quickly and sometimes I don't even manage to breathe out properly. I did vape once last Saturday, but I don't think it's that because it's been a week now and I've only ever done it once before. I do have asthma, but that has been settled for a few years and my inhaler hasn't made a difference to these breathing difficulties. I'm thinking it may be my anxiety, but a panic attack shouldn't last this long. The only way I seem to overcome it is if I do a big yawn. I went to the doctors and the doctor checked my blood pressure, my pulse, temperature and checked my heart beat and chest for when I breathe in and out, and he reassured me that things were ok. Has anyone had anything like this before and what is a solution? Thank you

His 2023-24 stats PLD 43 Accurate passes - 1,019/1,474 (69.1%) Accurate long balls - 98 Tackles won - 47 Clearances - 196 Headed clearances - 104 Recoveries - 189 Ground duels won - 94/155 (60.7%) Aerial duels won - 132/236 (55.9%)

I've now made this into a thread

His stats from the 2023-24 season PLD 40 Accurate passes - 1,073/1,514 (70.9%) Accurate long balls - 79 Tackles won - 30 Clearances - 145 Headed clearances - 84 Recoveries - 193 Ground duels won - 83/143 (58%) Aerial duels won - 119/207 (57.5%)

So, played 19, won 5, drew 3, lost 11, gf29, ga34. Not great. It's fair to say we've all got our opinion of Stuart's first few months at the Lane, some more warm and some cold. By all means, the results haven't been good enough and neither have quite a few of the performances. However, there is a few things to take encouragement, especially our form from MK onwards and bits said at the fans forum. Overall though, things must pick up if we are to challenge for automatic promotion. Scott Lindsey's record after the season he kept Crawley up was: won 6, drew 6, lost 10, gf22, ga32. Then look at them after he had a summer to recruit and look where they are now. To be honest, I've spent the whole month of May evaluating whether Maynard can take us forward. I needed to just forget about the comments on social media in the last few months and pick it apart myself. He walked into a difficult phase. He took over from a beloved figure at the club, who gave us the season of a lifetime. However, the team had been conceding goals for fun for many months. Sutton (5), Colchester (5), Mansfield (4), Wimbledon (4), Harrogate (3), Tranmere (4), Grimsby (5). Even the games we didn't concede 3 or more in were still silly. Donny away. O'Brien, not clearing it in added time, leads to us losing our clean sheet. The 2nd goal against Wrexham (H), both goals against Bradford (H), both goals against Walsall (H). Simple things in the build up or at crucial moments. Even the FGR home game when we won to go top, we were poor, showing the owners were correct at the fans forum about us not performing at a good enough level to challenge for promotion, over the whole season. The biggest concern for me, when he was appointed, was the step up. You're coming from a side who were punching above their weight and finishing mid table and flirting with the play-offs on occasions, to a side wanting to challenge for promotion in League 2. It's a big leap. In his time at Wealdstone, he helped develop players and improve their game. This includes: George Wickens, Sam Howes, Jed Ward, Harry Isted, Riley Harbottle, Charlie Barker, Miguel Freckleton, Deji Elerewe, Jacob Mendy, Aaron Henry, Ashley Charles, Rhys Browne, Sean Adarkwa, Tahvon Campbell and Josh Umerah. You don't improve players' ability if you're not a good coach. Harbottle is now in the SPL, Howes in League 1, Ward is Bristol Rovers' number 1, Mendy and Isted are both in league 1. Rhys Browne got a move to Woking off of the back of his impressive form. The signing of Matty Platt offers real encouragement to me. The fact we can take an out of contract player and convince him we are a better place to play football than Bradford shows we have the pull and that Stuart can attract them players, despite only previously managing in non league. The fact he's not just coached that Wealdstone team to play and finish above where people expect them, but also getting the best out of them whilst being semi-pro and having limited time in training and in video analysis sessions, shows there must be a good motivator in there. A good man manager. This was also mentioned in Tom Williams' interview with Matty Saunders. Don't get me wrong, he's got and said things wrong as you'd expect. His subs haven't been great in some games (not helped by poor squad depth due to recruitment) and his post or pre match comments haven't been what I've been seeing on the pitch. I'd just like to see him go into depth a bit more and say when things are poor. I know he wants to protect the players but when we haven't played well (Crewe, Salford, FGR, Gillingham) then say it how it is. However, he's right about us not being countered on as much, how we need more structure, how the problems were here before he came in and that we haven't got the required height or physicality to compete. There is a good head coach in there and I just hope he can succeed. Whether some of us feel good going into next season with him in charge or not, we all want him to succeed because that's what we want for Notts.

Understandable. It's his hometown club and Barrow have a reputation for buying from non-league and developing players. Although the guy who helped that process has now left (Pete Wild)

I've now put the right-wing backs into a thread if anyone's interested

At a random guess... 24/25: 6th in League 2 (POW) 25/26: 15th in League 1 26/27: 12th in League 1 27/28: 10th in League 1 28/29: 5th in League 1

I've now put this out as a thread on Twitter

I'm absolutely fine with signing Matty Young. We've had a good experience previously with Sunderland and the goalkeeper position. Anthony Patterson is now their number 1 and a consistent starter in the Championship. Sam Slocombe is no longer at the required standard to play League 2 level and Tiernan Brooks is still not ready to be no.1 yet. With how highly he's rated, I'd absolutely take Young as no.1. Solihull did fine with 18 year old Tommy Simkin for the first half of last season. He then went on to get into Stoke's matchday squad. I remember when we released Adam Collin (and rightly so because he was terrible), but then didn't make the correct decision regarding a new no.1 that summer. That's not the case with the owners now. Despite it not working out for Aidan Stone, we've mostly got it right. Patterson, Jaros and Mair. Luca was fine, not anything amazing but just fine. Jaros was scapegoated because his name wasn't Sam Slocombe, but Burchnall knew that we needed someone in goal. There's a reason he went to Stockport in League 2 the season after. Maynard also has a good record of developing keepers. George Wickens, Sam Howes and Jed Ward.

Another area of the squad we need to add to and an area that hindered us last season, mainly due to our lack of energy in midfield, our slow build-up play in certain games and an injury to our most important player, Matty Palmer. Plus our inability to break down low blocks. Having released John Bostock and Jim O'Brien, there is the need to add at least 2 centre-midfielders. Our current midfield options include Matty Palmer, Scott Robertson and if he signs a new deal, Geraldo Bajrami. Baj himself says he prefers playing in midfield. Jake Taylor is a player we've already been linked with and Ryan Croasdale has won 2 titles in 3 years at Stockport, getting to the play-off final in the other year. Croasdale is a player I would love Notts to sign. Charlie Lakin is someone I would definitely be after, after an impressive loan spell at Sutton and him and Scott Robertson would be two excellent left-footers to choose from. Charlie McCann is someone we were linked with in January and who has a fantastic passing range and work rate. It may be an expensive deal but I don't think he'll stay at FGR now they've gone down. It would either be loan-to-buy or FGR would terminate his contract to cut their losses, like we did with Kane Hemmings in 2019. Sadou Diallo won promotion with FGR and has been part of a Derry team, as I said previously, have been Shamrock's closest challengers in Ireland. Diallo's ball retention is very good and his height would be a good asset to have. Adam O'Reilly is the engine in the same midfield at Brandywell. Evan Caffrey has been impressive for Shelbourne and a player I would like us to sign. Technically gifted on the ball and able to play further forward or play deeper. Matt Healy is a box-to-box midfielder who left Ipswich at the end of the 2022-23 season and signed for Belgian Challenger League side Francs Borains. He helped Cork City to promotion in 2022 and is an Ireland under 21 international. A very Football Radar style signing. As would be George McEachran. A player who had huge potential who has since dropped down the leagues to kick start his career again. A left-footed midfielder with a brilliant pass success rate and a player who would help us transition very well. Taelor O'Kane is someone I would like us to keep an eye on from Fylde. We've seen in the past that we can sign players from lower leagues and improve them. Langstaff, Scott, Austin. Maynard also helped develop players at Wealdstone. Riley Harbottle, Charlie Barker, Josh Umerah, Rhys Browne, Tahvon Campbell, Sean Adarkwa, Micah Obiero, Sam Howes, George Wickens and Miguel Freckleton. I expect EFL clubs to be looking at O'Kane's potential soon and I think he could develop into a fantastic midfield option. He's already scored 4 goals for Fylde and made nearly 20 appearances last season. The idea is, get him before someone else does or we may regret it.

I will come back and add another list for centre-back. That will include Jacob Bedeau, Farrend Rawson, Alex Hartridge, Cian Byrne, Corey Whelan, Charlie Barker, Mamadou Jobe, Kenton Richardson, Dan Ellison, Luke Jenkins, Danny Collinge and Lewis Baines. I will have my centre-mids one up soon.

@Piethagoram Not sure if he'd fit a LCB role. Only 5'11. I know Molloy and McJannet are both that height but they are natural centre-backs and they win a good amount of aerial duels for their height. Tutonda is a natural left-back, who has, on occasions, played LWB for Morecambe David Tutonda - Age 28, 5'11, Left footed PLD 37 Accurate passes - 788/1,014 (77.7%) Accurate long balls - 35/137 (25.6%) Tackles won - 44 Clearances - 108 Headed clearances - 52 Recoveries - 173 Ground duels won - 127/223 (57%) Aerial duels won - 41/95 (43.2%)

@Piethagoram Aaron Donnelly - Age 20, 6'1, Left footed PLD 19 Accurate passes - 424/689 (61.5%) Accurate long balls - 51/201 (25.4%) Tackles won - 6 Clearances - 85 Headed clearances - 45 Recoveries - 75 Ground duels won - 21/33 (63.6%) Aerial duels won - 60/97 (61.9%) Farrend Rawson - Age 27, 6'4, Right footed PLD 31 Accurate passes - 558/772 (72.3%) Accurate long balls - 31/101 (30.7%) Tackles won - 15 Clearances - 136 Headed clearances - 78 Recoveries - 99 Ground duels won - 31/56 (55.4%) Aerial duels won - 120/189 (63.5%)

@Piethagoram

Right then, here we go. The most important position in Notts' summer recruitment. Baldwin and Brindley have been released and Rawlinson has been transfer listed. That leaves us with Cameron and Macari. One left footer and one right footer. In my opinion we need 3 right footers and 2 left footers. The recruitment has to be spot on in this position. They need to be able to defend their box, but also be comfortable to play our style. They have to have the required strength, height and athleticism. We also require more leaders. With that in mind, here is the list. Notts have been rumoured with Riley Harbottle and it would make sense as he has played under Stuart Maynard at Wealdstone. For me, Will Wright is perfect for us. He can play anywhere across the back 3, he has the height and the ability to play out from the back. He has been a regular for Crawley this season and whilst he has an option for a further year in Sussex, he could be tempted to a move to a team with a higher ceiling. Lucas Ness has some impressive stats, despite not playing a large amount of games at Charlton. He isn't first choice there either, so it would be a decent signing. Tom Bradbury has the height (6'3), the leadership and pace (shown by his goal-line clearance against Burton). Definitely good competition for Cameron. I've said that Notts need to look into Ireland and whilst we looked at Conor Keeley, a move never materialised. His CB partner at St Pats, Joe Redmond, would be a great signing. Once again, he's comfortable with the ball at his feet and playing out from the back (76.3% accurate passes) and is good in the air as well, with 67.8% of his aerial duels won. He would bring leadership as well, being St Pats' captain and a former captain of Birmingham's youth team. With St Pats only sitting in 6th place, it would be a good time to move. Nando Pijnaker is a colossus in the air and whilst not blessed with pace, he can play a pass. Sligo are 8th in Ireland and it could be a shrewd bit of business to sign the New Zealand international. Cameron McJannet and Gavin Molloy are two more left footed centre-backs from Derry and Shelbourne respectively. Molloy maybe difficult to prize away, as Shelbourne currently sit top of the league and he is ever present in Damien Duff's side. McJannet is formerly of Stoke City and has been ever present for Derry in the last few seasons, which has seen The Candystripes be Shamrock's closest challengers. Ruadhiri Higgins is someone who the Reedtz bros wanted as head coach, after Ian Burchnall left, meaning his Derry side will have played a similar possesion based game to Notts. McJannet has been a part of that and despite only being 5'11, can win his fair share of headers too. I will add Farrend Rawson's stats, according to my metrics, in the replies.

@Robbie I think SM will stick with 3 at the back, It's got us success before and 2 of the 3 teams that went up, played 3 at the back (Stockport and Wrexham). MK and Crawley, who finished in the play-offs, also play 3 at the back. It's about finding a balance within the team, whilst also having the ability to switch to a back four if the 3-4-1-2/3-4-2-1 isn't working in games. This also includes having the required height, strength and athleticism from our central defenders (which is my next piece)