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Notts County defender Ben Hall has tipped Kane Hemmings to have a good season as he admits he is the most difficult striker to deal with in training. Following last season's playoff near-miss, the Magpies set about bolstering their ranks with big money signings, Hemmings recruited from Oxford United for a six-figure sum. "I'd probably say Kane Hemmings is the toughest to mark at the moment with his movement. His hold up play is good too," Brighton loanee Hall told the Nottingham Post. "He was holding defenders off against Leicester so I think he'll be good for us." Hall also commented on Kevin Nolan's training regime, adding: "It's been difficult, especially last week. It's not nice, but it's what you've got to do to be ready for the start of the season. "There's one or two things still to come together yet. We've got another two weeks to get ready. We'll get that right and be ready for the start of the season." Share your thoughts about this news story 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 announced the return of Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben Hall on loan for the entirety of the 2018-19 season. The Northern Ireland Under-21 international impressed at Meadow Lane last term in a six-month loan spell which yielded 11 appearances. "I can't wait to come back. My time at Notts so far has been an amazing experience," Hall told the Notts website. "Meadow Lane is definitely the best place for me right now. "I feel like I improved so much during my loan last season and I'm really pleased the gaffer [Kevin Nolan] and his staff wanted me to come back." Magpies boss Kevin Nolan added: “Ben was magnificent for us when called upon last season. He played a very important part and we’re thrilled to have him back with us. “He, along with Pierce Bird, will push Richard Duffy and Shaun Brisley all the way and will really benefit from having a full pre-season with us. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brighton for once again trusting us with his development and we really look forward to helping him improve further.” Share your thoughts about this news story 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.

Alan Hardy has admitted that Notts County are hoping to re-sign Ben Hall on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion next season. The former Motherwell defender played 11 games for Kevin Nolan’s side in 2017-18, after joining on a deadline day loan in January. Brighton have high hopes for the Northern Ireland under-21 international and awarded him a new contract back in April, but he is expected to go back out on loan in 2018-19. “It would be great if we could bring Ben Hall back to the club,” Hardy told the Nottingham Post. “We’ve had some discussions about him as he was excellent in the games he played during his time on loan with us. "That’s something we are looking at.” Share your thoughts about this news story 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 boss Kevin Nolan has described Richard Duffy as his "most outstanding" player of the season and claims that "people giving him stick don’t know too much about football". The defender has flattered to deceive on many occasions this season but put in a good performance as the Magpies ran out 2-1 winners over League Two promotion rivals Coventry City at Meadow Lane. In recent weeks, some fans have been calling for Duffy to be dropped in favour of a central defensive partnership consisting of Shaun Brisley and Ben Hall. Nolan, however, says the former Wales international has had an amazing season in the heart of the back-four. “Duffer has probably been the most outstanding performer all season long,” he told the Nottingham Post. “He goes under the radar and some people give him stick. “I think it’s because the way he looks more than anything because he doesn’t look like a typical League Two centre-back who is 6ft 4in and heads everything. “I’ve been in the game a long, long, time now and I don’t understand a lot of the stick that players get. “People giving him stick don’t know too much about football. That’s my view on it because if you’re a footballer then you know what he brings to your team and what he does. “His reading of the game is first class and he’s been brilliant since I came in. His character and the way he leads people is a credit to him. “It’s a fantastic attribute he has got and that’s why he’s been ever present for me all season. "He has been one of the best players and he and Bris have had a fantastic partnership. “Then Ben Hall comes in and he has put them under real pressure to perform because he’s waiting in the wings.” Share your thoughts about this news story 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 defenders Matt Tootle and Ben Hall visited Dovecote Primary School in Clifton as part of the Football In The Community-delivered Premier League Primary Stars project. During the afternoon, the two answered questions from the Key Stage 2 pupils and got involved in their PE session. The Premier League Primary Stars project uses the appeal of the Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children to learn, be active and develop important life skills. As well as engaging children in physical activity and healthy living, PLPS uses the power of the beautiful game to teach core subjects such as Maths, English, PE and PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education). Tootle told the FITC site: “I hadn’t done a school visit for a while so it was nice to do it today. I like answering the kids’ questions and just making them happy I suppose. "At that age, they’re just really curious and some are football-mad like I used to be so it’s really nice for them to be able to ask us anything they want to know. “Also when I was a young kid, I got snubbed by a footballer so I always said to myself – if I ever become a footballer, I’ll never snub anyone so I’m trying to be a good role-model now.” Brighton loanee Hall, who was making his first school visit, said: “It was great interacting with the kids and nice to see their faces light up as they saw us. “Some of the questions were tricky but it was really enjoyable. The kids obviously look up to us and it’s a nice way of giving back to the community." Find out more about Notts County FC Football in the Community by clicking here. Share your thoughts about this 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.

Kevin Nolan has provided a positive update on Michael O'Connor, saying the Notts County captain is "well on the road to recovery". The Northern Irish midfielder and club captain has been out of action since last April when he suffered a knee injury in the defeat to Portsmouth which required surgery to repair ligament damage. A long layoff has ensued but Nolan is hopeful Occy will be available to join in full training in a fortnight's time, albeit in strictly non-contact sessions. “It’s going fantastically well,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “He spent four or five days at St George’s Park last week just to give him a new environment. “It’s always nice to have somebody on the outside see how good it is going and he has come back with a program and hopefully in the next couple of weeks he will be joining in. “It will be on a non-contact basis but he will be involved in possession sessions because he’s not ready for tackling yet. “But he is well on the road to recovery and touch wood it will continue. I am very hopeful he will play again this season and I do think you will see Michael O’Connor in a shirt. “He is very confident and doing very well, but it’s just little steps. We don’t want to rush him and do anything daft because we are talking about a lad’s career here. His welfare is most important first and foremost.” Nolan also spoke about Shaun Brisley being the latest player to catch the virus sweeping through the Notts camp. The defender sat out Tuesday's 2-1 win over Carlisle United, but Nolan praised Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Ben Hall for his "fantastic" debut in Brisley's place. "We got a call yesterday saying Shaun had come down with the flu so he is off until Thursday and then we will see how he is," the gaffer told the Notts site. "But I thought Ben (Hall, Brighton loanee) was absolutely magnificent and had a fantastic debut. That is why we brought him in and he's taken his opportunity with both hands and I'm delighted for him. "It's going to be tough for Shaun to get back into the team." Share your thoughts about this news story 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.

I realise that the deadline day signings have split fans' opinions, we can debate how good they appear on paper or discuss their careers so far, but the important part is to welcome any new signing into the club and hope that they can help us. Notts have fought hard this season and we have seen such a huge turnaround that even now I find it hard to believe. The club right now is experiencing a fresh start and we now have the right kind of foundations in place. Success on the pitch is often measured in quality, but also desire and I think our club has the right type of balance – although I do openly admit I had hoped for a permanent striker to sign. This said, I feel in League Two Mason Bennett does offer us something which we don’t really have and that his pace could be the thing which ignites us on the pitch - as a signing he should naturally take the burden off the midfield to score goals. It’s also important after Exeter City’s midweek win that we get back on track ourselves, as I feel the wheelbarrow doesn’t need to break just yet – this is more optimism and hope mind. Crewe Alexandra are the perfect team for us to be playing right now, especially since the great performance we put in against Swansea City in the FA Cup. That said, we need to match that performance and even attempt to outplay it. The Alex won’t be an easy pushover despite their league position, not at all and I think the fact that they play some decent ground football should test Notts. Yet their poor form is also a beneficial factor for us, as we could go into the game respectful yet be confident at the same time. On paper people will naturally think it should be easy, yet football is never straightforward and, as Notts fans, we only know too well what it’s like playing an underperforming side. The 2017-18 squad is completely different compared to previous squads and I feel they will want to see the success continue – I certainly believe they will show a lot of character as we fight for our finishing place. There’s just that underlining question of formation and, I hope after Kevin Nolan’s seen how useful it is – reverting back to it against Swansea, that he will see it makes sense to continue using 4-4-2 within the league. We would be stronger, much stronger sticking with a formation that we know inside-and-out. I fully expect Nolan to choose 4-4-2, I think he will see that the two league defeats weren’t down to much else – yet with the inclusions of our new signings, we should be stronger up top and at the back. Notts really need to put a convincing showing on Saturday, we need to forget about the attendance and just rise to the task of getting back on track. The amount of fans or potential fans shouldn’t be daunting and, if we get behind the lads – singing them on. With the Kop fully behind the game, I feel we will find our form – it’s time to start believing! COYP!! 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.

Kevin Nolan has declared himself pleased with Notts County's business in the January transfer window. The Magpies bolstered their ranks with the acquisitions of Matty Virtue, Noor Husin, Ben Hall and Mason Bennett, while Liam Noble could finally be registered after joining late last year. In adding a centre-back and a forward, two areas which were in need of strengthening have now been duly reinforced, while Ryan Yates's untimely recall is now no longer a worry with three new midfielders able to turn out for Notts. "I'm delighted with the business we have done. A lot of it was done early and those lads have had a couple of weeks to settle in," Nolan told the official Notts site. "I feel we have come out of the window with a stronger squad because we have brought in a lot of youth to blend with the OAP squad, as people keep calling us! "To get the two lads we wanted on the final day, which went right to the wire, was great. We have different types of players in each position, which is going to give me a selection headache." Speaking about deadline day signing Hall, Nolan said: "We spoke to a lot of people who have worked with Ben and we're delighted to get him. He has had good experience in Scotland with Motherwell and he is a confident lad. We want him to push Duffy and Brisley to new heights." Bennett, meanwhile, was formally announced half an hour after the window closed, and the gaffer added: "Mason has turned down good opportunities to go elsewhere because we are the club he wanted to move forward with. I'm delighted he has chosen us and I hope we can progress his career. "You only have to look at him to see he's an athlete but we're not putting any extra pressure on him, we need to let him get on with his football and that is the most important thing. "He has got every attribute to be a top player with the way he glides past people and his running in behind and we have to try and nurture that and get it out of him. He's a real handful because of his pace but he is also very clever on the ball. He will bring a lot and we are excited to be working with him." Share your thoughts about this news story 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.

For the second year in a row, Notts County have been busy in the final days of the transfer window. Last year, the Magpies exited the transfer embargo with just a few days left to go and were able to bring in several players, many of whom were loanees (including Jorge Grant - how did that one work out again?) plus Mark Yeates joining permanently. This time round, the whole Ryan Yates debacle has largely been put behind us with the acquisition of Noor Husin, who was superb against Swansea City and has been tipped by Alan Hardy to improve as he gets more accustomed to the league to the point that Yates' absence will no longer be felt. Matty Virtue has also been brought in on loan from Liverpool and although he may need a little more acclimatising to the rigours of first-team football, he is also a very highly rated player - you'd need to be to captain the Under-23s team. Oh, and of course Liam Noble, although signed last year, was registered in January upon the opening of the transfer window. Seems like an age away now following all that happened since. This month the wear and tear from the overload of fixtures has shown in the defence with Matt Tootle, Richard Duffy and Shaun Brisley missing the odd game, so a reinforcement at the back was a necessity. Hardy promised and he delivered, with Ben Hall joining from Brighton & Hove Albion on loan. Another captain of his club's Under-23s team, Hall got a fair bit of first-team action - 18 games, according to Transfermarkt - at previous club Motherwell but hasn't been used by Chris Hughton as of yet, so like Virtue, he may need a little acclimatising to senior football. And then came the long, nervous wait for a forward to bolster the ageing and war-weary attacking ranks, which ticked past 11pm and left many fans increasingly nervous. But once again, the signing was made, as Mason Bennett arrived for a temporary stay at Meadow Lane until the end of the season. Bennett is very highly rated by the Rams fanbase, many fans saying he's a superb player that has just been unlucky with injuries. But the fact he's featured this season in the Championship, the EFL Cup and even the FA Cup, against Manchester United, means he is clearly highly rated by Gary Rowett. On the whole I am satisfied with the month's transfer dealings. Let's face it, we were never going to sign a key player from another lower-league team with the season still in full swing, but the players that have been brought in are all young up-and-coming prospects who will learn from County's elder statesmen and in turn give them a little respite from time to time - after all, we're likely to clock up more than 50 games this season in all competitions. The FA Cup run has been superb but the bread and butter of the league has been disappointing in January, so fingers crossed the signings will not only slot in seamlessly and give the team a bit more quality, but also ensuring that the older players in the team can be used more sparingly and as a result will show more of their own quality when they do play. 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 have confirmed the acquisition of Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben Hall on a loan deal until the end of the season. Here is some information about the player's identity, career, achievements and style of play. Full name: Ben Hall Date of birth: 16 January 1997 Place of birth: Enniskillen Age: 21 Height: 5'10" Nationality: Northern Irish Position: Defence - Centre-back Preferred foot: Unknown Last club: Brighton & Hove Albion (parent club) Came through the ranks at: Dungannon Swifts Other clubs he has played for: Motherwell Achievements: Brighton Under-23s captain Thoughts on player: “This is a great opportunity for Ben to gain experience in a first-team environment as Notts County challenge at the top end of the league table. He’s been a regular in the heart of defence so far this season and his form has rightly attracted interest from outside the club. It’s a fresh and exciting challenge for Ben and we wish him the best for the remainder of the season.” - Simon Rusk, Brighton development coach "Ben is an excellent young prospect. His challenge is not only to progress but to be ready to make that step up into the first-team squad." - Chris Hughton, Brighton manager Share your thoughts about this factfile 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 announced the loan signing of Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben Hall on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old Northern Irishman began his career at Dungannon Swifts before joining Motherwell in 2013. A central defender by trade, Hall made his first-team debut for the Scottish side in December 2015, and scored in a 2-0 win over St Johnstone later that month. Hall then joined the Seagulls from Motherwell for an undisclosed fee in June 2016, a move which riled then manager Mark McGhee. "I am sure he will do well there eventually. They have got themselves a bargain," he said at the time. "Ben is an excellent young prospect," Seagulls boss Chris Hughton told the club website upon signing for the South Coast club. "His challenge is not only to progress but to be ready to make that step up into the first-team squad." Speaking about the loan move, Brighton development coach Simon rusk said: “This is a great opportunity for Ben to gain experience in a first-team environment as Notts County challenge at the top end of the league table. "He’s been a regular in the heart of defence so far this season and his form has rightly attracted interest from outside the club. "It’s a fresh and exciting challenge for Ben and we wish him the best for the remainder of the season.” Share your thoughts about this news story 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.