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Matt Virtue has praised his teammates at Notts County for helping him out during his loan spell from Liverpool and is especially happy about Kevin Nolan's characteristics and man-management skills. Since arriving in Nottingham, the 20-year-old took a while to find his feet but is now fully integrated in the squad, making 12 appearances so far, and he is enjoying the dressing-room atmosphere. “All of them really (have taken him under their wing), I can’t fault any of them. All of them have been class," Virtue told the Nottingham Post. “Obviously it’s my first loan spell, they’ve all helped. Shola’s (Ameobi) an experienced head and he’s been a massive help, but all of them have been a massive help. I couldn’t really single any of them out. “What I’ve noticed about (Nolan), his man-management skills are really good. He gets the most out of his players like that second half performance at Colchester, he really got the best out of us and I’m really enjoying being underneath him, and learning quite a lot from him. “Hopefully, being on the end of a successful promotion run with Notts into League One and then see where it takes me in pre-season. I’ll go back to Liverpool in pre-season, work as hard as I can and see what happens from there.” 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.

Kevin Nolan has praised midfielder Matty Virtue for his performance against Coventry City. The on-loan Liverpool youngster was deployed on the right wing, despite the fact he usually plays in the centre of the park, in the 2-1 win over the Sky Blues. Virtue, who had received criticism prior to Saturday's League Two game, produced an impressive performance and was rightly lauded by the fanbase. “I thought Matty Virtue was very unfortunate because in every game he plays he usually gets a chance,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.. “He didn’t get one on Saturday, but I was delighted for him because I thought he played very well. “He’s got a bit of Jorge about him in that he will get good opportunities. And I must say Jorgie looked back to his old self in that he did lots of hard work off the ball. But Matty was fantastic all game and so was Jorge.” 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.

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Matty Virtue should return to Notts County “full of confidence” after scoring for Liverpool Under-23s and believes the Reds youth captain will make successful contributions for his loan club. Virtue bagged the first goal for Neil Critchley’s team which lost 2-1 to Porto B in the Premier League International Cup last Wednesday. The 20-year-old, who is eligible to play games for his parent club's youth side despite being on loan, is now back at Meadow Lane. He will be in contention for a place in the squad which faces Cheltenham in League Two on Tuesday night. “It’s perfect and we had the same scenario with Tahvon Campbell last season in which he could also play for West Brom’s under-23s team while on loan for us,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “We are hoping to build a good rapport with Liverpool so we are not going to stop him when he has a fantastic game to play in especially when he has not had 90 minutes with us. He will get minutes in his legs and we are always going to encourage that. “Matty will be back with us and he scored a good goal. A lot of my mates are Liverpool fans and he took his goal very nicely. He will come back full of confidence and hopefully we can keep adding to that. “People just expected Matty to come in because he was a Liverpool player and take the mantle left by Ryan Yates. It didn’t help that we weren’t going through a great patch at the time. “Had we been winning games then it would have been seen as seamless. He’s got a bright future in the game and we don’t want to be wrecking that. “We took him out of the firing a line a bit because people were looking at him even though he was one of the best players on the pitch when we were getting poor results. “It won’t long before we see the best of him again and seeing him in a winning team and everybody is thinking ‘we’ve got a player here’. “He’s a great kid and wants to learn. People have to remember it’s his first loan and he is learning every day because it’s different to academy football. “I am sure come the end of the season he will have made a successful contribution and he will go back to Liverpool a better player.” 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.

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.

Kevin Nolan has described Notts County as "a team in transition" and praised each of the home debutants in Saturday's League Two encounter with Exeter City. The returning Liam Noble was drafted into the starting XI, as were youngsters Matty Virtue and Noor Husin, in a side which had to be rejigged due to the absence of Richard Duffy and Matt Tootle. Nolan says he was happy with how the new players performed, and felt towards the end of the match that the Magpies played some of the best football during his reign so far, despite the 2-1 defeat. "This is a team in transition with different types of players coming in who are finding their feet in the team," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "We gave three home debuts today and I thought they all did terrifically well. I'm delighted with that and it's another positive for us. "We played some wonderful stuff, some of the best under my tenure, but we didn't have the cutting edge at the end." 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.

Jon Stead has spoken about Ryan Yates's recall from Notts County and also praised replacement loanee Matty Virtue. The Nottingham Forest youngster impressed on loan at Meadow Lane but was recalled before being sent out to Scunthorpe United in League One. It wouldn't be long before another highly-rated youngster arrived at the club, however, in the shape of Liverpool Under-23 captain Virtue. “We were not really surprised (about Yates's departure) because Ryan did fantastically well for us,” Stead told the Nottingham Post. “We just took it in our stride really because there are other lads vying for that position and ready to come and step in. “We wish him all the best and thank him because he was terrific for us. “He’s a great lad and a top, top professional. He’s a throwback to the old school professionals and I’ve no doubt he will go a long, long way in the game.” Speaking about Virtue, Stead added: “He did very well (in his debut against Lincoln).I think he was in the dressing room scratching his head a little bit. But he held his own very well and I think we will see a lot more of him throughout the games, especially at home. That’s when he will be able to get on the ball a little bit more. “His neck was probably a bit sore from watching it go over his head last weekend. But he was very combative and he dealt with the physical side of it very well.” 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.

Kevin Nolan has hailed Matty Virtue for a good showing in his Notts County debut in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Lincoln City. The Liverpool Under-23 captain was handed a start just days after joining on loan and had a hand in the opening goal, scored by Jon Stead. “It was always going to be tough for him and we knew that,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “He probably hasn’t played in too many games like that on pitches like that, coming from under-23 level. “I said ‘welcome to League Two’ to him in the dressing room and brought a wry smile to his face. But he handled it magnificently. “He couldn’t get into the game to show the quality he has but that will take time, as I said when he signed. This will make him as a player, he will learn from it and become better from it. “There’s still a lot more to come from him and we will help him with that." 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 spoken highly of new loan arrival Matty Virtue and admitted that Ryan Yates's untimely departure is part and parcel of football. Yates was on loan at Meadow Lane until Wednesday, when he was recalled by Nottingham Forest and sent out to League One side Scunthorpe United, also penning a new City Ground deal. The Magpies have moved quickly to bring in a replacement in the shape of Liverpool Under-23 captain Virtue. "We've had some fantastic recommendations from some really good players who have been in the game," Nolan told the official Notts site. "He trained with us today for the first time and you can see he's a real fox in the box and that he times his runs really well. He's a very good technician and passer of the ball. "I think you'll see the better Matty Virtue in a couple of weeks' time. It's always tough when you come into a new environment but you can already see he's more than capable. "We're hoping when he crosses that white line it suits him and we start taking him on an upward curve. "He's going to be given a great opportunity to excel here and go back to Liverpool a better player. We'll help him as much as we can." When asked by the Nottingham Post about Yates's departure, Nolan replied:“I’m obviously disappointed to lose Ryan because he’s been a major part of our squad in the last six months. He’s done really well for us. “It’s brilliant for him that’s he’s earned a contract over the road on the back of what he’s done here. I’m absolutely delighted for him, and wish him well going forward. “It come as a surprise because we wanted him for the year, but that’s football. He was given a decision to make, and he’s made his decision, so all we do is wish him the best.” 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 moved quickly to replace recalled Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates by signing Liverpool Under-23s captain Matty Virtue on loan. Here is some information about the player's identity, career, achievements and style of play. Full name: Matthew Joseph Virtue-Thick Date of birth: May 2, 1997 Place of birth: Epsom Age: 20 Height: Unknown Nationality: English Position: Midfield / Defensive Midfield Preferred foot: Right Last club: None Came through the ranks at: Liverpool Other clubs he has played for: Chelsea youth Thoughts on player - Neil Critchey, Liverpool academy coach: "I must give a mention to Matty Virtue, who has been outstanding for us this season in midfield. He is going from strength to strength and he was driving the team forward at Arsenal and constantly getting into the box. He is a great example to all of our younger players around him. If you put the hours in, if you practise and you are dedicated to your profession then you can improve and you will improve. He is a great role model for the boys. I thought Matty had a good 2016-17 season and he has started where he left off, and hopefully he can keep doing that and he may surprise one or two people I think." 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 Liverpool Under-23s captain Matty Virtue on a deal until the end of the season. The Magpies were left reeling following Ryan Yates's recall from parent club Nottingham Forest but have moved quickly to bring in a replacement in the middle of the park. Virtue is highly rated at Anfield and has been singled out for praise by academy manager Neil Critchey, who says he has been outstanding this season for the Under-23s and is also a great role model for his teammates. "It's a massive opportunity for me," Virtue told the Notts site. "It's my first loan move - I've needed to come out and get games and this is the perfect place with the gaffer and the experienced players in the squad. "Coming here to work with Kevin Nolan was a huge pull. I want to be a goalscoring midfielder and I think I can learn and progress a lot under him. "He has seen me play and knows what I can bring to the team. He has shown faith in me by bringing me to the club. "I think I've been playing strongly at under-23 level and shown what I can do, which has helped me get this move. Playing against senior professionals is the next step in my career and I'm here to learn. "I'm a box-to-box midfielder who likes to get up and down the pitch and chip in with a few goals. I want to work hard and bring energy to the team. "I spoke to Jordan Williams yesterday about his experience here a few seasons ago; he was full of praise and told me to come here and enjoy it." 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.