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Notts County manager Kevin Nolan and assistant Richard Thomas have given their reaction to the pre-season friendlies against Carlton Town and York City. In the local friendly, overseen by Nolan, the hosts took a first-half lead through Robbie McNicholas but Jon Stead equalised from the penalty spot. At Bootham Crescent, meanwhile, Pierce Bird struck late on to give the Thomas's Magpies squad the win after Liam Walker and Jon Parkin had the game on a knife edge. Nolan told the official website: "All in all I am delighted to have got another 90 minutes into the lads' legs because they needed it. It was a good test for us. "Fair play to Carlton. They have a set of principles and they stick to them. They are well-disciplined and were well worthy of what they got from the game. "When we started doing the basic stuff right it made us look a lot more dangerous and we probably should have had another penalty. "It's put a lot of thoughts into my head which we can work on during the next week to make sure we are ready and raring to go at Coventry." Thomas, meanwhile, said: "The lads showed great character to respond with a goal - a fantastic goal as well after a great delivery from Liam Walker. "It shows we've got good grit and determination - we'll go for the entire game and we're not going to give up. I'm sure that will help us be successful over the course of the season. "It was a very good workout against stiff oppostion and we created so many opportunities. "We've still got to work on certain aspects and that will continue right through the season. That's the way the manager and I are - we're always going to strive for improvement." 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. We at Pride of Nottingham want you to enjoy all our content for free. If you fancy helping us provide even better content, however, please consider contributing to PON by clicking here!

It's been a long two months since the end of the 2016/17 season, hasn't it? But fear not, because Notts County are in action again as of this weekend! The Magpies' pre-season preparations are fully underway and the players will take to the pitch for the first time in 2017/18 when they take on Linby Colliery Welfare at Rolls Royce Leisure tomorrow. Then there will be a pre-season friendly every following Saturday, after which the season gets underway on the first weekend - oh, plus the small matter of a fixture against a local team by the name of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday 19th July. Here is a factfile about each of the teams that Notts will face over the coming weeks. Rolls Royce Select XI (A): Saturday 8 July, 3pm This fixture is usually the first pre-season game of Notts County's season, given the partnership between the Magpies, the Rolls Royce Leisure Centre in Hucknall, and North Nottinghamshire College. The programme, also knows as the Notts County Pathway Academy, sees students study towards a BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Sport and offers the chance to combine professional level football training with academic studies. Basford United (A): Saturday 8 15 July (3pm) Basford United play their football at Greenwich Avenue in Basford, a suburb of Nottingham, and currently ply their trade in the Northern Premier League - Division One South, where they finished 6th in the 22-man league last season to qualify for the promotion playoffs but lost to Coalville Town in the semi-finals. There are quite a few names at Basford that you might recognise - manager Martin Carruthers was born in Nottingham and played up front for the likes of Aston Villa, Stoke City, Peterborogh United, Southend United and Scunthorpe United. Former Notts players Saul Deeney and Kyle Dixon, plus ex-Forest man Eugen Bopp, are also on their books. Nottingham Forest (H): Wednesday 19 July (7:45pm) Never heard of them. Wigan Athletic (H): Saturday 22 July (3pm) One of the success football stories of the 21st century (except for the last couple years, mind), Wigan were only elected to the Football League in 1978. They were little more than a footnote in the English game until 1995, when JJB Sports owner Dave Whelan purchased the club, but within 10 years they were in the Premier League. The Latics enjoyed a total of eight seasons at the top table, but the greatest moment in their history ended up being rather bittersweet, as they won the FA Cup in 2013 but were relegated from the top flight in the same season. The last few years have been tumultous for the club, as they now find themselves in League One just a year after winning promotion back to the second tier from the third. Since 2013, Wigan have either been relegated or finished the season in the promotion places (automatic or playoff). York City (A): Saturday 29 July (3pm) The Minstermen have endured a rollercoaster few years, reaching the League Two playoffs in 2014 and winning two FA Trophies, in 2012 and 2017, but now play in the National League North after two successive relegations in 2016 (from the Football League) and the season just gone. York play at Bootham Crescent, a stadium near the city centre and just over a mile from the city's railway station which they share with rugby league club York City Knights. It was formerly known as KitKat Crescent for sponsorship reasons - why they didn't call it Yorkie Crescent is one of the great mysteries of life. 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.

Notts County goalkeeper Scott Loach has expressed surprise that Vadaine Oliver did not remain at Meadow Lane or switch to another Football League club in January. Oliver completed a loan switch to the Magpies at the start of the season, but returned to parent club York City early in the year after one goal in 25 appearances. Since then, he has scored five times and recorded four assists in 14 outings for the Minstermen, who are in the National League. Loach, who has made a loan switch to Bootham Crescent, told the York Press: “I can’t believe Vadaine didn’t stay at Notts County or isn’t playing at another League club, but there are some good players at this level when you look at the likes of Newts (Sean Newton) as well. “Dagenham also had some decent lads on Saturday, as do clubs like Lincoln and Forest Green. But that’s football - where you play can sometimes come down to other circumstances. “Not only is Vadaine a good target man, but he also works hard and keeps going. If he doesn’t win the first header, he goes for the next one and I think it will be good for him learning off Jon Parkin, who’s a similar player, but has been there and done 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.

Kevin Nolan says Scott Loach's loan move to York City will enable him to keep tabs of the goalkeeper in first-team action and make a decision on him at the end of the season. The 28-year-old former England Under-21 international, who has made just seven appearances for the Magpies this season, sealed the switch to Bootham Crescent on Wednesday. Nolan admits that Loach, whose deal at Meadow Lane is up at the end of the season, was desperate to play first-team football, but has been "first class" in biding his time as Adam Collin's deputy. "Loachie was desperate to play and be number one somewhere so he could get some games under his belt," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "After York rang us yesterday (Wednesday) we just thought it would be an opportunity for him to go and do that. "We can have a look at Joe Searson as well and then we can make a decision on them come the end of the season. "I must admit Loachie has been first class since I came in. There's not been one whimper. All he's wanted to do is play games. "But with Adam's form he's found that difficult. When York came along, I just thought it would be best for us and for him to go and play. "It gives me a chance of getting a few tapes of him playing week in, week out, and then we can make a decision on 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.