Hello, @MikeWood. Welcome to PON! Not sure how we did not notice you sooner, but there has been a lot of work as of late with the site and a recent upgrade. I hope you enjoy the community we have here.

Yes, I am sorry I missed welcoming you sooner. Welcome to PON, @MikeWood! Join in when you get chance, once you get used to things here you should really enjoy it.

I wish I could go, but sadly I can’t make it. It would’ve been great to see the new signings in action and start to get a feel for what Martin Paterson might bring as our head coach. These friendlies are really just for getting players back into shape and building up match fitness. I don’t read too much into them. I am a bit curious about the goalkeeper spot and whether there’ll be any surprises. I also wonder what formation we’ll go with, and if there’ll be any changes during matches.

The result and performance don’t mean much, especially if we end up playing different XIs in each half, which is likely.

Any ideas about the chances of a live stream for the Alfreton friendly???

I won't be at the game either, but it should be a good run out for the squad.

Alfreton Town are a good team at their level; while we can outplay them, they do tend to be defensively organised and can be challenging to break down. It all depends on how they play. I know previously they stuck a veteran striker up top, and he had no service. For us, it's all about getting shape, communicating, and preparing to listen to Martin Paterson's instructions. The formation will be interesting, and I hope we can start with the strongest XI at the beginning.

There are plenty of minutes to get the new signings settled and embedded into the team, though I do think most will start.

3 minutes ago, gtownjohnno said:

Any ideas about the chances of a live stream for the Alfreton friendly???

I don't think the club is doing it, from what I have been hearing; if so, I would have thought they would announce it. It does seem a shame if they don't stream the game to those of us who can't make it.

Love it, well done @Michael D Pie. 👏

Love the poem @Michael D Pie. Well done mate.

Excellent poem, well-written and insightful as to how most fans might be thinking. The gaffer will be happy; he's a poet, too.

Well done, and thanks for sharing it, Michael!

Make it a best of luck from me too. Hope he really gets some success at AS Trenčín.

I hope one day he finds success with a team where he gets the chance to push on in Europe and really prove himself as a manager.

He speaks well about football, but he moves about a bit too much for my liking. It’s hard to build something when you're always on the move. I do wish him all the best with his return to AS Trenčín. Hopefully this time it’s a step forward and a proper long-term role.

Finding information on Google and the astrencin.sk site isn’t easy. The website is hard to use and doesn’t seem well organised. Even Wikipedia still shows the old manager. I wondered if that meant he’s taken on a different job at the club.

To be honest, it’s one of the worst sports websites I’ve come across. I do hope Ricardo Moniz does well. I often wonder if things might have turned out better for him if he’d worked under the Reedtz brothers.

I really value everything that goes into this website. It's a breath of fresh air and I feel proud to be part of the community.

I do wish I could do more, especially when it comes to helping out with the site's costs. But I understand that it’s not all about money. In a world where running a website brings lots of bills, it’s just nice to know there are people out there who are in a place to help. Thanks to everyone involved. I appreciate the update and all the effort that goes into keeping the site going.

@Chris has done a great job updating the site & fixing things when there have been a few glitches. It's great to see the site so busy with new members getting involved & seeing older members back too

14 hours ago, Michael D Pie. said:

PON is a place that opens its arms to all and when you need a little uplifting, want to share a few words, join a meaningful conversation and maybe a quiz or number game, this is the place to come. All you participants, without your subjects, replies and encouragement, where would we be. The wonderful people who selflessly give their time and make PON what it is, deserve our praise and thanks. Keep up the good work. COYP.

Absolutely spot on. PON truly is a home for thoughtful discussion, friendly banter, and that warm sense of belonging we all look for in a community.

It’s built on the kindness, wit, and input of its members, whether you’re starting a thread, dropping a quick reply, or simply taking part in a quiz for a laugh. Every bit adds to the welcoming atmosphere we’re so proud of.

Let’s keep leading by example. By being encouraging, inclusive, and open to all, we make sure PON isn’t just the community we know and love, it becomes one others are drawn to as well. Here’s to everyone who gives their time and heart to keep it going.

Your Tuesday Weather 4cast

Your Thursday Weather 4cast

Your Friday Weather 4cast

I guessed all the words (25 out of 25) in today's Combinations puzzle.#462
✅✅✅
✅✅✅
✅✅✅
✅✅✅

Can you guess this puzzle?
https://combinations.org/

I guessed all the words (23 out of 23) in today's Combinations puzzle.#463
✅✅✅
✅✅✅
✅✅✅
✅✅✅

Can you guess this puzzle?
https://combinations.org/

I guessed all the words (20 out of 20) in today's Combinations puzzle.#464
✅✅✅
✅✅✅
✅✅✅
✅✅✅

Can you guess this puzzle?
https://combinations.org/

Strands #487
“Beyond vanilla”
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵

Strands #488
“Let's have a picnic!”
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵🔵

Strands #488
“Let's have a picnic!”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
🟡💡🔵🔵

Connections
Puzzle #753
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟪🟪
🟦🟦🟪🟪
🟪🟦🟪🟦
🟦🟪🟦🟪

Connections
Puzzle #754
🟦🟩🟨🟦
🟩🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟪🟦🟦
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟪🟨🟨

Didn't really get how some of those words were connected.

7 minutes ago, Robbie said:

Connections
Puzzle #754
🟦🟩🟨🟦
🟩🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟪🟦🟦
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟪🟨🟨

Didn't really get how some of those words were connected.

I took one look at it and decided not to bother. It gets more and more tedious and obscure.

#waffle1260 4/5

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩⭐🟩⭐🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩⭐🟩⭐🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

🔥 streak: 449
🧞 #wafflegenius
wafflegame.net

#waffle1260 4/5

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩⭐🟩⭐🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩⭐🟩⭐🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

🔥 streak: 55
🥇 #wafflegoldteam
wafflegame.net

#waffle1260 4/5

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩⭐🟩⭐🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩⭐🟩⭐🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

🔥 streak: 8
wafflegame.net

Wordle 1,476 3/6

⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨
🟩🟨🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wordle 1,476 3/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩
🟨⬜🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wordle 1,476 4/6

⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
🟨🟩⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A Heart Breaking Tragedy. Condolences to his wife and children and also to the family and friends of his Brother, may they both R.I.P. YNWA

Such awful news. My thoughts are with those who have passed.

May they both rest in peace.

6 hours ago, Ash said:

I saw it online and had to make sure it was real. At first, it felt like one of those made-up stories someone posts as a bad joke. I was shocked when I found out it was true. It’s really sad news. Diogo Jota was a really good player, and it feels so unfair.

He will be missed a lot, and hearing about this just makes everything feel even sadder.

I heard some teachers talking about it too, and like you, my first thought was the same. It’s really upsetting.

Sadly, you do come across false stories now and again, so it’s important to stay careful. As soon as I saw it confirmed on the BBC Sport site, I had to pause for a moment. It’s such a sad situation.

@piedestrian, David Button, and Kai Kennedy would be excellent signings for us.

On 02/07/2025 at 17:52, menzinho said:

I was just giving some of my general thoughts, @TheSkipper because I don't really have much knowledge outside of the potential obvious choices, but I'm enjoying reading the suggestions from other members.

That's fair enough; I just thought trying to coax some suggestions might be interesting. I should have thought that some might not have knowledge outside of Notts or the wider leagues. Jack Payne would be a great signing, a very hard-working midfielder. One year left on the deal, too, which could make it more tempting to accept a fee for his services.

Another name to suggest is Jack Bridge, although more of a wide player than a central midfielder. He could play either side, maybe even higher up, as he does have goals in him.

Jack Bridge - Player profile 25/...

David Button, Jack Payne, Sylvester Jasper, Chris Long, and Jack Bridges would be good choices to fill the gaps we’ve got.

Bridges is more of a left-sided player, but that could actually help. It would let Jodi Jones move into David McGoldrick’s role, or even give Will Jarvis a go there.

Nick Tsaroulla and Kellan Gordon could do a job down the right.

Chris Long would bring the kind of experience we’ve been missing up front. Jasper would get a chance to prove himself in English football, and David Button’s know-how in goal would be a big plus.

Even at 36, Button could be a smart signing and a good mentor for young Harry Griffiths.

Thanks for the heads up about this @BromPie. I was in the middle of replying to this yesterday before my phone went walkies and me to never see it again.

I do think improvements are needed to the squad and strong additions as well. The statement a few days ago indicated the look for 2 new goalkeepers, with one being Alex Bass' replacement.

Goalkeeper starter - Ellery Balcombe (Brentford), Tommy Setford (Arsenal), Luke Southwood (Bolton), Viljami Sinisalo (Celtic), Vicente Reyes (Norwich) or Stephen McMullan (Fleetwood)

Goalkeeper back-up - Killian Barrett (Sheffield Wednesday), Jake Eastwood (recently released by Grimsby), Joel Coleman (recently released by Bolton), Luke Hutchinson (Bolton) or Toby Steward (Portsmouth)

At this moment in time, I still think we are short in a number of areas. As well as the keeper situation, I still think we need a right-footed centre-back to add a bit more depth.

Centre-back - Timothy Eyoma (recently released by Northampton). Eyoma played 24 times for Northampton despite only signing in November, having had a previous spell at Lincoln. A very capable stand in, if anything happens to Platt, Bedeau or Ness. He won 43 of his 71 ground duels last season with a pass accuracy of just over 71%. Also made 115 clearances.

With Jodi Jones deployed on the right and Will Jarvis on the left, with Kellan Gordon on the right and Nick Tsaroulla on the left, plus the addition of Maz Kouyhar (who I think will go out on loan anyway), I believe we are in need of a left sided option defensively.

Wing-Back option - I had suggested two here before my phone disappeared. Harry Boyes has since joined Southend, so that leaves George Cox (recently released by Swindon). 4 assists in 26 appearances for Swindon last season, creating 23 chances and playing 119 passes into the final third. Defensively he made 42 recoveries and won 55.2% of his ground duels. I would also consider Ben Jackson from Barrow after a superb season in 24/25, however he may want to be a starter, which may be difficult in our formation set-up, if we stick with a 3-4-2-1.

Further forward, I think we need an attack minded centre-mid who can unlock defences, especially low blocks. Whilst we have many options in the centre at the minute (including new arrivals Tom Iorpenda and Ollie Norburn) I believe we are lacking in the department. Scott Robertson is injury prone and Curtis Edwards isn't the player we need in a promotion fight from League 2, for want of a better explanation. Jack Hinchy may go out on loan as well.

Centre-midfield - Charlie McCann (Forest Green Rovers) - Someone I have wanted us to sign for a while now. 11 goals (FGR's top scorer last season) and 5 assists. Has excellent work rate and a good passing range. Only has 1 year left on his deal so we should move in now, before he gets more interest.

What is 100% certain is the need for attacking midfielder who can make late runs into the box and bring the ball forward. We cannot go into the season with Conor Grant because, with all due respect, he isn't good enough. Mai Traore may slot into this role sometimes, but we'll see about that come pre-season and the first games. I still believe we need a striker with pace in the Langstaff mould up top.

Attacking midfield - Joe White (Newcastle United), Boris van Schuppen (FC Eindhoven), Conan Noonan (Shamrock Rovers) or Cameron Congreve (Swansea). White scored 6 goals and assisted twice, creating 137 chances and making 163 passes into the final third. It's unlikely he'll get game time at Newcastle with their endless riches. van Schuppen scored 11 goals and got 12 assists in 33 appearances in the Eerste Divisie (the same league we signed Ruben from), creating 47 chances. Noonan has excelled on loan at Waterford with 3 goals and 4 assists in 19 appearances. He's also made first team appearances for Shamrock. Another player to look at before interest in him grows. Congreve we know about from his time at Bromley, scoring 5 and assisting 6 times, creating 43 chances.

Striker - Jack Stevens (Solihull Moors) or Jake Young (Stevenage). With most of the options from the recruitment doc nearly gone, I'd take one of these two. Stevens contributed 12 goals and 4 assists in 24/25 and 17 goals in all competitions the season prior. He presses high and works extremely hard and has good positional awareness. Young had a great loan spell with Swindon a few years ago with 16 goals in 25 appearances. He only started 11 games last season and despite his tall frame, is best when he plays on the shoulder of the last defender.

I always thought Kasper came in on a free transfer. I remember reading that he signed for a million, but over time I started to think that might’ve been a lie from Munto. Back then, clubs could probably get away with saying they paid a fee without much proof. @TheSkipper, if you ever feel like looking into it, I think it’d be a good read. I understand why you might want to steer clear of Munto stuff though, it has been covered a lot.

The Munto era was wild. It brought loads of attention to Notts and even helped bring some fans back. But over time, a few of those fans drifted away, either because of how the club spoke to supporters or because of the drop to the National League. I sometimes wonder what might have happened if the takeover never went ahead. In another universe, maybe Notts could’ve been the ones replacing Bournemouth or Brentford.

1 hour ago, CliftonMagpie said:

I always thought Kasper came in on a free transfer. I remember reading that he signed for a million, but over time I started to think that might’ve been a lie from Munto. Back then, clubs could probably get away with saying they paid a fee without much proof. @TheSkipper, if you ever feel like looking into it, I think it’d be a good read. I understand why you might want to steer clear of Munto stuff though, it has been covered a lot.

I pitched it earlier today; my editor is thinking it over. Even if he doesn't like it, I might persist in my personal time. It would be a lot easier to use my media credentials. At least from the investigative angle. I might reach out to Peter Trembling, but he may want to distance himself from it now. He clearly was the pawn behind it all and probably was clueless as to Russell King's lies.

It's interesting, as I remember reading about it on the official site and a different post other than the one headlined "Pre-season update ℹ️" of Nick Tsaroulla training. So, did I dream this, or has the club actually removed updates??? I can't say I am overly bothered, but it wouldn't be the first time the club has had a knee-jerk reaction to negative updates and the loss of a player, resulting in a media PR tidy up.

i dont care, it could be either but you just hope whatever it was it was not out of spite or pettiness. as professional clubs that is not the way to be acting and it would be disappointing from either perspective. if it was cancelled because the date no longer worked, i would hope it was something more like that but honestly it changes nothing. i am more interested about this mystery game we have behind closed doors. it makes me wonder if we actually do have a game.

club wants to be private, no time, no location. that is the real mystery!

As the old saying goes, whatever will be, will be. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Still, I find it odd that a club would want to keep a friendly game private. It’s only a kickabout, not a top-secret mission. Who do they think they are, MI5 or the Met Police FC?

i hope he gets a chance to restart, i dont doubt that hes a good coach but professional football is hard and even harsher when you arrive at a club who cant maintain the togetherness that could have made the difference. i think had not more fans turned, he might have been given longer and i think that a lot after afc wimbledon beat us at their ground was vocal on the clubs socials it made it hard. he deserves another go, i hope he finds a national league team that he can rebuild and maybe earn promotion with. the main things is to learn about his management in games. the statement from him is nothing i would not expect from a level headed person.

I’ve always respected Stuart Maynard. Even when things were a bit iffy, I never doubted his dedication to Notts. It was good to hear his words again. He might feel a bit hard done by, and I wouldn’t blame him. But the way he focused on the positives shows real class. I wish him all the best in his management journey. I actually thought he might’ve gone back to Wealdstone.

Stuart Maynard’s farewell was well done. It’s a good way to leave, especially at a club where some fans never gave him a real chance. I hope he gets another shot and proves himself in the EFL one day. What he did at Notts might not be seen as a failure by other teams, even with the big hopes we had.

Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham @MejustMike. How long have you been a supporter? It would be nice to hear from you.

Hello, welcome to PON @MejustMike. ☺️

Sorry to welcome you so late, @MejustMike. I hope you like and enjoy PON.

We are a community that is always growing and there's plenty of value by browsing around and joining in.

It's great to have you here @BridgyPie, all PON needs is more members contributing as and when they can, but really we are all about the Notts community. I do hope you continue to settle in and find the site enjoyable. Welcome to PON!

Have a sensible discussion, share your opinion or dive in deeper. You should find the Pride of Nottingham to be an excellent place to visit.

Welcome to the community @BridgyPie.

@BridgyPie, it great to see you joining in and having your say. I can't encourage you enough to continue, because you should find we can have sensible discussions and so many fantastic posts to read. Welcome to PON!

Your story could make a great piece on the gaffers fan features, he's done a few in the past and yours sounds like one which would be excellent to include.

Very good @Michael D Pie. did you write that? Or was it your dogs? 😂 so where was it, Wollaton Park?

I’ve had a nice day having a walk around Elvaston Castle with my wife and some friends it’s a really nice place lots of shade in the trees away from the hot sun.

I came home and watched 10 minutes of cricket in which England lost two wickets so I thought I’d better stop watching.

When you work in transport and travel across the UK, you soon pick up tricks for staying cool in the heat.

It’s not great having to take a shower every night when you get in and again before you leave, but it does help.

The warmer days, like today, are much better when you’ve got the hang of it. Even with the odd bit of humidity, it’s still the kind of weather where watching a football match feels just right.

Let’s hope it sticks around for pre-season. Stay in the shade, everyone!

busy day today, with a lot of incoming and a lot of exporting jobs to be done. people think that machinery makes life easier in this kind of job, and it does but you have to have your smarts. some days its like a jigsaw or one of them picture puzzles where you have to slide the correct tiles into the right position to reveal what it is. if we dont do this carefully, it can cause more work in the weeks to come, and i really do hate moving big pallets multiple times because someone has taken a corner. the day has been nice, i had a walk from the city centre to the embankment and along there. finding a bench to sit down and eating something i picked up from a chip shop.

i dont think i could have eaten something warm inside, despite it feeling cooler.

None of these leagues last forever. If anything, they end up doing more harm than good to football. It feels like a fantasy league, with no real heart or passion behind it. Just big money and flashy names. There’s always some country that spends too much for a while, but it never really helps the game in the long run. The only good thing is that it pulls big names from the Premier League. That gives other players a chance to step up.

It’s a bit embarrassing for Man City, but we’ve seen before that they’re not unbeatable. Teams managed it last season, so it’s not a complete shock. It’s a big moment for the Saudi side, though I do wonder how much effort City really put in. Pre-season games can be a bit odd like that.

its a good job its man city, because united would not have scored i bet. 🤣

It’s a shame that some fans can’t seem to understand this is what progress looks like for a successful club. When you’re moving forward, tough decisions have to be made. Until we reach the level of clubs higher up the ladder, we’re going to lose players in this way. Yet no one seems to mind when we’re signing players from teams on our level or below.

Alex Bass has moved on. He’s left a thoughtful farewell message, and the club has made back more than what we paid to bring him in. Of course, it’s disappointing to lose someone of his ability. But once the initial emotion fades, you realise it’s just part of the game.

It was a good message from Alex Bass. Waiting a bit before sharing it was a smart move with how some fans have been feeling.

I really hope no one’s giving him a hard time. This is a great move for him, and the truth is not every player will stay longer than a season, no matter how much we wish they would.

He left in the right way. Players come and go, it’s just how football works.

Thanks for everything, Alex.

i am glad that alex bass put out the message, i know its a small thing and some fans will be salty but there is no need to be bitter. he deserved the move, even after just a single season and the cash could be reinvested in gaining us promotion. i wish him well at peterborough, it would be nice to see them gain promotion to the championshop and have him as their number one.

7 hours ago, Pies79 said:

Maybe we should have kept Tyler Miller? Or maybe he didn't really impress on thetraining field.

I hope some signings are coming soon, as the squad feels quite thin again and if we have injuries like last season we may be in trouble.

supposedly he would have signed if we gain promotion but he did not want to be stuck in league two. its quite the drop, but had we known alex bass was on the radar of peterborough united we might have been able to tempt him. then again, he might not have liked not getting the chance to start, with the game bass missed and sam slocombe started it might have made him wonder why he signed.

Ashvir Singh Johal has left the Notts Academy after two seasons with the club, to pursue new opportunities. Good luck & thanks for your service.

Best of luck to him. I’ve not come across the name before, but hopefully it means someone else is lined up to come in. All the best to him either way, onwards and upwards.

best of luck to him, and thank you for the work he put into the academy. i do wish him well.

At this moment in time I’m thinking we haven’t got a cat in hells chance of achieving promotion BUT thinks can change very quickly whos to say there aren’t some stellar signing waiting to put pen to paper tomorrow. I really hope so.

Far too soon to be making predictions.I expect some signings before the weekend.If I'm wrong I will begin to get concerned for both my teams.

To be fair, it does help us see how our thoughts change over time. It’s like a test to see what we think now compared to later. I get why some people think it’s too soon. Things are still starting up, and we don’t know everything yet. Right now, I don’t think we’ve got enough new stuff or got much better than last season. It still feels the same.

The quality players who usually turn up on trial often have injury problems, discipline issues, or something else that’s held them back.

Nathan Tyson had a trial with us before signing, and that was mostly because of concerns over his fitness and injury record. But for the level we were at, he was always going to be a good addition given the limited choices we had up front.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trialists. It gives lesser-known players a chance to be judged on how they play and what they can do, rather than just their background or past clubs.

Mark Fotheringham.



No? 🤣

Trying out players on trial can help the head coach or manager see where they might fit in. It’s a good way to spot what a player offers and whether they bring something different to the group. People often get caught up in finding like-for-like replacements. But sometimes, a player with different qualities can change how the team plays for the better.

We are going to be signing three goalkeepers, maybe I’m in the minority here but I’d have thought the youth-team keeper could be used as the emergency and then you’d have a first choice with a back-up who can potentially push him. I'm just thinking about maximising that wage budget, a third keeper seems a luxury to me.

No idea about Harry, whether he’s the back-up or back-up to the back up, hope he can eventually make an appearance at some point. I guess we’ll find out how likely that will be come August when first subs bench is announced.

Welcome to Meadow Lane Harry. COYP

I’m not sure where Harry Griffiths fits into the team right now. He looks like he needs a loan to get some proper game time and experience. The problem is, our level might not be quite right for his development. At 20, he really should be playing regularly or at least starting to.

Maybe Notts are thinking about sending him out to an Irish club. That could give him the minutes he needs without dropping too far in quality.