Good morning, the weekend is here, a joyous time for those working, even though I’m retired I still treat weekends as special.

What plans have you all got this weekend or if you’re reading this late what did you do?

Today is set to be wet so I don’t suppose I will be going far, tonight’s tea will be one to look forward to, Mrs. T is doing one of her famous home made curries, Chicken Jalfrezi.

Tomorrow I’ll be doing the 5k Park Run at Long Eaton then listening to Notts commentary.

Sunday we are going to our sons house for a bbq and to watch the Lionesses in the World Cup Final. Our son and family are returning from a holiday in Croatia so it’ll be great to see the grandkids and give them their Notts shirts which they’ve been looking forward to.

Whats everyone else up to?

It feels like the season only started yesterday, yet we're already onto round four. These ones kick off at 3pm on Saturday - good luck and remember your jokers!

Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town

Sheffield Wednesday v Preston North End

Cambridge United v Bristol Rovers

Carlisle United v Exeter City

Grimsby Town v Mansfield Town

Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon

Rochdale v Eastleigh

Wealdstone v AFC Fylde

Game 3 - The Shrimps (A)

Team: Morecambe

Date: 15/08/2023

Where: Mazuma Stadium

What line-up should Luke Williams opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2023/july/sotona-signs/

Stone - 8 - though he made some excellent saves and let down for the clean sheet. Distribution good on the whole.

Baldwin - 6.5 - Decent, too many wayward simple passes.

Brindley - 9 - Again excellent in that role. Reads the game so we'll and his technical ability is excellent.

Cameron - 6.5 - Good on the whole, couple of cameron-esque mistakes. Not sure how he didn't get a yellow for diving on the ball and purposely handelling it.

Austin - 7.5 - A bit quiet in the first half, but his constant energy caused them issues in the second. Good deliveries.

Crowley - 7 - more quiet than usual, but kept it tidy and put some great balls in the box.

Palmer - 7 - quiet, but kept things ticking.

Bostock - 7 - looks a step above at times, however always has an error in him and almost did a Boreham wood V2 where he sells the defender short on a pass.

Jones - 8 - Menace down that side and got the goal he deserved.

Mcgoldrick - 5.5 - Didn't really work for him today.

Langstaff - 8.5 - Almost got his hat trick and was a little bit more involved in some play today. Warrior.

JOB - 5 - Looked good when he came on, but caught on the ball in our own box to surrender our clean sheet with seconds remaining. 

Nemane - 6 - Didn't do a lot going forward, but tidy enough elsewhere. 

Rawlo - 6 - Decent.

Chicksen - 6 - Steady.

Scott - 6.5 - Thought he looked good when he came on. Few nearly moments.

Looking for cheap to run re ink costs , double sided printing, scanning

Would this seem a good deal?

https://www.johnlewis.com/brother-mfc-j5345dw-wireless-all-in-one-colour-inkjet-printer-fax-machine-with-a3-printing-white/p6435218

Epson Eco tank seems to be OK but I have been put off by some reviews of complications in the setting up

Anyone following the Lionesses World Cup campaign?

They are playing Haiti this morning kick off 10.30am on ITV.

Game 4 - Rovers (A)

Team: Doncaster Rovers

Date: 19/08/2023

Where: Keepmoat Stadium

What line-up should Luke Williams opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

I was watching the EFL highlights last night and in the game between Rotherham and Blackburn, Rotherhams Onyedinma was given a second yellow for gesturing to the referee for a Blackburn player to be given a yellow. 

This is something that has irritated me for years when a player immediately goes up to a referee to try and get a player booked by gesturing a card with their hands. So it was great to see the referee hand out a yellow to a player doing just that. 

I believe it was Julian Dicks mentioned this particular thing on That Peter Crouch Podcast. He said he was involved in a game where a player tried to get another sent off by gesturing to the referee about handing out a card. But as he put it, why are you trying to get another player carded or sent off? 

Hopefully, this happens more often where players are booked for telling the referee to hand out cards. 

On a side note, I did notice that Suttons number 9, who waved Stone off last weekend, was sent off and a Barrow player did a double wave when he was given his marching orders ????

I ordered two shirts for my grandsons last Thursday it said they’d be despatched the next day first class post but I’ve not received anything, I’m assuming they are busy with the shirts being just released. Do they send a message when they’ve dispatched them or is it just a case of waiting to see if they turn up does anyone know?

On Saturday Notts travel to Doncaster Rovers, how many links can we find between the two clubs.

My contribution is Ricky Ravenhill who played for Doncaster 2002-2006 and joined Notts in 2009-2012 making 79 ppearances.

How many more can we find?

Did anyone else buy a match pass for the Morecambe game last night. I thought it was quite good for a tenner but on the downside the commentary was from Morecambe’s local radio, yet I thought it would be Radio Nottingham, is there a way to switch the commentary does anyone know.

We’ve had a day out at the National Memorial Arboretum which has memorial monuments for lots of things from people lost in world wars and other conflicts to stillborn babies and everything in between. The memorials are set in beautiful landscaped gardens near Alrewas in Staffordshire.

Amongst the memorials we’re ones to footballers including a memorial funded by Leyton Orient FC commemorating the players of Clapton Orient Football Club who all volunteered to join the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment during the First World War, many sustained wounds and three players died during the battle of the Somme.

There was also one commemorating the Christmas truce of 1914 when British and German forces who’d been killing each other the day before stopped fighting on Christmas Day and played football, the bronze handshake encased in wire to form a football symbolises this. 

It’s a fascinating place and we’ll worth a visit.

Glapton Orient FC Memorial

Christmas Truce handshake

The memorial that has names of every serviceman lost in wars.

A bronze tree statue with brass leave that have inscription to loved ones who’ve died,

I enjoy listening to the trio of Shearer, Lineker and Richards so when their new podcast, the rest is football, released on Monday I had to give it a listen. 

But there was something that Micah said when talking about players going to the Saudi league. 

This isn't a direct quote but it's the gist of what he was saying. 

The Premier League have been out spending everyone for years and no other league has ever been able to compete with the Premier League financially but no one's really kicked up a fuss about that. Now, there's this other power come to challenge them financially and all of a sudden it's an issue. 

Personally, I think Micah makes a valid point. Transfers have become ridiculous over the years and it says alot when you have teams like Bournemouth being able to offer more money than top teams in Serie A, La Liga etc. 

The Premier League broke away to become this superpower that it is today but they're out financed by the Saudi's by a long way. 

Plus there was a bit that Lineker mentioned about some fans these days don't support teams they support players so like Ronaldo, who is a brand now himself, goes to Saudi all of a sudden viewing figures for the Saudi league will increase. Same with the MLS with the arrival of Messi. 

What do you guys think? Does Micah have a point on this? 

Great to be able to do them as a Football League club again:

Stone 6 - I'll have to see the highlights, but I thought he could have done better with their first. Other than that, his kicking was good, when he went long he went looong, aiming in the right area.
Brindley 7.5 - I've been concerned about his form and that didn't change until he went into the centre, but then he was a revelation. Barely put a foot wrong and it was great to see the old Brindley back (I don't mean Bill!).
Rawlinson 6 - Looked better on the right of a back three, did ok.
Cameron 6.5 - Better from the skipper, no silly mistakes and linked play well on the left.
Nemane 7 - Unfortunate with the back pass but had his marker beaten all game.
Palmer 7 - Does what he does, always available and barely wasted a pass.
Bostock 7.5 - Has that touch of class, linked play well and a good finish to get us level.
Crowley 8.5* - I was concerned he might be a bit lightweight, but he has real quality on the ball. Great to see him get the winner, he looks a really good signing.
Jones 8 - his goal might go down as an 'og', but if we get the ball to him quick enough he will deliver quality crosses or shots.
McGoldrick 6 - Some really good moments and some that didn't quite come off. I think he'll offer a bit more goal threat in future games than he did today.
Langstaff 6 - today wasn't his day, but the effort is there and when we put balls in the box he was in the right place.

O'Brien 7 - added a bit of energy and grit just when we needed it.
Austin 6 - Did his job, can be better.
Chicksen 7 - Unusual to see him on the right side, but negated their most threatening area.
Scott 6 - Worked hard and did well in what isn't his natural position.
TAR 6 - offered an outlet on the right when we went long.

Really enjoyable game, a proper footy match. We needed points on the board, so hopefully onwards and upwards.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12938946/notts-county-3-2-grimsby-town-league-two-highlights

Questions on why Brindley didnt close down the Grimsby man for the first, made it far too easy

Rawlinson playing them all on side for their 2nd

Hot on the heels of the last round, we have our first midweek prediction league round. These games kick off at 7.45pm on Tuesday, good luck and remember your jokers! (And if you're wondering where the scores for round 2 are, I'll dust down my abacus and count them tonight.)

Barnsley v Peterborough United

Northampton Town v Lincoln City

Shrewsbury Town v Burton Albion

Colchester United v AFC Wimbledon

Crewe Alexandra v Newport County

Stockport County v Bradford City

Eastleigh v Barnet

Woking v Rochdale

Firstly, sorry I missed last week, I totally forgot about it, not going to lie. 

I've had an alright week, been at work for the majority. 

Wednesday, I went to the theatre royal to watch Carlton Operatic Society production of Kinky Boots. Which was a new musical for me to watch and to support local talent. 

Friday me and @ARLukomskiwent to the concert hall for a show. 

Yesterday, we met up with a couple of friends for a meal and a couple of drinks, while enjoying the nice weather. 

How was your week?

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/match/_/gameId/671649

When Lokomotiv Leipzig were one of the best teams in East Germany.... time has moved on....

Perhaps @DangerousSausage could highlight any anecdotes from any of the ties

FC-Astoria Walldorf 0 FC Union Berlin 4

If you can’t get to the Morecambe match tomorrow you can watch the live stream, details here:

https://x.com/official_ncfc/status/1691010348877328384?s=61