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.

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.

Lunch is taken, Somerset 112 for 3 trail by 18.

Tea has been taken. Somerset are 197 for 4. They lead by 67 runs. Looks like this game is heading for a draw.

The Captains have shook hands & the game ends in a draw. There was no chance of either team winning. Somerset finish on 238 for 4 Dec a lead of 208 runs. Notts take 12 points from the game.

A good first day at Wimbledon for the Brits.

British Tennis players scheduled to play today.

A total of 10 British players make the 2nd round of Wimbledon

3 hours ago, piedestrian said:

Not too sure I agree with you. We replaced Langstaff with Jatta who was already here and being bedded in for the transition as we knew we'd probs lose Langstaff. It worked in our favour as well at the beginning of the season, it was just the second half where Jatta wasn't performing due to whatever went on behind the scenes with the Saunders and Maynard.

By choosing to only have Alassana Jatta and David McGoldrick as our attacking options, and allowing Junior Morias to go out on loan, we did remarkably well not to burn out sooner. If we think of Jatta as the new guy replacing Macaulay Langstaff, we’re still pretty short in the spot that really matters on the field.

The way we play, we know we can create chances, but I still think Langstaff should have been replaced with someone similar. Even Cedwyn Scott couldn't get much of a chance in his natural position because the club wanted to focus on two strikers. Jatta was always going to lose his form; maintaining it through the season would have been a miracle, but I don't blame him. I don't blame the club as such; I just think we needed to add a finisher.

4 hours ago, piedestrian said:

The main thing that many people are alluding to is asset stripping the club, which is scandalous (not saying you are @TheSkipper ) but I think the money in which we've made from on Burchnall, Williams, Langstaff, Crowley, Bass, Nemane is being invested into "the club". Training grounds cost a fortune and so does the uptake and upkeep of a stadium and it's facilities - including the wages of the senior technical board. This doesn't mean, however, we're not willing to spend on players. I imagine majority of the profit is ringfenced for certain players when their stats or themselves become available - like Jatta and Traore. I'm glad we don't just buy frivolously like the Trew/Hardy days.

It's not that bad; we have to accept bids, but that reinvestment needs to be made on the pitch just as much as off it. We can't do it halfway, or gamble on signings hoping that they will come good. We have to invest in certain areas, and I think those crucial areas are up front and in goal. The Reedtz are doing well to improve the infrastructure and to look at other revenue streams. Yes, money from the players needs to be balanced out.

Any fan questioning the brothers is living in a cloud, but what I think most people would agree with is that if we lose one player, make sure to sign a solid replacement.

Not every time a player leaves this will happen, but we are attracting bids for our better players, and we aren't always replacing them as wisely as we could.

4 hours ago, piedestrian said:

I'll make my judgements at the end of the window as I'm disappointed at where we currently are, I ackowledge we're a transitional club in League 2.

This is the thing: it's disappointing to lose good players, and as fans we might overvalue their price or worth. I am sure the club is working hard to bring in players, and we might not always be in a position to strengthen, but the only way the club can improve the morale of the fan base is to keep focused on the need for quality additions.

34 minutes ago, gtownjohnno said:

With all those £s coming in over the last year or so is a loan move for Macca completely out of the question????....it would certainly bring us fans back from the brink!!!!

I don't think the club sees using money in the short term benefits us in the longer term.

It would be nice to have Langstaff back even as a loan, but his wages might be the stumbling point. If Millwall were happy to loan him out and contribute to his wages, for him to do well with us and later be sold. It could work, though Millwall look like they want to get a fee now.

With the pre season looming (4 days away) are we prepared? No replacement goalkeeper, and only a week back on the training ground. Let's see what happens over the next week or two 🤔 These men and boys who make up our squad do not and will not go out onto the pitch, whoever they play, to fail. Our support from this time on all the way to the end of the season is paramount as WE ARE THE 12th MAN. So let's all stay positive and get behind our beloved team COYP. ❤️

9 hours ago, allardyces tash said:

Notts took a risk by making Aidan Stone the first-choice keeper, then pulled off a masterstroke by bringing in Alex Bass. The two are miles apart in quality, which just goes to show how vital the role is.

I'm hoping we've learnt our lesson after the Stone transfer, where I think we over-prioritised the ability to play out from the back. I've gone back to the announcement (🤓) when we signed Stone and before even mentioning things like shot-stopping, clean sheets, high claims etc, the board said “It’s crucial that the player is comfortable on the ball and able to distribute well with both feet, while they must also be adept at playing high up the pitch and defending the space behind our back line".

I'm hoping we can get someone who is very similar to Bass, he really did improve us defensively. And he was fine playing out from the back, he just sometimes struggled kicking it under pressure. But that was probably his only real weakness, everything else about him was really good.

Now there's a forgotten ex-player; if I remember rightly, Blackburn Rovers signed Keith Andrews. Which elevated him as a player, though with their decline, I never really kept track of him. My brother has always had a soft spot for Rovers, so there was a period when I did keep an interest in them. Andrews has long fallen off my radar, but I think he could be good if given the chance. (get through tough times, get the chance to learn, and get better).

It’s mad how quickly some ex-footballers age once they hang up their boots. Keith Andrews now looks like he's seen the script for every episode of Dallas, and played a part in most of them too. Still, fair play to him landing a job at Brentford. They're one of the few clubs that seem to be reading football’s modern playbook instead of clinging to the past.

Players come & players go. It has always been the case in the modern era. I'm sad to see players go. We've seen two big influential players leave, Didzy & Alex in the last few weeks.

But we have to believe in the system & the way the Reedtz brothers are running the club. They, more than anyone else, will be aware which type of players the club needs at this time.

I think we just need to have a little patience & let the powers that be at Notts do their job. I'm sure they are working tirelessly to improve the squad before the start of the season.

Let's just see what transpires over the next four weeks & see who arrives at the Lane. There is still plenty of time for the owners & the management team to put things right.

We aren't promotion contenders as it stands. We have lost key players in key positions. The club has a big month ahead. We need quality. Full stop.

I hope you're proven right @Robbie and we can have a good laugh at this thread once the season's over!

Selling players on for a profit can be a risky strategy as it puts pressure on the club to recruit equally high-quality replacements for less money. I hope we've got some good irons in the fire.

It's a good draw; personally, I am not the biggest fan of how Wigan Athletic have conducted themselves since their Premier League days, but they are a big club. It's going to be a challenge; I just hope they don't play us off the park like Peterborough United did last season and that we can finish the game somewhat respectfully. Whilst there's every chance we could progress, I think it's unlikely at the moment.

This and the FA Cup can be a welcome distraction from the league in terms of the stress and grind of promotion.

Winning games, especially forming a cup run, can really be a positive thing for a team at our level.

That’s a good draw. Wigan Athletic could be beatable if we can bring in a few more players, especially with the problems they’ve had at the club.

i am aiming to go, its a ground i have not been to before and i am looking forward to it. it should be a good game in the league cup.

That's a good signing for them. He didn't always catch the eye for us, but we looked a better side with him in the team.

Southend have brought in a decent player who should settle in well. Sam Austin always looked keen to score, and even though he didn’t get loads of goals, his drive and runs forward made him a really useful player to have around. I hope he does well there.

i think to be fair, we realised that we could have better squad members. he is very much like adam chicksen to me, i just think he tried to give everything but his last game against afc wimbledon at their ground showed we could do better. i wish him well at southend.

He was just being greedy, with no real plan, only trying to make some fast money. It’s not surprising he got caught behaving like that.

Some people fall for things far too easily. It really proves how important it is to use proper, trusted ways to check if a product is real or not.

PG tips = or in this case Pretty Greedy Tips🤣

kilbrindle tea - brewed with rainwater, aged in fog, and strong enough to straighten your kilt. 😂

Don't forget, Notts still have super Sam Slocombe & he has already said in his interview that he's still available to play in goal if needed.

@Robbie, a lot of fans are saying he is not good enough to be a coach. a lot of people dont seem to like him which seems unfair but i hope we dont have to rely on him to step back into the net for us. i dont mind so much as third choice tho.

@liampie Sam impressed the Reedtz brothers at the back end of last season when he assisted Maynard in his coaching duties. Sam has qualifications as a goalkeeping coach, & he is going for his UEFA A accreditation as a qualified coach.

I'm not saying Notts should rely Sam as a goalkeeper because he has his coaching duties, but he is here & he's a competent experienced goalie.

We have to trust the Owners judgement over Sam's appointment & their selling of Bass. I'm sure they have plans to replace Bass before the friendlies begin.

Yesterday, I had the first walk with my brother since the day @GrannyPie sadly passed. It's been something we have tried to do, but things never seem to have planned out. For me, the walks are vital in keeping my legs functioning, therefore enabling me to walk. It was really nice to get out; the weather wasn't too hot, but I did feel like drinking a lot more than normal. We met up in the car park, then went for a walk around the lake while playing Pokémon Go.

We tended to meet for community days with the game, as it gave us something extra to do while walking and talking.

It was the 2025 Pokémon Go Fest, so there was a lot more activity with the game. My niece, Luna, is walking a lot more, but my brother also took a trike, which we pushed her around in at times. There was a football club doing running drills, and a physio whom we tried to learn who it was, as they seemed to be training like a professional club. Their training gear was also made by Nike, and they didn't seem very amateur at all to me.

They must have run past us at least three times as we walked around the lake.

I think I overdid it just a little, as once I came home, I just wanted to sit and eventually started getting bad back pain. Which led to me being absent for the rest of the day, as I became sleepy and slept it off.

Today has been quite nice, though my legs and back continue to hurt. I have been resting up and just relaxing. @cheeky~k8 has cheered me up a lot, something which I appreciate because I feel down when I can't do what I normally want to do.

Good evening all. It's been cloudy all day with just a smidge of sunshine, but it's still been pretty hot here. At 9:30 it's still 28 Deg in our living room even with the ceiling & portable fans on.

Put up our four home made flower baskets today. They've established themselves & started to flower. Hopefully in a few weeks they will look great.

Gave all the new plants are water this evening. They are starting to look good. We only lost a couple of plants after delivery, so I look upon that as a success.

The Mrs has been continuing with her spring clean in the Kitchen. We do a little bit at a time so we can do other things too like the garden work.

I was able to get out my bike this afternoon, it was cloudy with a slight breeze so I went a bit further then I originally planned as I thought there would be more sun. I take a little bag with a puncture repair kit and importantly a cool drink, which I did glug at my half-way break. I feel like I’m one of few that is enjoying the warm weather, I’d much rather it be hot then 1° in the middle of winter.

Some of girlfriend’s family still live in Spain, most are south of Bilbao and not far from Logroño at it’s been 38°/39° there! Now that would be too much for me, they are a bit more used to the heat but even so that is too much. They can’t go outside during the middle of the afternoon and even early evening because it is just too hot, they’ve said they’ll be relieved when it drops back to the high 20s°!

He failed to impress during his trial for Notts. I remember he played for Northampton against Notts at ML last season in the EFL trophy when he got an assist in their 2:0 win.

His league 1 experience should help him at his new club Bromley. I wish him luck for the 25/26 season but not against Notts.

@NottsCountyKev Yes, I am no pro, but I am quite good.

The majority of graphics on PON have been created by me, except the logo, which I out sourced. A friend called Craig designed the Magpies, but if you need help just ask, and I will try to help.

The gaffer (@Chris) is brilliant at Photoshop. I wish I could do even half of what he can, but it’s beyond my skills. I thought there would be more Notts fans capable of creating things, so hopefully, if they’re on PON, this will reach them.

When I grow up, I want to work in graphic design and maybe be an architect too. I think both jobs sound really cool.

I’m already pretty good at using Photoshop. I’ve made lots of thumbnails for my friends’ YouTube channels.

It’s fun to be creative and make things look awesome.

Every candidate that may have showed interest in the job would have been FULLY briefed about what the job entailed & what would have been expected.

It is very doubtful that a shortlisted applicant would have turned down the job after a final interview.

If they weren't interested an applicant would never have got to the final interview.

It's obvious that the best person who got to final interview got the job.

It's a very good interview which gives us fans a better insight; the questions were surprisingly good, and it was nice to see points followed up on. I don't think the board would have appointed Martin Paterson just because some rejected working with the new setup. Not with the way the announcements came through, it seems like they had their man in mind and wanted to strengthen around him.

Andy Edwards is the more interesting part of the discussion, with him having experience within the England U20s, U19s, and U16s teams.

Has anyone explained how they ended up being paired together?

The club is in safe hands because the Reedtz brothers are building it up with better stuff and changes behind the scenes.

At first, they worked on making things better on the pitch. Now for the last few years, they've also been improving things off the pitch. That helps us get ready for promotion and makes the club stronger.

What they’re doing now will help in the future too. Instead of waiting until we’re in a higher league, they’re sorting things out bit by bit already.

It might feel slow to some fans, but that’s how football works sometimes.

I thought the interview was really good. I’m glad we’ve got owners who use the media properly.

Even though it would’ve helped to have the interview earlier when we were getting a new head coach, I still liked it.

Maybe just a short and honest update would’ve helped stop the silence.

Rotherham United are good at picking players who need a chance. They just have to fit into how the team plays. If he joins them, I reckon he’ll do alright.

It would be a good opportunity for those players if a transfer fee can be agreed with Fleetwood.

Rotherham will be looking to do much better than their middle of the table finish last season.

Man United under 21s have been drawn in Notts group. That match will be a tough one, but I'm sure there might be a decent crowd at ML.

I don’t get why the EFL still does this. Ever since they put in the Premier League B teams, there’s been loads of arguments about it. The cup doesn’t really make sense anymore. Not many people care about it.

If a small club wants to get to Wembley, there are better ways to do it.

The EFL Trophy is basically used by PL clubs just to give their young & fringe players match practice against the senior players of lower league clubs which they wouldn't normally get playing against teams in PL 2.

Personally, I would rather have this tournament scrapped, because I think it has been devalued by allowing in PL B teams, instead the authorities should bring back replays in the FA Cup from the first round onwards again.

1 hour ago, Ash said:

I think he got badly hurt. I don’t remember seeing him play for Notts, but people say his dad was really good. I hope he does well at Shrewsbury Town.

That’s really serious. A fractured skull could’ve ended his whole career, especially as a defender who has to head the ball and go into tough challenges. It’s great he’s still playing. That shows a lot of strength and bravery.

If he keeps going like this, he might be a really good player for Shrewsbury Town.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus

Very good defender, I think he was always too closely compared to his father, and those footsteps would always be hard to follow. Shrewsbury have signed a good player who knows this level well.

It's a good move for Sam & I wish him well at Shrewsbury. It's important in League 2 to have a good defensive pairing with Will Boyle beside him.

I was disappointed for Robbie Cundy because I don't think that he got the opportunity to really show what he could do at Notts.

I think it was another case of the Head Coach not rating him & giving him a fair opportunity. I think with the new organisational changes at Notts, re, the new Technical Board, every single player in the squad will get a fair opportunity to impress.

They are pretty football mad in Brazil and whilst it's a league that's unfamiliar to us in Europe, it's probably the top league in South America (along with Argentina's). His new club Vitoria have an average attendance of 23,000 (double ours and Oxfords) so I think it's a great move for him.

I kind of felt he was someone who wanted to play all over the place and was never going to settle anywhere so to speak. I wasn’t surprised when he left us just more so that it was to Oxford and not Oviedo! I think he said he wanted to play in the US too so maybe after a season or two in Brazil he’ll end up in the MLS.

Going to the MLS might be a nice way for him to finish his career. It’s not a bad place to end up.

I always wanted him to do better at Oxford United. I thought he could prove himself there and maybe get picked by a big team in Portugal. If that happened, maybe he could’ve played for the national team a few times. That would’ve been cool.

I can understand why players nearing the end of their careers from around the the World would want to play in the MLS. The money is big, & the number of games would be less than, say in the UK or Europe.

I think Ruben probably had a big wish to play in Brazil if he were deemed good enough. Ruben is a flair player, so I think he will easily fit into the Brazilian way of playing.

The fact that Ruben basically learned a lot of his trade at Notts then to Oxford, but then finishing up in Brazil, is a great story for Notts as well as Ruben.

I think that he will do quite well there & I will certainly be keeping an eye on his Club & how they are doing next season along with Ruben.

Back to, "I had a wheelbarrow" it is.

[Quietly closes the Google Translate tab]

Notts looked like they were prepping for a Scandinavian sizzle: bacon metaphors flying, high-tempo pressing, and a whiff of hygge in the air. But now it’s back to the British basics, with cuppas, square sausage, and a tactical plan scribbled on the back of a Tesco receipt.

From Danish bacon to our own brand of beans, we’re pretty good at rolling with the punches.

MP must know someone in high places ?

He couldn't have wished for an easier first 10 games to be judged by.

Looking at odds checker by the end of September we play:

Salford, Gillingham 12s (same as Notts)

Shrewsbury, Crawley 25s

Crewe 33s

Barrow, Bromley, Tranmere, Fleetwood at 40s

Newport 100/1 to start.

All best wishes to Martin and The Technical crew for a fast start 👍

The fixture list looks kind on paper, but things can change once the season starts. What I want most is for Meadow Lane to feel like a fortress again. That would lift the team, especially when they’re away from home, knowing the fans are backing them all the way. I like the look of the season and if we can build some momentum and follow Paterson’s strong attitude, we’ll be in a good place. A mate of mine who doesn’t even support Notts said Paterson reminds him of Vinnie Jones. He wondered if that tough, win-at-all-costs mindset could bring out the best in us. He’s a Chelsea fan, so take that how you will!

Third season in a row we've started away from home now though, not a bad start all in all but I don't like the Chesterfield and MK away matches back to back over Christmas!

They've just completed the EFL Cup draw and we will face Wigan, away. Not a terrible tie, but we could've potentially got Blackburn, Middlesbrough, West Brom or Sheffield Wed which are more exciting.

In the EFL Trophy, Man Utd have been added to our group, I'd say that's upped my interest by about 5%...