A bit of drama has emerged from the latest press at Meadow Lane, with the NEP's very own Leigh Curtis tweeting this.

Wes Thomas is entitled to self isolate, I cannot see him returning to action whilst he has concerns about his family. This leaves us with Elisha Sam and Jimmy Knowles, both of which could do the job if they're up to it but Sam looks like he would benefit more from the game time.

Notts needs to look into what options are out there.

Eastleigh have called their game off tonight against Stockport due to a positive Covid test in the Eastleigh camp.

Surely that means they will call off our game on Saturday against them, too. 

I haven't seen many opinions on this, in fact, I only noticed due to going through the NEP site in order to see if there's anything out there that we can discuss.

Ricky Miller is a good player at this level, however, at 31 and on paper I'm not bothered.

I would prefer Notts to find someone between 25-28 myself, someone with legs and able to contribute to Football League success if we're able to get there. If we want a Non League fighter, I think there's again better out there.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/notts-county-transfer-ricky-miller-4848625

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhys_Oates

Strong runner and effective

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavan_Holohan

Must have played with Stanley at Waterford, neat footballer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Magloire

On loan from Blackburn

And so we enter another year, in which The Sickness will be no more and Notts will return to the League in front of 30,000 triumphant fans at Wembley. Failing that, get yourself some points in the prediction league. Kick off is at 3pm on Saturday, 2 January, and remember your jokers!

Millwall v Coventry City

Swansea City v Watford

Hull City v Charlton Athletic

Swindon Town v Wigan Athletic

Leyton Orient v Salford City

Mansfield Town v Port Vale

Chesterfield v Solihull Moors

Woking v Aldershot

Merry Christmas to all

I just wanted to pop on to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year. 

I thought I would do a yearly round up. I thought it would be a good place for everyone to share their thoughts and the experiences this year. 

This year has been a very tough year for me, as it has been for everyone. If you don't follow me on twitter, unfortunately, this year I got diagnosed with some mental health illnesses. I first noticed this in the first lockdown, but didn't do anything about it until October. Everything that made me happy got taken away from me one by one, also before lockdown, I was in a job that was making me miserable. 

This year, should have been filled of loads of away days, theatre trips, a trip to Italy and I would have been able to drive. 

But, there has been highlights of this year, I found a new job (even though I've only worked there 4 months overall), I got 2 qualifications in mental health, I still got a holiday even if it was to Skegness (I do love it there), I built up my baking skills and gained new skills. My relationship with @ARLukomski survived and got stronger. 

I will be forever grateful that my family and friends are coming out of this year healthy. I just want to give my condolences to anyone who has lost family members, friends or anyone that they know this year. 

How has your year been? 

Happy Birthday to @GrannyPie

Whilst we are all enjoying christmas, its also one of our members birthday.

Can we all wish her a Happy Birthday!

Game 17 - Pools (H)

Team: Hartlepool United

Date: 28/12/2020

Where: Meadow Lane

What line-up should Neal Ardley 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.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/1287562/ex-dundee-united-mark-fotheringham-blazing-trail-germany/

And so we're onto the last prediction league of this "unusual" year. These matches kick off at 7.45pm on Tuesday, 29 December (with the exception of the Bradford match, which kicks off at 7), and you get one joker each. Good luck (but not more than me)!

Huddersfield Town v Blackburn Rovers

Luton Town v Bristol City

Plymouth Argyle v Oxford United

Shrewsbury Town v Blackpool

Northampton Town v Gillingham

Barrow v Tranmere Rovers

Colchester United v Cheltenham Town

Bradford City v Port Vale

Game 18 - The Linnets (H)

Team: King's Lynn Town

Date: 02/01/2021

Where: Meadow Lane

What line-up should Neal Ardley 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.

Slocombe 5 - Too many kicks went astray and could have commanded better

Brindley 5 - Should have got to the ball for the goal. Better second half at getting forward

Rawlo 7 - Won headers, kept recycling the ball and bought it out of defence

Turner 4 - Gave away too many cheap fouls and throwings. Turned into Kane at the end

DKE 7 - Always got forward and supported the attack 

Reeves 5 - Well too deep for pretty much all the game. Didn't go forward enough

Doyle 5 - Same as Reeves. Too pedestrian 

Walker 6 - Some neat touches and some good link up play. End product lacking

Rodri 6 - Not a great first half but became a vocal point of our creativity in the 2nd. 

Enzio 6 - Struggled first half but upped his work rate and creativity in the second and should've just hit late on, instead of cutting in

Wootton 6 - Put himself in good positions to score but didn't finish. Much better link up play second half 

Sam 6 - Was very lively when he came on and linked up the play well

Knowles 6 - As with Sam, very lively. How his goal is ruled out I will not have a clue in a million Mondays. So clearly onside it's criminal

Hello and welcome to the MASSIVE BOXING DAY prediction league. You don't want to miss out on this one - instead of getting a measly three points for a correct score, this time you will get THREE! So all completely different to how we normally do it. As usual, you get one joker each (albeit this time with a little Santa hat) and all entries have to be received by kick-off (3pm) on Boxing Day.

All the fixtures are going ahead as I write this, but lots of matches have been postponed already and more will undoubtedly follow. If you're unlucky enough to nominate a match as your joker that is then postponed, you can pick a new one by making another post in the thread - but please no later than kick-off. Good luck!

Reading v Luton Town

Cardiff City v Brentford

Doncaster Rovers v Accrington Stanley

Oxford United v AFC Wimbledon

Oldham Athletic v Harrogate Town

Salford City v Walsall

Altrincham v Stockport County

Hartlepool United v Halifax Town

Game 16 - The Linnets (A)

Team: King's Lynn Town

Date: 26/12/2020

Where: The Walks

What line-up should Neal Ardley 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.

To all who read this,

Merry Christmas and, a happy new year to you!

2020 has been a defining year filled with obstacles and, unknowns - with COVID-19 largely effecting life as we know it. I think reaching this point of the year means we are entitled to appreciate the little things a little more than what we normally would.

It's not been an easy one for anyone, I have seen a lot of fans struggling with isolation and, depression.

We can take these things for granted at times, especially as supporters of a football club but it makes you grounded. You realize there's more to life and, the scores, matches etc - they just provide a distraction at the end of the day.

I hope that everyone manages to have some form of normality on Christmas and, as we approach the New Year.

A win for Notts County [or your respective team if you're a resident opposition fan - provided you don't support King's Lynn ????] would be an added bonus. Yet until Boxing Day, please do enjoy yourself!

May you all have a fantastic Christmas and, a happy new year! You Pies!!

Chris

I was checking on Torquay's forum to see their thoughts on dropping points to Kings Lynn and found an interesting thread:

https://torquayfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=13008&start=30

"Any top team that plays on a pitch that has a resemblance to a ploughed field will affect the quality, skills and technique of the players. Maybe that is why Kings Lynn are charging astronomical prices for match viewing so as to try and divert a little more funding towards laying a proper playing surface."

Ouch. Looks like our game there on boxing day won't exactly be a spectacle and more of a struggle on a rubbish pitch. Non-league, innit. 

Welcome to (almost) the last prediction league before Christmas! Kick off is Saturday at 3, and remember your jokers!

Brentford v Reading

Rotherham United v Derby County

Peterborough United v Ipswich Town

Accrington Stanley v Blackpool

AFC Wimbledon v Crewe Alexandra

Bolton Wanderers v Tranmere Rovers

Colchester United v Morecambe

Leyton Orient v Crawley Town

Tomorrow we (well, the team) travel to Morpeth Town for which I assume will be the first time ever. Morpeth currently sit 16th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the same division as Basford United and Grantham Town, with nine points from seven games. One interesting aspect of this one is the reunion with one Liam Noble...

Morpeth are actually allowed to have fans in, but as the FA deems us an "elite" club (which we are in many respects, of course), this one will be behind closed doors. However, for those of you in the UK the club will be showing it on the live stream - check the official site if you fancy it.

Personally I can't say I'm too bothered about the FA Trophy this season. I was totally up for it last time round, but with empty stadia and a massive fixture pile-up this season it all feels a bit redundant. But it's a competitive match and a chance to give a few players on the fringes some proper match practice so they can get in the groove - perhaps full matches for Knowles, Wolfe and Pilling.

Will any of you be tuning in?

Pilling 4 For a debut, doesnt inspire confidence with his distribution but to his credit, wasnt phased by the Morpeth tactics of crowding him out in the 6 yd box

Brindley 6 Cool head, gave momentum down the right

Graham 4.5 Too many misplaced passes, should be standing out against teams like this. Took his goal well, losing his marker

Lacey 6 Goal saving header towards the end

Chicksen 4 Just not sure about him, got caught out defensively too

JOB 6 Experienced head

Rodrigues 5 Pitch a nightmare for a cultured footballer

Wolfe 5 One good run but midfield was bogged down today

Walker 4 Feeling disappointed, I expect far more class

Sam 6 Should have had a hat trick. Early goal, but missed header and shot towards the end. Positives, he has got a shot on him, negatives touch let him down 

Knowles 5 Goal but didnt really get into the game

Sub

DKE 6.5 MoTM from the subs bench

Enzio 4 Needed to influence more with his talent

A lot of praise for Brindley on social media for not giving up a seemingly lost cause, but that slide rule pass from Ruben 

slocombe 6.5 - kept largely not busy but reliable when needed
brindley 8 - good going forward and solid at the back
dke 7.5 - he put another good shift in and worked well with job and rodders
turner 7 - one of his better performances in notts colours 
rawlinson 8 - absolutely solid the best defender on the pitch for me
rodders 7 - did some neat touches and passes but was not a threat enough for me
reeves 8.5 - my man of the match because he ran the show and allowed doyle to have more time on the ball
doyle 7 - several great long passes and just focused on getting notts forward
job 5 - not much to say, he did not play great but he did not play poorly either just very average
enzio 6 - at times he looked useful and it was good to see him defend at times but not much else
wootton 6 - moved well and tried, not much he could do by himself but his pass to reeves was unselfish of him

subs:

walker 5 - he did okay, nothing much for him to impact the game as notts controlled it

Christmas is coming, Father Christmas is trimming his beard, his elves are hard at work and the reindeer are eating all the carrots they can in preparation for the big day. Erm... I've forgotten what that was supposed to have to do with football, so here are the latest fixtures. One joker each, kick-off is at 7.45pm on Tuesday, 15 December!

Barnsley v Preston North End

Nottingham Florist v Sheffield Wednesday

Oxford United v Northampton Town

Portsmouth v Fleetwood Town

Southend United v Grimsby Town

Tranmere Rovers v Stevenage

Solihull Moors v Halifax Town

Weymouth v Wrexham

This will be a tough game and for me could define the season, it is a real litmus test for the quality of our squad.

Stockport are 9th with 19 points having played only 9 games, a 2.1 ppg average. Notts on the other hand are 7th with 20 points, but have played 12 games with a 1.67 ppg average. With that points per game average so far, Stockport's projected finish would be 1st, with only Torquay having a better ppg thus far (2.46). Notts are really play-off contenders with our showing so far this season, and given the results and performances, nobody would really argue that. There are limitations on this though, a poor run of only 3 games (for example 2 losses and a draw), and Stockport's ppg would plummet to the same as ours.

Recently Stockport have beaten a 10-man Barnet 2-1, but it is hard to tell how much can be read from this, with Barnet blowing hot and cold, they've been smashed recently by Chesterfield, who, and while no offence is meant, are not exactly Barcelona. Prior to that they'd beaten Bromley 2-0 away from home, which is more impressive as Bromley have roughly the same ppg as us and are 3rd. 

If we win with a good performance, it stands us in good stead that we have the quality to challenge for automatic promotion. Even a draw with a good performance would be OK. However, a poor performance where we are clearly second best and a draw or a loss, then for me we can kiss goodbye any hopes for automatic and settle for play-offs as the best case scenario. A negative line-up (JOB, Reeves, Doyle starting, Rodrigues benched) and 'respecting the point' would be a massive negative for me. If we do that, it indicates to  me that the manager doesn't think the squad are good enough to beat Stockport on our own turf, which would be a startling admission given that top spot should have been the goal for this season.