We're already on to round 3 this weekend! Predict the games below as well as you can by 3pm on Saturday, and remember you've got one joker. Good luck!

Huddersfield Town v Stoke City

Wigan Athletic v Bristol City

Lincoln City v Forest Green Rovers

Port Vale v Bolton Wanderers

Bradford City v Newport County

Rochdale v Grimsby Town

Halifax Town v Torquay United

Woking v Dagenham & Redbridge

Slocombe 4 An uncomfortable afternoon with his kicking. I am certain we are looking to strengthen here.

Brindley 6 A willingness to break with the ball

Baldwin 5 A Jekyll and Hyde performance when compared to last weekend

Cameron 5.5 Some good forward movement

Taylor 6 Steady

Chicksen 6 I just wish he would go down the line more. One stupendous ball across to Langstaff

Francis 5.5 Losing the impetus from his performance last weekend

JOB 5.5 Pressing game

Ruben 7 A class above, cooly taken penalty

Austin 4.5 Some nice runs where he was spotted with a pass.

Langstaff 5 Didnt run for him today. That missed chance from Chicksen's cross

Subs

Mitchell 5.5 Surprised to see him on. Great shot and goal.. but needs to wise up re defending. 

Bajrami 5.5 Looks an assured player

Palmer 6  Will hopefully start Tuesday

It's the second round and, alongside the proper leagues, even the Vanarama National Conference is getting in on the action. I've just been over at the neighbours' drinking home-made liquor that seems to consist only of alcohol, but I'm sure these fixtures will be OK. So have fun, get your predictions in by 3pm on Saturday and don't forget your jokers!

Sheffield United v Millwall

Stoke City v Blackpool

Charlton Athletic v Derby County

Portsmouth v Lincoln City

Barrow v Bradford City

Crewe Alexandra v Harrogate Town

Torquay United v Oldham Athletic

York City v Woking

top corner....where the spiders live and the owls sleep

Game 1 - The Magpies (H)

Team: Maidenhead United

Date: 06/08/2022

Where: Meadow Lane

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.

Is anyone else watching this?

I've just watched England come from behind to beat Spain. At times in the first half I thought Spain were going to do a number on us, they looked a lot more comfortable on the ball and far more dangerous. We only started turning the screw in the last quarter of an hour. You've got to admire the team's character, even if we got a little lucky that the equaliser wasn't disallowed.

It'll be interesting to see how far this team can go now. With a semi final place and the crowd behind them, they've always got a chance. But from what I've seen from the German team, they're on a different level to our girls.

It's great to see the England team playing at places like Brighton, instead of Wembley all the time. I noticed two things that annoyed me about modern football though - music being played at DEAFENING volume after the final whistle, obliterating all other atmosphere, and droves of people leaving the ground in the second half and extra time with the game still in the balance. Oh, and switching your phone light on and waving it about - seriously people, just put the things down.

Slocombe 6 Some good catching under pressure but footballing skills give me the colly wobbles at times

Brindley 7 Some good forward runs

Baldwin 7.5 Looks a great replacement for Lacey

Cameron 7 Good work on left side

Taylor 8.5  Goal of the season already? Surely not

Chicksen 7 Reliable

JOB 7.5 Some lovely lay offs

Francis 8.5 Unsung hero but getting a deserved spot in this team. 

Austin 7.5 Lovely ball across for the 2nd

Ruben 8.5 The ability to win the ball, turn his man and thread the pass exquisite. Premier League class. Nearly scored with a rocket of a free kick

Langstaff 8.5 Someone that can finish!

As the title says, really. The season is nearly upon us. How do you think we'll get on? Who will be our main competitors?

We're hard to predict this time round to be honest. We've brought in a clutch of players who looked amazing a division below, but that's no guarantee that they'll do it at this level against fully pro opposition. We also have a new head coach with a, let's be honest, less than sparkling track record. It could all click and we win the league, or we could have a tough season with multiple signings failing to bed in and missing out on the play-offs. My glass is half full today, so I'll go for top three, with Wrexham winning the league. Sorry, it's the best I can do.

Aaand the PON prediction league is back once again! This is how it works:

At least two days before every matchday I will post a thread with eight matches to predict, two each from the Championship, League One, League Two and (from 6 August) the Conference. You then reply with your predicted scores. The cut-off time for posting is kick-off. At the end of it all I'll then post a table with the current standings.

Scoring system: 3 points for a correct score and 1 for a correct result. So if you predict Hartlepool to beat Walsall 2-1 and they do, you get 3 points; if Hartlepool win 1-0, you get 1 point. Each round you can also choose one match as your joker - any points you win for that match are then doubled.

We have a dedicated (and very competitive!) hardcore, but newcomers are also very, very welcome! Maybe you could be this season's surprise package? Simply reply to this post with your predictions by 3pm this coming Saturday and nominate one match as your joker - good luck!

Luton Town v Birmingham City

Rotherham United v Swansea City

Ipswich Town v Bolton Wanderers

Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley

Sheffield Wednesday v Portsmouth

Leyton Orient v Grimsby Town

Salford City v Mansfield Town

Walsall v Hartlepool United

It feels a bit strange to be writing this in mid July when it's about a billion degrees outside, but the football season will be starting on 30 July - that's a week and a bit! And as we all know, the most important thing about the football season is the PON prediction league. It's been quiet here for a bit, partly because it hasn't been the most exciting of summers, but I'm hoping we'll spring to life again soon. So I'd like to gauge interest.

I'm hoping to get enough people together to do it again this coming season - both the old hands and new people who fancy giving it a shot themselves, everyone is welcome! Just drop a message below if you're interested

@Dripsey3, @Dan, @super_ram, @4everapie, @gtownjohnno, @Megan_Elizax, @magpiejue, @ARLukomski, @nottsnutter, @jimbob, @GrannyPie, @barnet11uk, @Chris, @KB1862, @liampie, @Joshua, @Feral Fox, @allardyces tash, @TheSkipper, @CliftonMagpie, @Alex, @Canadian

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61826229