Craig Mackail-Smith gives us his pre match thoughts as Notts prepare to face the MK Dons at meadow lane tomorrow.

 Fitzsimons is apparently ill 

So Notts sit bottom of league two 2 points and 2 places below Macclesfield with Macclesfield and now Yeovil being dragged in to the dog fight. 

Notts county will face Crawley on Monday 22nd April 15.00 kick off but first they have to face Crewe and beat them on Saturday. 

If Crawley loose on Saturday and we beat them we can drag Crawley in to this dog fight and that may just go in our favour. 

Every game is important but the Crawley game could be the most important win so far.

If you could have any any player past or present for a super sub who would it be.? 

So the long weekend is here what’s everyone got planned or getting up.?

Game 43 - The Dons (H)

Team: MK Dons

Date: 19/04/19

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.

Game 44 - Red Devils (A)

Team: Crawley Town

Date: 22/04/19

Where: Broadfield Stadium

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.

Here's a less existential topic for everyone to fret over

The selection of clothes in the club shop is poor and has been for some time. Poor-quality jackets and polo shirts with the club badge sewn on and not a lot else. It's all very plain. If you're not keen on that or the current shirts, chances are there'll be nothing for you.

It's a shame for us and for the club. I'm sure there are talented young designers out there who would love to create the odd Notts-related T-shirt design. My team in Germany has a good range of these and they sell well. They don't date and they appeal to the people who aren't so keen on the latest home or away shirt. I'd certainly buy one.

We're sitting on a lot of history too - this is a good example of us using it - an old programme design adapted for a hooded top. How about a bit more of this?

I'd like to see some retro shirts again. The club shop used to sell the Toffs shirts but I haven't seen them in a while.

What do you all think? Any suggestions?

I am currently in the midst of writing a piece about what needs to happen in regards to Notts to make sure we can move forward as a club and escape the boom and bust model we currently have 

Topics I have at the minute include

- Decisions on managers
- Managerial tactics
- Player recruitment and scouting
- Training ground and facilities
- Owners and board level decisions
- Youth team

Would anyone else like to include anything to write about?

Thanks

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/notts-county/vertragsende/verein/1045

Not sure of the complete accuracy of this?

Hello, everyone!

Just to let you all know that I'm a Man City fan (have been since 1999) and I'm going to be visiting Nottingham over the Easter weekend. I wondered if Notts County would be at home and luckily you were, so I'll be attending your match against MK Dons. I'll be cheering you guys on and hoping the form book is turned on its head. Frankly I've no time for MK Dons and have something of a soft spot for yourselves. We played you twice in the FA Cup on our way to winning it a few years ago and I remember Meadow Lane giving us a real scare - it's a season I have fond memories of and County were a big part of it. 

I'll be sat in the Derek Pavis Stand on my own, and I'm just curious about what you guys think of the atmosphere in that particular part of the ground. Would it be best to hide my colours and go in plainclothes? What the best things are to buy from the club shop (I've paid £20 for my ticket, I might as well give your club some more for shirt or a hat or a scarf or something)? What's the best walking route to the ground from the city centre? Who's your best player? Who's the player in your team with limited ability but gives maximum effort and needs a bit of encouragement every now and then? Honestly, anything you have for me, I'll take on.

My presence might not be enough to help you win the game but I'll be trying my best. Plus, anything that helps Bury (a local team of mine and currently the town in which I work) would be great! Really looking forward to visiting the oldest professional club in the world and giving them a cheer.  

welcome to pon @J1894S

Guys Can you join me in welcoming @MightyMagpies To pon. 

From The Mirror:

Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite is close to selling up and is now considering buying League Two crisis club Notts County.

Smurthwaite helped save Vale in 2012 from administration but has been looking to get out since 2016.

Mirror Sport understands Smurthwaite is finally set to go after a lining up a deal to sell to Carol and Kevin Shanahan, who own Stoke-on-Trent-based IT company Synectics Solutions.

A deal worth up to £4million is due to be completed soon after Vale secured their League Two status.

Smurthwaite had threatened that if the club was not sold by the end of next week, he will put the Valiants into administration after falling out with fans.

But he is keen to stay in football and is eyeing fellow League Two outfit County instead.

County are bottom with two games left to save themselves against Grimsby and Swindon.

Embattled Magpies owner Alan Hardy is desperate to sell up after his interior design company Paragon Interiors went into administration in February

A source told Mirror Sport: "Alan has four interested parties and Smurthwaite's bid currently looks the most attractive."

Smurthwaite has even been seen at several recent County matches.

He is due to be in the crowd again for the visit of Grimsby on Saturday.

But Smurthwaite insists his recent appearances at Notts are a result of him being unable to watch Vale games because of security issues arising from angry fans.

“I live close to the club and have been watching some games because it was felt I shouldn’t go to home games at Port Vale because it gives them a security headache,” said Smurthwaite.

“I will be there again this Saturday watching a game of football.”

Who would your winners be currently for the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two and National League

Prem - Manchester City

Champ - Stoke City

L1 - Barnsley

L2 - Notts

National League - Salford City

Schofield 4 - Not commanding enough and should have saved the goal. Scares me

Tootle 6 - Got up and down the right flank and put in a good cross for Notts' goal but was partly at fault for the equaliser when he let Nathaniel-George cut inside

Stubbs 6 - Dealt with Ollie Palmer well

Barclay 3 - Looked ok until a stupid challenge. Such an unnecessary red card. A tackle he didn't even need to make. All he had to do was run in to him, not attempt to break him in half

Bird 7 - Comfortable. Bought the ball out of defence and pressed

Milsom 5 - Steady

Doyle 4 - A bit ineffective again. Had a goalscoring opportunity but passed it back to O'Brien instead

O'Brien 6 - Ran about like normal and covered the yards. Almost scored with a Forestieri type strike against Norwich

Rose 6 - Kept going through the pain and battled hard to keep the Crawley centre mids quiet

Stead 6 - Some alright link up play in the first half. Had a good chance to score when O'Brien put a ball across in the first half only for the antique to stand still

Mackail-Smith 7 - Scored with a good header and constantly try to unsettle the Crawley defence. Don't know why he was subbed

Subs

Ward 7 - Came on and was comfortable as cheese at centre-back 

Boldewijn 5 - Tried to battle when he came on but difficult as he was the lone striker and we were down to ten

Ardley 3 - The 3-5-2 looked ok early doors. Second half we had to put another attacker on to play with Mackail-Smith but he didn't. Four at the back after Barclay had been sent off would have been fine. Should have taken a midfielder out and bought Enzio on to play with Craig, as Crawley's threat wasn't coming from the centre. Not brave enough with his subs

How do you rate our chances of staying up? I give us a 25% chance.

In favour of us staying up:

- Despite the season we're having and thanks to the epic crapness of a couple of teams around us, we're still just three points (and an X-rated goal difference) off safety. We need to make up one point on Yeovil over seven games to have a chance on the final day - surely that's doable?

- Our last matches are against Grimsby and Swindon, who probably won't have anything to play for. Maybe they'll be thinking of their holidays already?

- We've brought in some players who are up for the fight, the defence looks tighter and Hemmings has found his shooting boots.

- Two seasons ago Newport had 33 points from 38 games - the same as us - and were six points adrift, yet stayed up.

In favour of relegation:

- We've already had a series of six-pointers, and we have choked every time (one example being the six unanswered goals Yeovil put past us this season, that could cost us big).

- We have one player who looks capable of scoring, a pretty bad position to be in when we need wins.

- In 2016-17, Newport won five and lost three of their last eight games and stayed up by two points on the final day. When have we showed signs of putting that kind of run together?

What do you all think? Still got hope, or have we had it?

Two rounds in one this weekend

Good Friday Fixtures:
Birmingham City v Derby County
Swansea City v Rotherham United
Rochdale v Wycombe Wanderers
Walsall v Southend United
Cheltenham Town v Oldham Athletic
Newport County v Bury


Easter Monday Fixtures:
Blackburn Rovers v Bolton Wanderers
Hull City v Sheffield United
Peterborough United v Sunderland
Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley
Lincoln City v Tranmere Rovers
Swindon Town v Crewe Alexandra

Mine:
Birmingham City 1-0 Derby County
Swansea City 3-1 Rotherham (Joker)
Rochdale 1-1 Wycombe
Walsall 1-2 Southend
Cheltenham 3-1 Oldham
Newport County 0-1 Bury

Blackburn 2-0 Bolton
Hull 1-2 Sheff Utd
Peterborough 0-2 Sunderland
Plymouth 0-2 Barnsley
Lincoln 1-2 Tranmere
Swindon 1-0 Crewe

How good or bad have your predictions gone?

Mine were

1. MK

2. Notts

3. Lincoln

PO: Northampton 

23. Macclesfield

24. Yeovil 

Hi all,

I am involved in a research study looking at fans' views of sex and gender classification in sport and I am hoping you can spare a few minutes of your time to share your thoughts in an online survey: https://teesside.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/transgender-and-sport

Thanks in advance.

County manager Neal Ardley as told the evening post “he takes full responsibility for County’s no show in Crewe” as County fall to 3-0 loss. 

For the full interview click the clink below 

 https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/neal-ardley-takes-full-responsibility-2758250

So this Friday Notts face MK Dons at meadow lane who’s heading to the lane to cheer the lads on.?

Firstly apologies as I've not had the chance to update the table after last weeks round yet. Should get to do that tomorrow and will post it.

This Saturday's fixtures: 

Aston Villa v Bristol City

Middlesbrough v Hull City

Charlton Athletic v Luton Town

Southend United v Wycombe Wanderers

Tranmere Rovers v MK Dons

Yeovil Town v Crawley Town

Mine: 

Aston Villa 2-2 Bristol City (joker)

Middlesbrough 1-0 Hull City

Charlton Athletic 1-1 Luton Town

Southend United 2-1 Wycombe Wanderers

Tranmere Rovers 1-0 MK Dons

Yeovil Town 1-0 Crawley Town

So it’s caption this time and today’s picture was taken during Harry kewells  reign at meadow lane with Alan .. that’s big Alan not little Alan. 

so give us your best caption and I’ll choose a winner on Friday. 

So Ross Fitzsimons gave his post match reaction to the sending off and getting some unexpected minutes .

To watch the interview click on the link below.