I haven't felt nervous until recently, I suppose it's natural.

I do feel our form can be picked up from where we left, provided we focus and apply pressure from the off when it comes to playing. I haven't let the friendly impact my thoughts, yet I still feel splitting our squad into two would have made more sense. I'm just pleased nobody got injured, as I do feel we will miss Regan Booty who had been ruled out before.

We have the depth in the squad, it's all down to the fight and, making sure we are a tight unit on the pitch.

I fancy our chances of getting to the final.

Hard to give ratings from a computer screen, but this is what I saw:

Slocombe 7 - only one save to make, but it was a good one.
Brindley 7 - got into some good forward positions and solid defensively.
Lacey 7.5 - looks a class above this level.
Turner 7 - the Turner we saw before his injury. Just does his job well.
Bagan 7 - a potent forward threat first half, good defensively in the second.
Roberts 7 - took a while to get into the game, but when he did he showed his class.
Rose 7.5 - showed his value today. Won loads of challenges and helped us win the midfield battle.
Doyle 7 - used his experience to the max. Nothing spectacular, but just what we needed.
O'Brien 7.5* - always involved, created the first and just about shaded MOM.
Wootton - 6.5 - led the line well but didn't make the most of his chances on goal.
Dennis 6.5 - a bit out of the game for spells, but did what he's best at in poaching a goal.

Enzio 6 - struggled to get involved, but a great option to bring off the bench at this level.
Thomas 6 - no time to make an impact, but looked lively.

Good to be able to do these ratings again even if it is only via the telly. A good all round team performance, and credit to the manager for getting his selection and formation right. Let's just hope that everyone can repeat it next weekend.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/history/memories-streets-around-meadow-lane-1901078

I'm not going into a long winded reason behind this, however, I will say for the past two seasons I have pushed selling my artwork and on match days attempting to complete 1/2 spot the ball cards.

This has been well supported, but I wouldn't be asking if I could cope by my own means.

The suspension to football, the coronavirus and situation we find ourselves in is going to be a task. We should all support each other where possible, so I would like to ask our community to consider donating to PON - https://prideofnottingham.co.uk/donate/

Any support will go to ensuring upkeep is met.

Thank you,
Chris

I would highly recommend this to footy fans.

I’m no fan of Sunderland, but going through the ups and downs and seeing the insides of the club made for a really interesting watch.

It was really good to feel the highs (and unfortunately for them) the lows again of the passion of a footy match.

I’m just half way through the second season now and it’s just completed the January transfer window. Unmissable viewing for any footy fan to see the phone calls on the actual day. It did get me thinking of big Al again when they started with a 1 million bid, stated no more than 1.25 mill and ended up signing a player for 3 million plus another mill in add ons!

The owner got himself wrapped up in the emotion and was playing his own game of footy manager with his own money! 

I'm pleased to give a very warm welcome to @SkeggyPie, I've known him for as long as I have sat in the KOP and, since the very early days of PON.

I hope you enjoy being a part of our Notts County community.

See you around matey. ????????????????

Playoff semi-final - The Bees (H)

Team: Barnet fc

Date: 25/07/2020

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.

Firstly, I would just like to say, I hope everyone is doing well and still keeping safe. Sorry that I suddenly disappeared off of here and the weekly round ups stopped. I just thought, with all of us locked inside and there wasn't much that we could update each other on. I am slowing going to start getting back into the swings again, just need a bit longer to settle into my new job and I have not long since started my own business. 

Mine slowly got easier as time went on. I learnt how to make stickers (a totally random hobby to pick up) but did end up sending @CutiePie and @Ellie_Pie10 some out, thank you @Chris for allowing to me to send some. 

I spent more time on a scrapbook that I started last year and it came out really nice. Baked a lot more, which equated to me gaining some weight (I am now working towards losing that now).  I spent a lot of money, which I regret now, but some of things I did buy did help my boredom. 

I re downloaded Pokemon Go, so I got some exercise in, I got my bother away from his computer as well, when he wasn't doing his homework. 

I'm hoping that I will be able to see @ARLukomski soon as we have not seen each other since Mothers Day, we have been speaking to each other through Facebook, but it isn't the same. I'm hoping that we will see each other before we go away together in September. 

How was your lock down? Any new hobbies? more exercise?

questions???

Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham @Les Elliott, I hope you enjoy being a part of our Notts County community.

Feel free to share a little bit about yourself.

Pride of Nottingham would like to wish former magpie and, playoff star Jonathan Forte all the very best on his birthday.

What memories do you have of his time whilst at Notts? There's no forgetting his goal against Coventry! Dan Jones put in the perfect assist, with a cheeky flick into the net...  

Who do you feel will be the most important player in the playoff push? Experience under pressure will be needed. Yes, the team needs to work together but who will lead Notts to Wembley in your opinion?

Unlike some of their fans, I wouldn't dismiss Barnet as a team but I must admit I happier we have them as I feel Yeovil are a bogey team when it comes to playing Notts - especially at Meadow Lane.

Barnet have a lot of direct players, who have pace and enjoy having the ball.

I feel Notts needs to take control by being careful when passing, yet allowing the ball to flow whilst making the Barnet players move. Tiring them down would be an advantage for Notts I feel.

I don't see if as being "an easy game", I feel Barnet will want it just as much as we do.

Yet I do feel our squad on their day are more than capable of controlling the game. It's more down to finishing any chances that we create, I hope to see Enzio at his best when it comes to the game. Thomas, Dennis and Wootton should be able to find space at the back, so whoever starts I have confidence in. Just need that spark in creativity.

Some of these goals! ????

https://mobile.twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss/status/1280439081151987717

With the news that League One has also ended, it's time to bring this season's prediction league to a close. And the winner is.... drum roll...

@ARLukomski rose to the top of the table for the first time on the very last weekend before the season was stopped, nicking it from under the noses of @Dan and @weymouthPIE. So he's the champon for the second season running - congratulations!

Congratulations also go to @barnet11uk, @super_ram and @4everapie, who had a very strong season. Thank you to everyone for playing, and especially for @Chris for providing a platform!

The prediction league will be back as soon as league football returns. To be continued...

Former Notts County academy ace Kion Etete has found himself in the Spurs fan spotlight for this superb effort in training.

Double click on the twitter thread above

I'm reading a book on the FA Cup. Sunderland won the cup in 1973. They were lucky to get past Notts County in Round 3. Notts lead 1-0 at Meadow Lane, thanks to a Les Bradd goal in the 29th minute. Sunderland levelled it on 79 mins but even they will admit that Notts were the better team and should have won the game. Notts lost the replay 2-0 at Roker Park but were in the game right up to the last minute. Match report below. 

I wonder how many times Notts have been knocked out by the eventual winners? 

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2011/01/07/roker-relives-safc-v-notts-county-fa-cup-3rd-round-replay-1973

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53152416

It's good news, however, I fully expect to see spikes at points so I hope we as a nation try to stay safe. Fans are supposedly going to be allowed back into football stadiums by September.

As much as I want to get back to Meadow Lane, I just hope things go well.

League 2 looking to finish immediately, use points per game and still do playoffs and relegation?

I'm sure we'd be second or third with points per game I read somewhere, so maybe a glimmer of hope as the league below would probably need to jump into line with promotion and relegation spots to balance the leagues out.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52679614

As anyone seen the list of agents fees listed on twitter by Oliver Bayliss... Could someone post them on here please..... 

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2020/june/play-off-training-squad-confirmed-030620/

This is really an excellent read:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50289343