Considering some of the teams last season I still thought we were one of the better footballing sides, but the difference was we were more flexible. Take the play-offs, we were kind of happy to let Chesterfield have the ball because we’d worked on the out of possession shape and we knew we could create chances from pressing. Then in the final, given it was 30°+ it’s virtually impossible to play an effective press so we switched back to a more possession-based style. Salford were very much an up and at you team under Robinson and they didn’t adapt.

Now we aren’t side the is 100% committed to trying to always have possession of the ball, we can be just as effective without it. It’s a double edge sword, but in a good way for us! Against Huddersfield we were more focused in our out of possession play and we came away with a point. Against Burton home (second half) we showed we are still capable of dominating the ball and creating chances through good passing play. It’s the best of both worlds right now and I think it’s going to serve us well this season.

League One is very competitive; the gulf between a good League Two side and a team that must avoid relegation from League One isn't all that different. A team can have quality and depth, but it takes consistency at a much higher level to stay as an established team at this level.

The talk I heard prior to Bradford about us being "Championship" ready is, at the kindest possible reading, optimistic thinking.

Huddersfield showed what quality there is in the lower half of the Championship; Leicester, despite being very poor, showed they had Championship quality within them. I am not downplaying our squad, there's much more needed from them and it's still early days. The signs are positive, as we look capable of playing well in two halves.

Teams all have off days; this Saturday perhaps comes down to us not choosing the right starting lineup.

Defensively, I think we have made a lot of improvements, but more is naturally to come. The lapse in awareness and judgment is what is still costing us points.

We can attack very nicely with pure passing football, and I have noticed we look a lot more dangerous on the break.

Counter-attacking football is massive at this level and higher. Bradford turned it on quite nicely, though they failed to make their finishing count, I feel. So, I think comparisons are only half of the picture and that we have made progress. Yet, I wouldn't gloss over what further we need to do in order to be at our best. I think, with time and the new signings settling in more, we'll start to show a lot more of the quality we have seen in the earlier games so far, but on a more consistent basis.

It took a bit of time last season for the quality to improve; this season it might be a little harder due to the talented teams we face, but I am confident that we can establish ourselves. I would like Notts to walk before running, as we need to be fully ready to push for promotion.

I would hate to see all our good work undone by failing to get the basics needed to improve at this level right first.

If we roll on from January when this thread asked the question, I think that we can say that we have definitely progressed under Martin Paterson into a side that has demonstrated over the first 12 games that they can compete with the very best in League One.

There is a big gulf in standard between League 1 & League 2, and so far Notts have bridged that gap under Martin Paterson's leadership. Notts had a very good summer transfer window that has gone a long way of bridging that gap, but I think Martin's experience of League 1 in his time at Burton has served him well, & he has organised the Notts team into a good effective unit at this level.

The icing on the cake would be for Notts to start converting the chances they are creating into goals, which could convert Notts into a top half position in this League. There is still room for lots of progress to be made but do far things are looking very encouraging.

I do think that there's gonna be a shift or an exodus of loans at some point. Macari, Palmer and Enoru (who i completely forget is here) look likely to never appear this season.

I do believe that once they are fit again, Cooper & Platt will feature in the match squad at some point. Macari I'm not sure about, but he was a first team regular before his injury. I think that we miss Cooper as an attacking midfielder & he brings something extra to the team, but saying that, I don't think that these players will be rushed back. They will be given time to get their full match fitness first. Enoru has lots of pace which we lack, but we don't know whether he can compete at this level. Once fit, he could be loaned out.

I think we are doing just fine; obviously we had a high spell and then a low due to a run of defeats, but it just shows how anyone at this level can win on the day.

Only a few teams we have played looked too strong for us, Huddersfield being the very best for me.

We have had some setbacks with losing key players, and those coming in will always need time to adapt or settle. The recruitment, I think, has done a good job of bridging the gap between being competitive at this level and being able to cope when teams truly have us under the cosh.

I do agree that it is likely we will see movement in the outgoings come January, but I would hope Notts doesn't do anything too extreme.

Defensively, I have noticed improvements, but we need to avoid forcing players into certain roles just to fit in a returning player. Lucas Ness, for me, should be the main central defender. He's shown a true level of class and growth in his own ability, becoming a key figure and putting Rod McDoanld into the middle from what i have seen wasn't a smart decisin.

While I haven't seen a game for a while, I am pleased with the comments about Jacob Bedeau improvement.

He's clearly a thinker and someone who focuses a lot on the performance as it unfolds, and I think sometimes this can be his downfall. Maybe some of his weaker games have been down to his own pressure?

There aren’t many players I wouldn't be happy to consider starting, and I think a January move for a striker who can poach and make a real nuisance of himself would make a real difference. It might be pressure from others, as I think when we have been poor it largely comes from the absence of this position.

Rotation can be useful, but when injuries hit our attacking area we do become lost.

There are actually more positive signs I feel, as Notts can clearly compete with teams, and if the right decisions are made in-game there is always the chance of a win or draw against the very best. I am hopeful we can recruit another goalkeeper; I love James Belshaw but at times he is responsible for points being dropped.

I am not singling Belshaw out because I want him replaced; I just feel real competition will bring the best out of him. If there's a game where a keeper could make a difference, at least we have that option.

I want to note that there are also times Belshaw has saved us, so I am not suggesting he isn’t good enough.

But there's only so much time he will be at his best, and I think sometimes against times it already does show. He's a true professional and fan favourite but we must look at where we can become stronger in order to improve.

It's a pity that the fixture has been put back with Notts in good form. I'm sure that the Notts teams to play Altrincham in the FA Cup 1st Round on Saturday, & the away game against Burton in the Football League Trophy the following Tuesday, will be very strong teams to keep the positive momentum going. Hopefully we will get positive results in both matches.

Seen some outrage about the fixture, but I assume it's because we also have international players on duty? It's not worth crying about, really. It just presents Bromley with a reason to beat us if we grumble. I would rather us have the best players that aren't injured availible to us, they don't really intimidate or worry me.

They had a brief good spell and then fell back down, ironically during the time we dropped off.

Unfortunately, what will be, will be. All that is needed is to keep momentum by putting a strong side out against Altrincham on Saturday and repeat against Burton. Simples 🤠

When you look at that Notts team, the player recruitment was pretty good! Local lads, internationals, astute signings from Scotland and other East Mids clubs.

Paul Hooks being in there always amazes me - Notts apprentice, played in the top flight, then a coal miner I think.

Three Notts players, Robertson, Roberts & Samuels-Smith, in the Sky Bet League 1 Team if the week.

3 hours ago, StarkMallard said:

He brews a fine pint of beer too.

@StarkMallard you are a man after my own heart. 🍺

It's good when everyone plays well. My underrated shout out would be to McDonald, not only for his box defending but distribution, he pinged it long across the pitch a couple times very accurately. But my standouts were Robertson and Samuels-Smith, I think just because the way we dominated the midfield it turned the match in our favour, so Robbo shaded it for me.

The poll has now closed. Thanks to all who voted. I'm pleased to announce that Ishe Samuels-Smith has been voted the Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match v Mansfield Town.

I'd just like to add. The whole match squad performed very well. The Notts defence and central midfield have become a very secure unit. Robertson is at his absolute best & I'm sure Finneran is learning a lot from him.

Grant & Tsaroulla are demonstrating that they can perform at this level. Kanu is getting better & better & I think Roberts deserves to be in the starting 11.

A big change this season is the substitutes coming on and performing well making a difference too. I thought the back three were awesome along with Robbo and Rory but I agree with some others that Samuels-Smith was a head above the rest. So he was my choice.

Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Bristol City
West Ham United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
Wigan Athletic 3-1 Bromley Joker
Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 Burton Albion
Fleetwood Town 0-0 Bristol Rovers
Shrewsbury Town 0-2 Gillingham
Barrow 1-0 Eastleigh
Tamworth 0-1 Woking

The results:

This round was won by G-Town's finest @gtownjohnno with nine points, followed by @Michael D Pie. and @Chris. @Dan got three points, unlike his team yesterday 😉

After a brief but glorious reign, I am overtaken at the top by @Michael D Pie. (note to self: check whether dogs are allowed), who can now make himself comfortable on my well-worn throne...

Now we have a bit of a break due to FA Cup weekend, so the next round is on Saturday week, 14 November. As always, the fixtures will be posted on the Wednesday prior, so the 11th. Thanks for playing everyone!

Thank you @StarkMallard I promise that the throne will still be warm on your return, just looking after it for you. 🤠 👍

They're hoping for an upset, which has happened much to regular for Notts, can we stop the rot, its anyone's guess

I don't care who or where we play; I just look forward to a real competitive cup run. I always feel disappointed when we exit early; we used to have that grit to go further in the rounds, and the money’s good, especially at the stages where a big club may come to Meadow Lane.

The League Cup, I care little about and understand that fans would rather focus on consolidating our League One status, but sod it.

We have a good squad, highly capable of competing in this league, provided we work hard, support the lads as fans, and avoid weakening ourselves. A cup run could be a great chance to bring fringe players into the first-team harmony.

I'll look for myself behind that goal - great memories. I've seen some rubbish at Field Mill, but this game is always the first I remember

Tommy Johnson was a real ex-factor at that level, before he went on to play top-flight football

Great post. I remember it like it was yesterday as well! Notts were on the up and to be in that packed away terrace (we had lots up in the seats as well) was a great feeling. Pay on the day and security wasn't great, a few gaps in the fence I seem to remember. Great seeing the goals on TV after as well, in the days before everything was online.

There is a long list to choose from if you apply the “must have started at least 3 ganes” criteria.

The worst 45 mins ever is Branston, that is undeniable and unequivocal. It was straight out of pantomime, farce and slapstick comedy.

The list of contenders overall, from the hard 25 years alone is enormous tho’.

I think we'd all probably agree that in our lifetimes it has to be someone from the five pre-Munto seasons starting in 2004/05. If you stood out as bad in that period you were something special. Not hacking it in the National League would in theory be worse but we actually had better teams then.

So maybe one of the, in inverted commas, 'strikers', or one of the couldn't-give-a-toss loanees from that period? I didn't attend much then so others may be able to pick out a winner.

Fully agree @Sheffield Pie, the teams we fielded pre-Munto were worse than anything we had in the National League. If we'd gone down then, it would have been a long, hard road back.

Two names spring to mind. One is Andy White, a striker who previously played up the A60. And the other is Danny Stone, a full back who played an inexplicable number of games for us before vanishing into non-league. But there must be loads of others I've forgotten.

I wouldn't say Roos @nottsnutter, we've had worse keepers than him. He can at least do the flashy reaction saves without really mastering the basics of catching the ball. We've had some who can do neither.

While I'm being cruel, does anyone remember the crap Scottish midfielder we had under Jocky Scott, the one with the Lego hair? Always the first name on the team sheet. If he'd been any slower he'd have been running backwards.

I think you've more or less nailed it but I would add David Robinson, signed for £400k in 1992 (so like millions now) to replace Craig Short. Had a dodgy knee (did noone check?) and played three times I think. Possibly including a 0-6 thrashing at Millwall's old Den I had the privilege of attending.

Also how much did we pay for Traore? Might never know.

Astonishing, although I suspect it was just a “lump it up field” clearance or am I being harsh?

@Fan of Big Tone It wasn't any old clearance, I think the player knew the GK had come up towards half way

Likewise, I think he knew exactly what he was doing. Very impressive!

I’m coming to get you @StarkMallard

Not if I get there first @Fan of Big Tone

With the help of my two partners in crime, Marty and Scooby. 🤠

11 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

I’m coming to get you @StarkMallard

A brave lady who deserves to have her name remembered throughout history. Such a sad but interesting story about how someone who played a vital role in the war will be quite rightly remembered as a hero.

I wouldn't call it a mauling either, but I agree with @theAnticlough to an extent. After years of knocking around the National League and League Two and bossing nearly every game, the second half was an uncomfortable watch at times. But tough afternoons are part of climbing the league ladder and were bound to happen. I'm happy with how we played and pleased we still got a point out of it rather an a "Sutton away" experience!

2 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

At least it provoked a bit of a debate and a few more posts. 😃

Nice one and why not, we need it

The argument for not putting the clocks back from British summer time has merits on both sides.

Many point out that putting the clocks back in Autumn gives lighter mornings for children going to school which they say is a big safety issue. But others point out that the darker evenings puts commuters at risk too..

Personally I think that when the clocks go back in Autumn, it should stay as it is all year round, with darker evenings in summer along with lighter mornings in summer as well as Winter.

Often amazes me when you hear stories like this how such incredible women seem to get erased or forgotten about despite their brilliance

Oh dear think that might 3 on the bounce 😜🤦🏻‍♂️

On 25/10/2026 at 18:26, nottsnutter said:

Oh dear think that might 3 on the bounce 😜🤦🏻‍♂️

Three rounds in four! Admirable consistency.

12 hours ago, StarkMallard said:

Three rounds in four! Admirable consistency.

Form seems to following Patto’s at the moment 🤨

Time for Tuesday's results!

@Fan of Big Tone showed us all how it's done with nine points!

After one glorious day on top of the league all by myself, I am now forced to share the top spot with @ARLukomski. @Michael D Pie. has crept up on us and is now only two points behind, and @Fan of Big Tone pulls away from the relegation zone.

I'll count Saturday's points tomorrow to bring us up to date (I would have done it tonight but I accidentally set my alarm to 6am while I was changing the time and now I feel like a zombie). The next "new" fixtures are coming up on Wednesday. Thank you all for playing!

2 hours ago, StarkMallard said:

@Fan of Big Tone showed us all how it's done with nine points!

Whoop! Whoop!

8 hours ago, StarkMallard said:

2-0 to Notts?

Reverse Pschology????

They have the transfer in common! They were practically traded for each other, US sports style.

Good point. We got the best part of that deal.

The Poll has now closed. I'm pleased to announce that Jacob Bedeau has been voted the Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match v Stockport.