As I was bored, I spent some time reading the excellent Notts County FC and the Birth of Modern Football by Darrin Foss (buy it!) and discovered a bit of a gem.

It was the early 1890s and Notts had recently adopted black and white kits after the Football League had appealed to several clubs to change away from blue to prevent kit clashes. The change doesn't seem to have been popular at first and many club members wanted to see a return to chocolate and blue.

In an early round of the FA Cup, Notts were away to Sunderland while Forest were playing at home to Newcastle East End. Trouble is, both our beloved neighbours and Newcastle played in red. As change kits weren't yet quite "in", there was a bit of a discussion about who should wear red, and Forest were ultimately allowed to wear their home colours as they were the first team to wear red. Luckily for Newcastle many Notts members were in attendance, and thanks to one of them the visitors were able to take to the field resplendent in black and white.

Fast forward a couple of years and East End had become United, with the renamed team formally adopting black and white as their colours. And maybe we had something to do with it too

Heart breaking in a way but his community  show much they care

https://www.dw.com/en/bayern-munichs-jerome-boateng-no-child-is-born-a-racist/a-53674096

https://www.awakenthegreatnesswithin.com/35-inspirational-arsene-wenger-quotes-on-success/

"We live in a society where everybody knows everything and it looks like it is a shame to say I don’t know.” Arsene Wenger

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52192189

An interesting story on BBC website. Perhaps one for @DangerousSausageto add further commentary. Presumably Red Bull Leipzig have taken over as the #1 club.... just really disappointed to see Lokomotive's current crowds of 3k

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2020/june/jason-turner-operational-update-080620/

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/steve-gibsons-400k-week-keeps-18370909

Anyone on here play Euro Truck Simulator 2?

It's superb and very relaxing, but hugely addictive!

@Chris do you play it? I think you would enjoy it. 

(hoping you do as I know you're a whizz with the graphics and I'm looking to put a new 'skin' on my truck and need someone with the flair for it!

If there is anyone who plays...which VTC are you with?

I am in one, but thinking of starting one from scratch. Designing the website, Instagram, discord, putting staff in place etc...

https://staceywest.net/2019/06/13/would-he-fit-in-now-mick-waitt/

Positivity in this time of need

https://web.archive.org/web/20150327194104/http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/notts-county-sign-cranston-on-short-term-deal-1890375.aspx

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/29/dominic-cummings-cutout-appears-at-rugby-league-match-in-sydney-australia

I hope one and all will wish @Chris a happy birthday. Difficult though it may be in lockdown, still worth raising a glass if possible!

Happy Birthday mate.

I considered calling this topic "I'm sick of football", but it's not the actual game I'm sick of.

I know this is difficult for everyone involved, but I'm fed up of all the wrangling about what happens to the football season. I'm sick of the powers that be insisting that football is somehow more special than everything else and that the leagues have to be completed at all costs. I'm sick of the lack of regard for players' safety. I'm sick of the utter disregard for the fans and the willingness to play out the fixtures in a distorted league in empty stadiums, simply for the sake of TV money. I'm sick of the inability or unwillingness to accept the reality that the rest of us have long had to get to grips with.

Notts are sitting securely in a play-off spot, yet who would be excited at a return to action in front of empty stadiums? Who feels giddy at the prospect of a promotion party that none of us can attend? My adopted team in Germany are actually sitting in an automatic promotion place, which would be a second straight promotion, yet I've reached the point that I couldn't care less what division they play in next season. Football has fallen far down my list of priorities, and judging by the level of activity on here and on other football forums, I'm not alone.

I'd love the football to start again (once it's safe!) and to be there to see it. What division we're in seems irrelevant to me right now. What is really turning me off is that the powers that be seem to think that finishing this ruined season is some kind of holy grail and takes precedence over people's safety.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11931483/fc-copenhagens-transfer-triumphs-johan-lange-explains-their-success

It's time for round 38! The rules are the same as normal, kick-off is at the traditional time of Saturday at 3pm, and remember your jokers!

Huddersfield Town v Wigan Athletic

Reading v Stoke City

Bristol Rovers v Ipswich Town

Tranmere Rovers v Lincoln City

Grimsby Town v Carlisle United

Port Vale v Crawley Town

Sutton United v Hartlepool United

Yeovil Town v Barnet

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/may/20/harrogate-league-two-national-league-anxious-wait-promotion-football-league

“We receive the Football League grant only if we go up,” says Weaver. “But we can’t not do the work. We need to meet all the criteria to go into the Football League and that will also involve digging up our pitch because it is 3G."

There has always been talk in any sport of the proverbial level playing field. Portsmouth's success was seemingly built into investment into the team first and foremost and forget any investment into the ground. Pavis's ground first showed compliance with the ethics and rules of the Taylor report but many other clubs failed to follow.

We now have a similar situation where Harrogate have "invested" all in the team and are now crying foul that they are in a financial gamble. Presumably digging up the pitch, relaying a grass pitch is a month's work. Notts have had the foresight to relay their pitch now but Harrogate chose not too. Perhaps Harrogate's failure to strike a deal to play matches at a nominated and agreed EFL fit stadium will cost them promotion? Thoughts?

https://twitter.com/jonworth/status/1261607489084239872/photo/1

There was a thread on the Facebook page regarding the badge (more specifically a competition on the best badge in the NL). People still seem to have strong views on our post-2010 badge, so I thought I'd scrape the barrel bring the discussion on here. What do you think of our current badge? Is it time to replace it to mark a bright new era?

I was never a fan of the 2010 rejig. The rounded shield aped Arsenal's then new badge, but now every club seems to have a similar one. I didn't like the decision to plonk the magpies on a vomit-coloured background (which is apparently supposed to be gold). And the stripes are pointless - we have them on our shirt, we don't need them on the badge too. I'd much prefer the two magpies and ball on the shirt, bigger, bolder and on their own. The 70s single magpie is cult, but to be honest it's of its time.

Through a visit to the Historical Kits website I saw our first own badge from 1923, making it one of the earliest football club badges in existence. I wonder if this would be worth a rejig?

On a search I also saw this concept badge by graphic designer Nick Budrewicz:

Thoughts?

Please join me and @GrannyPie in wishing our eldest grandson Jake ( @super_pie) a happy 14th birthday.Have a great day and hope it won't be long before we can all meet up again. 

https://www.lifeinnorway.net/shaun-constable-sandefjord-football/

Notts stadium being effectively owned by Trustees of Haydn Green has been a blessing in disguise

It's no secret that we've gone through a lot of players over last decade. So let's play a game...guess the player? 

The rules are simple - got to have been on the Notts County first team in this decade. You can ask for more clues. Who ever gets it right takes the next player and so on.

This player joined us on loan and made 5 appearances for us including being sent off for time wasting. Scored no goals. GO!