We associate many things with Christmas - spending time with family, helping the needy, eating turkey and stuffing, celebrating the birth of Jesus if you're into that. But take a minute to think what Christmas is really, truly about - doing the next round of predictions for the PON prediction league. And then post them below before kick-off on Boxing Day. The usual rules apply 

Hull City v Nottingham Florist

Cardiff City v Millwall

Shrewsbury Town v Rotherham United

Southend United v Milton Keynes

Macclesfield Town v Grimsby Town

Cheltenham Town v Plymouth Argyle

Barnet v Boreham Wood

Stockport County v Halifax Town

Game 27 - The Magpies (H)

Team: Maidenhead United

Date: 12/26/19

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.

Do you have any plans for Christmas?

best notts players you have seen in each position?

goalkeeper

defender

midfielder

striker

Game 26 - The Shaymen (A)

Team: FC Halifax town

Date: 21/12/19

Where: The Shay

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.

Sorry it's a late one this week, was up at 8 and was called into work for 9 finished at 16:15, instead of finishing at 14:00, but that's working life for me ????

The place where I work got Just-Eat installed. So lunch and dinner rushes have been a lot more busier what they used to be like, along with all of the uber orders as well. 

Wednesday night I spent the night with @ARLukomski went to the final ever quiz at Widecombe Fair, which has been part of our lives for nearly 2 years. 

Took my brother out to buy his christmas presents and after that we went and visited family. Apart from all hectic stuff that's been going off at work, I've had a pretty quiet week.

How has everyone elses weeks been? 

Finally, I hope you all have a lovely christmas and enjoy spending time with your families 

Fitzsimons 7 - Quick distribution and good hands. Good to see him have a good game

Brindley 6 - Created a good chance in the first half when he exploited the available space and put a decent ball in. Should do it more but doesn't

Rawlinson 8 - Comfortable on the ball and bought it out of defence. Real shout for player of the season so far

Lacey 8 - Intelligent and good with the ball at his feet. Gave Ross an option to play out from the back all the time

McCrory 6 - Defensively still questionable and not much going forward but put in a tackle on the odd occasion 

Shields 6 - Ran his guts out and played on despite a knock. Gave the Halifax full back a hard time 

Rose 8 - Wow. Mitch Rose or Frank Lampard? Exceptional volley and scored a penalty. Going forward he was brilliant and supported the attack excellently. That's the Mitch Rose we want

Doyle 7 - Didn't play too deep which really helped us going forward. Kind of played CM rather than CDM with Rose playing further forward. Glued it together nicely 

Boldewijn 7 - Teased Halifax and ran at his man. Got beyond his opposite man on occasions too. When told to play out wide the wingers are great. 

Wootton 9 - This guy is just too good for this level. Two more goals. Link up play brilliant again. Positioning good too. First priority in Jan is signing him permanently. It takes all priority over everything else. Get this man in

Thomas 7 - Intelligent runs. Spurned a few chances but him and Wootton work really well together

Subs

Dennis 6 - Put himself about and almost scored a world class curler 

Crawford 6 - Shored up the midfield as we saw out the game. Decent passing 

Kelly-Evans 6 - Got stuck in and brought it forward. Putting pressure on Brindley now 

Hello and welcome! This is the start of a busy period for the prediction league, with no fewer than four rounds in the space of 12 days! So there will be loads of points up for grabs...

These matches kick off on Saturday at 3pm as usual. And, as Yoda would say, "Forget your jokers do not."

Fulham v Leeds United

QPR v Charlton Athletic

Bolton v Southend

Bristol Rovers v Peterborough United

Forest Green v Swindon Town

Mansfield Town v Northampton Town

Torquay United v Chesterfield

Hartlepool v Dagenham & Redbridge

I know Fan of Big Tone brought a daily chat out each day, so I've decided to do a weekly one, which will be up on Sunday's. I probably won't be able to do it every week, due to work, but I'll try my hardest. 

So, my week has been very mixed. My driving instructor is giving her car back to the company she works for after Christmas. I also failed my theory test on Friday, but anyway we go again, hopefully in January. 

I also got to spend some quality time with @ARLukomski, we went out for a meal and enjoyed going out to our favourite weekly quiz (which is also stopping after the new year). 

But, tonight is my work Christmas party, so I am going to get glammed up, and spend some quality time with call my work friends (maybe with a little drink or two ????).

How has your week been? 

The interview with the Reedtz brothers on the other thread, in which they talk about watching English football on Danish team on a programme called Tipslørdag, got me thinking.

Just the other day I read a WSC article about a show called Tipsextra, which broadcast live English football on Swedish TV at exactly the same time Tipslørdag was on the air in Denmark (1969 to 1995) and also gave English football cult status there. To put it into context, the Football League did not televise any live matched at this time and would not do so until the mid-1980s, fearing a further drop in crowds. So it's highly likely that the first Notts match ever to be broadcast live was on one of these channels. As I'm a bit of an anorak I did some digging.

According to this website, Notts' first appearance on Tipsextra (and probably also our first ever league match to be broadcast live) was a 1-1 draw away to Aston Villa in late 1973. We had to wait until early 1976 for Meadow Lane to grace Swedish TV screens, when we lost 2-1 to Blackpool.

We had already had a televised FA Cup match some time before - a 1-0 humiliation at home to Bath City way back in 1959 (commentated by Ken Wolstenholme, who would also commentate on England's World Cup win). So our miserable form in front of the TV cameras started very early...

Is Neal Ardley falling into the blame game, or is he too protective of his player?

Ardley has started to sound a manager who is on the ropes with regards to his managerial career, rather than accepting fault and moving on. He seems to be focusing on excuses, example blaming this mysterious side of Notts that want to see the club fail. His recent comments about the Northampton game flatters them, he admits frustrations and actually pin pointed some of the blame [without naming names] but will he start to make changes?

What do you think of this signing? Do you feel more defensive cover will help the magpies', share your views below.

The return of Jim O'Brien would have been a boost to the squad, but I feel the decision is rash.

Now he's picked up another injury and that he's expected to be out for awhile, I think we could have given someone else the chance to start. Saving Jim for the league, I am sure Neal Ardley never thought it would result in an injury but is it not best to play safe?

follow up to the excellently written piece by simon clark, i wonder what other fans thoughts are?

how important is micheal doyle now to notts county?

FA Trophy - The Spireites (A)

Team: Chesterfield

Date: 14/12/19

Where: Proact 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.

Who's this?

@DangerousSausage @Piethagoram @Fozzy @gtownjohnno @upthepies @Notoriousgee @magpiejue (random tags)

Hello everybody and welcome to the biggest prediction league in the world on PON. The National League isn't in action this weekend, but all the proper leagues are so here's the next round of fixtures to predict. I'll need your predictions by Saturday at 3pm at the latest, don't forget your joker. The winner wins a ferret. Probably.

Brentford v Fulham

Stoke City v Reading

Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers

Lincoln City v Tranmere Rovers

Fleetwood Town v Gillingham

Scunthorpe United v Colchester United

Walsall v Macclesfield Town

Crawley Town v Port Vale

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/that-sound-became-legendary-notts-3633265

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/exclusive-notts-countys-owners-race-3588413

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/exclusive-notts-county-owners-ambitions-3581634

....

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/notts-county-manager-neal-ardley-3588976

I was transfer listed by Howard Kendall and went on to play and score for York City Blackpool Bury and Stockport

answers?

Hello everyone, the prediction league returns on Saturday, so I hope your crystal balls are well polished. As usual, I'll need your predictions by Saturday at 3pm, and you have one joker each!

Blackburn v Derby

Middlesbrough v Charlton

Blackpool v Fleetwood Town

Tranmere Rovers v Accrington Stanley

Exeter City v Northampton Town

Colchester United v Salford City

Yeovil Town v Halifax Town

Dagenham v Maidenhead