In the latest set of matches for the old firm Rangers drew and Celtic won. So Celtic go further ahead at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Can Celtic be stopped? Doesn't look like it.

Just hand Celtic the title and be done with it! ????

I don't know how fans of the poorer teams in the Scottish Prem cope, the jump in quality between them and Celtic (and Rangers) is ridiculous.

Does the signing of Jarvis mean he is leaving? Happy to leave that decision to Maynard and staff, they are the ones that see him daily in training.

Possibly, I think Jarvis and Jones as wingbacks at the same time would be a touch overkill though as both are wingers really. I can see him being used more in one of the three attacking roles. In the little interview with Stuart Maynard he says Jarvis can play through the middle off a striker and also as a No.9.

I’m not sure I see Martin as wingback long-term either though, I think potentially against the better teams, when he has to defend more it won’t suit him at all. That would mean potentially we’d have Didzy, Crowley, Grant, Edwards, Martin and now Jarvis all vying for spots behind the striker. I do think the addition of Jarvis makes it harder for Martin to get into the team.

Still not convinced that he is worth keeping to be honest. I didn’t see the Cheltenham game but thought he had a steady game against Walsall. I wasn’t impressed with his performance against Swindon and thought he flattered to deceive, a lot of nimble footwork but more often than not he played the simple short ball back rather than attacking and taking on his full back.

I doubt we are paying him much but would give him no more than a contract till the end of the season, and I wouldn’t be disappointed if he leaves with Brown in the next week or two, especially if it creates space for a better option up front.

I echo the comments about being strong defensively. Bedeau, Platt, and McDonald did a superb job. The midfield was good once we grew into the game, with praise for Sam Austin down the right side and Josh Martin being very flexible. Dan Crowley was quieter than normal but still performed well. So, I voted for David McGoldrick, as I thought he was the best player on the pitch.

While I respect other fans votes, for me, it's an easy decision despite the team's overall good effort. David McGoldrick delivered one of his best performances, and it's unfortunate he didn't get his hat-trick.

The Poll is now closed. Thank you to all who voted. I am very pleased to announce that by an overwhelming majority, David McGoldrick is the Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match for is absolutely outstanding performance against Swindon. Congratulations Didzy.

I would like to know why he isn’t fighting for his place now though? Have we given him Christmas off, is he injured? The fact we’ve had no update always tends to mean people jump to the worst possible outcome, but I don’t want to believe the 'negative' rumours.

We were desperate for some fresh legs upfront yesterday, if he’s fit surely he gets on the bench…

On 02/01/2025 at 17:18, menzinho said:

I would like to know why he isn’t fighting for his place now though? Have we given him Christmas off, is he injured? The fact we’ve had no update always tends to mean people jump to the worst possible outcome, but I don’t want to believe the 'negative' rumours.

We were desperate for some fresh legs upfront yesterday, if he’s fit surely he gets on the bench…

The club and Cedwyn Scott can't always update us on his situation. It's likely the club knows and has decided to keep it private. This doesn't rule out that he wants to leave, but it also doesn't mean his mental health hasn't taken a toll. How sympathetic are some vocal fans when results aren't going the club's way? This likely played a part. 

Perhaps we might hear news now that things have picked up since his second absence. Personally, I think the local media should push for answers during press conferences or do some real journalism to get a statement. Yes, Scott could do this, but if he's not in the right frame of mind, I understand why he wouldn't. 

If the club is choosing to keep the situation under wraps, then press conferences are the only time fans will get some form of answer, provided they are not edited. You put the question across, even if Stuart Maynard gave a generic response, it's something that could put the rumour mill to rest.

Rlly sad he has gone but it's been coming and I think it's a right decision. Good look to him and definitely a right move now just gotta get a new striker 

Swindon Town played poorly. They had some threats, but we dealt with them defensively for the most part. It's noteworthy that the times Swindon looked like they might score came from our own mistakes. David McGoldrick's short pass, intended for Alex Bass, was a comical error. Rod McDonald defended well against aerial threats, but with the ball at his feet, he looked a bit clumsy at times. Not to take away from his excellent performance, but we were lucky the errors didn't cost us. For instance, Alex Bass's throw-out in the second half went straight to a Swindon player with an open net. We defended well to manage that, but on another day, it could have punished us. I'm delighted with the win and overall performance; these are just points I kept thinking about.

2 hours ago, menzinho said:

On the vid above it looks like the defender heads in it for Didzy's first. ???? Don't show it to whoever clarifies the goal tallies!

I wonder if it is being classed as a deflection rather than an own goal. Otherwise, it should have been awarded as an own goal. I am happy that Didzy is credited with it.

Swindon were dire, much like the amount of support their fans gave. They sat quietly for the most part, but the numbers they came with deserve praise. Their team looked very lacking and not very direct. Notts should have been 5-0 up before half-time if we had converted all our chances. Even in the second half, we had some very good efforts. I thought David McGoldrick had scored his spectacular effort from his aerial volley towards the goal. I'm not sure how he missed the perfect pass from Jatta, though.

i dont see many people complaining about how slow the game were, but swindon was very poor. it was not the best game to watch, but the three points are vital. all the goals was taken well, plus we had quite a few that should have gone in. hope its a sign that we can turn the tide and continue to push on, what a big moment it was to see jodi jones back on the pitch! he has been missed but such a good return.

defensively notts did very well, alex bass made every shot towards him look easy.

i do agree that we dont need to panic ourselves and should be a bit more mindful about our passing/distribution at the back.

Good morning it’s a chilly one again and we have snow I won’t be going out until it clears, it’s supposed to turn to rain later which will suit me fine, it’s very picturesque but I don’t like it when you’ve got to go out.

Stay safe folks if driving or walking in it.

Good Afternoon. 

We had snow overnight but not as much as forecasted. I would say a couple of inches fell. Looks like the slow thaw has already started.

Cleared the car of snow and started the engine to warm things up.

Hopefully the warm front will get to us before the day is out & we will get a full thaw.

I'm taking a relative to the hospital tonight for an appointment. Hopefully all the roads will be clear by then & the hospital car parking won't be difficult.

@piethagoram.bsky.social on Bluesky

BSKY.APP

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Wintry scenes down on the farm 05Jan25

????

brilliant poem! i think it applies to more than just football, but friendship and communities like pon.

2 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

A blue plaque has now been placed where the match took place.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1keyl4enjvo

What a poor article that is. We were never called Nottinghamshire (the earliest reports refer to us as "the Notts Club") and weren't founded in 1864. And surely a proper blue plaque should be put up at the site of the Meadows Cricket Ground, where the match was actually played, rather than a railway station in Sheffield?

Fully agree @DangerousSausage

interesting to learn about some of our clubs history, i think if we could arrange a friendly between us and them. that is a very good idea.

I think football agents are a scourge on the modern game.

I just don't think they provide any useful purpose, but that's just my opinion.

i wonder how many agents actually deserve the money they earn, i understand the role can help a player. much like a talent agent can take duties off a busy actor, but agents in football tend to seem money grabbers and negative with turning players heads by not having their best interests.

Well done @super_ram Looks like it was jumping in the snow 

Squirrels are running up and down one of our trees as I type.

4 minutes ago, Robbie said:

I was going to suggest that. Would have to be a big one.

It looks big in the photo, I should have put something at the side of the print for a size comparison.

Pre match interview with Manager Adam Dunleavy.

Unfortunately, word has come through that this afternoon's match has been postponed due to the weather conditions.

13 minutes ago, Robbie said:

I have added Dan Crowley to the poll, if you wish to cast your vote for him

Cheers miduck voted. ????

Interesting how we all see the match so differently. I thought Didzy and Crowley were passengers at the start of the second half and when they got the ball they generally took to many touches. Likewise I thought second half was one of Platt’s poorer performances. His scuffed clearance leads to their first and then he is beaten to the ball by Lowe for their second.

First half everyone was pretty good though but I did find it odd we pushed Palmer out a touch wider, and he wasn’t as involved at times. We played almost in a diamond at times with Abbott at the base. I think second half we really needed Palmer and Abbott to play more as a holding duo to potentially stop their advances.

It was a game of two halves so it’s much harder to score, Martin played well and got undeservingly hooked for me. But overall I think Abbott came away from that match with the most credit.

The poll has now closed. Thanks to all who voted.

We have another tie for the Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match with both Alassana Jatta & Dan Crowley topping the poll. 

Congratulations to both.

It's great that the Nest can be used to watch a Notts away match  in midweek for supporters who can't get to the match in person.

Another money spinner for Notts.

The World Darts Championship at the Nest. Another money spinner 

There’ll be lots of rumours flying around, probably 99% will be untrue.

Jatta won't be leaving Notts, but I'm sure the offers will come in for him. January is noted for crazy offers for players.

Yeah, not sure about this rumour. I don’t think Jatta is quite Championship level, I love him and he's great for us but you’ve only got to look at Macca to see how big the step up is – albeit Millwall don’t exactly play a style that suits him…

Yes that was very funny to see! He must have been in the dressing room when Stuart Maynard gave his team talk and said to get stuck into them ????

Dan was very caring and attentive with him so it most likely was his son.

@Robbie Plymouth get 10x football distribution monies than EFL2. They could say offer 8x increase in Walsall's salary...job done

4 hours ago, Piethagoram said:

@Robbie Plymouth get 10x football distribution monies than EFL2. They could say offer 8x increase in Walsall's salary...job done

 

I understand that and it would be very tempting to move to a championship club.

Some may disagree with me, but a League 2 Championship medal is good to have on a CV, but a Championship relegation is not, even though the Salary may be much bigger.

A League 2 win could help him get a much better club in the Championship if he is prepared to wait till next season.

Alternatively, he may decide to try to help Walsall to get promoted to the Championship next season if  Walsall are promoted.

Makes sense, it benefits everyone really. With Tsaroulla and now Jones back getting in the team was always going to difficult again for Chicksen. I get he can play at LCB back too but both Bedeau and McDonald will be ahead of him here.

Funny how Neal Ardley is now at Woking, having replaced Michael Doyle as the manager. They just don't want to give up that Notts link!

I don't think we will see Adam back at Notts when his loan period runs out.

I think Adam is much more comfortable as a non league player.

What is interesting is that when Ardley managed Notts, Chicksen seemed rarely in his thoughts

@Piethagoram yes that’s it, she called us F*rest several times during the commentary absolutely no excuse.

Never thought the M6 toll was a Romantische Straße

At the end of the day there are positives to take from this match.

We totally outplayed the runaway leaders of league 2 in the first half & should have been 2 or even 3 goals up by half time, & there would have been no coming back from that.

Notts are the better footballing side, so the players should take confidence from that.

Another positive was that Josh Martin had a good game once again following in from his good performance against MK Dons.

Jodi showed that he hasn't lost his ability to create chances for other teammates with his great cross that led to the Notts disallowed goal.

If Notts continue to play like they did in the first half against Walsall they will beat most other teams in League 2.

1 hour ago, Robbie said:

At the end of the day there are positives to take from this match.

We totally outplayed the runaway leaders of league 2 in the first half & should have been 2 or even 3 goals up by half time, & there would have been no coming back from that.

Notts are the better footballing side, so the players should take confidence from that.

Another positive was that Josh Martin had a good game once again following in from his good performance against MK Dons.

Jodi showed that he hasn't lost his ability to create chances for other teammates with his great cross that led to the Notts disallowed goal.

If Notts continue to play like they did in the first half against Walsall they will beat most other teams in League 2.

You did outplay us, and were impressive, but I'm sorry to say that is how we approach all games. Look at the stats, and it will prove that point.

We deliberately sit back in the first half, apart from the odd foray forward, let teams tire themselves out, whilst we keep our shape and work the opposition out, and hopefully keep a clean sheet or restrict them to one goal.

Then we come out second half, fresh as daisies and have a high energetic press, that nobody can live with, and finish teams off in the second half.

That nearly didn't work yesterday, as you might have been out of sight by half time, but that is only because Sadler chose to drop Matt, who is a nuisance to play against, and integral part of how we play, despite all the plaudits for Lowe.

Hs getting on a bit though so after the usual hectic seasonal run of games, Sadler chose to rest him. It nearly backfired, but didn't, and his decisions are unquestionable at the moment.

As has already been said, you're definitely the best side we've played (based on both games) and the promotion places are wide open, if you can be any more consistent than the other teams, that aren't apart from Salford. Jones' return may help with that.

@saddlesore thanks for adding your comments, it's always nice to hear from opposing fans. Good luck for the rest of the season, I hope Notts can go up with you.

A very touching story, thanks @Piethagoram

I want to continue with the walking all be it not as far as this year. Another 31 miles this month, the miles keep piling up.

I want to make a conscious effort to spend less time on social media & take up some new pursuits.

And it will be diet time at the beginning  of 2025 after a few weeks of over indulgence.

Happy new year to everyone on PON.

My only aim which has been the same aim for the last 19 years or more, and that is to avoid going into Hospital for an whole year.

Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 Derby County

West Bromwich Albion 2-1 Preston North End

Lincoln City 2-0 Rotherham United ????

Northampton Town 1-1 Stevenage

Barrow 0-1 Bradford City

Morecambe 0-0 Tranmere Rovers

Rochdale 3-1 Altrincham

York City 2-1 Gateshead

The results:

Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 Derby County
West Bromwich Albion 3-1 Preston North End
Lincoln City 0-1 Rotherham United
Northampton Town 0-0 Stevenage
Barrow 2-2 Bradford City
Morecambe 2-0 Tranmere Rovers
Rochdale P-P Altrincham
York City 1-0 Gateshead

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And the first winner of 2025 is @super_ram!

@super_ram - 8
@Fan of Big Tone - 6
@ARLukomski - 5
@cheeky~k8, @menzinho, @nottsnutter - 4
@4everapie, @william1984 - 3
@Dan, @DangerousSausage, @gtownjohnno, @Robbie - 2
@magpiejue - 1
@Megan_Elizax - nul points

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Overall, @ARLukomski moves up into second while @super_ram stretches his lead:

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Our next round is on Saturday (4 January), so the fixtures are online now - good luck!

I’ve gone from second bottom to respectable mid table, play offs are in reach.