Well done to all who have posted on here recently about the happenings and non-happenings at NCFC and NCLFC. This forum seems to be the only place where there is any credible news these days.

Saturday's Fixtures
Sheffield Wedneesday v Rotherham United
Wigan Athletic v Ipswich Town
Scunthorpe United v Millwall
Swindon Town v Fleetwood Town
Barnet v Stevenage
Morecambe v Cheltenham Town

The Mirror has covered Notts County's impending court visit on Monday following a winding-up petition from HMRC over a tax bill.

They say: "(Notts are) believed to be debts in excess of £500,000, and the Nottingham-based team also needed help from the Football League to pay players' wages late last month.

"Owner Ray Trew has been trying to sell up, and to raise funds as loans.

"Mirror Sport understands County have agreed to sell 15-year-old whizkid Jack Bearne to Liverpool for about £150,000."

Trew himself is quoted as telling the Mirror: “Our petition will be settled ahead of the hearing and that’s all there is to it.

“Firstly I want to know why this is even worthy of column inches when this is not news at all. Hartlepool and Bury have recently been in the High Court and this didn’t warrant a story, so why is Notts County a story?

“The only story you need to write about is why there are so many football clubs being issued with winding up petitions by HMRC.

“If you search the London Gazette and indeed the court listings you will see the likes of Morecambe, Southend and Bolton have all in the last week or so been issued with petitions.

“The fact is HMRC do not treat football clubs like they do other businesses and you will need to speak to them or the Treasury as to the reasons why, but my feeling is we are low-hanging fruit.

“Outside of football I own an accountancy practice and I have clients who not only owe vast sums (ten times what we owe) and are six months in arrears of PAYE but also maybe two quarters behind in their VAT, yet they don’t get issued with such petitions or indeed treated as we do in football.”

In addition, the SLO has confirmed that, as part of the winding-up petition, Notts are under a transfer embargo.

Evening all

December's column looking back on the last month or so of unmitigated shambles:

https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2016/december/left-magpie-december

Best not to read if you're within reach of any sharp objects.

I know it probably seems like a dumb, "stating the obvious" kind question but it's worth asking just to gauge fans' opinions.

With Notts County doing as poorly as they are, what are your main anxieties about where Notts could end up?

Would losing the "World's Oldest Football League Club" be a critical blow for the club? Would we lose Meadow Lane? Would we go into liquidation and see the end of Notts as we know it?

Let's hear what you reckon - let's treat it as therapy (goodness knows we need it at this time!)

I chatted to a few people at the Wycombe game today and the following rumours were all told to me directly by paid emplyees of the club:

1. NCFC will go into administration on the 17th December.

2. Some staff have been told the 17th is when some jobs will go.

3. Ray Trew's solicitors have advised him to accept the £5 million offer from Alan Hardy.

4. Ray Trew will not put anymore money into the club so debts to everyone will accumulate quickly.

5. Ray Trew wasn't there today.

6. There is a chinese consortium about to buy the club.

I can't confirm any of them, but it does indicate a club in toatl chaos

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/expremier-league-footballer-sam-sodje-accused-of-charity-fraud-35288101.html

Saturday's Fixtures:
Newcastle United v Birmingham City
Reading v Sheffield Wednesday
Rochdale v Scunthorpe United
Southend United v Coventry City
Grimsby Toen v Portsmouth
Plymouth Argyle v Doncaster Rovers

Collin 4  - Not a lot to do, except pick the ball out of his net. Reminds me of Seamus, knowing we have a keeper that's not good enough. Time for Loach
Laing 4 - Cannot see him lasting pass January, though given a choice, Duffy should be ahead of him in the queue to leave.
Duffy 3 - Obvious now why he went to Eastleigh. Should have stayed there 
Hollis 3 - Out jumped by the "lump"
Dickinson 3 - MoftM??? Too slow, holds the whole team back as he has no pace.
Tootle 4 - No pace, little quality, should be imposing himself on games like this but fails miserably. Still cannot hit the target.
O'Connor 5 - Sending off appeared to be given by 4th Official who was in no position to see from that angle. Christmas at home with the family?
Milsom 5 - Would make a more solid left back. My MotM but doesn't say much for the others
Campbell 3  - Hardly in the game
Stead 5.5 - Good that he is back. Only possible goal threat.
Forte 4 - Lacking confidence. Needed to get into game more to offer options to receive the ball

Substitutes
Oliver 3 - Wins headers to nowhere in particular. Never a goal threat.
Richards 4 - needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility to make things happen. Some older pros around him, not fit to wear the shirt
Collins 3 -  Just doesn't have a good touch.

Crossley... is he Abbott in disguise? Just feel there is no technical training happening? Defensively woeful, other teams seem to have a game plan. We have nothing.

Sheridan. Seemed to set the team up to start brightly for the first time in ages. Downhill from then on. I get angry that his "picks" seem un-droppable. Utter refusal to give our Youth their chance. Wildin has too start.

On Tuesday I was at the Camp Nou supporting Gladbach, but the view and the treatment of away fans was shocking.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/dec/09/london-welsh-liquidation-history-sad-plight?CMP=share_btn_tw

Saturday's Fixtures:
Newcastle United v Birmingham City
Reading v Sheffield Wednesday
Rochdale v Scunthorpe United
Southend United v Coventry City
Grimsby Toen v Portsmouth
Plymouth Argyle v Doncaster Rovers

http://mobile.nottscountyfc.co.uk//news/article/2016-17/peterborough-replay-information-3454477.aspx

I hope this doesn't backfire.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Killer on the loose at meadow lane

Now I'm not saying they deserve to be paid at all on recent performances, but footballers have families and mortgages to pay. Absolute shambles are two words to describe the ownership of the club.

- Failure to pay tax man on time (multiple times)
- Failure to pay players on time
- Failure to pay other clubs on time

What's next, the milkman?!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38121225

http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/reserves-to-face-wednesday-3451642.aspx

That was awful. I'm not spending £22 again to watch that lot for the foreseeable future. No quality, no confidence and in some cases no desire.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well I am trying to not get over excited, however it's a perfect tie and good news (provided we can beat the Posh). However, I have been promising to take my lad to see Chelsea, I even tweeted about it earlier before the draw and now we potentially have them at Stamford Bridge. Its a good tie, one which could be rewarding for our club - provided the players motivate themselves and perform well against Peterborough.

Having spoken to a few Chelsea friends, they believe its one of the better ties that they could have gotten and are looking forward to seeing either us or them.

What do you think?

Collin 4 Beaten too easily by a good long range shot for first goal. He got no where near it. Still cannot  communicate effectively with his defence

Tootle 5.5 Skinned for the second goal but put in a good shift after that. Solid ball winning and worked good positions.

Dickinson 3.5 may seem harsh. His non clearance cost us a goal. 2nd half put some good balls in but overall he is too leaden footed.

Duffy 5 Good distribution 

Milsom 5 solid without being spectacular

Laing 5 Shaky start, scored when it mattered. Always prepared to come out with the ball. A defensive slip too and it would have been a harsh penalty for supposedly handball

OConnor 6.5 MoM only real creative force.

Burke 3.5 It escapes me why he is on the pitch. No effort, no tracking back, JS waited too long to sub' him

Campbell 5.5 got the energy and a well worked goal. His final ball is just so dammed frustrating at times

Forte 4.5 struggled to get into game and was well marked

Oliver 4 No goal threat again. Effort yes, effectiveness a big fat zero. Had a good chance of a good lay off and failed miserably

New book and worthy of sharing

Thanks to all those who have submitted anecdotes and memories of supporting Notts for my book, In the Magpies Nest, over the past 24 hours.
Great stories so far and please keep them coming in. Memories of your first game at Notts, amusing trips to games, special family occasions etc. The list is endless really.
I want the book to be as interactive and engaging as possible - so please have a think and email me at

[email protected]

I'm especially keen to hear from anyone with memories of Jimmy Sirrel's first game in charge for Notts at Workington at Borough Park in the last sixties. What was the day like, the trip up there etc.
I remember myself the many football specials which took a lot of us to all sorts of places in the seventies. All the way to Brighton in the FA Cup only for the game to be call off about 1.30 with us already there.
Might be particular places you always used to stand at the old Meadow Lane. Anecdotes about how you knew players etc...
Am keen that the book covers all generations - young and old across the past 50 years - so any thoughts from more recent times - going to the game at Oldham for instance a couple of seasons ago on the last day.
Keep them coming in. They can be funny, sad.emotive, long and short - it's entirely up to you.
Don't forget you can order the book online

www.nottscounty1862.co.uk
 

Notts are hoping to have leading scorer Jon Stead back for their FA Cup tie at home to Peterborough on Sunday.

The striker resumed training last week after more than a month out with an ankle injury and was pencilled in to play for the reserves on Tuesday but the game was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

A late decision will be made on his fitness.

Do you want to see him back against Posh, to try and help us into the third round, or would you rather wrap him in cotton wool for the league?

Share your thoughts.