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.

Yes we've lost again, but I don't think we're that bad, we've had a few injury problems. Blackpool was awful, cant defend anything about that game. The previous two home games we was awful because we had no presence up front the balls was going in the box, good balls at that but nobody was getting on the end of them hence why we haven't scored in them games however today we lost again but we scored and actually made a match of it.. With Stead and Oliver coming back we should start to have a few options and giving teams games again, hopefully the "defence" will be able to do something to keep us alive until January when we can make some new signings hopefully..

After match interview v Barnet , MC , players today don't care enough , they certainly play like that at notts it seems , down right disgusting , get some damn pride in your own performance YOUR career depends on it our clubs league status depends on it , what kind of player checks are done before signing them ??? Absolutely no strength of character , man up please .

I know this will be a frustration to you all, but I am unable to provide you with detailed information on the current financial situation at the club. However, I am assured that our current debt to HMRC will be settled ahead of the scheduled court date.

Read more at http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/jason-turner-notts-county-chief-executive-3436768.aspx#kWrhXckooYyTyriS.99

Collin 3 It has been such a long time this season already when we have a goalkeeper you know, who will not give confidence of getting a clean sheet. Seems immune to being dropped.

Laing 4 Whether his confidence is shot, I don't know. You feel there is a good player in there but he maybe one of those players who think they have made it, but instead goes backwards. Read Chillers, Pearce for what happened in their second Notts spells.

Edwards 4 The years go by and you only realise he is playing is because of shortfalls of signing decent replacements. Too slow to turn now but reads the game better than his colleagues. It's a pity his legs cannot match the brain waves

Dickinson 2 Being kind with that mark. Why oh why did we think he was any good. Gets beaten most times for crosses to be delivered. Should have closed Barnet's opening goal build up out at source

Duffy 2 Again being kind. Eastleigh was his standard, he should have been left there to rot. A waste of a shirt. I thought Sheridan would have subbed him for Audel's to add something down the right. How he wasn't subbed, JS needs crucifying. Cost us the match

Tootle 5 Defensive midfield game OK but you begin to realise that he is no where near the quality needed.

O'Connor 5 Cross come goal. Well worked but still lacks physical presence to dictate a game, which I thought came with his so called glowing CV. 

Forte 5 Wasted out wide, shows some nice close control but why wasn't he used as a central striker? 

Snijders 4 Much as he comes across as a nice guy, as a winger he can best described as ordinary. He had a wonderful chance to score and put it wide again. Just no composure when it really mattered

Campbell 5 Only live wire, criminally subbed second half. Still lacks the close control and final delivery. Destined no better than League 2 standard

Oliver 3 Once upon a time, there was a player named Gavin "leap like a salmon" Gordon. He couldn't score and neither can Oliver. 2 gilt edged chances that any self respecting #9 would have buried but he didn't. His work rate is good but you are paid to score. Send back come January 

Saturday's Fixtures:
Derby County v Norwich City
Reading v Bristol City
Coventry City v Milton Keynes Dons
Northampton Town v Bolton Wanderers
Carlisle United v Mansfield Town
Wycombe Wanderers v Hartlepool United

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/24/council-loan-northampton-town-auditors-inquiry?CMP=share_btn_tw

An interesting piece

http://russellkingfraudster.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/whats-russell-king-doing-now.html

http://www.nottinghampost.com/notts-county-takeover-talks-break-down/story-29931882-detail/story.html

@Piethagoram 's link to the Ascoli highlights led me to this bit of commentary (Radio Trent?) ..dramatic scenes at Stamford Bridge...

Tuesday night's Fixtures:
Fleetwood Town v Shrewsbury Town
Millwall v AFC Wimbledon
Peterborough United v Scunthorpe United
Grimsby Town v Carlisle United
Leyton Orient v Exeter City
Luton Town v Portsmouth

http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sport/football/chesterfield-fc/fans-react-with-alarm-to-chesterfield-fc-accounts-1-8199659

http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sport/football/chesterfield-fc/spireites-ceo-confident-club-s-immediate-future-will-be-secured-in-days-1-8252056

Dangers of finances when crowds dip

...or damned lies and statistics

The scoreline flattered Notts

Notts had 50% of the possession but doesn't show most of it spent passing backwards and side wards

The same number of shots on target and more corners...doesn't show the last ditch corner that Collin went up for, sheer desperation. 

Notts were never in it, our defence got bullied by Ikpeazu and were made to look lightweight. Cambridge seemed to park the bus every time we had the ball and break with speed, always supporting the player with the ball. Notts looked laboured by comparison.

Attendance 2736 (including a couple of hundred from Cambridge?)

So only 2500 or so Notts fans thought it worth visiting the Lane. That is the statistic that matters. The one says it all:

JS and the players have only themselves to blame.

With loans expiring in the next 6 weeks and having a better judgement on the players we have brought on loan, who would you extend the loan of and who wouldn't you extend the loan of?

Montel Gibson's loan at Barwell FC ended earlier this month meaning he was able to play this weekend yet we had 5 sub's and put Alan smith on up front...

Having laid the ghost of Guy to rest, yet again Notts  appear to have failed in its recruitment policy.

Even having an experienced manager, hasnt really helped. Yes we are League 2, yet I still have no confidence that we have recruited well vis a vis the budgets of other L2 clubs. The Port Vale connection have yielded L1 players that are bottom half L2 at best. If writing a book on Raymundo's tenure, managerial appointments and lack of professional recruitment structure will be laid at his door

Saturday's Fixtures:
Bimingham City v Bristol City
Reading v Burton Albion
Bolton Wanderers v Millwall
Northampton Town v Peterborough United
Cambridge United v Wycombe Wanderers
Plymouth Argyle v Grimsby Town

From BBC Sport:

Plans for a shake-up of English football to create 100 teams in five divisions have been cancelled after talks between the English Football League and the Football Association broke down.

The EFL said in May it wanted to create an extra division and have 20 teams in each from 2019-20.

The plans required authorities to find additional weekends for league games.

The EFL says it has been told by the FA the plans are "no longer viable".

There are currently 72 teams in the EFL - 24 each in the Championship, League One and League Two - and the organisation said the move would tackle fixture congestion and boost the finances of its members.

The rescheduling would have involved moving FA Cup fixtures into midweek slots, but the EFL said the FA was no longer prepared to consider such a move following a new international broadcasting deal - reported to be worth £820m.

"If the weekend slots are not available, there is simply no way we can meet the financial conditions as outlined at the very outset," said EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey.

"The stance the FA has adopted has brought the discussions to a premature end, before fully understanding what the financial outcome from the creation of a new distribution model could be. "

However, the FA says it remains "fully committed" to working with EFL and the Premier League regarding the issue of fixture congestion.

An FA spokesman said: "This is why we are trialling the removal of sixth-round replays in the FA Cup this season and why we supported the EFL in consulting on its innovative ideas for reform. That commitment remains."

Harvey said the EFL would still welcome a change in the FA's position.

"We are, of course, open to re-engaging in what is a hugely important debate that was designed to help shape the future of football in this country," he added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37998768

Thoughts?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/11/leyton-orient-francesco-becchetti-owner-fans?CMP=share_btn_tw

After a 4-0 thrashing I think the team made some amends this evening. Well played Notts and bearing in mind Swindon losing tonight it is good to be through to the second round. 

Also credit to Boreham Wood who I think played better football than some League teams that have played at Meadow Lane this season. 

I suspect most of us will have played quite a lot of football on our Super Nintendos, Mega Drives or PlayStations as we were growing up. What were your favourite football games?

I had two football games for the Sega Mega Drive - Super Kick-Off 2 (an insanely fun but totally unreaslistic game viewed from above) and the original FIFA Soccer '95. Both promoted hoofball - on FIFA there was a spot on the pitch just inside the opposition's half you could always score from, but its reproduction of the atmopshere was ahead of its time. Olympic Soccer on the Saturn had headache-inducing graphics and an "interesting" difficulty curve, but I loved it.

In more recent years it's been Football Manager 2005 (OK, not that recent) and Pro-Evolution Soccer for the Wii, which is easily the best of the bunch thanks to the ability to play with the pointer.