It is twenty three years ago this week that Saddam Husseins retreating army caused the biggest to date oil spill the world has ever seen, details of this can be found here

It was an integral part of the Gulf War, for those that don't know about the conflict click here

There is an amazing photographic tale of what happened by a well known photographer Steve McCurry it is called Tide of Destruction it can be seen here

What are your memories / thoughts??

Anyone thinking of going to Oldham on the 31st January?

welcome @FATALPIES to pon

Its Mrs. H's 60th this year and I am thinking of taking her to the Canary Islands, we have never flown before but were wondering about an all inclusive holiday somewhere quietish.

We aren't big on night life or anything like that, we just want a relaxing holiday near the beach where we can chill out and do nothing for 10 days or so.

Anyone got any recommendations or advice, which resort? Hotel? Holiday company? etc.

The government are considering bringing in standard plain packaging for all cigarette brands.

This means that all cigarette packets will look the same and the brand name will be in very small type at the bottom of the pack.

They say that this will reduce deaths from smoking related diseases and stop children from starting the habit.

I don't smoke but I would be interested to hear what smokers think about it. Do you smoke? Will this make you think of stopping? Do you think it will stop kids starting the habit?

Discuss.

[media]http://youtu.be/XQMGb9N1pL4

In the week that Notts sign a Hungarian forward, we should perhaps spare a thought for the death on Sunday of Jeno Buzánszky, the last of the Magical Magyars who won 6-3 at Wembley and 7-1 at the Nep in 1953 and 1954. If he's half as good as any of them...

Were they the best team never to win the World Cup? I can only think of the 1974 Oranje as a possible alternative.

If you have any ideas on what questions you would like to feature in Meet the Fans, post them here.

Me and @notts-joe will then pick the questions and we will use them in the video.

Welcome to Pride of Nottingham @Savo,

It's good to have you here, especially since you seem to fight your corner. Just be mindful we have young fans on our site and you will fit in, which I do hope you will continue to add your opinions because they do weigh up discussions when people vary on matters. See you around the community.

Lots of business already done but anymore likely?

All the players in seem to be attacking style players, id like to see a quality CDM brought in anyone agree? Someone for the defence to pass out to instead of the hoofing which makes us look like a Sunday league side. The squads better than that and i think this could be the link we need.

Your thoughts peeps..

Heres the match highlights for our game against Doncaster Rovers on the 20th jan 2015 which ended in a 0-0 draw.

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFx_WDYh2W0

I don't read The Sun (honest) but I am told that they no longer have topless girls on page three. From last Friday breasts are covered up by swim wear or underwear.

Good thing or will you mourn the loss of the page 3 topless girls?

WANTED BACK AT THE LANE!!

He did a Bang-up job here, see we PoN wants the rascal back. To aid us in our mission we have placed these posters up all around the City Ground - This is the Simon pure, honest.

If you would like to see 'Triggerfinger Lou Laing' back, be sure to like this.

Hi all

If you haven't had the chance please go onto Notts county's official site and listen or read the interview with 'Greg Abbott about the squad, current, future and transfer funds. This interview is an eye opener. Why? I have made mention previously that come December the last few years we hit a wall because we have a few loan players and often we lose them at least for a few weeks. Greg talks about this and what Shaun and he have spoken to the Trew's about this problem. He also mentions that they knew this last month or so would be hard because top teams with top budgets and u shaving our loan players going back to parent clubs. I mention this because this is exactly what I believed was happening. Did two seasons a go with Callum and Jack and did again this season. Well listening Greg and Shaun want to fix this problem.

The interview does give us a brief insight into exactly their long term plans and what the club needs to do to alleviate this problem. The interview also talks about where these players come from. For me one open honest interview Very good Greg very good Notts.

Adelaidepie Julian

PS I will try and get my signature on here soon promise

On a non football forum that I use one of the members is a Bristol Rovers fan and knowing I was a Notts fan he sent me this message about Fabian.

If you are on Notts county forum can you tell them Fabian Spiess your on loan goalkeeper to Bristol Rovers is getting very good reviews all round apart from talent that is for a young chap very brave as well.He was good last night on the BT televised Match where rovers came from behind twice to Win a 3/2 thriller against Gateshead...with both rovers keepers out badly injured County did Rovers a big favour loaning young Fabian

It's good to hear a first hand account of Fabian's progress, I'm glad he is doing well.

As the title says who would your next signing be??

For me it is imperative that the next person we sign is Roy Carroll, imagine last night without him

This is from sky sports news.
 

Despite bossing the match and wasting numerous chances, Rovers were almost beaten by a wonder strike from Magpies veteran Alan Smith, whose early 30-yarder struck the bar.
 

But Clark's initial failure to send off County striker Kwame Thomas at the death, for giving him a second yellow for time wasting, resulted in a chaotic melee at the death which saw Notts boss Shaun Derry ordered to the stands and Thomas eventually being shown the red card, which meant sub Billy Daniels had to return to the dugout.
 

"It was a fiasco from start to finish," said Rovers boss Paul Dickov. "I feel sorry for the lad who was sent off and for Shaun [Derry] as well as the ref should have dealt with any bit of time-wasting a lot earlier than that.
 

"Rather than talking about the referee I would rather talk about my team getting another result."
 

County assistant manager Greg Abbott had sympathy for Clark, adding: "To be fair to the ref if he had realised it was his second one he would have come over and ushered him off without showing him another card.
 

"I have never seen a sending-off like that. Once he had shown the yellow he had no alternative but to show him the red."
 

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9654580/dickov-it-was-a-fiasco

 

Striker Balint Bajner looks set for a spell out on loan in League One with Notts County.

Bajner, 24, has had limited opportunities since joining the Blues in the summer, his sub appearance against Southampton on Wednesday was his sixth game from the bench in addition to his one start against Fulham on the opening day.

Lee Johnson was keen to sign the Hungarian himself but says the Magpies made Town an offer which would “blow us out of the water”.

Link to - BREAKING STORY

I especially like the comment 'blow us out the water' but would this signing come at a price? Despite the 24 year old having played some top teams, plus been loaned to some. He doesn't have a record as such when it comes to goal scoring, however there fans which rate him within Europe.

Thoughts?

 

Scott Burns of The Daily Express is reporting that Rangers forward Nicky Clark may be the next player to leave the club.

Supposedly, Notts County have made inquiries to secure Clark on a loan deal for the rest of the season. The English League One side is currently scrapping for a play-off spot.

 

After a strong start to the season, Clark has been brushed aside for the likes of Kenny Miller & Jon Daly.  Ironically enough, besides Nicky Law, no other Rangers player has scored more league goals this season.  Of course, the tally is only four – but Miller has the same amount of goals in roughly 400 more minutes, while Kris Boyd has a putrid total of two goals in 1200+ minutes. You could also argue that even though Boyd wasn’t scoring, his play was much more effective when he played alongside Clark & has been quite poor while playing with Miller.

 

Regardless, Clark has fallen out of favor with Rangers management & has only made two starts in the past 13 matches.  The 23-year old may be faced with a scenario in which he just may have to leave to see regular first team play.

 

Another curious tidbit from Burns’ report was that Hibs actually put in a bid to sign Clark last week but were turned down by Rangers.  Good thing too because his quickness & work rate would fit right into Alan Stubb’s vision for the team

Link to Story - Here

It seems from reading the comments Rangers want to keep him but I wonder if we really need another striker? It seems that we are being liked with many decent players within this window but I do feel we are bordering our limit with the amount of loan players we bring in.

No doubt I'd take him, thought it mean Thomas goes back to Derby? I can't see us playing all these strikers, even if we don't sign Clark.

Thoughts?

Here's a view of what the general census of the Crewe Alexandra fans think.

Before the Game

Dickos1; Said "Win on Tuesday night and were more than likely in the playoffs, not a bad place to be halfway through the season. With all the chaos we had in the summer. Dickov is doing a smashing job"

Dutch Uncle; Said "Although my head says draw at best I have a sneaky feeling that County's and Rovers' fortunes are changing - I am going for a lucky win!"

Bristol Red Rover; Said "win - sorry late, but was what I'd say"

Derby Viking; Said "No Wellens even on the bench. On his way out?"

uros predic; Said "Jesus, normally people's first thought would be injury!"

BillyStubbsTears; Said "Looks like we've already sold Razak as well. Bloody sh*te Bramhall!"

Copps is Magic; Said "No Husband? Don't tell me we sold him!"

Aftermath

glosttred; Said "Well he's sent two off tonight, does a manager count in those stats?"

Filo; Said "Shocking officials! He let Carrol set the tone early when he whinged about the ball, let Notts County get away with everything, missed a stonewall penalty for handball, and did n't have a clue what he was doing when he sent their player off. Gave 1 minute of added time in the first half when about 3 would have been about right, and the 5 minutes of added time in the second half when it should have been nearer 8"

Dagenham Rover; Said "Absolute rubbish."

watto-drfc; Said "Was that a foul on tyson on the stroke of half time?"

Filo; Said "Also a blatant Handball by Dumbaya late in the second half."

Dagenham Rover; Relied again "100% to me but the ref wanted his Bovril and couldn't be arsed to stay out in the cold, he set out the colours he was wearing very early on"

Filo; Took to insulting Shaun Derry "First class t**t! Along with Roy Carrol and Alan Smith!"

Donnywolf; Said "When the bloke was going off he shook hands with the Ref, showed his appreciation of the away fans 3 times and deffo deserved Booking. Derry must encourage them to behave like that or he would stop it at source."

Scooter; Said "It's always annoying when a goalkeeper does that but can I draw your attention to Sullivan at Brentford? Who complained then?"

Lesonthewest; Said "We should have been in Smith's face more, he's easy to wind up but we just let him break up our play too easily."

I haven't just chosen these.

I'm afraid they don't really discuss 'football' but rather the above type of things, such as Shaun Derry being ...... and of course predictions and pointless comments about the referee.

Which comments stand out to you and why? What are your thoughts?

Credit to 'em. I can't draw to save my life, never mind paint!!!

http://www.smash.com/can-believe-body-paint-proof-dont-need-photoshop-create-stunning-visuals/

It's still dark at the moment but I've had a peep out of the window and it's looks like we have lying snow, I don't think it's too bad though. It's certainly cold, it's times like this I thank God that central heating was invented. My mam had to get up early to make a coal fire and put the kettle on so we could wash (no hot water in our house). My bedroom had ice on the INSIDE of the window and the toilet was down the bottom of the yard, I remember the plastic seat being absolutely freezing.

Sorry I'm rambling.......I hope you have a good day wherever you are and it's not too bad weather wise.

It can't be said that this game will be any easy, in fact if we defend as we did against Crewe Alexandra - Doncaster Rovers will mostly punish us because they're a quality side.

That said having see Santos (first time), Hayhurst, Thomas and Daniels. I think we have narrowed down that gap within the lack of creativity and ability to get the ball forward. Once things settle a bit, I think the attacking will start to connected. Thomas could have introduced more into the game, however this is no negative comment to the Derby lad he covered some ground and his effort was top notice. I would like to see more from Santos, especially with his running.

Doncaster Rovers isn't really a team I expect anyone to dismiss, after all we have played them a lot this season.

I can see the game going in either direction, my heart says win but my head thinks we could lose or draw.

I'll keep it safe and predict another 1-1, hoping that Daniels or someone steals it again.

Thoughts?