Hey guys,

Just a quick open query regarding if anyone knows how to get into the field of freelance journalism. It's something I am considering in the next year or two.

I currently have a LinkedIn and plenty of writing experience, including in the Nottingham Post, and currently work part-time in a sports reporter role, so I do have some pedigree.

Anybody able to give me some pointers?

Much appreciated :-)

JJ

I thought I would share some of the sites I've been looking at over the past few years that a good for those who love stats.

Match Story is great, it was started by some blogger who then joined forces with the Associated Press which gave him a few opportunities to

http://matchstory.co.uk

Attack Graph

http://matchstory.co.uk/england-league1-attack/

"Energetically wasteful" - Seems we are able to get lots of shots per game, but actual conversion from shots to goals isn't so great. Can imagine this stat being much worse without McGregor

Defense Graph

http://matchstory.co.uk/england-league1-defence/

"Competent but busy" - We seem to face an alarming number of shots per game, but are able to keep at least a few of them out

Player Churn Infograph

http://matchstory.co.uk/portfolio/player-churn-league-1/

Football 365 Stats is great, showing stats like how many points teams have managed to get after losing at HT, Home/Away tables, Times conceded more than once, etc..

http://stats.football365.co.uk/dom/ENG/D2/overview.html

Bootiful Game is along the lines of Match Story but with slightly more lighthearted stats, such as premiere league golden boot winners by hair http://www.bootifulgame.com/portfolio/premier-league-golden-boot-winners-by-hair/ and how accurate the papers were in the 2012 transfer window http://www.bootifulgame.com/portfolio/january-transfer-window-horseshit/

Post below if you have your own sites that you like looking at, or if you find out any interesting facts from the above stats.

As I'm always up for a game of FIFA, I thought I would see if anyone on this forum would be up for a game at some point

PS4: mCobby

PC: C0bby

Feel free to add your own usernames below for other users to add.

im pinching @notts-joes idea, it has not been done for a few days now.

what is everyone upto?

so far i have only been on here and nottingham job websites, very boring but i am going to visit the jc in town and have a look what their machines bring up. i might have a look around vic centre, i know some have said theres jobs on the notice board there. theres got to be something out there.

i will report back later, share what you have been upto.

So far this month, I've noticed more days where inside my home it feels like I am outside. Very, very cold! December was a weird month, quite sunny at times and although there was cold spells. None was like right now, nothing around my homes changed and even outside I am having to wrap up warmly because I feel like Frosty the Snowman.

How's the weather near you? I've noticed quite a few members with 'cold' set as their current mood.

It can't just be me who thinks it's colder this month, it's only 10 days in and I've noticed already.... LOL

Tonight I am going to watch my home town team Alfreton Town on BT Sport 2.I haven't seen them live for  over 40 years but I'm sure it will bring back a lot of memories.I remember them being re-formed in 1959 and going on their ground preseason with my mates dad and uncle who helped in preparing  fencing etc in preparation for the new season.They were in the Central Alliance then and the first match was against the previous seasons champions,Arnold St.Mary's.They won this match 6-2.Little did we imagine ,at the time,that Alfreton Town would progress to within touching distance of The Football League and be on the telly.Happy days.

Another prank video, this one is from Brazil, I hope the victims didn't have a weak heart.

>http://youtu.be/7N5OhNplEd4

It seems a weird one for me at least, I told @sadlad and some others that Brandy should have remained with them instead of joining Sheffield United. I felt his season prior to this year was somewhat lucky for him, another year would have help him progress as Walsall really gave him their backing.

Quite a promising player really, though he did nothing for us. He did seem effective, at least for a club who play like Walsall.

Good solid base, focusing on pretty football and good attacking play.

Yet all this said, I am surprised to see him join Walsall on loan (especially after the recent abuse upon his return). Thoughts?

This had me in stitches.

>http://youtu.be/PUKMUZ4tlJg

i think its brilliant! i never noticed it before, i thought it was just a normal message but i am impressed by it. i can use the full skin on my tablet that my mum got me for christmas.

hopefully it will encourage people to look around, pon keep moving forward.

I was wondering does anyone else suffer problems sleeping?

I have a history of it, but I'm currently not on any sort of tablets to help, as I'm trying to help myself. I have been using sleep aid apps I have found, but this has not been helping. I find the music more distracting than helpful. I have cut down sugary drinks in the evening to see if this isn't helping too. I just don't know what to do.

I'm currently taking anti-depressants as I'm extremely depressed, but I am taking myself off these as I feel the same as before I was on them. I am trying non-medicated ways of helping this as well, like taking up journaling again, art etc too.

So there we have it, Cristiano Ronaldo has won this year's Ballon D'Or award!
 

What do you guys make of it?

>http://youtu.be/7qj6a7GOVp8

I don't get why they don't cover other nations? Yes, we as a National have idiots. No surprise! So do many other nations, I recall looking at the stats FIFA shared regarding trouble in the last World Cup in South Africa and England barely featured.

So I went to the local retail park the other day and I noticed they already have Valentine's Day tat on sale.

Here is my candid view on Valentine's Day:

It's just yet another pathetic little excuse for a social festival whereby peer pressure and constant pushing of goods, services and general propaganda mean it's unavoidable. Now, I have a missus, I love her to bits, but one thing she always does is compare our relationship to all of her friends. So, leading up to Valentine's Day, she's going to be exposed to photos and messages from her friends detailing how their boyfriend or current guy-she's-seeing has gone full hog to do something super fancy and romantic... and whatever I do will pale in comparison to some guy who's probably been with their girl for just a few months and fancies going all out to impress her. I could take her to Paris for a weekend and it'll still be a failure because some other lothario has taken his girl to Paris for 5 days and to a fancier hotel. 

I like to show my Mrs love all year round by buying thoughtful things every now and then and treating her to things rather than have to comply to a little window whereby society says "you must show love starting...NOW!"

I will of course take her out somewhere on the day (possibly Annie's Burger Shack) and I've bought her a quirky little gift, I'll get her the obligatory bunch of decapitated flowers as well closer to the day - because nothing says "I Love You" like some dying colourful plants - but I just think it's a load of carp to be honest. Clearly the economy needs a bit of a boost around February, what with January being so miserable as a month, hence the whole razzmatazz relating to Valentine's Day.

Oh, and of course, if you're a single person, then Valentine's Day is just as bad, because you're constantly exposed to a giant nation-wide show-off display of LUUURRRVEEEEE. All the worse now that social media's essentially ensured that, come February 14th, my Facebook feed is just going to be post after post of sickly displays of love carried out by couples that most likely show each other no love throughout the rest of the year. Pass me the bucket.

Soooo... there's my two cents.

What are YOUR views on Valentine's Day, folks?

Much love

JJ

This Saturday's fixtures:

Brighton & Hove Albion v Birmingham City

Charlton Athletic v Barnsley

Swindon Town v Peterborough United

Wolves v Preston North End

Dagenham & Redbridge v Fleetwood Town

Plymouth Argyle v Southend United

We'll be travelling home from Nottingham Saturday evening so scores will go up slightly later than usual.

Good luck everyone

I've notice recently that a lot of members have a more than passing interest in photography.Do any members have any unusual hobby or interest.Perhaps members could let us all know, even if the hobby isn't all that unusual.

has everyone gone back to work?

its around the time everyone fears i suppose, horrible after having such a good time to fall back into the dull days ahead. it looks like i will be joining weymouth and looking for a new job. at least i can look forward to seeing how everyone is doing here!

Midfielder Kyle Dixon has joined Skrill North outfit Boston United on a one-month loan deal from Notts County.

Dixon recently impressed during a spell with Grantham Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, where he made seven appearances and scored one goal - in a 2-2 draw with Barwell on Boxing Day.

Good move for me, it's important that key youngsters get a chance to establish themselves and gain experience. I like Kyle, he's a pretty promising player but sat in our dev squad. It isn't going to help him as much as actual experience, hopefully he impresses them and attract interest from a League Two team.

Useful youth player IMO.

We're now 3 games into PoN's view of our upcoming games. It's also the game I selected as the key one, although all games are as important - I don't think we will have many bigger than this one.

Timing wise, it's pretty ideal. Sheffield United are only four points ahead of us but with a game in hand. None the less it's the ideal with the home advantage and our recent form. We need to get something out of this game, a draw would be great but a win! We will require a top performance.

Sheffield United have drawn 3 of their last six games - losing 1 and winning 2. They're a side which are quite flat but rather direct, although they're a dangerous side, they struggle to get their grips on games - under-performing like us. Nigel Clough's installed some optimism after defeating Aston Villa 2-1 in the F.A Cup. Sheffield United are also better prepared under Nigel Clough and have been the most threatening since he took over.

It's hard to judge who will play left back if Morgan Fox's loan spell as ended - We might be tinkering around with our selection, although this hasn't stopped us from overcoming obstacles. Enoch if selected will prove to be an asset in this game, as he shouldn't easily be out muscled like lightweight options might. I hope McGregor turns out to have re-signed in time, he will be a big miss but this said I think we can surprise everyone with this game!

2-1 Notts - 6,780 overall attendance.

Thoughts?

I'm not sure this is the right section to post this, moderators/admin feel free to move it.

I just caught something on Radio Red this morning about Nottingham Ladies FC, apparently Ray is/was heavily involved in Lincoln FC Ladies and he has transferred them to Notts County Ladies and they have won a bid to be in the top flight of Ladies Soccer.

This is all much to annoyance of Nottingham Fword Ladies who have missed out on their bid, they are very annoyed that they didn't know they were bidding against another Nottingham team and thought it was Lincoln.

Nice to get one over the Red Dogs, well done Ray.

As usual Radio Red had their red tinted glasses on and had two people from Nottingham Fword Ladies in the studio to interview but no one from Notts County's side to give our version of the story.

Anyone else know anything about it.

I'm taking my 9 year-old son to Stevenage on the official coach, for his first away trip on organised travel - £13 for me and free for him - pretty good value I think. Is anyone else going?

If Mac cant play on Saturday, I'm sure Danny Haynes would do a good job just off the front man. He can't lead the line as thats not his style, but sitting just behind a big man and running in? Me thinks it'll surprise a few and work well.

I think he is a good player, who has so far, been unlucky with the formations we've chosen.