- Comment on the Richard Montague interview here
- Who should be recruited in January? Read this excellent recruitment doc from member ARLukomski
- PON member Robbie has highlighted a tough run of fixtures for the Magpies in December, do you have any thoughts on this?⚽
- Former Notts head coach Luke Williams is hoping to reunite with goalscorer Macaulay Langstaff at Peterborough United.
- 👋🏻 Welcome the newest members of Pride of Nottingham! Drop by and say hello, it’s always great to see fresh faces joining the community. 🫱🏼🫲🏼
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Morning all, there was heavy rain in the night but it’s dry and bright at the moment.
We are having a walk up to the doctors surgery this morning, Mrs. T is still having a few ongoing problems and she’s finished her antibiotics, she then wants to go and see her girlie friends for coffee so I’m on my own till lunch time but I’ve got plenty to do.
Later I’ll be watching Notts on the box, safe travels to our supporters.
I hope everyone is well, let us know what’s happening in your life.
Still think James Belshaw could do a job for us
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The issue is really neither Notts keepers are of the quality needed to help ensure automatic promotion this season
Best Harrogate Town player for me was:
Ellis Taylor, 22. He looked like a very good winger and had good delivery on him, both from crosses and set pieces.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Taylor
It was something I noticed, just how their wider players gave them something when we were tight in midfield. Early on, we gave them little space, and it was a case of both teams winning and losing the ball. Harrogate did well to get the ball out wide, and that opened up the play.
Levi Sutton also stood out to me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Sutton
16 hours ago, Piethagoram said: Still think James Belshaw could do a job for us
Very disappointed with just how much of a wind-up merchant he played, he's never been like that in previous games or for previous clubs when we have played against him, but I wouldn't take him.
Martin Paterson has chosen a few different midfielders for the first eleven this season, however it appears that he has settled for Palmer & Roberson as his first team picks in the centre of midfield, & has decided on an alternative of Iorpenda, Hall, or Grant in the attacking midfield positions.
That leaves Norburn & Iorpenda as an alternative in the centre of midfield & Dennis, Iorpenda, Hall, Grant or even Jones & Jarvis who could all fill the AM positions.
So far this season I think that barring any injuries, Palmer & Robertson have made the central midfield positions their own & they are my preferred picks.
I think it is a little more difficult in the AM area. At the start of the season Jones was picked to play as an attacking midfielder but it was obvious that his best place was on the wings.
Iorpenda started in CM but lately MP has been playing him further forward with Grant or Hall, then we have Dennis who has been unable to get so many starts since Jatta's return. & we have Jarvis who can play as an AM or Winger waiting in the wings...
My preferred duo in the AM position at this time would be Grant & Iorpenda with Hall & Dennis very close. I think the AM positions are still up for grabs & we may even see some additional player recruited for that position in the Jan window.
It is certainly going to be very fascinating in the weeks ahead to see how Martin Paterson works it all out. What are your Thoughts?
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Scott Robertson is quickly becoming as important to the squad as Matt Palmer is; yesterday, for example, we desperately missed Palmer in the first half. Robertson is a brilliant player; he works so hard, and in time he should be exactly what Palmer is to us. Right now, they are the midfield pairing that we need to win games. These two work so well together; it seems unlikely that they wouldn't be starting together at the beginning of the season, especially with the arrival of Ollie Norburn.
Norburn should be pushing his experience as a contender to be starting, and I think he's okay, but for me, he's more of a rotational player. Tom Iorpenda, for me, is the more exciting option, who could come in for either Palmer or Robertson.
Conor Grant moves brilliantly; he's intelligent on the field and wins the ball back in situations where it could create a lively encounter. He does struggle at times to pick his pass, and yes, his finishing could do with work, but he's one of those unappreciated players that can move between the channels and into attacking positions in front of the opposition's D, and it just takes someone else to make the run for him to assist.
The main thing is we have options and players who can do different things. I overheard a fan say, "Grant is exactly the same as Sam Austin," and to some degree I can see the similarities.
@Chris said: Conor Grant moves brilliantly; he's intelligent on the field and wins the ball back in situations where it could create a lively encounter. He does struggle at times to pick his pass, and yes, his finishing could do with work, but he's one of those unappreciated players that can move between the channels and into attacking positions in front of the opposition's D, and it just takes someone else to make the run for him to assist.
I agree. He's so unappreciated & always seems to get the criticism from some Notts fans. The thing is, the Head Coach rates him or he wouldn't pick him. Grant is one of those unsung players who's work never seems to get noticed, but he is a vital member of the squad in my opinion.
I'm one of the detractors in the everyone vs Grant case. I think with this formation and its iterations over the last couple of years, I've been spoiled in Ruben and more-so Crowley. Ruben was brave and clinical - almost a second striker. Crowley was very technically gifted with decision making and vision alongside being brave. That said I have just re-watched quite a lot of Crowley and Ruben's goals/assists and see closer similarities in Kouhyar than I see in Grant. With the way we play, we put so much stock in this position and when the AM's fail, we fail given that Jatta is not a big brutish bastard and he plays better when stuff is played in front of him.
I want to start off by acknowledging that PON needs to return to a level of consistency with regard to the news, match reports, and so forth. I have numerous finished content pieces which I have put off because I wanted the site to be in full motion, but I haven't managed to keep to the standard I wish to set.
Moving forward, if I can't do something, I will ask one of the team members, and I am sure in time things will improve to a standard that visitors and members have enjoyed in the past.
I am also pleased to say that I have built and set up a system status page, which can be found here: https://status.prideofnottingham.co.uk/
Transparency and being up front is something I strongly believe in, and this system page will allow those who wish to see what is operational across the site. Issues will be posted as events, and updates will be given in a timely manner. If PON should happen to go down, you will be able to find out why by visiting this page.
You may subscribe to email alerts by entering your email address in the "Notify Me" box. Please remember to choose which updates you would like to stay in the loop about.
In the event one of these areas encounters a problem, you will be emailed and kept up to date with the progress, but only if you subscribe to this service. Bug reports will still be taken by the site and addressed within the forum.
Over the past week, I have spent time improving the mobile experience. While most of this will be noticeable only to team members, it does bring improvements to the header and logo for regular members.
There are subtle changes and a few improvements from a recent upgrade, which I plan to make the most of with these new features.
Awards will be given out on a merit-based routine, which will be more frequent. In areas and during the site's downtime, I will finish adding the rest of the ones I created.
There are a few more things in the pipeline, but they aren't quite ready to be mentioned.
My main focus is to get more organised over this weekend and pick up the content. It's a privilege to represent Notts fans and provide content to be enjoyed. I very much appreciate everyone's help, and a more oganised me will be a better PON experience for everyone.
Thank you for reading this,
Chris
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6 minutes ago, Robbie said: @Fan of Big Tone Yes I mean that but I don't see it either on the dashboard page or Topic page. Wonder if it's not available on mobile view.
@Robbie I’ve just checked on my mobile and it’s available, obviously you need to look at a topic with more than one page, it’s at the bottom of the page.
@Fan of Big Tone Okay. On a single topic I have the page numbers, but on the general topic page I have 25 topics on the page, & at the very bottom you can "load more activity" for more topics up to 365 days, but there is no longer a page number widget at the very top of the general topic page, that gives you a choice of pages from between say, 1 & 500, that you can choose a particular page & browse it.
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i dont think we really need him, it would be like going backwards despite the quality he could bring. being amongst the league one divisions most shots, says something that he still has it but maybe he is just struggling to convert challenges. i would rather persist with tyrese hall at this stage, because much like dan crowley we have learned to live without david mcgoldrick now.
Yeah, the he calls for his return have quietened down now he hasn’t scored a goal or provided an assist in the League since August…
If we had an unlimited budget I’d say yes, but I just can’t see how we can justify paying his wages (he’s probably on even more than he was at Notts now) knowing he can’t play every 90 minutes anymore. There’s also an argument that due to how we press more and play more direct he might also be less effective now.
At this point, he would be a luxury at the expense of what is currently working within the squad.
His arrival would come at the cost of someone else's place, and I would rather Notts focus on improving the younger players we have. Someone of David McGoldrick's age and experience really should be fighting for his place and position in Barnsley's team.
On Saturday Notts take on Harrogate at Meadow Lane, how many links can we find between the two clubs, players, managers, coaches etc.
My starter for 10 is Paul Bolland who played for Notts from 1999 - 2005 making 106 appearances scoring 6 goals he went on loan to Harrogate in 2012-2013.
How many more can we find?
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Ed Francis, signed for Notts from Harrogate
We got Calvin Miller on loan from them.
Who knew this? Miller is the reigning SPFL's Scottish Championship Player of the Year
and now plays in the Scottish Premiership.
Jamie Turley is another ex player of both teams, can we make a starting XI?
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All the information can be found by clicking on your profile in a new tab. If you have your recent visitors disabled, you can choose to switch it on, but you will not see any details of who last paid you a visit.
This is just for a bit of fun, and I would encourage everyone who reads this to join in.
Take note of your favourite members and give them a follow if you have not already. As for the last post, have you taken a look at that discussion?
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@NottsTastic you’ve got 2 followers now. 👍
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Who's your Man of the Match v Cheltenham? 16 members have voted
A massive win for Notts tonight against an inform team. This win takes Notts into a promotion place in League 2 for the first time this season.
Notts had a brilliant first half & could have been double their actual lead at half time. Cheltenham came back into it in the 2nd half but Notts held out for that vital win.
So who is your man of the match for Notts? I have chosen the starting eleven for you to make your choice from.
Those players are,
Roos, Macari, Ness Bedeau, Tsaroulla, Robertson, Iorpenda, Bennetts, Grant, Hall, Jatta.
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Any one of a number of players could have won the award, it was a great team performance, congratulations Scott Robertson.
It was a close vote for the Top spot between Nick & Scott. Scott has been putting in some great performances of late so I'm pleased that he won. It was richly deserved.
I am pleased for Scott Robertson, he deserved the Man of the Match no doubt.
This will be better promoted and highlighted moving forward; it slipped my mind due to two reasons one being health related but it's not good enough. I apologise to the community, and to @Robbie.
I am greatful for the understanding, but the process needs better handling and I should have reached out to a team member.
Time to dust off the crystal ball again! These all kick off at 3pm on Saturday - don't forget your joker!
Stoke City v Coventry City
Wrexham v Charlton Athletic
Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley
Exeter City v Wigan Athletic
Bristol Rovers v Gillingham
Harrogate Town v Oldham Athletic
Morecambe v Sutton United
Truro City v Altrincham

Sunday Service: eight great spots in Notts for a roast
You can’t beat a good Sunday roast my favourite has to be lamb, Yorkshire pud, roast potatoes, brocolli, garden peas and of course mint sauce made fresh from the mint growing in the garden. My mouths watering writing this.
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I picked up a copy of Left Lion at the Fleetwood game and it felt like the paper version is going downhill fast. I know it's free, but it used to shine a light on everything going on in the city. The Notts content was stronger when the previous writer was involved. It felt easier to connect with and had more of a local voice. Now it seems a bit distant and not quite as engaging.
7 hours ago, Piethagoram said:
A great read. 👏
Notts are the form team of League 2. 7 wins & 1 draw from their last 10 matches. 4 wins in their last 5 is very impressive.
The team is starting to play for each other. They are the third joint highest scorers in the league with 27 goals with the 2nd highest goal difference, 18 of those goals in the last 10 games.
Things are beginning to click for Martin Paterson. We saw too sides of Notts against Cheltenham, a side that can play attractive incisive football like we saw in the first half, & a side that can work hard to keep their lead when they have to defend.
We also witnessed a Notts team without three of their best players against Cheltenham, however the players that came in for them slotted into their roles so well & the team still gave a very strong performance despite those missing players.
So it appears to me that the Notts squad is now beginning to gel together so well as a team. Football is a team game & if individuals begin to know how their fellow team members play, their positioning & their runs off the ball, team performance can invariably improve.
So I think a lot of the improvement is down to this. Thoughts?
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Our form is even more impressive when you consider how poorly we started the season, with one point from our first three games and MP not having a clue what his best team was. The quality of football we play is still up and down at times, but the new additions look integrated in the team now and the results speak for themselves.
It's partly about availability. At the start of the season Jatta was suspended, Robertson, Tsaroulla and Ness recovering from injury (I think), and Macari and Hall not considered match ready. So basically MP has been doing a brilliant job since he's had key players available.
@Robbie you make a good point about the missing players against Cheltenham, when I saw the team I feared we might suffer but the first half performance in particular was very good so it shows that we can rely on the players who come in to give a good account of themselves when we have injuries and suspensions, at the moment the future looks bright, long May it continue.
I was watching the Football League highlights and noticed that our old favourite Alan Sheehan is now interim manager of Swansea City, I wish him well.
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36 minutes ago, Piethagoram said:
That’s a shame I thought he was doing a half decent job there.
Alan Sheehan's overall managerial record at Swansea City across all competitions was 17 wins, 10 draws, & 12 defeats from 39 matches, a win percentage of approximately 43.6%. He served in two spells as caretaker manager and then as the permanent head coach. (Source Google)
Seems even a decent record doesn't save a Head Coach nowadays.
I'm sure it won't be long before he's snapped up by another league club.
Game 15: The Robins (A)
Date: 10/11/25
Kick off: 20:00.
Team: Cheltenham Town
Location: Whaddon Road
Competition League Two
What would your starting line-up be? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?
There has been a lot said recently regarding the return of set pieces and long throw-ins in the elite levels of football. While possession with a purpose still has a place, is moving the ball forward quicker now the preferred style? In recent seasons, Notts have employed three at the back and two wingbacks and we have enjoyed some success playing that way. In more recent times particularly the wingbacks have been less effective going forward and usually aren’t the best defenders. Would we be benefit from a four four two formation? Going to a back four with two full backs that can defend and still have the option to overload down the flanks when required. The four across the middle could include either one or two who could play as wingers or or attacking midfielders and two up front, one of which could double as a ten. Or could it be it doesn't matter what formation we use, just need good players with the right mentality and the desire to win!
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We’ve played with a variation of a 3-5-2 (3-4-2-1) for years now and it’s worked for us so far. Also when you look at the teams that were promoted last season Bradford, Port Vale and Wimbledon all played some variation of a 3-5-2 as well.
Every formation has its strengths and weaknesses, I think the 4-4-2 covers the pitch well but you can be overrun in midfield if you face a team that plays with 3 centre mids or a box midfield. With the 3-4-2-1 we are very solid in central areas but it demands a lot of the wing-backs because they almost have to do the job of two players and they sometimes get pinned in if facing a full back and a winger.
I’m not overly concerned with the formation, I think it works well for how we want to play, the two attacking midfielders and two central midfielders mean we should be able to get a lot of control in the middle of the pitch and dominate. Sometimes I just wish the wing-backs play a tad higher, they were really deep under Stuart and that seems to have followed on with Martin. Maybe Luke Williams has warped my mind as to how wing-backs should play (because under him they were basically wingers!)
I think the approach to how you play is probably more important to us and that is to be brave (not sit too deep) play forward and be relentless with the press to pin-teams in. We’ve done it in phases and stages this season, just in the last two matches the intent and bravery hasn’t quite been there for me but there's no reason to suggest we can't get back into a positive approach.
Top post @menzinho
These days I think a radical change of formation is a summer thing or an act of a struggling, desperate team. Our squad has been assembled and prepared for 3-4-2-1 this season. As you said it's served us well since 2021. The variations can come from 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2, the height of the wingbacks and many other subtle moves the coach can make.
And there's the thing that always seems to happen on the rare occasions we've played with a back 4 or something different, the players look really unfamiliar with it and the impression given is that they think the formation is being evaluated and not them.
I think there are times when we should try to stick to our main formation, but I would like to see Martin Paterson be braver to change things when it's not working. I give Paterson credit, as he does appear to read games well and will make changes that do make a positive impact, and compared to Stuart Maynard, it doesn't lead to the feeling we are to salvage a point from a game we were winning easily at one stage.
Personally, I think there are times when we should be looking at the opposition and thinking of formations that will give us the ability to hold the ball and press. There have been away games where Notts have stuck to their formation, and you just know nothing is going to change.
Barrow away earlier in the season was one of the worst games I have ever seen. 5-10 minutes in, you could tell Barrow would pressure us. I think there was some hope from our managerial team that they would tire or Notts would get to grips with it. However, nothing changed, and that a game switching formations going into the game could have put Barrow on the back foot.
We tend to rely on quality, and even when playing well, we can be very predictable to the point that teams can sniff out an opening. Persisting to think one style will succeed and that there's a one-size-fits-all formation for every team isn't the way to play. I acknowledge we do at times switch things up, but not enough, and I don't think we are consistent.
That is one major issue with switching formations, because if a routine doesn't get the best out of individuals, mixing things up could lead to further complications. In general, I do think it would be worth trying. The Matt Dennis and Alasanna Jatta duo looked promising at Tranmere Rovers, but a few games later, along with the absence of Dennis, it was dropped.
Very impressive...would have been better than Aljofree
Maybe if Manchester United had selected him for the bench but didn't play him, losing 2-0 to Arsenal, things might have been different for them? I do like Sonny Aljofree; I think he's a good player, but his age means he will make mistakes. Someone else like Godwill Kukonki might be prone in different areas, but he does sound like one to keep an eye on.
I'm going to watch the full game later; I haven't so far, and I do like how Notts lets us rewatch full games.
Not one of yours then @Piethagoram ?
@Fan of Big Tone Unfortunately I am closer to being 100 than being 22☹️
Good morning, it’s been raining during the night so it’s a bit damp out there.
Mrs. T isn’t very well and apparently now you can’t phone the doctor you need to go on line to fill out a form to tell them what’s wrong then they decide whether you need to see a doctor or not.
The form opens at 8am so we are up early to see if we can fill it in and get her seen. I don’t know what you do if you haven’t got internet. ![]()
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Morning all, I hope everyone is well.
I’ve just finished the word games, now I must get ready to walk up to the war memorial for the Remembrance parade, there’s no excuse because it’s only just up the road from us. Not that I need an excuse to remember the brave people that gave the supreme sacrifice for us.
lest we forget.

1971, the year of decimalisation.The year when you could get eleven Loaves of bread for a Pound.
This is a very interesting fifteen minute video describing what you could get or how much you could get for a £1 note in 1971. The revelation will shock you, especially the young folks.
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A pint of beer for less than 10p ?I remember that.
It was 5p for a Match Programme in 1971. The price went up after decimalisation.
![]()
Fish & chips bought from a fish & Chip shop in the UK in 1971 typically cost around 20 pence.
In 2025 the average price for Fish & Chips from a fish & chip shop can typically cost between £10:88p to £11:71p. In London it can be up to £15
(Source Google)
I have finally decided to take the plunge and join the site. I have been reading for a long time and I hope that by signing up it will give those who run the site some encouragement to keep going. I am sure it must take a lot of effort to maintain such a good place for fans to talk and follow news updates.
I am from Nottingham and have been a Pie since the 1970s. I am a season ticket holder in the KOP.
I do not usually post but prefer to read. As I say, I feel there is something different about this community and I look forward to taking part.
Welcome to the pride of Nottingham community @DavidUPies Thanks for joining us.
@DavidUPies thank you for introducing yourself it’s great to have you here, you’ll find we are a friendly community, I hope you enjoy being a member.
@DavidUPies ,welcome to PoN from me too.
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I’m really pleased to see that Luke has got a job back in football, I wish him every success, except if and when they play Notts of course.
I don't wish to sound harsh, but Luke Williams is still riding off the success he had with us. His stint at Swansea City isn't something that would overly appeal to clubs in my opinion, whilst he did a modest job. There were a lot of articles circulating about how he was staying away from the players and how he had caused a division among the squad.
Swansea captain Matt Grimes also left the club, stating Williams as the cause.
There are two ways of looking at this: either Williams was weeding out the bad eggs/underperformers, or he was contributing to the problem holding Swansea back.
Wales Online

Unhappy Luke Williams 'annoyed' by Swansea City players a...

BBC Sport

Swansea City: Luke Williams stays away from dressing room...
EFL Analysis

Luke Williams reveals the real reason he was sacked by Sw...
Since he arrived at the club, it's his first major appointment after having success. Alienating a struggling squad isn't exactly the way to go; I would have thought it would be best to adjust slowly and find replacements. I thought he had made a jump that was too big, but I understood the reasons, as he would be closer to his family.
Peterborough United, to me, seems like a poor move because they have spent money and massively underperformed as a result.
It's almost identical to Swansea City, who needed someone able to get the best out of the squad that was there without a massive overhaul. Posh will probably spend more money come January, but they need someone who can work with their existing players and fairly quickly improve their situation.
Holding the position at the bottom of League One comes with immense pressure, and although I genuinely wish Williams success, the challenges ahead are significant. I can see it failing; he would have done better to wait for a team that wasn't in any sort of crisis but just needed a steady leader.
Looks like we have a Luke Williams bounce today
Peterborough 5 Wimbledon 0
Anyone watching the Albania v England match it starts at 5pm. Can they make it 8 wins on the spin?
Thanks @Robbie i didn’t know it was on.