I'd hope so, the last time he was in Germany he played in the second division, he's dropping down to the third division where the standard won't be as good, so surely he has more of a chance of getting regular playing time. I always thought his dribbling and ability to get past players was usually pretty good, it was just in the final third where his cross or shot more often than not was off.
- Comment on the Richard Montague interview here
- Who should be recruited in January? Read this excellent recruitment doc from member ARLukomski
- PoN member McPie asks have we progressed under Martin Paterson? Join the conversation here.
- PoN member theAnticlough poses a new set of questions about the team, click here.
- Notts confirm Belshaw signing
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Keanan Bennetts has returned to Germany and has joined FC Ingolstadt in the third division. He's got the talent, but will he hold down a first team spot there?
He was a bit of a super sub for Darmstadt @menzinho. I imagine he joined us hoping for more minutes, but we also found him more effective coming off the bench.
He's a strange one. He's got the talent to step up, but he could have done with a run of games and yet he never really justified a starting place for us. He could be an asset to Ingolstadt, but if he only performs in fits and bursts he'll end up warming the bench again
He grew with us and became someone I felt disappointed to see leave, now I don't know if he left because he wanted first team football or if Notts made the decision. I wasn't that impressed when he played in the pre-season friendly, and defensively I had concerns, but towards the end of our campaign I would have selected him.
Not only was he good on the ball, making himself a constant threat, but he improved massively with defensive work.
The issue is, his starting time could be limited and with Jodi Jones and Nick Tsaroulla it's difficult compitition to be against unless he slotted in elsewhere. Personally, I thought he was far more rounded than Jodi who struggles to defend and sometimes doesn't even bother. Tough, his talent to attack is second to none.
We seem to be stacking the midfield with players of the season from other clubs.
I quite like this as a strategy.
Given our approach midfield is hugely demanding and so cover is essential.
Liking the signings so far?
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Putting your golf balls into baskets is quite legitimate.
However, the Aussue striker would be a nice addition and then we are probably short of two more?
One more striker
One more No. 10
Anymore on the shopping list?
He's had rave reviews from the Harrogate fans that have left messages on social media, some even think he'll be our player of the season!
I think the midfield looks pretty solid now, he’s also left-footed so we’ve got a 50/50 split of left and right footed CMs. I really like that he’s another player that has been a captain, he’ll have that mentality and determination, all those other qualities that can’t really be measured by data.
I'd be adding a RWB @Mapperley Pie , I know Tsaroulla played there last season more often than not but we need an actual right-footer there who is capable of starting.
He gives us options in the middle and out left, so that's a good thing. Blackburn Rovers have a good academy, a lot of their youngsters find success in the ELF. Evans is the type of player that just needed a chance, and I think he did that well last season for Harrogate Town. There's a reason why their fans rated him, and I hope we can see him flourish in a competitive Notts squad.
We have to have players firing on all cyniders and performing well, so the options we have will benefit us.
That’s a very strange decision, poor Stuart he must be gutted, I hope he gets another job soon.
Shocking decision. Such positivity around the club 48 hours ago, now nothing but negativity among the fanbase.
I hope he can find a good National League club that will stick with him, there's a few good choices in there and his record for promotion is strong. I just hope he doesn't end up at a team like Yeovil Town or Forest Green Rovers.
There's some good clubs like Hartlepool United that could be a good fit.
With his record and what he did for York City, I can imagine a fair amount of interest will be there.

BBC Sport

York City: Stuart Maynard leaves manager's role three mon...
Crazy. And they've appointed Scott Lindsey. Hardly a serial achiever - fluked a promotion with Crawley and sacked a few times since.
I'm sure SM will walk into another job in a couple of months after the early season round of sackings, best of luck to him.
I think it's the club trying to stretch their budget by removing the man that got them back to the EFL, the reasons I believe it's money related is because I can't see why they would get rid of him amongst a time they are losing key players. You would expect them to want to stay grouped and collective, so that they have a stronger chance of fighting to stay up.
There's some Notts fans who are massively harsh on Stuart Maynard, but he's good enough to keep York City up.
This decision to part ways for me seems like one of those internal decisions where the board or chairman has gone against the grain and thinks of money before football.
It's hard to see the logic in this one. York score 114 goals and mass 108 points and that's deemed not good enough. Then they appoint a manager who has been sacked from his last two jobs! Not quite sure why as they put it want to in that "different direction." Makes no sense.
That Watford squad is a delight for any Scrabble players
It's nice to see Marc Bola doing well, Watford are a decent team and I had hoped we could have signed him back when he was here on loan, then when he became a free agent. I try to keep tabs on ex players, as I do hope the ones who represent us well have a good career at whatever level they find themselves.
Bola will hopefully make it to the Premier League at some stage for whatever period he can, though the Championship is still a good level to be at.
A fair amount of MK Dons fans that I know, do not really think Dan Crowley has warranted the fee they paid but have said to me that he improved last season for them but still believe he hasn't done enough to warrant a starting position. I think we ended up doing a smart deal, as he was sulking around Notts and being sloppy on the ball.
When he gave the goal away against Salford away, although I do think he was fouled. It was poor play, and he tended to repeat the same mistakes. MK Dons spending is silly for a club at their level, you can match ambition with overspending in such a wreckless way.
Their recruitment seems to be to sign good players from other clubs and expect the same result insantly.
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Listening to the interview and judging by the weather he must have signed last Thursday or Friday. Perhaps they like to spread out the good news on signings 🤔
The radar for last striker was a bit off, let’s hope we’ve reconfigured to the Jatta/Rodrigues levels!
I've seen lots of excitement around this signing, I'm a touch more reserved because he's only played 15 league matches in Finland so it does feel like a bit of gamble to me. Looking at his matches played, he missed the whole of the 2025 season but then this season in the 13 matches he's played (technically 14 but that was only a 10 minute appearance) he's scored 7 goas.
The global rankings is pretty interesting, just got to hope it's acurate because if we'd just signed a striker who scored 7 goals in 13 matches in League 2 we'd all be over the moon!
This will be the highest level in terms of consistent quality that he has played in, but he has a promising outlook and at 22-years-old he has time to further improve. His time in the Finnish top flight will have given him a good level of experience, no doubt he will have played against some very good players but now is the time to prove that he can be a top striker.
My son keeps telling me to watch a video of him on YouTube, but I haven't as of yet. I do know of him, as I recall the interest he had from other English clubs when I wrote on Football Manics.
He's the signing that has me the most excited, as he seems to have all the ability that Jatta had but with more refined qualities.
He's 27 so in his prime. Probably sick of EFL defenders and referees. Gets a signing on fee and wage rise presumably - important for any player but especially if your family is from a poor country. Gets to play in a top division.
The model has worked well for Notts again.
PS didn't mean to have two threads but don't know how to merge.
I wish him well, myself.
I don't reject ambition or the fact that players will grow and eventually want to test themselves. He might still have international ambitions which he will be running out of at 27, although nobody really can say for sure if he is good enough to break into that scene. He will however want to play at the highest possible level, and earning more will of course help him with his future. Playing time is always quite limited for professional footballers, so I hope he does well. I personally think he might struggle but the move will no doubt open other doors if this is the case.
Hope he has good luck. I'm thankful to have seen his talent with us.
I am not really a fan of behind closed doors games, even though I know it is usually related to teams having trialists. Additionally, low turnouts could be a factor, but pre-season is a great point to get fans interested. Pre-season matches mean very little, other than fitness and seeing how the team is adapting. Notts played well, and I have heard we may try to change our formations depending on the opposition.
Wise words from @ARLukomski
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1 hour ago, Michael D Pie. said: Or have we already achieved that with the latest signings? ⚽️
I don't think, or at least hope, that we have not. Three strikers on the books; one experienced but not a regular scorer, one inexperienced but not a regular scorer, that puts a lot on the shoulders of Mr Smyth who has scored well in the last few months in Finland but is still relatively inexperienced.
It would be nice to have one more on board; probably again unproven but then perm 2 from 4 or 1 from 4 and we have some cover and some room for one of them to really develop under Patto's guidance. (Yes, I am ignoring Traore)
I’m sorry to see Jatta go as we all are but that’s football, as others have said he’s served us well and he goes with my good wishes.
Another proven goal scorer would be a nice addition so let’s see what happens in the rest of the window.
Notts clearly wanted a replacement, which shows that we won't just sell players without making sure we aren't leaving ourselves short. I wished undisclosed fees weren't a thing, as it does mess up transfer records and activity and I feel we as fans deserve to know what he went for.
This said, I think he might struggle. They have a player from Benfica on loan, and aren't really expected to do all that well.
I am not saying this to speak down about Jatta because he left, I think at any top flight level he would probably find it more challenging but I do wish him well. If he does well, that's great. Yet he's going to need to be more displined and return to putting effort in even when he struggles with his form.
My issues are only with his agent, as I feel he was the reason behind all the antics we experienced and perhaps unsettled Jatta to the extent he wasn't always at his best with us. There were games last season where I wouldn't have had him in the XI due to his effort and form, however, we did need him and his talent could change at a single point in any game. Whilst I do wish Jatta well, I would hope he will learn from allowing some of the negative aspects of his time here to stall his career. He improved during his time here, no doubt that will be important as he moves on.
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Our place in that is definitely going to change next season.
We'll push up to 65% maybe (if results are OK) and hopefully only about 7000 seats
(seats are for banners anyway, in my house I've followed Notts' example and stopped the family using the chairs and sofas - I cover them with stuff I want to promote)
Morning all, I hope we are all well and ready to start the new week. I’m suffering with my eyes at the moment so looking at screens is difficult, the optician has referred me to the doctor for blood tests and to an ophthalmic consultant I’m waiting for an appointment.
I did however manage to watch the World Cup final last night, I was glad that Spain won the Argies are cheats and very sore losers as was witnessed after the final whistle. The majority of the game was very boring though, unlike the England v France game.
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1 hour ago, Chris said: I don't have it in me to deal with people who need help maintaining and fixing a site, you just get blamed for everything and made to feel unwelcome. Despite putting many hours in for free just to get the site back into a healthier state, you have to contend with nonsense from the former owner who seems to have more influence in things despite having little knowledge of this field. If he had, I wouldn't be fixing issues he created.
@Chris no one blames you for anything, where would we be without you my friend. You know that you have the backing from the majority on here, please don’t let someone/something as miniscule as this upset you and ruin your devotion to the PON. We all know and understand the depth of care and consideration you apply to this and we appreciate everything you do. Don't let a narrow minded bigot change you my friend. Stay strong and ignore.
Today is a lovely warm day and the horses appreciated their hay and fresh water as you can see below.
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52 minutes ago, Michael D Pie. said: @Chris no one blames you for anything, where would we be without you my friend. You know that you have the backing from the majority on here, please don’t let someone/something as miniscule as this upset you and ruin your devotion to the PON. We all know and understand the depth of care and consideration you apply to this and we appreciate everything you do. Don't let a narrow minded bigot change you my friend. Stay strong and ignore.
It's not PON related, but
So the World Cup has suddenly come alive with Messi scoring a hat trick, Mbappe scoring a brace, & Harland, not to be outdone, scoring two goals too
The two finalists from four years ago, France & Argentina are looking strong & impressive once again.
England begin their challenge for World Cup glory against Croatia in Dallas at 9pm tonight. Can Harry Kane match those other three icons & get on the score sheet to help to give England a win tonight?
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What a game it was England 4-0 up at half time, second half France came out all guns blazing and pulled it back to 4-3, then Saka scored a pen to make it 5-3 but France still wouldn’t lie down they scored again making it 5-4 before Bellingham sealed the win 6-4. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more exciting match. The nerves were certainly jangling in the second half.
He's a free agent then? There are a few familiar names on that list, albeit approaching the end of their careers.
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I just hope all the negativity surrounding him doesn’t affect his confidence before he has had time show what he can do.
His performances in Denmark give some hope that he is not a Tony Hackworth-less in disguise
Looked good against Viborg, looked poor against Forest. Ironically the best striker against Forest was Iwunze.
Too many rumours for me. Let's wait until we know something concrete from the Club. Rumours are just that. They are only rumours.
I agree that rumours are very tedious in this social media age, especially when they are about Notts star players being sold or not offered contract extensions. That said, Peter O'Rourke has a great record of reporting transfer activity before official announcements are made. If he says a fee has been agreed, my guess is that this one could well be confirmed soon.
He wasn't part of Harrogate's squad for their match against South Shields tonight 🤔
A possible replacement for Norburn? In terms of style they are quite similar, Jack Evans is more athletic but obviously not as experienced.
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It's hard to feel impressed by how Forest performed, and I don't buy the excuse that this was their first game after a week of training. They are professionals playing against a team well beneath them and we have played other teams in the past such as Stoke and Leicester City who had their own issues but still looked quality compared to a side that failed to do so many basics. I almost feel harsh on the Notts point as I think we defended quite well. Jacob Bedeau seemed to struggle at points. I didn't like seeing him running around trying to grab any shirt he could reach when there was no reason for it.
Second half we were much better but Aden Flint is awful. Why are we trialing a defender that is 37, loses the ball because he tries to attack and forgets he's actually the middle centre back? I thought he was awful.
Yes, I don't like him but I am being as honest as I can be. Flint has always been an idiot when he has played against us, such a troulecauser and provocative. He's similar to Nathan Tyson joining Derby County after his celebration in front of the rams fans to rattle them. We have two decent prospects at youth level, one who is being tacked by Championship clubs. Give them the chance, not someone who couldn't settle or make a difference with Walsall.
Postive note, many of our youngsters did quite well and I felt very encouraged. Even Jake now believes Riley Reynolds should be given a chance and spoke very highly of number 16, who we believe was Harrison Hazard.
I'm pleased that Forest fielded a strong team and it took two quality goals from them to beat us. As far as the Notts defence is concerned, I think that we are ok for the coming season.
I'm concerned about the quality upfront especially if the rumours prove to be true about Jatta. We need a quality goalscorer who can get into the box & score some goals.I was also pleased to see the Notts youngsters do so well in the 2nd half.
It was great to see an almost full Meadow Lane & the atmosphere that it produced. I thought that the video coverage was very good, & it was an entertaining game. I wasn't too keen on the hydration breaks & the Ref didn't add any time on at the end of each half to compensate for the time taken by the hydration breaks.
Did Martin Patterson say in the post match Forest interview that Notts have a pre season match tonight (21st July) and this Saturday (25th July)? Who are these against and I assume these are behind closed doors if there is something happening?
If there's anything in this, I wouldn't be bothered either way. I like that we are looking around but feel we could do with some reputable experience at this level. Obviously, he could do perfectly well but it's not a name I would be jumping for or excited about. Naturally, I would welcome him and wish him well.
My biggest concern is that he might be someone who doesn't push to start games.
It’s bad for the fans, but it’s good that they are being looked into for breaking the rules.
But when some clubs can get away with charges or put them off, you can’t help but wonder how fair the rules are. They are supposed to keep football on a level playing field and stop clubs bending them to suit themselves.
These are serious charges, and I hope the punishment is fair.
You can't just do what they have, and I find it shameful it didn't come to light sooner. There was a lot of talk amongst fans about what was going on, and I don't mean their own supporters. I think they should be transfer santioned personally, however, they will still sign players now and avoid being in a difficult place which barely makes it right after breaking the rules.
I wonder how Derby County fans feel, since they had issues and faced strict punishment for how they signed players. Burton Albion for me is far more extreame, Deby's was a grey area and very heavy punished.