11 hours ago, TheSkipper said:

You know, at present, the most unforgettable match for me is our playoff final against Colchester United

Funny, I seem to have forgotten that one already

Some standouts from the last few years:

Lincoln City 3 Notts County 5, January 1998. Notts fans making up nearly half the crowd. We raced to a 3-0 half-time lead, Lincoln mounted an unlikely revival after a Darren Ward miskick early in the second half and equalised, only for us to retake the lead minutes later. The day we looked nailed on for promotion.

Notts County 2 Bury 2, May 2006. Our first real scrape with the Conference and such a sickening day. Results elsewhere kept us up.

Notts Florist 3 Notts County 3, League Cup, 2011. In keeping with what was going on around the country at the time, this one was a riot. Lee Hughes looked to have won the derby for us in extra time, before Wes Morgan took a punt in the dying moments and we fluffed the penalty shoot out.

1 hour ago, DangerousSausage said:

Lincoln City 3 Notts County 5, January 1998. Notts fans making up nearly half the crowd. We raced to a 3-0 half-time lead, Lincoln mounted an unlikely revival after a Darren Ward miskick early in the second half and equalised, only for us to retake the lead minutes later. The day we looked nailed on for promotion.

I don’t go to many away matches but I was at that one, what a match that was.

Notts 1 Wycombe 0 (2008)

It was our last home game of the season and last but one game of the season. I’m 99% sure a win would keep us up, not a great game but Butcher scoring meant we did! We actually had a relatively large crowd for the time.

Notts 1 Man City 1 (2011)

I’ve just looked back and the City team is stronger than I remember it and we were so close to actually winning it too! Still an amazing memory for me. Who’d have thought with a performance like that we’d go on and lose 9 games in a row later that same season…

Good luck with the fundraising. It is an essential endeavour, and I hope that many Notts fans will support PON in covering the site’s fees. I will certainly look into it.

I wholeheartedly wish for the successful acquisition of donations that will ensure the site continues to thrive. I am committed to supporting this cause and I would urge any other fans who come across this message to do the same. PON is not just a website, it’s a robust representation and a preserver of the club’s history. It’s a cause that is truly worth supporting.

Just wanted to express that I’m really liking the site so far, and I understand why it’s crucial to contribute towards the site’s costs. Many sites are facing difficulties nowadays, and I hope Notts supporters who are able to will support this. I’ll be sure to contribute occasionally, even if it’s just a small amount.

Dan Crowley’s performance on the pitch is nothing short of seamless. He is the kind of player who effortlessly displays his prowess without any need for ostentation. He is a footballer of exceptional quality, who maintains a neat and tidy presence on the field, always putting in the hard yards for his team.

This season, he has proven to be an unparalleled addition to our squad, standing head and shoulders above all other signings. This is not to undermine the contributions of Jodi Jones, David McGoldrick or any other team members. However, Crowley has managed to fill the significant gap left by Ruben Rodrigues’ departure to Oxford United with aplomb.

His arrival has not only bolstered our midfield but also added a new dimension to our game. His vision, technical skills, and work ethic have been instrumental in enhancing our team dynamics. In essence, Dan Crowley has emerged as an indispensable asset to our team this season.

Dan Crowley has been a unique addition to Notts. He continues to improve and plays a more significant role in the team. He certainly scores goals, but his ability to assist his teammates is unparalleled. He’s an exciting talent that reminds me of Alan Judge.

Dan Crowley seems like the perfect addition to Notts. He fits our system well and has developed in his role, but he’s also a versatile player who can adapt if needed. This gives Luke Williams a lot of flexibility. While it seems best to let him excel in a role he’s mastering, we can mix things up if necessary, and I trust him to perform any role commendably.

What some individuals fail to recognise is that what appears simple isn’t always so. A beautifully executed pass that splits the opposition and accelerates just at the right moment as it crosses the halfway line can be deceiving. It’s likely a bit too fast to keep up with!

This is a wonderful goal, nicely worked! I’m very impressed having seen this.

The team goal was well constructed and it’s impressive that each player had a touch of the ball leading to it.

As for Luton Town, I’m not remotely concerned. It was intriguing to watch them ascend each season and earn promotion, but that’s where my interest ends.

It was heartening to see such an underdog achieve something truly remarkable. While I don’t actively follow their results and believe they will eventually be relegated, I hope they use this experience to build up their club. Despite being a London club, they are much smaller than one might expect.

I wish them success, but their journey is an arduous one, and I struggle to envision them overcoming it. Forest invested a significant amount of money to avoid relegation, a luxury that Luton cannot afford. By January, other clubs facing relegation may bolster their squads with reinforcements. It is truly remarkable what they have accomplished thus far.

The thing is Horseman is trying to protect his job.  They went through 3 managers before him since this time last year.  They were relegated and now find themselves at the foot of the table, so he must be feeling the pressure.  I think that interview was more about asking the chairman for a bit more time as it was a genuine analysis of the game.

Their manager will undoubtedly be feeling the pressure. I find @Chris’s comments interesting, but I don’t usually pay much attention to the opposition as they can often resemble politicians, moulded by their own agendas and beliefs rather than being honest and humble. Notts played very well, even though I felt like Forest Green could go on and cause an upset. I think that second goal for them woke Notts up, thankfully we turned our performance back on. Finishing the game 4-3 is just a reminder that some teams won’t just lay down because we are leading a game.

Leeds United 1-0 Watford Joker

Swansea City 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday

Cambridge United 0-1 Port Vale

Portsmouth 2-1 Lincoln City

Morecambe 0-1 Swindon Town

Stockport County 1-3 Wrexham

Gateshead 2-0 Maidenhead United

Oldham Athletic 0-0 Oxford City

The results:

Leeds United 3-0 Watford
Swansea City 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Cambridge United 1-1 Port Vale
Portsmouth 2-1 Lincoln City
Morecambe 2-2 Swindon Town
Stockport County 5-0 Wrexham
Gateshead 3-0 Maidenhead United
Oldham Athletic 4-0 Oxford City

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They'll be dancing in the streets in G-Town as @gtownjohnno is our highest scorer this round!

@gtownjohnno - 14
@DangerousSausage - 10
@ARLukomski, @cheeky~k8 - 9
@Dan, @thommo - 8
@Fan of Big Tone, @nottsnutter, @super_ram, @TheSkipper, @upthepies - 7
@liampie, @DonnyNotts, @william1984, @jimbob, @Nocturnal-Magpie - 6
@4everapie, @JIMBO - 5
@Joshua, @OoooooTommy, @CliftonMagpie - 4
@magpiejue, @Megan_Elizax, @AmericanPie - 3
@KingWilliams, @allardyces tash, @Chris, @NottsCountyKev - 2

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@ARLukomski still leads the way, but @gtownjohnno is now just a single point off the top. And look who's third!

ARLukomski - 53
gtownjohnno - 52
DangerousSausage - 45
cheeky~k8 - 44
liampie - 42
4everapie - 42
Fan of Big Tone - 41
nottsnutter - 41
Joshua - 41
magpiejue - 41
DonnyNotts - 40
super_ram - 39
Dan - 38
william1984 - 38
TheSkipper - 36
jimbob - 34
KingWilliams - 34
thommo - 32
allardyces tash - 32
Chris - 32
NottsCountyKev - 31
upthepies - 30
Megan_Elizax - 30
JIMBO - 28
OoooooTommy - 25
CliftonMagpie - 23
KB1862 - 22
Nocturnal-Magpie - 21
AmericanPie - 21
George L - 6
Canadian - 4

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So now we're finally up to date again. The next round is on Saturday, the fixtures are online now!

top five.

i will take that, keep going everyone and well done!

It's a funny tweet, but really they need something else to help them from conceding that amount of goals.

I don’t think they need to visit the opticians, but the tweet is amusing, like the blind leading the blind. Perhaps they should ring up the ghost hunters? To rid themselves of their troubles.

Perhaps it’s the manager who needs glasses, after all, he selected the squad and instructed them. It could very well be a case of the blind leading the blind.

Impartially, I find myself aligning more with @liampie’s views as they resonate more accurately with my own opinion.

I would be more critical of Jim O'Brien, Aidan Stone and Sam Austin, by their own standards, each were just above average.

Rest of the players did well in various levels.

Thank you for sharing the ratings. I perceived Tobi to be largely positive when he came on, although he is a bit weak with heading and did give the ball away needlessly. However, I wouldn’t downgrade him for it. Similarly, I believe Kyle Cameron was perfectly fine.

As for films, I don’t have a particular favourite as my preferences vary depending on my mood. I’m quite fond of most Pixar and Dreamworks animations, as I tend not to enjoy some of the more serious genres like horror. While I can watch them and find some enjoyable, I generally prefer content that is more family-oriented. Star Wars could potentially be one of my favourites. Interestingly, I actually prefer the films that were released after the original trilogy.

I wouldn’t classify myself as a film enthusiast, but I can appreciate most genres. My favourite actors are Nicholas Cage and Johnny Depp, both of whom are distinct yet excellent character actors.

Secret Window is a very interesting film, as is Memento.

During his first loan, I was quite fond of Sam Graham, although he did become somewhat nervous and prone to mistakes over time. I hope he does well. I’ve noticed it’s only a short-term deal, and I don’t believe it’s conducive to his development to not be settled with a club that will play him for the long term. I hope he finds his footing in the National League.

I concur that Sam Graham started off well, but he quickly faded into obscurity and became ineffective. I lost my regard for him after that, and when he returned for the second time, I seriously questioned the rationale behind it.

I recall his stints with Notts, but I’m unable to comment on his performance as I didn’t view the matches. I wish the young man all the best in his transition.

It’s a right laugh, I don’t take this seriously at all and I’m here for the fun. Which is what everyone in my position ought to be saying.

Enjoy your holiday

How this has quickly changed from the last posted round, just goes to show what a few good rounds can do.

If this licence can be enforced and owners are made to adhere to stricter rules, it could significantly alleviate the debt issues we often see. Sometimes, owners may have a tendency to gamble, throwing caution to the wind and overspending in the hopes of achieving promotion. There’s much that can be done, but this is certainly a positive beginning.

For more detailed information about the changes, you can read further here. I found the podcast quite enjoyable to listen to; it’s highly informative, especially in relation to football, which is valuable given the scarcity of such resources.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforming-club-football-governance-consultation-response/a-sustainable-future-reforming-club-football-governance-consultation-response

The introduction of some reform should significantly help in addressing the issue of overspending. There’s a case to be made for fans declaring their budget and how it’s being allocated. This could instil a sense of realism among fans and a better understanding that a club can’t continually spend money on signings, transfer fees, wages, and agents.

The situation with Exeter is disappointing and not beneficial for football. If they fielded a strong team, they should consider reimbursing the fans who paid to watch the match.

As for the EFL Trophy, that result is truly embarrassing! What a complete shambles.

Regardless of whether the fans care about the cup or not, this result is simply unacceptable. Conceding that many goals is disgraceful for a professional football club, much like Sheffield United.

I terms of what’s posted on twitter, Tom’s comments were relatively tame. I can tell you right now the replies to Notts’ tweet about him giving away a pen or the reaction (overreaction) to the tweet about MK Dons scoring will be much worse.

Feels like he’s picked on the wrong guy here. Especially when you see the same names posting things like “X needs to do one” or “X is so bad” (that’s the expletive subbed version!). If he replied to one of them I can’t imagine the backlash would be as bad, they offer no critic and are just personal insults. Instead, he went for someone who slightly criticised what he did on the pitch.

Connell Rawlinson might think that Tom Williams is the cause of the problem. He probably doesn’t like Tom because of the negative comments from people who claim to know better about certain players. It’s not really Tom’s fault, he just shares his opinions. However, it can be risky when he interacts with people who are rude, as it can seem like he is endorsing their behaviour. Some of the negative comments about Rawlinson have been responded to, which isn’t a good idea, even if you are upset. There’s a difference between tweeting something that should stay private and responding to rude tweets. It’s easy to see why it might seem like he is the target. I don’t blame Tom, but it would be better if he avoided these kinds of interactions. It never reflects well on you. Connell should block and ignore these people.

It’s disheartening to see Connell Rawlinson publicly criticising someone for merely expressing their thoughts. Whether he has the right to do so or not, some things are better kept private. However, considering the criticism he likely receives, it’s forgivable. Hopefully, Tom Williams won’t take it personally and will distance himself from any abuse. This would demonstrate that he’s not there to cause trouble but to share his thoughts. From what I’ve seen of his tweets shared here, Tom seems like a bright lad who hasn’t done anything wrong.

It's a good site, PON. Welcome and hello @Andrew Edwards.

Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham @Andrew Edwards!

Hello, @Andrew Edwards. Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham. I hope to see you join in whenever you can.
See you across the pond!

It's a good site, PON. Welcome and hello @Gary Adamson.

Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham @Gary Adamson!

Hello, @Gary Adamson. Welcome to the Pride of Nottingham. I hope to see you join in whenever you can.

See you across the pond!

You’ve got to admit that at this level Deeney is still a great player even though he is nearing the end of his career, similar to McGoldrick for us, these players have played alongside the best players in the top division and have a wealth of experience to impart to lesser gifted players.

Some wonderful angles on FGR own highlights

The highlights from Forest Green are indeed impressive, with the low angle lending a contemporary feel to the match. It’s clear that Connell Rawlinson did clip their player, but it seems he was justified in his attempt, making the decision appear severe. Their player wasn’t poised to score a goal and even handled the ball after contact was made. If Rawlinson was the first to make contact, I would dispute the decision.

Great way to get us to click on it , good luck to him.

As for Jesse Debrah, I’m not concerned about missing out on him. I suspect he demanded a significant wage, and unless he was going to be a starter, that might be the reason. I can’t say whether we approached him as I don’t know, but I think it’s unlikely.

Jesse Debrah seemed like a promising prospect to sign, but there are plenty of options. As long as we’re winning, it’s not much of a concern. Hopefully, by January, we’ll have someone lined up because Ollie Tipton and the other lad seem far from ready for our first team.

I didn't recall the name until I saw his wiki photo, then I remembered him. He was too lightweight and easily overpowered back then, but he was young. On paper, I remember feeling the loan would give us some pace, but he never got going.

I wasn't even aware he played for Forest Green Rovers, I wished I had checked in hindsight as it would have been interesting to note how he did if he played against us.

i dont remember him at all, he made 3 appearances? was this during the trew period where we just signed youth players on loan and expected them to be improvements over senior squad players? 

I don’t recall him at all, does anyone else remember any of his appearances?

@Chris I’m so pleased to hear the players and manager took time to speak with you it’s great to hear.

Today we went to Ryde for the last day of our holiday and it was a lovely day, we had a nice walk along the sea front with great views of the Solent and Portsmouth across the water.

Back to reality tomorrow was we catch the ferry home and back to hospital appointments and tests for Mrs. T.

I was at the game with my partner, sister, brother in law and nephew.  What a game.  Notts and our fans are winning my partner over (she previously hated football).  The play is exciting and the fans are really funny and the chants are all in great humour.  We loved the Sutton game for that reason too.  After we had a take away with my sister, then yesterday made our way back to Thanet.  It was a great weekend.

Bristol City 2-0 West Bromwich Albion

Huddersfield Town 1-3 Rotherham United

Derby County 1-2 Portsmouth (Joker) 

Shrewsbury Town 2-0 Bristol Rovers

Crawley Town 3-2 Tranmere Rovers

Newport County 1-0 Barrow

Hartlepool United 2-2 Woking

Wealdstone 1-1 Altrincham

The results:

Bristol City 0-0 West Bromwich Albion
Huddersfield Town 2-0 Rotherham United
Derby County 1-1 Portsmouth
Shrewsbury Town 0-2 Bristol Rovers
Crawley Town 3-2 Tranmere Rovers
Newport County 1-1 Barrow
Hartlepool United 0-2 Woking
Wealdstone 0-0 Altrincham

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The top scorer for round 8 was @Dan, with honourable mentions also going to @Chris and @DonnyNotts. Congrats!

@Dan - 9
@Chris, @DonnyNotts - 8
@ARLukomski, @Fan of Big Tone - 7
@super_ram - 5
@gtownjohnno, @KB1862, @NottsCountyKev, @nottsnutter, @william1984 - 4
@cheeky~k8, @DangerousSausage, @Megan_Elizax - 3
@jimbob, @magpiejue - 2

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A few big winners this round, most of all @ARLukomski who takes top spot!

ARLukomski - 44
gtownjohnno - 38
magpiejue - 38
4everapie - 37
Joshua - 37
liampie - 36
cheeky~k8 - 35
DangerousSausage - 35
DonnyNotts - 34
Fan of Big Tone - 34
nottsnutter - 34
super_ram - 32
william1984 - 32
KingWilliams - 32
Dan - 30
Chris - 30
allardyces tash - 30
NottsCountyKev - 29
TheSkipper - 29
jimbob - 28
Megan_Elizax - 27
thommo - 24
JIMBO - 23
upthepies - 23
KB1862 - 22
OoooooTommy - 21
CliftonMagpie - 19
AmericanPie - 18
Nocturnal-Magpie - 15
George L - 6
Canadian - 4

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So those were the points for round 8. Round 9 is now also done and dusted and I'll be posting the points for that in the next few days. The prediction league will continue with round 10 this coming Saturday, with the fixtures going online on Wednesday. Thank you all for playing!

I’m steadily moving up the table, look out boys and girls @Fan of Big Tone I’d coming to get ya.

We should express our gratitude for having Gareth Southgate as our coach. Once he leaves, we will likely regress to being an average team that can only hope to reach the semi-finals or knockout stages of major tournaments. Those who have constantly criticized him will soon realize how valuable he was. Sometimes, we fail to appreciate someone's worth until they are gone. This is evident with Germany, who are now experiencing difficulties due to their own costly errors. In all honesty, I'm not surprised by their current struggles.

i dont keep up to date with many international teams, so i was not aware about this and did not know that germany were having a difficult time. could it be because of the shift with the bundesliga seeing more foreign players join and less top german's leaving for the likes of the premier league? 

It really wasn't such a surprising decision - Germany had won just four of their previous 17 games, an unimaginably poor record for them. And this in the run-up to the 2024 European Championships in Germany, where the team will be under pressure to deliver. A good club manager doesn't always make a good national team manager, as we discovered with Taylor, Capello and many others.

Which brings us to the new man, Julian Nagelsmann, who has been given an eight-month contract. This makes no sense at all - if you're going down the short-term route, you want someone who has managed a national team before, such as Louis Van Haal or Steffen Kuntz. Instead they've appointed someone who has only been a club manager and who prefers a high-octane pressing style that takes a lot of coaching - not something you can really drill into the players during international breaks.

I don’t foresee Oldham having much luck in the managerial department, but they should be able to find someone who can do a commendable job, stabilise the situation, and provide a platform for them to progress.

Another sacked so early in the season.

Oldham are a mess, they’re in the National League for a reason. Unlike us, they’re not taking the time to address their problems. They keep creating more issues, and I believe they’ll remain in the Non-League for several seasons.

Rest in peace Colin Murphy,you did your best.

RIP, thoughts are with his family.

I feel a bit disrespectful that I don't know who he is, but I see he managed Notts. I do appreciate his time with the club and I do wished I knew more about him and his time here. Rest in Peace, Colin Murphy.