Oh dear. Goal to Wealdstone.

Wealdstone 1 Notts 2

Another win for Notts in the pre season friendlies.

A bit disjointed in the second half after the substitutions, but very good in the first half.

Nice to see Jatta scoring, let’s hope he carries on where Langstaff left off and bags loads of goals.

Gareth Southgate has spoken twice about stepping down, although going into the Euros - it seemed likely that he would be standing by his word. I find it quite saddening because whilst he's not been perfect, he got the squad resembling a team we could be proud of. This tournament wasn't the best, perhaps the players knew? I can't suggest all the poor performances could have been down to nerves, wanting to end Southgate's reign as well as possible, but I would be mindful of it.

I don't think who takes over next has much to do, but at the same time I don't have much enthusiasm that we'll be able to see who could come in.

Most likely it will be a lacklustre appointment, I mean the candidates link already leaves me feeling like this. ????

3 minutes ago, Chris said:

Most likely it will be a lacklustre appointment

Wouldn't put it past the FA to do exactly this. 

4 minutes ago, Chris said:

I find it quite saddening because whilst he's not been perfect, he got the squad resembling a team we could be proud of.

He may be tactically inept and his in game management as well as loyalty to players can be at fault for him not being able to get us over the line but this is why I'm glad it was his decision to part ways because of, as I've mentioned previously, how he's galvanised the team from rock bottom to getting fans cheering again and having a team to be proud of. 

7 minutes ago, Chris said:

I don't think who takes over next has much to do

Southgate has laid the foundations for someone to come in who can actually deliver and get us over the line.

I had to post this one.

It's funny but right on the ball too 

When it comes down to it, it is mindset. 

England when behind, had attacked the Spanish goal to get back on terms, but once they had equalised, the England team, became cautious & negative once again.

If you can sum up an England team under the Southgate Managership this would be it.

It looks to me that Southgate is pushing this philosophy of safety first when drawing or in front, because for example, after Spain scored their second goal, England started attacking Spain again & nearly equalised when a header was cleared off the line in the last minute.

Like I've said before, Southgate lacks boldness and this mindset spreads to the England players in how they play, when they are in front, or when they are drawing, compared to being behind.

That's why I feel England will never win a tournament under Southgate.

It’s reasonable for teams to spend the initial 10-20 minutes of a match trying to figure each other out. I felt the game against Spain was relatively open during the first half. Whatever Luis de la Fuente said at half time seemed to make a difference, as they emerged with a better understanding of how to create opportunities against us. In contrast, England started the second half in the same manner and quickly found themselves under pressure.

In my view, Spain deserved the victory. They played some truly enjoyable football. However, I believe that if changes had been implemented earlier, England could have posed a greater threat. The decision to start Harry Kane, despite knowing he’s been immobile and struggling, seems questionable. But I can appreciate that he just needs one or two good opportunities to score. It might have made more sense to start Ollie Watkins instead of fielding two strikers.

Spain struggled with the long balls and faster direct play, which all changed once substitutions were made. Cole Palmer has been a refreshing presence in the short time he’s been on the pitch. Unfortunately, John Stones and Kyle Walker contributed to our downfall due to their lack of defensive mindset and awareness. Their awareness was not so much about cutting out the danger, but rather being caught out and unable to block what led to goals. I thought Stones was incredibly average, unlike Marc Guehi. He performed exceptionally well throughout the Euros, I felt.

@TheSkipper

Totally agree with the Marc Guehi comment. He's been quite possibly our best player this tournament and if he's not our best he's definitely in the conversation for being our best player of the tournament. Can't fault his displays.

Harry Kane should have been dropped 3 or 4 games before the final. He was not right all tournament, later on Southgate admitted he wasn't quite match fit going in to the tournament which begs the question why wasn't he subbed or dropped sooner?

Spain were open all tournament when they got attacked. Every game they played in and teams broke at them, their defence showed cracks that they could be got at but as @Robbie said we just sat back once we got level and that's been a key part of England under Southgate. People have been saying it was the players not applying themselves and going cautious on their own accord rather than Southgate instructing them but if that was the case, again as @Robbie said, Southgate has to be bolder and make the necessary changes to change the mentality and get them attacking again.  

I don’t believe he should have stayed, but I concur with others that it would have been nice to see him compete for his spot. I get the impression that Kyle Cameron might sense his days are numbered and wanted to move before he became redundant. We have been somewhat more ruthless in phasing out players from the team and listing them for transfer, which is the preferred way for the club to manage player transitions.

I too am saddened by the loss of Kyle. I feel like he got the short-end of the stick when it came to the fans. Even if he was offered a new deal I think he would've turned it down. 

I think he made the right choice. It seemed as though he was slowly fading into non-existance. He's got a real leader in him and I think he'll be able to show it at St. Johnstone.

But now we are in the big leagues, we need powerful players who can show up when most needed. The replenishment of our backline is refreshing indeed.

It appears that the transfer has sparked and revived Kyle’s passion for football. Fans who previously posted negative comments on Twitter, urging him to leave the club during last season’s poor form, might now be having second thoughts. While I’m delighted to see him thriving, I believe there’s no possibility that Notts will reap any benefits from this move.

Cracking goal. Read a few muppets on social media losing their head, making out Kyle Cameron is a cracking defender after scoring against.... Brechin City of the Higlands league... with 1000 watching on. 

Yeah, the fact he was made captain straight away tells you the quality of the players already there clearly isn't great. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to KC here, I hope he does well there, but their manager only saw him play a couple of friendlies, not even fully fit and thought, "yep he's levels above these guys and I'll be starting him every game!"

I'll be interested to see how he does once the season starts, it's very likely he'll have a few good games and few terrible ones because the the Scottish Premier League is really odd in sense that that gap between the top and bottom is huge. It's like having a league with 2 Premiership teams, 2 Championship teams, 2 League One teams, 2 League Two teams and 2 National League teams...

I have a sneaky feeling we will ????

Spain are the best team in Europe and proved it tonight. Palmer's goal was brilliant but Spain's winner was sublime. Football as it should be played. The future is bright for England, a more adventurous manager is probably required to take them to the next level. 

Unfortunately, the best team won the tournament. Spain played and beat Croatia, Italy, Germany, France and England on their route to lifting the trophy. As the saying goes "To be the best you have to beat the best" and that's exactly what Spain did. Breaking multiple records along the way. 

Seems a good player to bring in, hopefully he does well for us.

people saying 'mansfield reject' ????

crawley paid a disclosed fee, that says he had something that they thought was worth paying for and he helped them gain promotion. now arriving to us on a free. give him the chance to prove himself without coming out with dumb negativity. he seems a good option going forward, we need to remind ourselves that aaron nemane and jodi jones are very defensive. if we can attack and hold the ball, along with a solid defensive back three then the wing backs only need to support.

i like the fact he seems to have plenty of pace, that is enough to cause players to make mistakes. hopefully he settles and shows he is a good player. seems a good signing to me.

The emergence of young Spanish football wingers is invigorating the sport. Their talent and creativity are revitalising teams and captivating fans. Their performances promise a bright future for Spanish football, highlighting the success of Spain’s youth development programmes.

Why do the Media keep going on and on About the Colour of a Players Skin? It's so Bloody Annoying, Both are Young and Highly Talented Footballers and have worked hard to get where they are today, Lets Just Celebrate That Fact.

Let's celebrate the fact that they are two very talented footballers, who have a great future in the game and could become footballing greats 

On 01/07/2024 at 23:42, Fozzy said:

But then I am more of a traditionalist and like the simple black and white stripes…

I imagine it’s really hard to do something every year just using black and white stripes, if they were nearly the same every year no one would probably bother to buy one.

This shirt will appeal because it’s a bit different but still has the stripes, I like the black back so we can see players names and numbers clearly.

I think it's a terrible kit. There's more red than white on it, and the plain black back and socks are poor too. Our colours are black and white. I certainly won't be buying it.

I'll wait and see what the away kit looks like, but am not optimistic as manufacturers seem to be falling over themselves to replicate the tacky designs of the early 90s. Maybe in a few years we'll get to play in a traditional kit again. 

What's everyone's recommendations on sizing for the shirts? As in previous seasons some have said go a size or 2 higher. 

Also noticed this when I went on to the club shop website...

Stuart Maynard s take on the 1:0 win over Wycombe today.

I know it's only pre-season but a result like that is definitely encouraging. Assuming like us they put out a mix of pros and youngsters, the level of the Wycombe team will be a lot better than Alfreton.

Love to know who the trialist was that scored, judging by the team-sheet I'd say it was the trialist midfielder (although given our gun-ho attack at times you can't 100% rule out that the trialist defender scored it!) Elliot Thorpe could be the guy given he played against Alfreton...

There’s is a picture online that shows Haji Mnoga played in the game, first half as he's playing in defence behind Gordon. He's a player that you would say is in a similar situation to Alex Kirk, in that he needs to join a team and settle down to properly start his career. However, given they both play primarily in the RCB spot you’d think we’d only have a spot for one them... Hard to know who has the better potential. Kirk wouldn’t have stayed at Arsenal for as long as he had if they didn’t think he’d have a chance of making it. Whilst Mnoga is a year old he's played a lot more professional games and even featured internationally for Tanzania. I’m glad I don’t have to be the one who has to decide, if indeed we do eventually sign one of them!

they seem to be flying off the creators work bench.  

They’re quite unique, aren’t they? I don’t need one, but they do look appealing. The feet seem a bit odd, but the rest is pretty cool. Has anyone bought one?

Does the Creator have Copyright to produce these Magpies ? What with them wearing Notts shirts with their sponsors name on them, it could Infringe Copyright. The Club have just lately come down on people using the Notts Brand. Is that just the Magpie Badge or does it Include the Shirt and Sponsor Logo's? 

A lucky escape for Derby eh @super_ram ?

This wouldn’t have helped Derby at all. Is he a Derby supporter or just someone trying to stash his money away? I don’t know much about him, to be honest, but this news is surprising.

The Rams dodged a Bullet there then. And Surprise Surprise Another Crooked Yank trying to muscle in on an English Football Club.

One might say, he didn’t live up to what he was hack’d up to be. He exerted effort, which we can’t criticise, but his signing was unwise and put the club at risk. None of it was his fault, but he seemed overwhelmed even with us. I think he had some success in the lower tiers of the Non League, but this turned out to be a costly lesson.

17 hours ago, Piethagoram said:

I was there for Hackworth's debut, a pre season friendly at East Fife.

He scored ... but I never rated him on that appearance or subsequent appearances. £ for £, Notts's worst ever signing... eclipsing Agana's purchase price

I was at that East Fife game. The only ground I've ever been to where there was a huge electrical power station down one side instead of a stand. 

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

I was at that East Fife game. The only ground I've ever been to where there was a huge electrical power station down one side instead of a stand. 

Notts weren't exactly "electric" that day 

It was a very good match. The Netherlands only had moments of brilliance and a few opportunities, but they never seemed to pose much of a threat. England stepped up their game and performed exceptionally well. It was a thrilling moment to see Ollie Watkins score the winning goal so late in the game.

I don’t agree with the commentators that the angle was difficult. It was a fantastic shot and an impressive display of skill to control it for the attempt, but once he was clear, you’d expect it to go in.

The game last night was by far England's best performance of the tournament, especially the first half. Dominated the midfield so much so that when Memphis Depay came off Ronald Koeman had to bring on another midfielder to regain some control in there.

Phil Foden looked to be on form last night. He was closing down well, running with the ball well, making spaces for himself to receive a pass and get attacks going. He can feel hard done not to have scored. That little jinking run he had in the box deserved a goal but unfortunately got blocked on the line. His other effort from distance that hit the post was unlucky and would have been deserving of that goal had it gone in.

After a good first half, thought the game was there for the taking. But whatever was said at half time or changed tactically, it hindered our performance. We looked a different side in the second half to what was out first half. We allowed Netherlands to get themselves back in the game, had shades of Croatia in 2018 and Italy in 2021 about it when we were comfortably dominating the game only to allow them a route back into the game with a chance. Fortunately that wasn't the case.

Was it a penalty for Harry Kane? I understand why it was given and there is a case for it. Had it been awarded to the Netherlands of course we'd all be up in arms about it.

Maradona handled it in 86, Beckham shouldn't have seen red in 98, Sol Campbell's goal should have stood in 2004 and Lampard's shot went over the line in 2010. So it was nice for us to get a little bit of luck. Even better when it was against a team led by Koeman. Payback for 1993 when he should have been sent off for the foul on Platt. 

Harry Kane had a better game, still not 100% convinced by him this tournament. The substitutions were, again, late but it proved to be good subs as Palmer linked up with Watkins to grab the winner. Watkins took his chance superbly well, I thought he had gone too wide but he someone managed to bang it in far post.

I'm still not sure why Saka's goal was disallowed, Walker looked level to me on replays would have liked to have seen Var show the Semi automated offside replay of that one to settle it. 

Everything that happened in the game was something all of us England fans have wanted to see. 3 at the back, Mainoo in the midfield, Foden playing as a 10 and Harry Kane off for Watkins. 

2 hours ago, Chris said:

They tried to counter with their elbows and other sly tactics. It's a shame, because when they didn't - the Netherlands could break looking like they could cause trouble.

Weghourst should have seen a yellow at least with some of his fouls. There were multiple of them worthy of being booked. But in terms of the Netherlands breaking and looking dangerous, I thought our defenders matched up to them especially Guehi. He's been superb this tournament and continued that last night.

2 hours ago, Chris said:

conceding to such a spectacular goal.

It was a great hit by Simons, take nothing away from the strike however I think it could have been avoided Rice was caught out needlessly and Walker perhaps could have closed him down sooner. 

Wrexham’s blunder is quite significant, making them appear more like a comedy club than a serious team.

should read egg on their faces. ????

someone will be getting a stern telling off for this mistake.

I’ve never known anything like this to happen before, but it seems like a possibility. Clearly, no one checked before making the announcement. I wonder how long it took to spot the error. It’s quite amusing!

On 11/07/2024 at 14:28, Fan of Big Tone said:

Glad it's not Covid although its not that dangerous these days especially with the jabs, glad you're feeling a bit better @cheeky~k8 ????

Yes but i havent had covid jabs(needle phobia) or covid when others got it. Could be my sinusitis fighting everything off though really as its an infection itself.

How are you?

2 minutes ago, cheeky~k8 said:

Yes but i havent had covid jabs(needle phobia)

Oh how I can relate to that I had serious needle phobia and I mean serious, I’d break out in a sweat just seeing a needle let alone having one. However I was so worried about catching covid I forced myself to face my worst nightmare, it was hard, very hard but I managed it and the feeling of elation afterwards was indescribable, I still get very agitated if I have to have blood tests or anything but nothing like I used to be because the more jabs I’ve had the easier it got.

@Fan of Big ToneI will have to face them one day when i have my op for my sinuses, removing 2 tooth roots out my sinuses(that still wont clear it or the cyst) but until then i can stay in hope that there won't be any as last time i had then it was when i had the kids and only the important ones were given, i refused the rest just like i do now. 

Dentist nearly had one half way across the room a year ago, i wouldnt let her put it near me.. i did warn her but she still tried and since hasnt bothered me with it. Im happy to keep my few out of sight broken teeth(not bothering me) than her do that.

Tony Hateley will always be remembered as a remarkable player for Notts. This club was like home to him, and he always fit right in when he wore our shirt. He’s an icon from the days when we had a formidable strike force.

Some of Notts’ older stars, like Tony Hateley, have left a significant mark on the club. From what I’ve read, Hateley was instrumental to Notts, scoring crucial goals and bolstering the team. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to influence the club, as highlighted in the Alumni article.

What made Tony Hateley such a great player was his hard-working attitude and how modest he was off the pitch. In those days, players seemed much more grateful to be professional footballers. He also learnt from some of the greatest players! He had two decent feet, was quick and powerful, and had an incredible shot. I remember some of his return towards the end of his career, but he was admired by many people I knew who supported Notts. He also had a great spell with Liverpool, whose fans loved him just as much as we did. A great traditional centre-forward.

Well said in the message. It’s high time that England excelled in major tournaments.

I love the back and forth banter between England and Germany. This is a great message. 

I wouldn't have expected it, but it's a good touch on the Embassy's part.

England being this successful in recent years, it's been long due. Fingers crossed, they'll be congratulations us come the final. ????????

I haven’t visited, but many of these types of islands seem to offer a more relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, which is very appealing for escaping the hustle and bustle of modern life. How many times have you visited, @Piethagoram?

@CliftonMagpieJust the once, it's not an easy place to get to!

Greenland appears to be a beautiful place where one could immerse oneself in nature, despite its sparse population. Nature documentaries suggest that both Greenland and the Faroe Islands remain largely unspoiled by human activity.

What a dream move. Good luck to him. Certainly life changing.

it does sound like a once in a live time move, but it does also seem like he has issues with applying himself. for a move like this to move you really need to commit.

if it was a top flight english club i could see this happening.

* who have we signed?

someone called thomas, from boreham wood.

* from boreham wood? thats a big step up

it is, he will be glad its sorba now.

You wouldn't have guessed this, but if it happens, it's a good move for him. The French league isn't as great as people say, but it's a good opportunity.

I’m afraid I don’t know who he is. I looked him up on Wiki, and it seems he’s been a solid player, having played for many reputable clubs. I wish him all the best.

I remember him very well playing for The Rams in the first part of the 1980's.A never say die attitude to his game ,full of energy. He chased and harried defenders and always gave 100%. Unfortunately his presence in the Rams team couldn't prevent my team dropping from the top flight to the third tier. However the fee the Rams received  when he was transferred to Ipswich helped fund Arthur Cox's(Rams manager) team rebuild and eventual return to top flight football.

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2018/01/ramstv-meets-kevin-wilson-part-two   A very interesting interview from Rams TV

I have a very bad memory, as I watched the video @super_ram recommended and I do now recall Kevin Wilson.

It sounds like Neil Warnock didn't want him at the club going off the interview. Warnock originally wasn't my cup of tea either, but he grew on me over time. Kevin Wilson, from my memory, wasn't a player afraid to get stuck in or take the brunt of challenges. I really needed to see a picture of him, which the tash he had at the time instantly reminded me. 

I wasn’t able to attend the game, but I followed the updates on the official Notts Twitter account. It seemed like an exciting match. I’m sure there are lessons to be learned from this game, which Stuart Maynard can address. However, a draw in a pre-season friendly isn’t a serious concern.

@Robbie, there’s no harm in trying to bring in a young player who can contribute when needed. If his skills are unique, it gives us an extra option, especially with Macca leaving. This would provide someone else in our current squad the opportunity to step up. These friendlies will be crucial for that. If we perform well, the club won’t need to worry about spending money to bring in a striker. The funds could be used elsewhere.

Does anyone have any news on why Alassana Jatta didn’t play? Was he even there? I don’t think he’ll be the next to leave, I’m just curious.

It's amazing how there are people commenting on how we're going to finish mid table or lower this season and that the manager will be gone before christmas based on this pre-season friendly. From what I heard of the game, there were a few good signs especially from the trialists as @ARLukomski has highlighted. But what is key to note about this pre-season game is that, it's not just about performance it's about players get match fit and ready for the season ahead. 

On 10/07/2024 at 11:14, Robbie said:

We already have four strikers on the books, Jatta, Morias, Didzy and Scott. Do we really need another one?

If the Notts defence does it's job this season that could result in 30 to 40 goals less conceded this season, that's more than enough to compensate for losing Macca.

I think we have the firepower to score 75 to 80+ goals with the team we have.

We should get goals from our midfield again, & more goals from our taller defenders from set pieces.

We have 21 in the squad so another four additions would take Notts up to 25 + the under 21s.

It would be a real risk to start the season with that strike force. We should concede less but given the style of play, it probably won't be as many as people think. To give SM a fighting chance, another striker is required, one who'll score on a regular basis. Otherwise I can see a difficult season ahead and SM under pressure from day one. 

10 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

Spain are going to take some beating, let’s hope it’s England who get the chance to try and beat them.

Here's hoping that England will meet Spain in the final. I think Spain can be got at, Georgia got at them so to did France multiple times. Plus take how good the French back line has been this tournament, Spain didn't fully play their usual tiki taka game and at times couldn't break the defence down like they would normal, instead they went for diagonal long balls to get in behind. With that being said, England's defence has been well organised and I think we could nullify their game if we end up meeting them in the final. 

I'm not sure if the England match will go ahead or if it might be delayed.

Euro 24 Semifinal result.

Netherlands 1 England 2.

England reach their first International final abroad, and their second consecutive Euro final under Gareth Southgate.

The Euro 24 Final.

Sunday 14 July

Spain vs England 

(Berlin, 20:00 CET)