In recent years we've seen the vast majority of Clubs, especially in the top two leagues field weakened sides in the early rounds of these Cup Competitions.

Some supporters understand why they do it, some supporters think that their club don't take Cup competitions seriously.

As we all know, the top clubs in the PL concentrate on winning the league & going far into European competitions to make money. That's their prime focus. Only in later rounds of cup competitions, they tend to field their strongest side.

This mindset has spread to the lower leagues and even down to the National League where the modern focus is to save players for the League.

It is understandable that clubs want to concentrate on getting promotion because that increases support, which in turn increases revenue.

But for lower league clubs getting through the early rounds then getting to meet a big club can be very financially lucrative, for clubs.

That's why I would like to see many more lower league clubs like Notts field a stronger side in the Cup competitions, because it would reap dividends if they could get through & meet a Man U or a Man C.

As a Notts supporter it would be great to see Notts match up to a PL side at Meadow Lane. 

Thoughts?

I'll make a 1-24 write-up for the site in time, but I ask the question to you?

Top 3

Play-offs

Relegation

Who are we going with?

I've been trying to get round to writing this and then put it up for a while, but me being me, has never got round to doing it.

I struggle with speeches like this and trying to find the right words at the right moments. That's why I tend to freeze in important moments. 

For a while now (and I mean a few years) I've been wondering whether or not to carry on with my YouTube channel and my matchday videos. I started them because YouTube looked fun and whilst I enjoyed it for a certain amount of time, it got to a point where my motivation dipped dramatically and others (I tend to compare myself to others a lot even though I know it won't help) were and still are producing much better content. Summed up by the fact I didn't even bother to edit or upload the last two games of last season. 

I beat myself up over the smallest of mistakes and things can get to me quite easily. Whilst I should do it for the enjoyment and, I do get a modicum of enjoyment from time to time out of it, the low views, the Grimsby and Newport problems last season, the comment section after Donny and my mental health in general, coupled with my lack of motivation, really made me wonder/makes me wonder if I should bother carrying on.

I still get people tell me they watch my videos and they enjoy them and I sometimes still get noticed out and about or at games, and I even had someone ask for a selfie with me at The Nest a while back, but I can never convince myself that my content is actually good. I want to be good at something, I want to be skilled, I want to be talented. That would go someway for me to be able to live with myself and find inner peace. However it feels a long way off. I've always had that feeling of having no sense of achievement. So no matter what I accomplish, I will always dismiss it because, either others will judge it, I think other people will have done something better or that any other normal person could have accomplished what I've done.

I've always thought, if I quit, what would others think? A lot of people don't know me well enough to know why I am like I am. I haven't reached the stage of being comfortable enough to open up about my mental health. Would people still recognise me and see me for who I am, or would I just be a nobody? Would I still be relevant? Would people still see me as that YouTube guy? 

So I'm undecided. I've had this feeling inside of me and I've constantly questioned myself as to what the right choice is. I feel like I want to or need to pack it in but then it wouldn't feel right not doing what I have been doing for 8½ years and what I'm sort of known for doing. It takes a lot to give up something like this as it's been a big part of my life for almost a decade and part of me still wants to fight on. Something inside of me tells me there is something worth fighting for.

This is where you come in. It is no longer in my hands. It is in the hands of the people. I need reasons to carry on. Why you think it's worth it, what's good and not good and what can be improved? I need YOU to tell me it is worth carrying on and to convince me.

The feedback matters and I want you tell me honestly and to give me the reasons to carry on.

No matter what the decision though, please don't forget about me 

Game 1 - Super White Army (A)

Team: Tranmere Rovers

Date: 10/08/2024

Where: Prenton Park

What line-up should Stuart Maynard opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are back! A new prediction league season is upon us. It is a time of boundless optimism, we all start from 0 points and there are no points deductions (this isn't the Premier League after all). This is how it works:

At least two days before every matchday I will post a thread with eight matches to predict from the Championship, League One, League Two and the Conference. You then reply with your predicted scores. The cut-off time for posting is kick-off (in this case 3pm). At the end of it all I'll then post a table with the current standings.

Scoring system: 3 points for a correct score and 1 for a correct result. So if you predict Swindon to beat Walsall 2-1 and they do, you get 3 points; if Swindon win 1-0, you get 1 point. Each round you can also choose one match as your joker - any points you win for that match are then doubled.

Why not have a go? EVERYONE is welcome to take part - the more the merrier! Just post your predictions underneath, and remember to assign a joker. And if you have any difficulty, just drop me a line. Good luck!

Barrow v Crewe Alexandra

Gillingham v Carlisle United

Harrogate Town v Bromley

Salford City v Port Vale

Altrincham v Woking

Boston United v Rochdale

Halifax Town v Barnet

Southend United v York City

Listening to Maynards post match interview he’s asking fans to be patient and they are working hard behind the scenes to get the right person in.

I’m hoping for a striker before the window shuts which is in about three weeks I think. What’s on your wish list?

The family abandoned Wrexham and moved to Nottingham... @Dry Nelson Ray The thought that I could have been born and grown up as a Wrexham supporter

Terribly sad news this morning that former Surrey & England Cricketer Graham Thorpe has died at the age of 55.

RIP Graham.

This is a thread to discuss British Successes in the Paris Olympic Games 24.

Let's hope that the Brits can have a successful Games once again.

Hold on to your hats.

I was thinking why do we have a weekday chat and a weekend chat? So I thought I’d start a weekly chat and merge them together.

So let’s talk about everyday things in here, what is happening in your life, highs, lows, moans, groans.

It’s Monday and a cloudy start, the bins are out ready for the bin men and I must remember to put next doors back as they are away. We’ve got good neighbours both sides here who look out for each other, we are very lucky.

Have a great day everyone, what’s happening in your life?

This is a shock.

I aim for this game to be fun, so please join in. However, there is one rule that I ask you to follow: please make every effort not to spam answers and write your guess in at least a sentence.

Let’s avoid one-word replies, as this could be a good game but I do not want to be told off by the gaffer!

I will give a short teaser into an ex-player’s background. I won’t give much away until there have been a few guesses and I will slowly start expanding on the information until the correct answer is guessed.

Here goes:

This person was born in May 197x and is a former English professional footballer who plays as a striker.

He is well-known not only at Notts County but has also played football for a number of clubs during his career. In fact, he has played for 20 teams at various levels in the English football pyramid.

You may ask me questions and request clues. However, the information I provide is solely based on the effort put in by the community.

I watched Match Talk on Notts TV the other night and the guest Notts fan Adrian somebody, said he’d heard that the Mansfield forward could be coming to Notts, he asked Charlie McParland who is employed by Mansfield if he’d heard anything but Charlie was tight lipped.

Anyone else heard this rumour.

I think it’d be a great signing if we could pull it off.

A few weeks ago I asked the question Lambs to Magpies regarding the Notts Nickname. So I thought I'd have a deeper look into the Bird which Notts County carry as their Nickname. There are of course many stories  rhymes and superstitions about the Magpie. One of the most Famous things regarding the Magpie is the Rhyme.

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, Three for a Girl, Four for a Boy, Five for Silver, Six for Gold, Seven for a Secret never to be told, Eight's a Wish , Nine's Kiss, Ten is a Bird You Mustn't Miss the Magpie. Along with the Rhyme there are many Superstitions. Such as  if you see a single Magpie, to keep the Sorrow away you simply Spit on the Ground. Another way is to Spit over your Left Shoulder and say Devil I Defy You.  While another way is to nod your head and say Hello Mr Magpie, how's the Missus and kids?

Of course the Magpie is one of the Most Intelligent of the World's Bird species, they can recognize each other and they also morn their Dead. If you ever see a Dead Magpie, keep well away because they can recognize the Human face and will rightly or wrongly associate you as the Killer of their Kin. Farmers who Kill Magpies to keep them away from their crops, cover their Faces when they Hang Dead Magpie Bodies on the fences of their Land. This Gruesome Ritual does work as it does with Crows, the Family of which Magpies are apart of. 

The Magpie is Also a Killer. Smashing other Birds eggs for their yoke and eating their Hatchlings. Interestingly the birds called  Magpies in Australia are Not related to Magpies in the rest of the World. The Magpie's Genus name is Pica Pica. Pica is Old English for Pie. So if you shout come on you Pica's down the Lane you're still right. I May write a part two to this Topic, if this one is Received Well.

As We Fans of Lower League Clubs continue to look on as another  League 2 or National League Club face Financial Problems or Administration ( problems that we Fans of Notts are Familiar with in the Club's Past). Help Is Wanted. Now I'm Not a Finance Expert Just an Ordinary Fan who has ideas which May Help Clubs they are Not a Cure for a Club's Debts or Any Other Problems They May Have. This Topic is Just Food For Thought.

Firstly Any Club with Financial Worries shouldn't have the Added Burden of the EFL Slapping a 10 Point Deduction on them, should they manage to get they Finances in Order before the Start of the Following or Current Season. It Makes No Sense and Just Puts More Pressure on a Club.

The EFL Need to Work with a Financial Company who can produce a Blue Print to help Struggling Clubs with Such Things has Players and Staff wages, Stadium Rental Etc and Produce a Budget which the Club must Stick Rigidly Too.

It would also be a Huge Gesture and Financial Help, if a Top Premier League Team would Play a Match against a Struggling Club All Star XI. By that I mean take Manchester City 's Team Full of all their Star Players (Haarland Foden etc) and Play Woking (who have been the Latest Club with money Troubles), the Woking Team would be Thrashed I hear you  say. Ah Yes but what if the Woking Team also had Premier League Stars in their side? Say 8 Stars and 3 Woking players in the Line Up, who could be subbed during the game by their Team mates, so all the Woking players got a Chance to play With and Against Premier League Players and Michael Doyle could pitch his wits against Pep. All the Premier Players will offer their Services Free and all Money Raised would go into the Woking Club Coffers. Just a Couple of  Ideas from Me. Do any other PON Members have Ideas that Could Help Clubs in Trouble?

Are you like me ? As you get Older Certain Things Start to Annoy You Even More. Take for example the other day I'm standing in the que in a local shop and there's a Guy waiting to be served  all he's Got is a packet of Chewing Gum. That's a pound please says the the young Lad at the till. I'll pay by card says the bloke.

Your bill comes to a Quid, and you want to pay by Card? Are you serious, you've Not Got a pound coin in your pocket?

And another thing which Annoys Me. As this ever Happened to You? You've done your shopping your at the Check Out and the woman in front of you starts putting her Groceries on the belt. Then she declares she's forgotten something, so instead of taking her shopping of the belt, she leaves them there and disappears back into the shop to do more shopping, and you can guarantee she always comes back with more than the one item she's supposed to have Forgotten.

Then there's always the Old Girl who stands there talking to the Girl at the Till and starts to tell her all about her Grandkids and the holidays she's just had and you get a run down of where she and her husband stayed and what the Weather was like. You listen to her Drone On and you think for God's sake sake Woman SHUT UP Gather up your shopping and P*** Off.

Why do people who speak to somebody on their Mobile Phone when their on the Bus, always assume the Person on the other End is Deaf. You get to hear everything how the Bloke who dumped Tracey is a Bast***. How she knew he was a wrong 'un but didn't tell poor Tracey. Then you get the budding Popstar who plays a song at high volume then proceeds to sing along with it. And their voice is awful, and they can't carry a tune in a Bucket. So if you're one of theses people stop and think for a moment, the World is a Stressful Place and it DOESN'T NEED YOU TO ADD TO IT.

Well not the whole Club just a piece of it. That's what American Soccer  Side Orange County Soccer Club are offering to people across the World a chance to become part Owner of a Second Division Football Club.

This Opportunity came to light when I watched a Football Fan You tube Channel I Follow called Stuntpeg. It gives you an insight into how American "Soccer Is Run" and how MLS doesn't allow Promotion and Relegation. Orange County won the Second Division Championship in 2021 but weren't allowed into the MLS it also tells of how LA  Galaxy tried to throw them out of their Stadium, it really is interesting and an eye opener if your an English Football Fan. Please give it a Look and Comment My Fellow PON Members. Yes there's some strange things within the Video, but it does cast a light on " American Soccer"

Callum McGregor  who spent time on Loan at Meadow Lane as Retired from International Duty. The 31 year Old represented his country 63 times and also Captained the International side.

Scottish Manager Steve Clarke said he was disappointed with the News, but said he understood McGregor's reasons.

The Celtic Captain said he was honoured to have represented his country in two Major Tournaments. And added  

He would Now Focus All His Footballing Attention On His Club Side.

A Nice Simple Question.

Just Out Of Curiosity.

Who In Your Opinion Is The Best Notts Coach Of The 21st Century ?

Two Come To My Mind Martin "Mad Dog" Allen And Steve Cotterill.

Good luck to John Bostock at Solihull Moors.