After the win at Charlton, it seemed like anything was possible, that Notts County could keep the momentum going, get results against the Sheffield sides and secure a play-off position. However, this proved a bridge too far.
On a warm St Patrick’s Day at the lane, a bumper crowd of 12,410, including a sold out Jimmy Sirrel Stand packed with Owls fans, watched the Pies lose 2-1 against a resilient and well-organised Wednesday side, Ryan Lowe and Gary Madine netting the away side’s goals and Lloyd Sam with a late consolation for Notts.
An improvement was expected against the red side of Sheffield the following Tuesday; instead, a first-half horror show saw the Pies concede four against United, and even though Alan Judge and Julian Kelly netted two before the end of the 90 minutes, a fifth was conceded and, to make things worse skipper Neal Bishop, already going through a bad patch of form, was sent off after two yellows.
On a positive, the three consecutive games against the titans of the division were now behind them, and a return of three points may have seemed decent enough. However, this left Notts in eighth place on 56 points, with Carlisle and Stevenage into sixth and seventh spot respectively. Even worse, those two teams had two games in hand – the play-offs were theirs to lose now.
A resurgent Scunthorpe side was the next team to face County at Glanford Park, and despite Notts dominating the match, the Iron defence proved just that, and a 0-0 scoreline was the final result. Two more points dropped – had the wheel come off the wheelbarrow for good?
Keith Curle, alarmed at this drop in form, decided to make some personnel changes. Out went the ineffective Ben Burgess to Cheltenham, in came Dele Adebola, Daniel Bogdanovic and Nicholas Yennaris – the former two seasoned Championship-level veterans, the latter a talented Arsenal youth-teamer.
A good performance against Oldham culminated in another late winner for the Pies, Alan Sheehan getting the all-important goal in the 89th minute, while Leyton Orient were dispatched 3-0, courtesy of goals by Damion Stewart, Jeff Hughes and the ever-improving Sam. Crucially, the seemingly unsurmountable Carlisle dropped points at Wycombe; a last-minute Chairboys goal making it 1-1.
On Easter Bank Holiday, despite looking finished two weeks before, Notts miraculously rose back from the dead and ascended into the play-off positions once again. Carlisle dropped two more points, while Lloyd Sam decided to pay tribute to the injured Jonathan Forte by bagging a hat-trick of his own against Yeovil and sealing a 3-1 win. Sixth place was once again occupied by County.
Brentford were up next, away at Griffin Park. A fairly tricky fixture, Notts finished the game with a valuable point, keeping the Bees at bay in a 0-0 draw while Carlisle lost against Charlton, the Addicks sealing promotion to the Championship after an outstanding season.
As things stand after Matchday 43, it’s not quite advantage Notts, because Carlisle still have a game in hand. However, this will be played on Tuesday against fellow play-off chasers Stevenage, who trounced Yeovil 6-0 away on Saturday. All Pies’ eyes will be on the game this Tuesday evening, hoping the Cumbrians drop even more points and with three games left in the season, the saying “squeaky-bum time” has never been more apt.
However, having done so well to claw our way back into play-off contention twice in one season – when Keith Curle took over County while in 11th and again after dropping to 8th after the Sheffield games – it would be a shame not to finish the job properly! So Come On You Pies!
Written by Giuseppe Labellarte, We Are Going Up’s Notts County blogger
Just three weeks ago, Notts County fans were shellshocked by the announcement that Martin Allen had been sacked by the club. After all, he was a popular coach who helped save the club from relegation last season and was producing decent results. Even more bewildering was the fact he had been replaced by Keith Curle, a manager with an unimpressive record to say the least. However, the results have been completely astounding, and have convinced the County faithful that he’s definitely good enough for the job.
First was the Stevenage game at Meadow Lane. Curle was warmly greeted by the County faithful from the start, despite their doubts and the dark cloud still lingering over Allen’s sacking. Their warm welcome and cordiality was rewarded in the form of a Zona Cesarini goal (Google it: this is the first of several Italian references in this article) from Jeff Hughes. It ended 1-0 County.
The weekend game, against local rivals Chesterfield, was a fairly open affair which could have gone either way, again settled by a late goal, this time from on-loan Southampton striker Jonathan Forte.
Tuesday the 28th brought win number three, with Hamza Bencherif netting in injury time – in the first half on this occasion – to grind out another 1-0 win. Lee Hughes’s red card after 89 minutes, combined with five minutes of injury time to play tested the Pies to their very limit, but they hung on. Three wins, three goals scored, none conceded. The word catenaccio springs to mind! Comparisons to Steve Cotterill, engineer of 14 wins from 18 games in 2010 en route to the League Two title, were already being made.
Win number four came at home against Carlisle United. Amazingly, there was another clean sheet for County as they put two past the Cumbrians courtesy of Forte and Alan Sheehan.
Cruelly, Zona Cesarini (that’s injury time if you’re still wondering) proved County’s undoing away to Tranmere. Jamaican international Damion Stewart netted his first for the club after five minutes, but holding a lead for that long often proves a huge feat and in the 93rd minute, Tranmere captain John Welsh broke County’s hearts with a header past County keeper Stuart Nelson. Even though four wins and a draw from five is nevertheless an amazing feat, it is truly frustrating to be denied the even grander achievement of five wins from five with none conceded right at the very end of the fifth game.
The following three fixtures would have struck fear into the heart of any fan of a League One team: Charlton Athletic, runaway leaders of the division, away, then home games against Sheffield Wednesday, third in the table and Sheffield United, who are currently second.
What happened in the Charlton match was beyond the wildest expectations of not only every County fan, but everyone interested in the Football League. Judge opened the scoring on 16 minutes, then Forte scored with his right foot on 18 minutes, followed by his left on 35. Then with his head on 40 to complete a 22 minute hat-trick.
4-0 up, Against runaway leaders Charlton. Away. In the first half. Even if you use the strict German definition of hat-trick, which involves three goals scored by one player in one half of a match, with no other scorer in between, it fits. Truly a perfect hat-trick, and a perfect first half to cap off a near-perfect first three weeks in charge for Keith Curle.
Predictably, Charlton gaffer Chris Powell have issued some stern words to his players at half time, who duly came out all guns blazing in the second half. Bradley Wright-Phillips netted on 51 minutes, and four minutes later came a second, as Scott Wagstaff headed past Nelson. County, however, survived the relentless pressure and finished the game 4-2 winners.
So there we have it. Six games, five wins, one draw, ten scored, three conceded. That’s championship-winning form. Of course, talk of promotion is still very much premature. The two teams below the Pies, Carlisle and Stevenage, have two and three games in hand respectively, while the MK Dons are six points ahead in fifth place. Much rests on County’s following two games and those in hand of the teams below. Cementing a play-off position is a realistic objective and definitely back on the agenda, one thing is for sure though; County have the ability to split the League promotion race wide open if results go their way against the Sheffield clubs, which potentially could make for an amazing finale to the season.
And here’s a little more trivia; Forte, the surname of Saturday’s hat-trick hero, means strong in Italian, and is colloquially used to describe brilliance or affection – “sei forte!” translates to “you’re great/ace!” It stems from “forza” which, again, literally means “strength” but can also be used to mean “come on!” You may recall it from the name of bunga-bunga expert Silvio Berlusconi’s political party, Forza Italia, which has roots in traditional Italian football lingo, such as “Forza Juve!”
And who are County playing in pre-season this summer for their 150th anniversary? Why, only Italian giants and eternally grateful black-and-white-striped kit loanees Juventus. It’s very clearly written in the stars! So here’s to an exciting run-in and…. Forza County!
Written by Giuseppe Labellarte, We Are Going Up’s Notts County blogger
Life. You could be getting on with things as normal. Business as usual. Steady. Ticking on. Same old, same old. Then, all of a sudden, something happens so quickly that, once it’s taken place, you think “what just happened?” Like the time I was temping for a company many moons ago, and I made a small mistake on the job. The manager spotted it, called me to her office, and told me she was letting me go. There and then. At 3pm on a Wednesday. No notice. One minute I was in, then a blur, then I was out.
I remember sitting in my car for a while afterwards, not so much disappointed at the situation, but bewildered and shocked by just how quickly it happened. This is the feeling Notts County fans are experiencing now. Martin Allen was managing the club quite admirably. Though it had been a while since talk of automatic promotion, the team sits 11th in the table and, although they suffered a poor 3-0 defeat away at Jeff Stelling’s Hartlepool, previous results had been decent and, all in all, things were steady.
Then, on February the 18th, a notice on the Pies’ website: “Notts County wish to announce that Martin Allen has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.” What?
Just like that, he was gone. A manager everyone thought was getting on ok and had turned County into a steady, top half League 1 club, no longer there. And while the dismissal of a manager usually leads to several days, if not weeks, of finding a suitable replacement, a new manager had been brought in within 48 hours. Not Steve Cotterill, who, despite his woes on the red side of the Trent, would have been a popular choice at Meadow Lane based on his previous County spell, but Keith Curle.
Yes, Keith Curle…What?
An eccentric, popular manager, who was liked and respected by his players and who actively strived to raise the team’s profile in the city, dismissed and replaced with one whose previous posts are limited to Mansfield Town, Chester and Torquay United – and let’s be honest, they weren’t exactly flying high with him in charge. Mad Dog was there on Friday, gone by Saturday and replaced by Curle on Monday. It’s like some twisted surreal footballing version of a popular Craig David song. It does not make sense.
But despite the madness, rational thinking is needed. One thing to take into account is that Neil Warnock has just been appointed manager of Leeds United, and could have attempted to recruit Curle to his backroom team at Elland Road, as he did at Crystal Palace and Queen’s Park Rangers, so County owner Ray Trew may have wanted to move quick to secure Curle’s signature. The fact that Curle and Kevin Pilkington were at the Exeter game should have raised eyebrows. This, combined with the speed of Mad Dog’s dismissal and Curle’s swift appointment, are tell-tale signs that changes may have been in the pipeline for some time. By the looks of it, there were some serious backroom problems which we don’t know about – a Nottingham Post interview with skipper Neal Bishop hinted at “irreconcilable differences” between Allen and Trew.
So, as things are, where should the fans stand? My opinion is that, as a County fan who remembers nearly dropping out of the Football League altogether, not to mention the crazy financial doping period, complete with Trainspotting-style comedown which had Portsmouth, Leeds United and Gretna written all over it, Trew’s tenure has so far been a success, bringing much needed stability to the club, and thus, I will give him the benefit of the doubt and get behind the new manager. Like I said, there may have been good reasons for Allen’s dismissal. We don’t know. However, animosity at this stage is not beneficial.
Curle has not managed a club since 2007, but has been a coach at Crystal Palace and Queens Park Rangers (who, let’s not forget, were promoted the Premiership) under Warnock, so let’s hope this will reflect positively in his managerial tenure and that this Keith won’t end up a lemon. So, let’s see how things get on, onwards and upwards, and as always, COYP!
Written by Giuseppe Labellarte, We Are Going Up’s Notts County blogger
It’s been six weeks since that friendly against Juventus. You’d have been forgiven for thinking that Notts County would have slumped into apathy and discontent following that magical night in Turin, much like someone who’s just returned from a great holiday and has to report back to their miserable, mind-numbing job the following day, and for their focus to slip in the following several weeks.
Instead, the Pies have been in scintillating form. After the impressive 2-1 victory against Walsall, a midweek game away to Exeter ended in a 1-1 draw which, bearing in mind it was the Pies’ third game in six days, and (a long way) away from home was more a case of a point earned rather than two lost.
Three whole days without a match followed, before another away game ended in a 2-0 win for Nottingham’s bianconeri. The game following that must have felt like a huge relief to County’s by-now-surely-exhausted players, as it came a whole week after the last one, and back on home territory. Rochdale were dispatched 2-0, Lee Hughes and Sam Sodje getting the goals.
October began with a 3-0 defeat away at Milton Keynes, the Dons playing against ten men for all but four minutes of the game. A bad result for County, but playing a team which Martin Allen has tipped as this year’s League One champions at their own ground, was always going to be hard with a full team, never mind a man down. This blip continued into the next game, the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash against rivals Chesterfield. Three more goals conceded by the Pies in a single match, this time in front of the County fans, meant the Spireites would progress in the competition at their expense; another rival team beating them in a cup clash this season. Here’s hoping County don’t get Mansfield in the FA Cup.
Whatever words Mad Dog administered to the players following that cup tie must have worked as three proved to be the magic number again against Hartlepool – luckily it was Jeff Stelling’s boys picking it out of their net, courtesy of two from Karl Hawley and one from the brilliant Cristian Montano, who unfortunately is no longer at Notts, having been recalled by West Ham before being loaned out to Paolo Di Canio’s Swindon.
Redemption against bitter rivals Chesterfield came quickly, as County smashed another three (with a little help from a Drew Talbot own goal) against the Spireites at their own ground. The Sheffield derby the following day meant Magpies fans couldn’t brag about being in the top three for too long as Wednesday moved above them in the table, but nevertheless, the club are sitting comfortably in the play-off positions, which is a welcome relief from last year’s struggles. Last weekend the Pies earned another point in a game against Brentford, courtesy of a penalty from the other great Hughesy in the team, Jeff. So impressed is Mad Dog with the Northern Irishman, he’s declared to the media for him to be recalled to the national team.
Just over two months into the season, it’s a good time to be a Pies fan. The football is attractive, the strikers are all scoring, the atmosphere both in the team and at the ground is buzzing and the results speak for themselves. Although I’m still very cautious at the moment, should the team keep playing and notching up points the way they are – and manage to cement ourselves in the play-off positions – then this season could definitely be a memorable one! I’m a few weeks too late to talk about swapping leagues with our great rivals Forest, but wouldn’t it be nice to get the chance to play them in the Championship next season? We’ll see how things get on!
Written by Giuseppe Labellarte, We Are Going Up’s Notts County blogger
Imagine. You work long hours in an unglamorous, unattractive environment. It’s a bit of a slog. It’s not pretty, it’s not big, but it’s got to be done. Supports your nearest and dearest. You live in a pretty big pad, but it never lives up to its full potential; at public occasions it’s no more than about a third full. You have to share with a gruff tenant who often ruins the carpet when his lot come round.
Then out of the blue, your distant cousin, who you were close to when you were very (and I mean VERY) young, and who is now top of his field, rich, glitzy, glamorous with accolades and titles to boot, invites you round to his brand new gaff for an evening of entertainment. For one night, you’re no longer mixing with the other has-beens and never-weres that you have to deal with on a weekly basis. You’re the guest of honour at one of the biggest housewarming parties of the decade! And even though you have work less than 2 days later, you still go along with it, because it provides a glimmer of joy in an otherwise mundane existence.
Notts County Football Club are in the above boat. The great Juventus, not forgetting the contribution made by John Savage over 100 years ago who arranged for the Pies’ black and white strips to be shipped over to Turin, invited County to play at their new 41,000 seater stadium this week. They could have invited pretty much anybody in the footballing world. Barcelona? Real Madrid? Ajax? Boca Juniors? Even a European or World XI? All of them would have been privileged to be the first team to face Juve at the new home. But they decided to recognise the club which gave them the legendary black and white strip, with whom they share a distant, ill-maintained but strong, unforgettable bond. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allowed County to forget, for one night, their status as a mid-table League One team (that said, as many fellow County fans know, it was so much worse just a few years back, when our very league status was on the line).
Occasion aside, many thought Notts County would get destroyed on the pitch by a world-class team featuring the likes of World Cup winners Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Del Piero, Andrea Pirlo and Luca Toni. However, after falling behind courtesy of a Toni rebound from a well-saved Fabio Quagliarella penalty, the ever-reliable (Forest penalty miss aside!) Lee Hughes smashed in the equaliser three minutes from time and the game finished a very respectable 1-1.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against a rival one division higher who has made the Championship play-offs in two years is one thing; however, a draw against one of the top teams in the world (away, no less!) is another. Snippets of history were made by County – Rob Burch saved the first penalty at the new Juve stadium, and Hughes scored the first goal against the home team there. Everyone connected with the club was clearly buzzing after the game.
And even though there were plenty of cynics claiming the friendly would impact negatively on the Walsall game back home two days later, in the plodding reality of League One, it proved the opposite. Two minutes into the game, Cristian Montano struck the Walsall post, and a Hughes header was just wide. After 37 minutes, a brilliant volley from – who else – Hughes made it 1-0 to County and despite a sloppy start to the second half which culminated in an Andy Butler equaliser for Walsall, some great play from skipper Neal Bishop set up Montano, who scored past Walsall keeper David Grof, guaranteed the three points and capped off a truly momentous week for the Magpies.
The big occasion may now be over, but County’s players, managers and staff have, for one night, lived the dream, proved their worth against one of the world’s premier teams and have proved wrong all those who mocked them for playing a friendly two days before a league game. Here’s hoping the Pies can build on this crazy (in a good way, unlike other crazy weeks we’ve had at the club in recent years) week and climb up the table.
And for anyone who’s wondering, a return fixture is scheduled for before the start of the 2012-13 season at Meadow Lane as part of the club’s 150th anniversary celebrations. We have an away goal from the first leg, so come on Pies, let’s win this tie!
Written by Giuseppe Labellarte, We Are Going Up’s Notts County blogger
At the weekend, courtesy of Preston North End’s Iain Turner, we witnessed one of the rarest of occurances on a football pitch – a goalkeeper getting on the scoresheet. A time when the man charged with stopping goals at one end of the pitch nets himself at the other to the unbridled joy of teammates, fans and coaching staff. There are some ‘keepers who find the net as often as many strikers with free-kicks and penalties, but those guys are usually found in South America or Europe. However on occasion it does happen closer to home, with a few Football League stoppers having Chilavert moments of their own. Here’s ten of the best:
10: Gavin Ward
In a league match between Tranmere Rovers and Leyton Orient in September 2006, it was the Rovers goalkeeper who opened the scoring at Prenton Park. Rovers had a free kick some 80 yards from their opponents’ goal and in customary fashion, Ward launched it upfield. His left-footed clearance was aimed at the forwards but bounced twelve yards from goal, bounced up over the diving Orient ‘keeper and into the net. The goal set the hosts on their way to a 3-0 victory. See the goal from 1:48 in this clip.
9: Peter Keen
If you think of goalscoring Carlisle goalkeepers only one name springs to mind. However another Carlisle stopper has found the net, albeit in less dramatic circumstances as United faced Blackpool in Division Three in the 2000/01 season. On a rain-sodden night at Bloomfield Road Blackpool ran out 3-2 winners but conceded a goal to the opposition goalie. Keen kicked the ball out of his hands, sending a long clearance upfield which bounced on the edge of the penalty area and caught the Tangerines’ goalkeeper unawares as it flew over him and into the net.
8: Andy Lonergan
In October 2004 Leicester City and Preston North End played out a 1-1 draw at the Walkers Stadium with the visitors taking home a point thanks to a goal from their goalkeeper. Andy Lonergan sent forward a goal-kick from the left hand side of his penalty area and Leicester City centre-back Matt Heath allowed the ball to bounce twenty yards from goal. Veteran Foxes goalkeeper Kevin Pressman should have collected it but instead was caught off his line and fell on his arse as the ball went into the net.
7: Adam Federici
Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici had scored in a friendly against non-league Bromley in 2006 and two years did it again, this time with more at stake in a league game against Cardiff City. The Bluebirds took the lead at the Madejski Stadium through Michael Chopra with 89 minutes on the clock. Looking doomed to defeat, Reading forced a corner in injury-time and ‘keeper Federici went up into the opposition’s penalty area.
Stephen Hunt swung the ball in from the right, Michael Duberry connected with a powerful header that was cleared off the line but the rebound fell to Federici who hammered the ball into the roof of the net beyond opposite number 1 Peter Enckleman. Cue great scenes of celebration from Reading players and fans.
6: Iain Turner
Time for another goalscoring Preston goalkeeper and the man who inspired this week’s top ten. In the last five minutes of North End’s home match against Notts County at the weekend, Turner booted a long half-volley goal kick upfield from the edge of his penalty area. It bounced on the edge of County’s penalty box with their goalkeeper Stuart Nelson rushing out of his net to collect, however the ball flew over his head and trickled into the net to seal a 2-0 win for the Lillywhites.
5: Scott Flinders
When a side is chasing a last-minute equaliser sometimes the goalkeeper will go up for free-kicks and corners, hoping an extra presence in the box will cause problems for the defence. In May this year Hartlepool United goalkeeper Scott Flinders became a last-minute hero for his side as he headed home a 94th minute equaliser against Bournemouth.
Flinders, who was earlier at fault for one of the Bournemouth goals, produced a late double save, before heading up field for the final corner of the match. With 30 seconds of the match remaining and the home side 2-1 down in their final home match of the season, the corner was swung in from the left where Flinders met it with a stooping header that found its way into the bottom corner of the net, before being mobbed by joyous teammates.
4: Chris Weale
Chris Weale is a player fondly remembered by fans of Yeovil Town. He was the goalkeeper during their promotion years from the Conference through to League One before leaving for Bristol City. Finding appearances limited at Ashton Gate, Weale returned to the Glovers on loan in 2009 and ended up scoring a dramatic late goal in a 2-2 draw against Hereford United.
The match was a relegation six-pointer with both sides attempting to stave off the drop into League One and it was the away side who would seemingly get the vital 3 points as the clock ticked down. Yeovil were 2-0 down until Luke Rodgers scored with 12 minutes remaining and seeking an equaliser, goalkeeper Weale went forward as his side had a corner.
The corner was swung in high towards the back post where Weale lept up and headed the ball across the line, salvaging a point for the hosts. The Huish Park fans went mad and the goalkeeper chased by team-mates before falling subject to an old-fashioned playground ‘pile-on.’
3: Mark Crossley
Former Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Crossley makes it to number three thanks to a dramatic late leveller he netted whilst playing for Sheffield Wednesday in December 2006. Hosting Southampton at Hillsborough, Wednesday were 3-1 down in the second half but pulled it back to 3-2 and had a corner in the last minute of the game. 37-year-old Crossley went up for the kick and as it swung into the six yard box, the Welsh goalkeeper was on hand to head home and make it 3-3. A brilliant moment as he, his team-mates and Wednesday fans went bonkers.
2: Mart Poom
The big Estonian was more accustomed to stopping goals rather than scoring them, so to see him net this header at Pride Park was really something. Poom was returning to the club whom he served for five years and his Sunderland team were 1-0 down with the match in injury time.
Sunderland had a corner and Poom ran up the other end of the pitch to support the attack. As Sean Thornton’s ball swung into the box Poom ran in and thumped it home with the sort of header any outfield player would have loved to score. It salvaged a point for the Wearsiders and Poom became an instant fans favourite.
1: Jimmy Glass
Could there really be any other number one? Jimmy Glass was on short-term loan at struggling Carlisle from Swindon Town but wrote his name into the club’s folklore on the final day of the 1998-99 season. Carlisle would be relegated to the Conference if they failed to better Scarborough’s result – that ended 1-1 as Carlisle’s match with Plymouth (also 1-1) entered it’s final moments. Desperate for a goal to save their league status everyone piled forward as Carlisle had a last-minute corner, including ‘keeper Glass. Unbelievably, the ball fell to him and he smashed it into the net with his right boot to keep Carlisle in the Football League as delirious fans invaded the pitch. Amazing.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
Silly things are happening at Meadow Lane; and were it not for the fact that he is currently dead, I almost expect Jeremy Beadle to jump out and announce that it is all a big hoax – that Notts County’s proud 149 year history is actually just one massive ‘long con’, leading to a series of punchlines that this may only be the start of.
Football-wise, things are alright. We looked clueless against Charlton, but have shown a degree of quality and spirit against Carlisle, Forest and Tranmere, to make us think we might not be fighting the drop come May. This is thanks mainly to new signings Jeff Hughes and Alan Sheehan, who both look clever buys: Hughes is a player who wants to get on the ball and make things happen, whereas Sheehan’s set-piece delivery is so good that we don’t really miss Ben Davies anymore.
It is not what is on the pitch that is the issue though – it is what is going on off it that is ludicrous.
Firstly, we are playing Juventus.
The actual Juventus – the Old Lady of Italian football.
Now, it is no secret we gave them their black and white kit back when they started out, but the likelihood of them wanting us to go over there for a friendly to celebrate their new stadium opening just seems daft. Will the Juve fans be bothered? Will ours be bothered? Will the return fixture at Meadow Lane even feature any players from Juve we might have heard of? Is it worth playing a vanity game two days before we play Walsall in the league?
I don’t know.
But that was not the only odd thing to happen at the Lane this week. I am still not sure if this other one is a genuine wind-up or not (I am only just getting used to the eccentricities of our manager Martin ‘Mad Dog’ Allen – a man who once took a training session in the middle of a roundabout because the team bus broke down). Anyway… the issue is this:
He used the club’s website to advertise for someone to teach him to whistle.
“Good afternoon,
I am desperately trying to find somebody that can teach me to whistle. This may sound like a joke but I can assure you it’s not. This is not for my dog, this is for me to whistle from the technical area.
This was on the club’s website. The official website.
What in God’s name is going on?
Why does he need to whistle? Is he planning on signing a sheepdog before the transfer window closes? Will we end up with a contingent of shepherds jostling for position in the technical area, trying to get Mad Dog’s instructions to the players?
Why can he not just shout anyway? Or semaphore? Smoke signals? Why not whack a bloody great lighthouse in the dugout and flash Morse code at whichever disinterested full-back he is having trouble trying to contact during crucial moments of the match?
So much nonsense; so many questions; but the one I would ask is this:
If Mad Dog had put his advert for a whistling teacher on the club’s website a week earlier, and Juventus had seen it… would they still have invited our club round to such an historic occasion in their history?
Our striker Lee Hughes laughed as we went out of the League Cup to Forest.
I think other people are laughing at us now… lots of them – and I should know, because I’m one of ‘em.
Written by Dan Dawson – We Are Going Up’s Notts County Blogger
The first day of the football season is always eagerly anticipated. The pitches are a lush green, the sun is shining and fans up and down the county are dreaming of a successful campaign, whether it be promotion or avoiding the drop. Nothing is decided on day one of course, but it is always good to get off to a winning start. Sometimes you can send out a statement of intent to your rivals or be caught in pre-season mode and find yourselves on the wrong end of a spanking. This week Toppo’s Top 10 looks at some of the more glorious and (for some) disasterous opening days in Football League history.
10: Bradford City 11 Rotherham United 1 – 1928
Kicking things off is an opening day defeat from nearly 80 years ago so bad it deserves a mention here. It was the first day of the 1928/29 Third Division (North) season with The Millers travelling 40 miles north to Valley Parade. They probably wished they hadn’t bothered as they returned home having been thrashed 11-1 – not surprisingly Bradford’s record home victory to date.
9: Queens Park Rangers 4 Barnsley 0 – 2010
Following a 13th placed Championship finish in 2009/10, QPR were placed amongst the favourites for promotion the season after, with Neil Warnock about to begin his first full season in charge and a squad assembled with bags of Championship experience. Warnock brought in eight new faces including Paddy Kenny, Shaun Derry, Jamie Mackie, Bradley Orr and the mercurial Moroccan Adel Taarabt, joining permanently from Tottenham having been on loan at Rangers the season before.
Barnsley were the visitors to Loftus Road as the season kicked-off on August 6th, 2010 and the Hoops dispatched their visitors with ease, setting the tone for the forthcoming campaign. Heidar Helguson put them in front from the penalty spot four minutes before the break, Mackie made it two and new captain Taarabt slotted home Rangers’ second penalty on 63 minutes for 3-0. The rout was completed when Hogan Ephraim laid on a tap in for Fitz Hall as Warnock’s side began the season in style, sitting top of the table. It was a position they would relinquish only twice during the campaign as they returned to the Premier League after 15 years away.
8: Notts County 5 Bradford City 0 – 2009
The summer of 2009 will go down as one of the most memorable in the history of Notts County. The club were taken over by Munto Finance, supposedly backed by mega-rich Middle Eastern owners who were going to take the Magpies into the Premier League within 5 seasons. Former England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson joined as Director of Football and after years in the doldrums, a bright new dawn had beckoned at Meadow Lane.
League Two County wasted no time assembling a squad capable of securing promotion, even bringing in former England defender Sol Campbell and Ian McParland’s men heralded the new era with a thumping display on the first day of the season. Ben Davies made it 1-0 on 17 minutes then new marksman Lee Hughes hit two in four minutes as Notts went 3-0 up by the break. Hughes secured a debut hat-trick from the penalty spot before Brendan Moloney’s fine solo strike capped off a fine team performance.
Unfortunately for County Munto’s takeover was based on false promises. The money was never forthcoming, Sol and Sven soon left and the club was on the brink of collapse. New owners came in to save the club who did get their promotion into League One at the end of a tumultuous campaign.
7: Walsall 4 West Bromwich Albion 1 – 2003
Paul Merson spent his latter playing career in Division One, helping Portsmouth to the title in 2003 before leaving to join Walsall, their fans hoping his magic touch could establish them as a force in the second tier. Merson’s debut could not have gone better, the ex-Arsenal man scoring a brace as the Saddlers demolished West Midlands rivals West Brom. Albion travelled to the Bescot on the opening day having just been relegated from the Premier League and Gary Megson’s plans for a swift return got off to the worst possible start.
A record crowd at the Bescot saw their side out of reach by half-time, Merson breaking the deadlock with a sweet right-foot volley which flew past Russell Hoult and into the top corner. The midfielder made it two with a drive which crashed in off the bar then just before half-time Jorge Leitao bagged number three as he tapped home after Simon Osborn’s shot hit the post. Former Wolves midfielder Steve Corica made the game safe 12 minutes after the break as Saddlers fans basked in the warm August sunshine, the only blot on their team’s day coming as Jason Koumas netted a consolation goal for Albion.
In February 2004 Merson was handed the manager’s role at Walsall following the sacking of Colin Lee but could not prevent the club from being relegated to Division Two on the final day of the season.
6: Chelsea 5 Derby County 0 – 1983
A game from back in the days when Chelsea were an second tier team! In the summer leading up to the 1983/84 season, Blues boss John Neal made several signings including Pat Nevin, Nigel Spackman, John Hollins and prolific frontman Kerry Dixon. The new faces inspired Neal’s side to a 5-0 demolition of Derby County on the season’s first day at Stamford Bridge.
Spackman put Chelsea ahead after just four minutes, Chris Walker made it two after the break and Chris Hutchings netted a third not long after. Dixon then plundered his first two Chelsea goals on 63 and 68 minutes to complete the rout. The win set the tone for Chelsea’s season as they finished top of the Second Division – with a 5-3 win at Fulham plus 5-0 victories over Leeds United and Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United along the way – Dixon top-scoring with 36 goals.
On paper a 2-1 win may not seem too remarkable but the significance of the day makes it a match few Seagulls fans will forget in a hurry. Since the club’s owners controversially sold the club’s Goldstone Ground in 1997, they have spent 14 years waiting for a new stadium to call home, playing their games at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium and the Withdean Stadium.
Construction finally began on a new ground in 2008 and earlier this year the club were finally handed the keys to the £100 million AMEX Stadium ahead of the 2011/12 campaign. Gus Poyet led the Seagulls to the League One title last season meaning the club would be hosting Championship football in their state-of-the-art arena.
Doncaster Rovers were the first visitors as emotional Brighton fans created a great atmosphere, 22,000 waving flags long before the teams entered the field. Doncaster netted the first league goal at the ground, Billy Sharp’s partially-blocked effort crawling over the line to give the visitors the lead.
It seemed as if Doncaster would spoil the party, however on 83 minutes they failed to clear a Brighton set-piece and the ball fell to Seagulls new signing Will Buckley, who hit a crisp, low volley from the edge of the area into the bottom corner to level matters. Injuries to Doncaster’s James Hayter and goalscorer Sharp saw eight minutes of added time at the end of the second half and Rovers forced to play with 10 men after they used all their substitutes.
Brighton took full advantage as former Watford winger Buckley broke forward and curled home a 98th minute winner. There were scenes of jubilation as Brighton secured a dramatic first victory at the AMEX, fans and players celebrating wildly.
4: Newcastle United 5 Leeds United 2 – 1989
On the opening day fans get the chance of seeing their club’s new signings for the first time and in 1989, debutant Micky Quinn put on a show in front of over 40,000 Newcastle United followers.
Leeds United were the visitors to St.James’ Park as Jim Smith’s Magpies faced Second Division football after relegation from the top flight two months before. Quinn was signed for £680,000 from Portsmouth, having hit 54 goals in 121 appearances for the South Coast club and soon got on the scoresheet for his new employers, along with fellow debutant John Gallagher. Leeds led 2-1 but the big centre-forward put the game out of reach of Howard Wilkinson’s men, hitting 4 goals on his first appearance for the club. He went on to net 34 times in the league that season, making him the top scorer in England by a distance.
According to his autobiography, after scoring his fourth Quinn ran towards the crowd shouting, “That’s who f*****g Mick Quinn is, that’s who f*****g Mick Quinn is, *****g Come on!”
Nobody told him that he was screaming at the family enclosure full of children.
3: Brentford 4 Leyton Orient 3 – 1991
At the start of the 1991/92 Division Three season, London sides Brentford and Leyton Orient played out a thriller at Griffin Park. Future Wimbledon and Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth put the Bees in front just before the break. Orient equalised in the second half then went in front as Kevin Nugent nodded home Ricky Otto’s left-wing cross.
Holdsworth made it 2-2 straight from the restart, pouncing on a rebound after Richard Cadette’s shot was saved. The frontman then bagged his hat-trick, latching onto Terry Evans’ long ball forward and slotting a composed finish past the goalkeeper. Orient weren’t out of it and Ricky Otto again put a teasing cross in from the left which Andy Sayer converted for 3-3.
That wasn’t the last of the goals as Brentford went in front again. A set-piece was floated into the penalty area, centre-back Evans met the ball with a header which looped over the ‘keeper into the far corner of the net to make the score 4-3 to The Bees. An amazing opening day match that kick-started a promotion campaign for Brentford, which saw them win the league and boast the top scorer in Holdsworth, who netted 38 goals.
2: Millwall 0 Rotherham United 6 – 2002
An incredible scoreline from the New Den on the opening day of the old Division One in 2002. Millwall lost in the previous season’s play-off semi-finals while the Millers just escaped relegation – but it was the hosts who were left stunned.
Ex-Walsall striker Darren Byfield started the rout, powerfully heading home Paul Warne’s cross. Lions goalkeeper Tony Warner then gifted the visitors their second as he let Martin McIntosh’s 35-yard free-kick squirm through his grasp and over the line. After the break Millwall capitulated, hesitation in their defence allowing Byfield to make it 3-0.
Despite going forward in search of goals, Millwall conceded a fourth when Chris Sedgwick cut in from the right to score then Byfield completed his hat-trick with ten minutes to go, chipping the ball over Warner from the edge of the penalty area. Sixty seconds later he had another as he rounded the goalie and slotted home a sixth goal for Ronnie Moore’s side. Unbelievable stuff.
1: Norwich City 1 Colchester United 7 – 2009
It can be argued that this game was a watershed moment in the recent history of Norwich City. Having been relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time since 1960, the Canaries were instantly placed amongst the favourites for an immediate return to the Championship. With legendary former goalkeeper Bryan Gunn in charge and new signings arriving at the club in pre-season, it was expected that they would get their League One campaign off to a good start.
Their first game of the season, at Carrow Road against Colchester United, was a disaster as they slumped to an incredible 7-1 home defeat. Kevin Lisbie put the U’s in front after 10 minutes, scoring after a mistake by Canaries goalie Michael Theoklitos. Clive Platt made it two then grabbed another soon afterwards with a back-post finish. David Fox bent home a free-kick before Lisbie’s second goal, a header, meant Norwich were five down after just 38 minutes with their fans already heading for the exits, two even ran on the pitch and threw their season tickets at manager Gunn.
In the second-half Cody McDonald grabbed a consolation but David Perkins’ volley and Scott Vernon’s tap-in set the seal on a fantastic result for Paul Lambert’s team, inflicting Norwich’s worst home defeat in their 109-year history.
Within a week of the game Bryan Gunn was sacked and Norwich turned to the man who masterminded Colchester’s thumping win – ex-Scotland international midfielder Paul Lambert. Aided by the 24 league goals from Grant Holt, Lambert turned the club’s season around as they won the League One title. He then went even further, guiding them to 2nd place in the Championship and a second successive promotion in 2010/11 – meaning that just two years after one of their darkest days, Norwich City will be playing Premier League football this coming season.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up Blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for ‘Toppo’s Top Tens.’
So after what feels like the most tortuous summer in years, a brand new football league season is nearly upon us. As some of you who have downloaded the first episode of the We Are Going Up Podcast may know, I will be blogging on where I think there are some money making opportunities during the season. First up, and to accompany our first preview show, we will have a look at the runners and riders from Leagues One and Two with a variety of bets to whet your appetite for a flutter before the big kick off.
First up, let’s have a look at some odds from League Two
Northampton Town to be promoted: 11/2 with Victor Chandler.
It would be fair to say that The Cobblers didn’t have the best of times in League Two last time out. Aside from a magnificent string of cup performances which saw them dispose of Liverpool on their own turf, the league was a much more sober affair. A season like that can have a lasting effect but Gary Johnson has made some shrewd acquisitions in the transfer window so far; Arron Davies has joined the squad from local rivals Peterborough United and could prove pivotal if the season is to end in a push for promotion. He joins the likes of Chelsea loanee goalkeeper Sam Walker and ex Stockport midfielder Paul Turnbull to give the squad a great injection of youth for the 9 months ahead. In the final third, new signing Jake Robinson will look to make an impact alongside the returning Adebayo Akinfenwa, who spent most of last year at Gillingham scoring 11 goals.
With other options such as Paul Harrad and Tadgh Purcell to lead the line I think there are goals in this Northampton squad and I have no doubt Johnson will have his side well drilled at the back and ready to cope with the challenges of League Two. To complement the strike-force, the creativity of midfielders like Davies and new signing Lewis Young can’t be overlooked, while the class of Michael Jacobs will continue to shine through. Chances will be created regularly and if they can put the disappointment of last season’s relegation battle behind them they could easily be in the mix for promotion come May 2012. At 11/2 they look a tasty price to claim one of the four available spots up for grabs.
Plymouth Argyle to be relegated: 10/1 with William Hill, Sky Bet and Sportingbet.
As much as I hate to see a club slip down the divisions I can forsee some problems in the year ahead for The Pilgrims. After a disappointing season which saw them relegated from League One amid a wave of uncertainty surrounding their perilous financial situation things don’t appear to have improved. Peter Ridsdale’s attempted takeover bid has met with a mixed reaction amongst fans of the club who have taken their concerns to both the Football League and the Clubs Administrators. On the field, the playing squad is looking somewhat depleted and while there are still question marks over the financial stability of the club there are unlikely to be that many additions. Former Rochdale striker Anthony Elding, who has since signed for Grimsby Town originally agreed a deal with Argyle in early July before changing his mind and making a dramatic U-turn. It may not have been as a result of the finances of the club but while the clouds still hang over Home Park it’s difficult to see it not having an impact on such decisions.
Current manager Peter Reid is a firm favourite with the bookies to be the first casualty of the sack race (3/1) and there appears to be a general downbeat feeling around the club. There are clearly still elements of quality in the squad but players like Carl Fletcher and club captain Romain Larrieu can’t support a small squad for a full campaign. The situation at the club may be resolved in the near future if the bid from Ridsdale or another offer is accepted and some funds are made available, but while the club remains in financial limbo, the 10/1 on offer with several firms appeals for a small stakes bet on a second relegation on the trot for the south coast club.
League One
Notts County for Relegation: 5/1 with Bet365
I really feel for Notts County fans and those around the club, they had their hopes and expectations heightened by a middle eastern takeover that never really materialised and despite their promotion to League One two years ago, last year was far from a walk in the park. Under the stewardship of one Martin “Mad Dog” Allen, The Magpies were the able to turn around their fortunes at the tail end of the season and survived the drop, which, considering the upheaval and managerial changes they had to deal with is a fantastic achievement in itself. This season though, I fear for their status as a League One outfit. Allen has publicly stated that he wants more signings to sure up the playing squad stating that there needed to be “major surgery” before the season kicks off but his attempts to lure striker Paul Benson to Meadow Lane from Charlton fell at the final hurdle.
While this in itself may not be a huge blow (Allen is bound to have other targets) it does indicate to me that the man in charge knows he has to add more quality in order to sure up the foundations he is trying to build. Couple this with the arrival of some tough new opposition, both in terms of the promoted clubs from League Two and the relegated clubs from The Championship, I think this league is going to be a very tough one to stay in if County can’t bring in some key players into the fold and they could well be playing catch up if they decide to buy in January. Sam Sodje and ‘keeper Rob Burch have both been placed on the transfer list in recent weeks and it seems as if this could be a transitional season for Allen’s side, he clearly has an idea of what he wants from his players but whether or not he can turn that into results on the pitch is a different story. For me the 5/1 available on them to drop back into League Two is worth a look.
Top Goalscorer: Neil Mellor at 25/1 with Sky Bet, Victor Chandler and William Hill (e/w pays ¼ odds on places 2,3,4)
I was impressed with Mellor last season while he was on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Preston who have since joined the Owls in League one and a very short 2/1 with most bookmakers to get promotion straight back under the stewardship of Phil Brown. A product of the Liverpool academy, Mellor has showed glimpses of quality over his career but hasn’t ever really settled at one particular club. Loan spells at West Ham and Wigan saw him used as a fringe player before his move to Preston. His spell last season at Wednesday was very impressive indeed, he weighed in with a tally of 20 goals in all competitions, 13 in the league which were invaluable in ensuring they did not slip further down the league ladder.
There are still big question marks over whether he will return to Sheffield on a more permanent basis but the latest reports suggest that any potential deal has stalled over personal terms. Either way, I think he will command a starting place wherever he ends up on the first day of the season and will certainly get the opportunities to rack up another impressive tally if he can stay fit. Others in contention for the accolade of top league one scorer include Bradley Wright-Phillips (9/1), Clinton Morrison (20/1) and highly rated Clayton Donaldson (20/1) For me, 25/1 for Mellor to be top scorer is a very tempting price considering last season’s tally and is a good each way shot especially as he may well resume penalty taking duties at Sheffield Wednesday if a deal can be reached. Even if he finishes 4th top scorer then you have a winner at over 6/1.
So that concludes our ante-post bets for League One and Two, next week there will be a similar post previewing the Championship odds in time for you to put your money on before the big kick off if you so desire. There will also be regular betting columns going up throughout the season so keep your eyes peeled. As always, have fun, gamble responsibly and happy punting.
Written by Jim Knight, a We Are Going Up! Podcast member and our resident betting expert
They are the reason Notts County have been trudging round the lower reaches of the league for many years now.
I know – because the new boss says so. They are his own words quoted above.
Martin “Mad Dog” Allen scraped together enough points in the last six games of the previous season to keep us up, and is now charged with turning round a club that has barely caught its breath from a sham Middle-East takeover scandal.
The way Mad Dog sees it, we are the oldest league club in the world; Juventus nicked our kit; we have sat at the top table of football (for a bit…and a long while ago); but looking round Meadow Lane, you would never know it… and that translates to the players.
I’ve been watching Notts for 20 years– I’ve seen us play in the top flight; I’ve seen us beat Forest; I’ve seen us when we were crowned the richest club in the world (if that was based on imaginary Disney-dollars from equally-imaginary Middle-Eastern backers, instead of actual money); I saw us storm to the League Two title only a couple of seasons ago – but I still never harbour any wild hopes or expectations about our beloved club anymore.
There are just too many obstacles in the way. We have little or no money, no youth system to speak of, and cannot keep hold of the few decent players we do get. Notts fans are some of the most pessimistic I’ve ever come across – the sort of doomed resignation that only comes from decades in the shadows of the bottom two divisions. Even the talk of us possibly signing Marlon Harewood (after all, a fringe player in the Premier League’s gotta be big for a third division side) has not aroused much more than a shrug from most fans I speak to, usually followed by, “yeah but he probably won’t come anyway, will he, duck?”
So maybe Mad Dog’s right. Maybe we all need a kick up the arse – to be reminded of what this club once was, and what it can be again. He came out with his rant about the tiles in a 20 minute rambling interview on the edge of the pitch – you could literally hear the workmen banging away in the background while he bemoaned the lack of inspiration around Meadow Lane:
“There’s nothing in the history of Notts County FC, oldest club in the world. There’s no logos, no banners, no sayings, no pictures, no statements, no mission statements.”
This year, that changes. Mad Dog is the man to change it. We will batter Forest in the first round of the cup; Harewood will sign and score 40; we will be champions of League One by April; and we will begin the long process of restoring not only this club’s status as one of the greatest in the world, but also restoring the belief of a disaffected portion of the finest city of the East Midlands.
This is the year, Notts County is the club, and Martin Allen is the man.
How’s that for a mission statement?… stick it on a tile, quick.
Final league position predicition: 14th
Written by Dan Dawson – We Are Going Up’s Notts County Blogger
After the win at Charlton, it seemed like anything was possible, that Notts County could keep the momentum going, get results against the Sheffield sides and secure a play-off position. However, this proved a bridge too far.
