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Grimsby v Notts County Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 05/02/2010

THOUGH Town were unable to record a victory at Aldershot the teams performance has invigorated a new sense of optimism at the club and a huge sense of belief that this awful run will finally be coming to an end.

Home > 2009-2010 Season > Previews > Notts County (h)


Who are they?

Their History

County’s history is one of the most well known in the country. The world’s oldest league club was set up on the 27th November 1862. The gentleman-only team initially played their games within the grounds of Nottingham Castle before moving to Trent Bridge cricket ground in 1883. Though the oldest club in the league the Magpies have never been the ultimate champions of England, the Nottinghamshire side came close when they finished 3rd on 2 occasions but never got hold of the coveted trophy. One of the reasons Notts County aren't the alpha club in the city doesn't just settle with the fact the other was more successful. At the start of the 20th century County moved to neighbouring Beeston to play their games there. This brought derision amongst a lot of fans in the area as any thought the club had deserted its Nottingham roots then again two European Cups from a club just across the bridge would I assume have some sort of affect on attendances and support as well.

Last Season.

Ian McParland’s one full season in charge at Meadow Lane didn't yield much change from the season prior in fact even though Notts County finished 2 places higher than the season before they accumulated fewer points. Not to mention that the club were ousted out of the FA Cup by non-league Kettering in the second round. The clubs one high point came when they knocked out Doncaster in the League Cup early on but other than that this season was merely a warm up to our epic win their in April and that was just a sideshow for what was to come in Nottingham…

This Season.

Who doesn't know about The Magpies' current campaign? Even those who live in a world of Sky Sports and Chelsea have heard something about a chaotic season at Meadow Lane. It’s nearly impossible to explain such a frantic time in the club's history but to put it simply. Munto Finance came to the city of Robin Hood on a white steed ready to propel this historic club in to the upper echelons of English football. It’s every lower league fan's dream, money was draped over the club from god knows where, the badge changed, in came Sven most probably persuaded by the harem of beauties up the road in Hooters and so did the players to match the owners' ambitions. Murderer Lee Hughes was brought in hopefully driven by a taxi not by himself, Sol Campbell popped along for a few weeks and so did Kasper Schmeichel allegedly on more now at Notts County than he ever was at Man City. Since the early season everything has fallen to pieces: Munto were found out and the club has spiraled into a black hole of oblivion Peter Trembling’s offer to buy the club from Munto happened but hasn't been able to stop the huge red mark on the clubs bank accounts. Now Notts are a team with a great squad for League Two but also hold a budget which would make a lot of Premiership clubs blush. The worrying aspect is even with such finances for a brief spell County sit only 5th in the league granted with a handful of games in hand over those above them. Oh well they lived the dream if only briefly.

The Future Is...

Uncertain seems to be the consensus amongst the fans. Though Peter Trembling has bought the club from Munto a huge wage bill is looming large over the north bank of the Trent. If promotion isn't achieved this season it could well be disastrous the question is who would you prefer to be right now Notts County or Portsmouth?

Most Famous Player to Wear the Shirt.

Grimsby 1-0 Notts County - 28 March 2009

Of course recently wanna be actor Sol Campbell made an appearance for County but even more impressively so did Dixie Dean, Tommy Lawton, Jermaine Pennant and Martin O’Neill.

Key Player… Paul Benson

Birmingham winger Ben Davies has become a cheery point for those amidst the doom at County. Captured on a free from Shrewsbury in the summer after rejecting a new contract in Shropshire the free kick specialist has established himself as a key man in Dave Kevin’s squad with 10 assists and 7 goals so far the man can pick a pass like no one else in the league and can compete with Sweeney for the title of free kick specialist supremo.

Recent Form

TownNotts County
DAldershot(a)1-1
LRotherham(a)1-2
DCheltenham(h)0-0
DBury(h)1-1
LPort Vale(h)1-2
Currently 23rd in League Two.
WWigan (FAC)(a)2-0
WBarnet(h)2-0
WDagenham(a)3-0
DWigan (FAC)(h)2-2
WForest Green (FAC)(h)2-1
Currently 5th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownNotts County
Sweeney6
Conlon5
Hughes21
Davies8

Team News

TownNotts County

  • Four players have left the Mariners in January including Clarke, Boshell, North and Heywood.

  • Olly Lancashire has signed on loan until the end of the season from Southampton.

  • Just Adrian Forbes (leg) and Robbie Stockdale (hernia) on the treatment table.
  • Defender Graeme Lee and striker Luke Rodgers have recovered from injury but are expected to start on the bench.
  • Squads

    TownNotts County
    1GKNick Colgan
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFJoe Widdowson
    6MFPeter Sweeney
    7MFAdrian Forbes
    8FWNathan Jar man
    9FWAdam Proudlock
    10FWBarry Conlon
    13MFNick Hegarty
    14MFPeter Bore
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16DFPaul Linwood
    18FWChris Jones
    19MFMichael Leary
    20MFJammal Shahin
    21FWMichael Coulson (on loan from Barnsley)
    23MFOliver Lancashire
    24DFDamien McCrory (on loan from Plymouth Argyle)
    25DFRob Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    28FWJosh Fuller
    29FWBradley Wood
    32MFMark Hudson
    33FWAshley Chambers (on loan from Leicester City)
    34FWParis Cowan-Hall (on loan from Portsmouth)
    35GKLeigh Overton
    TBAMFDean Sinclair (on loan from Charlton)
    TBAFWTommy Wright
    1 GK Russell Hoult
    4 DF Mike Edwards
    5 DF Graeme Lee
    6 DF John Thompson (captain)
    7 MF Matthew Hamshaw
    8 MF Ricky Ravenhill
    9 FW Lee Hughes
    10 MF Neal Bishop
    11 MF Ben Davies
    14 FW Sean Canham
    15 FW Karl Hawley
    16 FW Ben Fairclough
    17 DF Jamie Clapham
    18 DF Stephen Hunt
    19 FW Luke Rodgers
    20 FW Craig Westcarr
    21 MF Johnnie Jackson
    23 GK Kasper Schmeichel
    30 FW Ade Akinbiyi
    45 MF Nathan Fox

    Head to Head

    Town have the edge over County, especially at Blundell Park where the Magpies have only won six times in 39 attempts.

    P76 W32 D18 L26 F 105 A 107

    Head-to-Head (31st The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Notts County 0 Grimsby 2 (Sat 13th Apr 2009)

    Who can forget the 2-0 win at Meadow Lane, one of the highlights of last season, when 2000 Town fans saw the Mariners win to pull themselves out of a relegation place.

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    This run can't last forever and even though we haven't won for what feels like a decade I can't help but feel optimistic.

    Grimsby 2-0 Notts County

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