Issue 2

BLACK & WHITE #2 - OCT ‘12 - £1

the new Notts County fanzine

NEAL BISHOP SIR LES BRADD BILLY IVORY

Silencing his critics one at a time

Notts’ greatest ever goalscorer talks On Diary Of A Football Nobody

ALSO FANS v PLAYERS AWAY DAYS MAD DOG HUGHESY FOOTBALL MANAGER & MORE

INTRODUCTION

I’ll start by thanking a bunch of people for their help in helping us sell out every copy of our first issue - Sean Redgate, Dave Jackson and Rachel Mawby were all invaluable in helping us clear the stock out in the first two weeks.

The content that has come together has been brilliant and i’m really grateful to everyone (listed below) who came forward with stuff.

Obviously there’s always room for people to write for future issues (particularly issue three - hopefully out in time for Christmas!) so get in touch at stu@backofthenetpublishing.co.uk.

We may get a smaller print run confirmed in the near future for those who missed out if there is demand for it - just let us know. In the meantime it is available online (one time deal!) at tinyurl.com/tnb001.

And then finally - please read the appeal we’re making for your stories. We’re looking to help raise money for the Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund but we can’t make it happen without people’s support! Read more on page 22.

And thanks for all the feedback also - genuinely never believed that things were going to come off as well as they did. Thank you to everyone who’s got in touch on Twitter, Facebook, Mad, or even at games with their feedback and ideas!

It’s all taken onboard and helps us to shape the magazine to how the people want it!

Thanks for reading, thanks for buying, come on you ‘Pies!

Welcome to issue 2. We’re still here!

Onwards with issue two and again I’m left thinking there’s something in here for everyone.

BLACK & WHITE ! subscribe today

Stu @BlackWhiteZine PS. congratulations to Notts fan Jake Bugg who we interviewed in issue one - his debut, selftitled album reached number one in it’s first week on sale! Great effort.

Have the next six issues delivered straight to your doorstep before their matchday releases.

blackandwhitezine.bigcartel.com

CONTENTS

WITH THANKS Ralph Shepherd at Notts for putting the Neal Bishop interview together and for the use of photos during this issue. The great Sir Les Bradd for giving up his time to be interviewed by Richard for this issue. Billy Ivory for taking time out of preparing for (and enjoying!) Diary Of A Football Nobody to speak with Darren - and David at Nottingham Playhouse for a quite brilliant prize!

This issue’s contributors: Richard Ogando, Ian Marsden, Dave Straw, Sean Redgate, Darren Patterson, Michael Johnson, Andrew Dennis, Jake Phillips, Luke Williamson, Jacob Daniel. Paul Smith and Aston Perrin.

Referee Stuart Attwell for his “all black people look alike” stance at Carlisle, the supporters of both Oldham Athletic and Sheffield United that didn’t see their late goals had been flagged offside, Daz Marshall for the constant goading of his fellow Notts fans, the son of the Bury FC press officer, Paul Dickov and Karl Robinson for their wildly innacurate views of their teams performances against Notts.

The Season So Far ............................. 03 They’ve Got Eddie At The Back ............. 08 The Safe Standing Debate .................. 09 Does FM Qualify Me To Manage? .......... 10 Book Review: Orientation .................... 11 Neal Bishop interview ........................ 12 Diary Of A Football Nobody review .... 15 A Day In Life pt 2 ............................. 16 Mad Dog & Me ..................................... 17 Away Days ......................................... 18 OOOOH TOMMY JOHNSON ..................... 19 Sir Les Bradd interview ........................ 20 Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund appeal ......... 22 Let’s Not Stop Doing The Hughesy ..... 23 Billy Ivory interview ........................... 24 Very Superstitious .............................. 26 Trouble At Home ................................ 28 This Was A Man’s World ........................ 29

DISCLAIMER

We’ve Got Jonno At The Back! ................ 30 The Black & White is an independent release produced by fans and as such has no official affiliation with Notts County Football Club. The views in each publication reflect those of the individual contributors themselves.

BLACK & WHITE PAGE 2

2012/13 - THE STORY SO FAR PART ONE

The season began in quite miserable circumstances. With the London 2012 Olympics still going on, the Football League season was forced to begin a couple of weeks later, meaning the League Cup’s first round of fixtures had the option of being played on a weekend instead.

AUGUST 11TH, 2012

NOTTS 0, BRADFORD 1 Opting to play their tie against Bradford on a date initially set aside for Juventus (a date in Asia meant they couldn’t take part), Keith Curle used the fixture merely as one more friendly ahead of the new campaign’s kick-off a week later.

It did little for supporter morale.

Bradford won 1-0 in extra time, the visitors capitalising on Carl Regan juggling the ball on his back before completely losing sight of it! It was to be the performances of both he and Tom Williams that would take the headlines that afternoon – both men looked so out of their depth it would’ve been no surprise to see lifeguards running across the pitch at any moment to fish them out.

That’s not to say Notts weren’t unlucky though. Both Alan Sheehan and Yoann Arquin (most embarrassingly) hit the woodwork. Creating chances hadn’t been the problem – putting them away had.

The following week was spent speculating as to Keith Curle’s starting XI for the game at Crewe. The majority opinion was that Julian Kelly, scarcely seen during pre-season was desperately needed in defence, with maybe Haydn Hollis coming in and pairing up with Dean Leacock in the centre.

AUGUST 18TH, 2012

CREWE 1, NOTTS 2 Kelly would return, Hollis not.

Williams would partner Leacock – but the side was certainly strong enough on paper to put up decent resistance against a side unbeaten in their last 20 fixtures, including most notably their League Two PlayOff Final victory at Wembley over Cheltenham. Buoyed by winning their own League Cup tie at home to Hartlepool 5-0 a week previously, Crewe started brightly enough, but it was an injury to Williams that was to swing the balance back in Notts’ favour.

Off he went, replaced by Joss Labadie which saw Gary Liddle retreat into the centre of

BLACK & WHITE PAGE 3

defence. And just like that, it felt as if any potential centreback problems were solved.

Notts took a grip on the game, looking comfortable going into half-time with a 1-0 lead afforded to them by debuatant Francois Zoko following superb linkup play down the right.

It would be 2-0 with barely an hour played – Arquin would also score on his first appearance, sweeping the ball in with the home goalkeeper caught flatfooted.

The floodgates looked like they were about to be opened – until Yoann’s petulance saw him sent off for a soft kick at Crewe captain Westwood – the quite horrific dive is unlikely to have helped matters.

In 30 minutes of play, Crewe only scored a consolation with the man advantage, a header from Pogba who was lucky to be on the field after a first half challenge on Kelly. Notts would be indebted to both Alan Sheehan and then in the final minute of all people substitute Lee Hughes for goalline clearances.

poor evening in front of goal Lee Hughes nodded back across goal to Neal Bishop who controlled and slotted home calmly under pressure.

This was the first cleansheet of the season for Bartosz Bialkowski who denied Harlepool from their only shot on target with the very last kick of the game with an incredible save from point blank range.

Two wins from two, one of only three clubs (with Tranmere and Doncaster Rovers) to start the campaign with 100% records.

The last three occasions that Notts have won their first two fixtures, they’ve gone on to seal promotion - with two league titles along the way.

For the first time in over a decade, Notts had won on the opening day twice in a row, and it set the side up nicely for the two consecutive home games over the next seven days.

AUGUST 21ST, 2012

NOTTS 2, HARTLEPOOL 0 There were shades of the AEK Athens game from pre-season when people began to arrive at Meadow Lane. A torrential downpour in the half hour before kick-off meant that by the time the referee started his game, parts of the pitch had become to unplayable that the ball was stopping dead in it’s tracks.

The visit of Walsall (beaten twice last year by Martin Allen’s County) the Saturday after represented the perfect chance to make it three straight wins - a feat not even managed by 2009’s Munto All-Stars or Sam Allardyce’s Division Three conquerers of 1997. In fact no Notts side had since the 1937/38 campaign.

The afternoon started brightly.

Despite being goalless at halftime, the flowing football that Keith Curle promotes was there and certainly working.

With 15 minutes of the second half played, Curle would reach for the panic button and bring on Enoch Showunmi for his first competitive fixture in black and white. The football disappeared and half an hour of hoofball took over.

Walsall’s sucker punch came ten minutes from time when Andy Butler made the most of a statuesque home defence to prod home a floated ball from a free-kick.

Tyrell Waite made a late cameo but with only a minute left on the click it was too late.

Alongside an increasingly struggling Lee Hughes, and Enoch who had not trained in weeks, you couldn’t see the forward line making much of an impact.

The losses of Yoann Arquin (in his second of a three games suspension) and the injured Francois Zoko began to hit home immediately.

SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2012

BURY 0, NOTTS 2 Having a week previously been on the receiving end of what was a harsh result based on the run of play, the roles were reversed at Gigg Lane just seven days later.

Notts adapted to it, Hartlepool didn’t. A first half header from Zoko - his second in as many starts - set Notts on their way before he was to go off injured as a precaution. The visiting Monkey Hangers meanwhile were scarcely in the game, the County defence snuffing out any of ‘Pools’ possession.

It wasn’t until four minutes from time that Curle’s side put the game truly out of reach though. Starting in the place of the suspendend Arquin, and after a (by his high standards)

expectant Meadow Lane assembled with high hopes.

Everyone went home disappointed.

NOTTS 0, WALSALL 1

Francois Zoko returned to the starting lineup, whilst Yoann Arquin sat out the last game of his suspension. On the bench was youth team prospect Romello Nangle who had impressed Keith Curle in an inter-squad friendly played during mid-week.

No pressure then - but an

Lee Hughes *cough* allegedly

AUGUST 25TH, 2012

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*cough* gave County the lead in the second minute, supposedly getting the deftest of touches on Alan Judge’s freekick. With Hughesy struggling for confidence, let’s just let him have it for argument’s sake.

the first time since in 11 years.

What the equaliser lacked in style, Grandison’s goal to put the visitors in the lead more than made up for it. His mazy run could easily have been cut out on a few occasions, but it wasn’t, and he wrong-footed Bialkowski in the Notts goal to make it 2-1.

Yet Notts weren’t to press home the early advantage and spent much of the match under the kosh - grateful for the centre-back pairing of Dean Leacock and Gary Liddle, plus goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

With all hands on deck, Notts were to break with Bury committing players forward.

Andre Boucaud played County’s best pass all afternoon into Judge who slotted home with precision in the last minute.

The match though, was sadly over-shadowed by the news the next morning, that Scunny manager Alan Knill had brutally run over a squirrel on his way to the game.

The club’s players wore black armbands for their game the following weekend. Or not.

Incidentally first game member of Two winning

- this was Notts’ to not feature a 2009/10’s League squad.

SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2012

NOTTS 3, SHREWS 2

Incredibly harsh on the hosts - but Notts a week ago had played much better and still lost. An away win, a clean sheet, and a third victory in four league games which was no less than Notts’ defensive stubborness had deserved.

SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2012

SCUNNY 0, NOTTS 2 Notts disastrously crashed out at the first hurdle of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy wi...

STOP THE PRESS!!

Having gone a goal down with just ten minutes played, an Enoch Showunmi equaliser before half time and the winner from Carl Regan helped County to a win in the competition for

To say Shrewsbury’s equaliser was soft is no understatement Dean Leacock coming worse off in a 50/50 shirt tugging contest in the Notts area. Richards tucked away the resulting spot kick.

The game of the season so far by quite a distance as Notts led, then fell behind, then took the lead with minutes to spare as supersub Lee Hughes turned and buried the ball in front of the Kop. The first half had somehow ended goalless despite Keith Curle’s side playing some of their best attacking football of the campaign so far.

Business would pick up in the second half. County beneffiting from the odd goal in five.

It all came to life with a dizzying four goals in a seven minute spell. Firstly, with nearly an hour played Jeff Hughes picked up on a loose back pass to square the ball from Francois Zoko to score his thrd goal in Notts’ colours.

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Jeff was to add to his earlier assist minutes after to equalise with a looping header, again making the most of a Shrews defence looking desperate to help us out.

With seven minutes left on the clock, it was a Curle substitution that changed the game. Lee Hughes entered, for a surely exhausted Zoko who had run his legs off all afternoon.

And in the 87th minute, Notts hit the jackpot. Yoann Arquin’s quite terrifiyng pace down the left wing took him into the area, where his ball bobbled into the path of the substitute.

Hughesy turned and sliced the ball into the net with the goalkeeper not even close to it from six yards out. The Kop as expected, eruputed.

A year to the day since Juventus 1, Notts County 1 in Turin, we were celebrating another late Lee Hughes goal. Some things just never change.

Better yet - the win took Notts County top of nPower League One - helped in some small part

by Luke Rodgers’ Portsmouth snuffing out any hope that Crawley Town had of pipping us on the Sunday lunchtime. More on Rodgers shortly though.

Turin one year, top of the table the next? Are these the sort of days we can look forward to on September 8th in the future?

SEPTEMBER 15th, 2012

SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2012

OLDHAM 2, NOTTS 2

MK DONS 1, NOTTS 1

A boring, uneventful contest where in no way whatsoever did the match official insist on coming away from Boundary Park the centre of attention.

I bloody hate MK Dons. Ignoring momentarily the circumstances in which we all had this monstrosity of a club lumbered on us - visits to Stadium MK are amongst the most dullest experiences you’ll find in life.

In reality, this was a result you would’ve bitten someone’s hand off for given the first half sending off of Andre Bouchaud for his well-timed challenge.

Despite the man disadvantage, County took the lead through a Joss Labadie volley in the first minute of the second half - sadly it was cancelled out by Forest loanee Matt Derbyshire on his Oldham debut just minutes later.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce made his first appearance of the season, capping it with a scintilating run and cross/shot which flew into the far side of the net.

Again though, joy shortlived as another debutant Jose Baxter (The Next Wayne Rooney #93).

Refree Chris Sarginson though reaps the plaudits though for a splendid afternoon of sheer ineptitude that left fans from both sides largely unhappy.

The red card for Bouchaud was unsurprisingly not rescinded on appeal.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Were it not for the wives doing a big shop in Asda next door MK Dons would probably have no one at their games. It’s essentially just a giant creche.

And Notts never get anything there. The stadium’s design makes it nigh on impossible to generate an atmosphere as well.

But that’s less the case when County are taking points away from this hell on earth.

A 1-1 draw saw Neal Bishop give the Magpies the lead in first half in which his side were truly dominant - a statement backed up by 74% possession.

Substitute Jay O’Shea levelled things for the host though in the second half as the Dons reversed the run of play.

The result broke Notts’ longstanding unbeaten record away from home - this being the 11th, enough to end the night in third place in League One. SEPTEMBER 22TH, 2012

NOTTS 3, POMPEY 0

Unable to add to the scoreline before half-time, it was Alan Judge within 30 seconds of the restart who doubled the lead with a thunderbolt from all of 35 yards.

He would be provider for the second time in the game putting Arquin’s second on a plate to ensure that Notts finished the day in second place behind still unbeaten Tranmere Rovers.

The scoreline flattered nobody but Portsmouth. Notts took their foot from the gas with the game out of sight with half an hour left to play - perhaps mindful of the three games to follow against sides all inside the division’s top six.

SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2012

SHEFF UTD 1, NOTTS 1 A trip to Bramall Lane was the first of those three games, three games that would derail things just ever so slightly.

The Blades were largely dominant for the first half, with County left reliant on the heroics of Bartosz Bialkowski in goal on no less three occasions.

Not that many Notts fans were able to see it, with hundreds still locked outside the ground waiting for tickets - victims of a poor initial allocation.

Notts stood firm until Dave Kitson headed in moments after another Bialkowski save had thwarted the hosts.

With Pompey’s Luke Rodgers and John Harley returning to Meadow Lane, and their team mates playing the last games of their monthly contracts, you’d be forgiven for going into the game expecting a test which belied their fifth from bottom league placing.

Instead, Curle’s County were at their fluent, dominant, most destructive best. Taking the lead within five minutes through a Yoann Arquin tap-in, the side never looked back.

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Lee Hughes was introduced to proceedings ten minutes later with his side chasing an equaliser, and it was the impact substitute who levelled matters

with 15 minutes left on the clock. United failed to clear a corner, Joss Labadie’s header came out of the air off the crossbar, Jeff Hughes smashed the ball goalwards for Hughesy to tap in on the line.

Another big point away from home which maintained Notts’ run this season of improving on results gained last season against their opponents.

OCTOBER 3RD, 2012

NOTTS 1, STEVENAGE 2 Back to the relative home comforts of Meadow Lane for two games against teams either side of Notts in the nPower League One table, things were looking so rosy at one point that the night could’ve ended with us level with Tranmere on points in first place.

Career barn-door misser Karl Hawley had given Scunthorpe an unlikely Glanford Park lead against the league leaders, Notts merely needed one goal to lift them up. By full time Rovers had won with ease 3-1 - but the problems that night were at Meadow Lane regardless.

Sometimes there are clear signs thrown at you to suggest that it’s just not your night Jeff Hughes missing a penalty must certainly count as one of those signs. Having fortuitously being given a second spot kick shortly after, Jamal CampbellRyce stepped up instead and slotted coolly down the middle.

By this point, Notts were at least ensuring that the weekend’s upcoming clash would be a game between the division’s top two sides. Curle changed things up though - taking off Francois Zoko and replacing him a returning Alan Sheehan.

Turning point!

With only three minutes spent on the field, Sheez played the roal of goalkeeper, from

12 yards diving to his left to handle a goalbound shot which Bialkowski behind him had well covered. A suicidal rush of blood to the head, and it was from here that things turned. Sheehan was red carded, obviously, and the penalty (the evening’s third if you’re keeping score) was scored by Marcus Haber with just seven minutes left to play.

with. Judgey was to pick up a dead leg shortly after though, bringing a premature end to his afternoon.

Captain Neal Bishop, again a target of abuse a week previously on Twitter converted Jordan Stuart’s touchline ball to double the advantage.

That wasn’t the worst of it though, Robin Shroot was to come off the bench and steal an injury time winner in front of the Family Stand - three points lost in a matter of minutes. It was a second home defeat of the season for Keith Curle, a fifth in total since he joined compared with the unbeaten record away from home.

Stevenage leapfrogged over Notts in table, not the ideal preparatation for that weekend visit of the still undefeated Tranmere Rovers.

OCTOBER 6TH, 2012

NOTTS 0, TRANMERE 1 Rovers won through substitute Joe Thompson’s header crashing in off the back of Carl Regan. Moving on swiftly...

OCTOBER 13TH, 2012

CARLISLE 0, NOTTS 4 Francois Zoko returned to Brunton Park, whilst Meadow Lane legend Mike Edwards took to the field for the hosts.

The Notts response to those two straight home defeats was emphatic - two unanswered goals either side of half-time saw County back to winning ways in style, taking them back into the play-off positions in doing so.

Alan Judge, a player so far struggling for long term form this season started like a house on fire and was a constant threat. It was his cross for Jeff Hughes that the scoring began

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Judge’s replacement Zoko silenced the Brunton Park boo boys with a third, before Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s penalty put the seal on matters.

Much like they had against Portsmouth, Curle’s men rested up for the final half hour. There was time for Romello Nangle to make a second senior appearance though following his Bury debut - he looked a constant thorn in the side of the hosts.

OCTOBER 17TH, 2012

NOTTS 1 , SHEFF UTD 4 Following five goals at Meadow Lane back in March, the Blades notched up another four to dump Notts out of the Johnstones Paint Trophy in the third round.

Two goals each from Shaun Miller and Harry Maguire, with one each either side of the interval had the game out of sight after only 55 minutes - basically everything they touched went in. Jordan Stewart scored Notts County’s consolation, curling in brilliantly from the edge of the box.

OCTOBER 20TH, 2012

COVENTRY 1 , NOTTS 2 With the Paintpot Trophy out of the way, it was back to League One business the following Saturday where the unbeaten start to the season away from home would continue with relative ease.

Andre Boucaud scored his first goal for Notts with five minutes to go until half-time, but Notts would be left to wait until five minutes from the end of the game before adding to it Yoann Arquin finishing after a superb Jeff Hughes backheell had played him in.

Notts

weathered

the

late

pressure well enough, though they did concede late on from a Coventry corner. They held on for three points that saw them keep up with the sides at the top end of the table.

OCTOBER 23RD, 2012

NOTTS 3, B’MOUTH 3 Keith Curle’s Notts had lost their previous three home games.

Sure, the JPT doesn’t count as such, but the home form is still the concern.

But Notts went about putting that right admirably in the first half, with goals from Jeff Hughes and Arquin again putting Notts on their way. At half-time they were cruising

and this was already looking like three points.

Back came the hosts, firstly through McQuoid before an Arter penalty pulled it back to 2-2. Huge disappointment, and certainly not one you’d have expected at half-time.

But Notts’ heads didn’t drop, and were the better side for the rest of the second half.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s penalty with five minutes left should’ve been the end of matters - and would’ve been had the defence held their nerves for the next 30 seconds. Matt Tubbs equalised somehow to secure a point for his side. 3-3, with two leads squandered at home. Not good!

THEY’VE GOT EDDIE AT THE BACK

Mike Edwards, as his nickname goes, has made a steady start to life with us here at Carlisle. While he hasn’t yet managed to really cement his place in the starting line-up, when called upon, he has – for the most part – put in sound performances after his move in the summer.

He has played around half of our games so far after a solid pre-season. Against more direct sides he’s been excellent. He wins countless headers, makes tackles and is the kind of presence in defence that we’ve needed for quite a while. When he plays against your run-of-themill long-ball side, you know that he’ll be first to almost every ball - a real colossus in the air. Against more technically gifted and pacey sides, such as Notts County, it’s a different story. That’s why I’m yet to be completely convinced by him. On occasions, his lack of pace and inability to get the ball before his man has led to the side becoming disjointed. His no-nonsense, hoof-it-out style of play is, in my opinion, not completely suited to the brand of football we’re trying to play. On first inspection, he’s your typical lower-league defender.

One of the main factors behind our failure to make the play-offs last season was the number of goals our leaky defence was conceding. Towering Slovakian centre-back Lubomir Michalik - who turned down the offer of a new contract at the end of last season - looked like a fish out of water after an impressive first year with us. His departure meant that Greg Abbott had a bit of work to do in order to try and shore up the defence and get us into those elusive play-off places this season. That’s when Mike arrived. It’s fair to say I didn’t know too much about him but, after reading various different things about what sort of a player we were getting, I was fairly pleased. I’m a firm believer in putting round pegs in round holes. He seemed to be the type of no-nonsense defender that we’d craved for a long time. People were, on the whole, quite optimistic given Greg Abbott’s record of picking up good players on the cheap.

We’ve currently got three experienced centre-backs competing for two places at the heart of the defence.

Long-serving duo Peter Murphy and Danny Livesey know each other inside out and were the lynchpin of the side

when we nearly achieved promotion a few years back.

Livesey is similar to Edwards in way that he plays; he certainly wouldn’t win awards for his passing, but he gets the job done - a real rock at the back. While neither Livesey nor Murphy possess the kind of pace that would grace the 100m Olympic final, they’ve been at the club through thick and thin. Part of the reason Edwards hasn’t yet managed to cement his place in the side is that we, along with Greg Abbott, don’t quite know which the strongest pairing is. Livesey and Edwards have played together on a number of occasions and, as seen during Notts’ recent demolition of Carlisle, supporters in row Z were at great risk of injury.

It remains to be seen whether Edwards can come to the fore and become part of a solid partnership which would act as a strong backbone for the side. We’re still leaking goals at an alarming rate and everyone - Mike included needs to perform consistently well if we’re serious about promotion.

Jake Phillips @JK_CUFC | keithmincher.com

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THE SAFE STANDING DEBATE

It’s a topic often raised on the Notts message boards and on facebook, which always causes a lot of debate, the issue of standing at games.

Notts are known for having a fan base that largely do want to just sit and watch the game, but there are also those that prefer to stand and create an atmosphere, especially in the wider game. Both the standers and the sitters have their reasons for wanting to do so and it often causes tension, but what can be done to help cater for everyone’s preferences?

Understandably, those who prefer to sit don’t want to have their view hindered by people standing in front of them and with the unique make up of the Notts fanbase, comprising of males and females of all ages, it is again understandable that some fans do not want to, or perhaps even can not, stand for over 2 hours.

Then on the other side of the coin, you have people who enjoy standing up with their mates and creating an atmosphere, singing and dancing around, supporting their team. Perhaps something we don’t see a lot of at Notts, but it happens at a lot of other clubs, especially with the current trend for clubs to have ‘Ultra’ groups.

Crawley, Carlisle, Colchester and Swindon all proclaim to have ’Ultra’ groups in league one. Then there’s also fans like myself (6ft 3) who are quite tall and endure a very uncomfortable experience when having to sit. The leg room at the majority of stadia is simply not adequate enough for people like myself to sit comfortably and enjoy the game, so I prefer to stand, purely because it is more comfortable.

stewards are reasonably lenient and allow standing as long as you are not hindering anyone else’s view, which is usually fine down the leagues when there are plenty of empty seats, but what if the game is a sell-out? If my ticket, or the tickets the ‘Ultra’ group has, is at the front, what’s going to happen?

It will cause quite a few problems if they all move to the back, as the people who are supposed to sit at the back then have no allocated seat to sit in and they will sit in someone else’s seat and so on.

The other option is for the Ultra group to stay in their allocated seats and perhaps obstruct the view of people behind them.

Personally, if I can not get at the back to stand, I sit in the allocated seat, not wanting to obstruct other fans view of the game, but I sit in discomfort which doesn’t make my day out an enjoyable one at all.

Either way, someone is going to be unhappy, surely something can be done to help make sure every fans experience is enjoyable?

In Europe, a lot of the stadia have safe standing areas, Jon Darch, a Derby County fan, is leading a campaign to introduce safe standing area’s in Britain and has been liasing with a number of top clubs about the possibility of it. Nick has kindly agreed to explain the premise of safe standing and what it entails. ’”First of all, it’s important to appreciate two things: (1) the introduction of ‘safe standing’ does NOT mean a return to old-fashioned terraces and (2) the proposal would be for relatively small areas of the ground to become standing areas, all other parts would remain allseater for those who prefer to sit

This causes problems though, for one, standing is prohibited in all stadia, which means stewards are well within their rights to tell me to sit down and then forcibly eject me if I refuse to. Now I’ve paid 20 odd quid for a ticket, why should I have to be treat like a naughty schoolboy and be made to sit in discomfort when really I should be having a decent service given to me, as a paying customer?

Fortunately, at some grounds, the

BLACK & WHITE PAGE 9

- with the added benefit that they then would not have any standing fans potentially blocking their view.

Safe standing, the way I envisage it, means the introduction of ‘rail seats’ (pictured below). This is a German product, invented to enable clubs to provide standing areas for their fans at all domestic matches, while still being able to convert easily to all-seater configuration on the odd occasion that this is required, e.g. when staging a game in any UEFA competition.

The design of these ‘rail seats’ mean standing fans cannot topple into the row in front if they lose their balance celebrating a County goal, nor get pushed from behind.

Surges are completely impossible.

Standing behind a waist-high rail is clearly a lot safer than standing as many fans do at present, often with clubs’ implicit consent - behind shin-high seatbacks.

It’s a win-win scenario: those fans that want to stand finally feel embraced and valued by their clubs without feeling like criminals in a designated area designed for the purpose, while those that prefer to sit can continue to do so with, as I said above, the added benefit of knowing that no standing fans will be blocking their view.”

Jon’s safe standing roadshow comes to Nottingham on Monday, November 19th, keep an eye on www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk for more details over the coming weeks.

Aston Perrin @AstonP

DOES FM QUALIFY MEA FOOTB TO ALL MANAGE? MANAGER ADDICT THOUGHTS OF

Football Manager. Championship Manager. Call it what you will. The game that has sold over 20 million copies since its initial release is set to sweep the country once more in the next month. It will be bought by millions of wannabe managers across the land, eager to show in the privacy of their own bedrooms and living rooms that they’re the next Jose Mourinho, and the likes of Mancini/O’Driscoll/Curle haven’t a clue.

Some of you will have been there at some point.

I’ll openly admit that I am one of these individuals. I wouldn’t consider myself an addict, as my computer is too slow and my attention span is too short to keep my mind on the game for hours on end, but I do buy it every year and have definitely punched the air and done the Hughesy round the room after a 90th minute winner. The appeal is obvious - you can drag your chosen club - be it Notts or who whoever else - from obscurity to the heights of the Champions League if you wish. The club is yours to control from the speed with which the search party looks for John Spicer, to the decision over Karl Hawley’s new contract.

I’ve not dressed up in a suit for a Cup Final as some particularly hardened games do, but I have signed Freddy Adu and Tonton Zola Moukoko in the past. I’ve won trophies, bought players for a extortionate fee, taken great pleasure in releasing Ali Gibb on a free and have been sacked by my beloved Notts, so I’ve wasted hours on the game and know what I’m talking about. Perhaps that’s not an admission I should be making, but there we go. My question is - can I do better than Keith Curle? Well, probably not.

I am grounded enough to admit that Football Manager isn’t real life. Managers can’t just quit in a huff and start again, like I have when Messi refused a £1,500 a week contract to play at the San Sirrel. Real life just isn’t like that. Football Manager is effectively keeping tabs on a database game. No matter how many “wonderkids” you find, goals your team scores, or trophies you win, you are, at the end of the day, still in your bedroom, in your boxers, at 1am, promising “just one more game - then I’ll go to bed”. That’s just the sad reality I’ve had to come to terms with.

Football supporters have never been the most patient of breeds, and attitudes towards managers have definitely changed in the past 20 years, since the advent of the Premier League. During the 2011/2012 football season, 37 managers were sacked or resigned, including our very own Martin Allen. That’s well over a third of managers in the top 4 divisions.

Instant results are becoming increasingly important, with Chairmen across the land ready to pull the trigger after a 1-0 defeat. A certain section of Notts fans booed after the 2-1 defeat against Stevenage, for example. In my opinion, this isn’t warranted, with Notts sitting, at time of writing, fourth in the League. The Tranmere game was different, with Notts outplayed without testing the keeper. Not pleasant to hear, but a sign of the times nonetheless.

responsibility for it, especially amongst younger fans.

The depth of the game has given fans an insight into the breadth of decisions clubs need to take, but it hasn’t increased enough understanding of what being a manager is about. Kids and adults alike can sit and take clubs from the bottom to the top and I have definitely asked the question “If I can see that playing one unproven striker up front at home to Stevenage isn’t working, why can’t the manager?”

I’d love a chance at getting in that dressing room, and giving the sods a boot up the backside, and an opportunity to Carl Regan to sodding backtrack everytime someone runs at him, but the reality is Keith Curle has already done that and I wouldn’t be able to do it better. Differently, certainly, but better?

Unlikely. I’m not there slaving away on the training field, or taking hours of calls from agent desperate to get another £100 a week for their player. I couldn’t do that better.

Perhaps the biggest problem caused by the game is unrealistic financial expectations. In the virtual world, you sell a player for £10m, and then get £10m to spend on a new player, yet at clubs such as Notts, transfer revenue goes to paying debts, or to the youth set-up, or whatever, and I don’t think some Notts fans appreciate this! We all get annoyed if the squad isn’t strengthened, and if we look weak in one area of the squad, I’m the first person to moan about it, but I’m sure Ray Trew is doing his best!

Comments were certainly made after the sales of Ben Davies and Craig Westcarr along the lines of “Why hasn’t the money been spent on new players?” There is a lack of significance on finances within the game that has meant people believe they know the finances of clubs and constantly moan about not spending transfer money they have received. Again, I have to admit that when younger, I certainly felt the same way. “Why hasn’t Ray Trew spent the cash on X, Y, Z?! Why!?” For one reason, and one alone. Because there’s not enough money there and we need to live within our means. We’ve been down the Middle Eastern, Munto road before and it didn’t work. Far more sensible to stick with the Trews.

A reality check is needed from some. We’re not particularly involved. We go to games. We shout and swear a bit. Some of us write irritating off the point, irrelevant articles for fanzines. That’s about it. The truth is, most of us probably want to be more heavily involved on some level, but ultimately, we’re not. I’m not qualified to do Keith Curle’s job - despite the fact I’ve won every trophy going with Notts. I’d do the job in a heartbeat because Notts are my club and I love them, but it’s not a realistic dream. I just have to sit there and think “I’d not do it like that”. Unfortunately, Drew Dennis being appointed manager of Notts County isn’t going to happen, and I’m going to have to stick to choosing between Direct or short passing, virtual training sessions and the scheduling of Ben Burgess’ late knee operations. Oh well!

I think Football Manager has to take a slice of

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Andrew Dennis @DrewNotts

BOOK REVIEW: ORIENTATION Adam Michie Book by

About a week after the release of issue 1, I received an email from Chequered Flag Publishing offering me the chance to review their latest offering for the fanzine.

Now, reviews aren’t something that I’d given much thought towards publishing in Black & White. Mostly because i’ve no experience in reviewing. But if a copy is going to be sent via email like it was, I figured it rude not to play ball. And besides, here was a premise that I could really get behind - one that I don’t think Notts are a million years away from facing themselves.

Orientation is the story of Adam Michie, a Spurs fan alienated with what’s become of our national sport, disenfranchised by the Premier League and it’s untold riches. In order to come back down to earth and get some perspective, Adam adopted Leyton Orient for the 2010/11 season.

From the cliched “humble beginnings” of West Ham at Upton Park (sharing a stadium at his first game with future Notts managerial alumni Paul Ince & Martin Allen), the author finds himself at Brisbane Road

via White Hart Lane after a chance outing seeing Leyton Orient take on a casualty of the Premier League - Leeds United.

He and three friends, all of top flight persuasion usually commit to season tickets at the Orient.

Michie himself, opts for the lure of Bournemouth and MK Dons over possible Champions League rivalries for Spurs with Real Madrid and Barcelona amongst many rich others.

The books retells the 2010/11 campaign from Orient’s perspective. Whilst Notts were avoiding relegation on the final day, Russell Slade’s Orient fell one place, just one point short of reaching the League One playoffs.

Obviously the book would be a great read specifically for Orient fans - but there is plenty on offer in the book that at a guess most football fans would be able to relate to.

side myself, it’s in fact refreshing to read that a Spurs fan like Michie carries similar levels of disdain for the top table of English football’s. In that respect, getting this kind of insight from ground zero to to speak makes it worth a purchase in itself.

By the book’s end, author Adam Michie has been so drawn into the world of League One that he in fact renewed his season ticket for a second campaign.

Orientation came out September

For a supporter of a lower league 1st and is on Amazon.co.uk priced £8.40.

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NEAL BISHOP There’s only one...

A resurgence in form has been one of the key factors behind the club’s unbeaten away run which (at time of going to print!) stands at 14 games. Ahead of the game at Coventry, we caught up with Bish to see how things were going at Meadow Lane.

What’s your take on the season so far?

I think it’s positive. We started very well bar a couple of poor results at home. Especially with the way we played before those two results it was taken out of context and people were more disappointed than they had to be to be honest. We’ve looked at one or two things though and hopefully in the next one or two home games we can implement them and be more of an attacking force at home.

Watching the game Wednesday night (Sheffield United in the JPT) you can see the game from a different perspective and maybe we are trying to keep the ball in the wrong areas, but the principles of what we’re trying to achieve are right. Obviously it’s a new way of playing and it’s going to take a bit of getting used to for everyone, but I think we’re heading in the right direction and results have shown that.

What’s the biggest difference you face between playing home or

away?

I think it’s the way we set up – it’s ideal away from home, especially when teams come at us. You look at our attacking players and there’s a lot of pace, we’ve got the players now with the ability to beat people and get balls into the box. I think when teams are coming at us then impetus is on them to attack when they’re at home which gives our attacking players more space.

The pattern of the three defeats here it could’ve been the same game three times.

The teams come here and soaked up a lot of pressure and hit us with a goal, at times we looked we’ve looked short on ideas of how to break teams down. We’re not blind and we know we’ve got to work on it and so does the management and we will put it right. It’s not an irrepairable situation – if we’d lost them three games away from home and won them at home then I think everyone would be saying what a good start to the season this is. If you’re

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going to do anything though you need your home form to be right and I’m confident that we’ll put that right and so is everyone else.

Your performances over the course of the season are improving massively. Are you doing any differently with your approach to matches?

Obviously we get a lot of stats and data back from management and last season they looked at one or two things. We’ve got great staff behind the scenes that go over the DVDs and they’ll spend time with you and ask you how you want to play. My role’s been modified a bit in a few different ways but me personally I don’t think I’m doing things any differently.

I refocused again over the Summer because I was unpleased with my form towards the end of the last season with ball retention and all that. If you look at this season though it’s in the top five every game. It’s not just about retention, it’s about how

how many times you get on the ball, your tackles, headers, this, that and the other so it’s been a positive start for me.

It’s not time for me to pay myself on the back yet because with ten or eleven games gone there’s still a long way to go and I’ve got to keep that up. With the squad we’ve got if you’re not on it week in week out then you’re going to find yourself out of the team which is just how it should be. All good, successful teams have got good teams with competition for places which is what we’ve got now so I’ve got to keep on every game.

With the positive stats then it must really piss you off to come home from games and be singled out for abuse on places like Twitter?

Yeah it does but a lot of that’s personal. I can understand people telling me I was poor today – I’ll be the first to put my hands up when I’ve not had a good game, I don’t need people to tell me that.

When it gets personal that’s on a different level though – a lot of comes from what happened at Stevenage. I regret that it happened, but I don’t regret my reaction because if someone spoke to me like that in the street then I’d have turned around punched

them. I don’t understand why people think because they pay their £20 and travel that they can come down and abuse someone.

When I watch my team Middlesbrough I know some of the lads up there and when I see them out I might not like them – but once he’s playing for my football team I want him to do well! It’s counterproductive, the clues in the name supporter! If anyone can prove to me that booing and calling their own players a c*** helps them perform any better then I’d be calling it them on the pitch myself!

It’s just one of those things that’s part of the game but it shouldn’t be. Why is it? It’s only part of it because people’s mindsets are wrong in my opinion but that’s not going to change any time soon. It’s part of the parcel, I know I do rise to it but I try and have a laugh about it after. It’s only because I care about my work and what goes on here and if I think it’s over the line then I think I’ve got every right to a reply.

There’ve been times whilst you’ve been at the club where it’s looked like only you and Hughesy were the ones that cared most about what was happening on the field. Is that fair to say?

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I don’t think it’s fair to say I care more than anyone else.

People just show it in different ways – people running around, tackling and kicking people. Obviously when I get frustrated it’s easy to see and it comes out in a way.

I do tend to get frustrated when things aren’t going mine or the team’s way and that’s probably why even in my early 20s I wasn’t that bothered about football, I didn’t start getting into the game until my mid-20s when I started going back up the pyramid. I’m not one of these people who care if they win every five-a-side game in the week but as soon as we step out on a Saturday afternoon and I want to win – that sets the mood for the rest of my week.

It’s one of those things that’s in you. I don’t think anyone can put that passion in you, it’s just who you are. It can come out in different ways – some times the right way others the wrong way. At 31 I don’t think that’s going to change.

Going back to last season and the last day of the season against Colchester – how aware were you of what was happening at Stevenage?

It was strange. There were cheers coming and you’re thinking what’s that for?

Obviously you’re getting information fed on since we were so comfortable that we were never going to give the game away. You just concentrate on yourself and you just want to get the three points. I think it was in the second half that we all realised what was going on and once the second goal went in it was a kind of deflating atmosphere around the place to play the last 20 minutes of the game in.

In that respect it was a highly disappointing end to the season but we killed ourselves two weeks before in the Bury game here which was suicide really. I don’t know what happened that day but we really seemed to fall apart.

Bury came and played us off the pitch and fully deserved the points. It was a massive disappointment but we’ve got to take that disappointment out and take it into this season.

What’s been the highlight of your time at Notts so far?

I know everyone’s going to see Man City or Juventus but I’ll go with Sunderland. As a Middlesborough fan I can’t stand them, I come from a family of Middlesborough fans and all my friends were there – close to about 50/60 people up there and it was just fantastic to turn them over on their own pitch. And it wasn’t as if they had a reserve or youth team out it was a strong first team squad with only Darren Bent missing and he came on for the last half hour to rescue it for them.

as well was hard to take in the circumstances when we were getting battered.

Touch wood there’s not been many massive low points.

My time here has been fairly positive considering I’ve had nine managers in nearly four years and usually that’s a sign that things have been going terribly wrong but we’ve managed to get a promotion and miss out on the play-offs by goal difference. Obviously had a bad time in our first season in League One but we survived so my time here’s not really had any huge, huge disappointments.

Any teams in League One that you particularly enjoy looking forward to playing?

I always look forward to playing the top teams, those who’re tipped that everyone says are better than you.

MK Dons, Sheffield United, Coventry – you look forward to going away to teams with nice stadiums, nice pitches to play footballs – the teams you’re expected to lose to really!

It’s challenge.

Equally though you’ve got to do well at places like Bury, Brentford and Stevenage, some horrible places and get some results.

You can favour going to certain grounds but as players you’ve got to be up for getting results if you want to get out of the division.

It was a great performance that day and I’ll never ever forget that. I’ve got my shirt signed and framed too.

Do you ever spend much time thinking about your career beyond playing for Notts?

Funnily I’m doing my coaches badges at the minute up at St George’s Park with my mate Ben Davies. It’s good fun, and now I’m gonna be a Dad I’ve got to start looking further on, that’s brought things into perspective. I don’t know if that’s something I want to get involved in but it’s definitely something I want to have in case I go down the route when I finish playing.

I want to play in the Championship with this football club. I don’t want to go anywhere else – but I’m not comfortable as that’s the worst thing you can do is a football is taking things for granted.

The staff here have got a lot of trust in me. I’m 31 now but I’ve developed a lot later in my career than a lot of people and i’m fitter and stronger now than when I was 21 so I don’t see any reason why I can’t go on a bit longer yet.

One League Two medal is not enough for a career and I’m still massively ambitious. I still see a future here but I see us really kicking on this year and taking this club back to where it hasn’t been for a long time.

Do you think we can do it this year?

I do. But then there’s probably about nine or ten clubs in this division saying the same thing right now so yeah I really want to sit here and say the talking will be done on the pitch but I don’t see why we don’t have as good a chance as anyone in League One – if not better.

Now more than any time since I’ve been here we’ve got the squad, the backroom team and squad of players seems to be settled and we’re all positive and heading in the right direction.

And your lowest?

Last season would be close, the last day. The sending off against Sheffield United here

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DIARY OF A FOOTBALL NOBODY

Diary of a Football Nobody is the stage version of the book Steak, Diana Ross, a diary of former Notts County player turned journalist Dave McVay’s early days at Meadow Lane.

Though the era in the tale comes from before of County’s legendary manager Jimmy Sirrel. my time, thanks to an interest in the history of Richard, often clad in Sirrel trademark of suit the club, and of course having read the excellent jacket and shorts – captures the essence of source material Steak, Diana Ross by former the brilliant, eccentric Scot perfectly, delivering Notts midfielder Dave McVay, I was extremely pearls of wisdom and constantly berating McVay intrigued by Billy Ivory’s adaptation of the book for his appearance as much as his football ability. to stage play, and it is safe to say the lifelong County fan did not disappoint.

This though, ultimately, is McVay’s tale and taking on the lead role as the young, hometown Billy’s task was to adapt the diary into a story midfielder is Perry Fitzgerald, previously best that could be told on stage while retain all the known as the bully Flip in Shane Meadow’s heart, wit and passion of the book, and this he This Is England 86. Fitzgerald excels in the does, keeping the key elements of McVay’s tale role, narrating and leading the play, there are while bringing his own elements to create a moments of great hilarity, including a visit to Paul thrilling tale.

Smith’s store, as well as some fantastic scenes between McVay and his grandfather, played by From the moment Colin Slater’s voice over Shamus O’Neill, while a scene towards the end commentary veers into expletive filled vitriol with the excellent Sophia Di Martino, as McVay’s aimed in the direction of McVay you get an idea of somewhat love interest, Grace, is delivered with the kind of entertainment that lays ahead and the real emotion. pace doesn’t slow as we’re treated to two hours of pure stage joy.

Whether you remember those days at Meadow Lane first hand, or via tales from grandparents, Perry Fitzgerald, whose previous credits include parents, friends or even only from Steak, Diana Shane Meadow’s hit This Is England 86 leads Ross, this is a play that delivers perfectly, an a cast that are all on fine form, many of them enjoyable, heartfelt and emotional tale that I taking on different roles. really hope will be back on stage at the Playhouse in the not too distant future.

Rupert Hill, formerly one of Coronation Street fame, is impressive as midfield wizard Don As I have been happy to tell anybody who will Masson, constantly barracking his team mates – listen Diary of a Football Nobody is quite frankly and in particular McVay, while former Two Pints the best play I’ve had the privilege to attend. of Lager barman Luke Gell excels in many roles, including that of McVay’s grounded brother who Darren Patterson does a great job of reminding our lead that life off @NottinghamLive the field is just as important as life on it.

Head to page 24 for an interview with Most of the laughs however are reserved for Billy Ivory with his thoughts on the Eric Richard – best known for his years as Sgt play’s success, it’s cast, and Notts County Bob Cryer on The Bill – who takes on the role themselves!

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER PART TWO

We file out of the ‘home’ changing room into the players tunnel, it’s walls adorned with pictures of legends old and new. We line up patiently awaiting the appearance of our professional opponents.

I can feel the adrenaline coursing Apparently this would give us more of head to the edge of the box where through my body as the anticipation a chance of being competitive against the ball was greatly received by Jeff of stepping out onto the hallowed our professional opponents. I was in Hughes who duly despatched it into Meadow Lane turf plays havoc with my the team scheduled to play second the top corner of the net . . Bollocks! nerves. Suddenly there is the muffled so I took my seat alongside my team The whistle blows signalling the end sound of cries of encouragement mates in the ‘home’ team dug out. of the first period and our team have from the visitor’s changing room, We watched on intently as the game done ourselves proud only letting in professional players psyching each kicked off. Any thoughts of an easy the one goal, albeit coming from my other up for a game that no matter game were soon put out of our minds unintentional ‘assist’. We retire to the how trivial, they had been instructed as after a short period of sustained changing room for the interval and to take seriously. As they appeared pressure the pro’s scored the first of our half time pep talk from the gaffer. alongside us you could see from their their 5 goals in 15 minutes against expressions they were indeed going our squad colleagues. What’s worse Again we have another great insight to take this seriously, shit, they mean is Ben Burgess appeared to get two into what it is like to be a professional business! I tense up as they walk of these goals, serves me right really! footballer. Whilst the gaffer and assistant John Schofield provide us past us one by one, the likes of Neal Bishop, Jeff Hughes, Mike Edwards The Gaffer (Martin Allen) leans into with their thoughts on the first half and Alan Sheehan. As they come to the dugout preparing to address which was basically, and I quote “Who a halt I look to my left where beside us and we sit eagerly awaiting his played in the first 20 minutes because me stands Karl Hawley. I acknowledge tactical instruction before we take to you was shit!” other members of the him with a smile and a quick “Alright the pitch. What we actually got was back room staff did their stuff making mate” he just looks back and nods at an ex-pro reminiscing about eyeing up sure we had everything we needed at me with an expressionless face, no women in the stands whilst stretching our disposal. Quite frankly we were and warming up. Not quite the team well and truly mollycoddled! It was pleasantries here then! talk we were waiting for but no more decided that our team play first in Then, at last, a moment of humour than should have expected from the the second half. We kick off and it’s pretty much more of the same with to break the tension as Ben Burgess Mad Dog in flip flops! the pro’s constantly on the attack and eyes me wearing his XXL kit, all 5’ 7” of me, shorts down to my shin The whistle blows and it’s our turn. We us defending doggedly. The pitch was pads, pot belly hanging over the top enter the pitch. I take up my position getting heavier to run on and as time of my shorts. We exchange banter, in centre midfield. I have to say for passed I could feel myself dropping something along the lines of me not the first 2 or 3 minutes I was quite deeper and deeper as I struggled to embarrassing him whilst wearing his literally like a rabbit in the headlights keep up with the run of play. kit and me responding with some as I find myself and my less than comment about his lack of goals for athletic frame zigzagging frantically We continue to put up a fight and Notts thus far so it shouldn’t be too as I chase after the ball. The pitch was concede just two more goals before hard! Thankfully he saw the funny heavy, the floodlights bright and the we finish our half. The highlight pro’s seemed to play the ball around of which for me followed another side, fair play to him for that. at ease and at what felt at the time a effortless build up by the pro’s ending Suddenly the announcers voice frenetic pace giving the impression of in a strike from the edge of the box by booms out of the public address being inside a human pinball machine. one of the youth team players, I think striker Chris Langham? Somehow I system, music begins to play (Star Wars theme?) and we find ourselves After a few more minutes we all had anticipated this and found myself stepping out from under the Hooters seem to settle down a bit as we get in the right place at the right time, tunnel (unfortunately the girls were, used to our unfamiliar surroundings, instinctively clearing his powerful shot as they say, conspicuous by their I decide to drop deep which enables off the line. AS GOOD AS A GOAL! absence) and onto the pitch. We lined me to get a bit more involved. I get (Almost). up in front of the Derek Pavis stand, in a few good challenges including a searching out friends and family particularly crunching 50/50 with Neal The whistle blows and we trudge off, whilst milking the applause from their Bishop who unintentionally manages taking our applause as we head to the small but vocal support. Amazingly to boot me right in the bread basket! dugout. When I get there I have to the game is to be reported on live I’m winded and hurting but I can’t let say I am well and truly knackered.

by Sky Sports News who had already anyone know, I have to keep going. This was one hell of a work out and to filmed us pre match in the build-up to As the game wears on we appear tell the truth I’m struggling to catch the game. I really did have to pinch to be doing quite well and although my breath. Now, there are occasions under the cosh for sustained periods in life when things happen that leave myself! of time we have managed to stop you feeling deflated, disappointed And there we stood, all 28 of us, them scoring. Another attack on our or well and truly let down and I’m a mixed bag of talent in all shapes stubborn defences ensues from the sorry to say that what happened and sizes and an age difference right flank and I find myself on the next, especially considering the between young and old quite possibly penalty spot as a cross comes in. I person involved, had the potential to spanning three generations, all leap on the spot, rising high, meeting completely ruin the whole experience slightly bemused and certainly from the ball with a powerful defensive for me. a personal perspective somewhat in header and clearing it to safety, I feel To be continued... great. awe of the occasion.

As there were 28 of us it was decided In reality I hardly got my fat arse and that there would be two teams of 14 legs off the ground and managed to playing 20 minutes each in each half. ‘bounce’ the ball off the top of my

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Richard Ogando @ncfcog

MAD DOG & ME Sometime in May 2011, I was unfortunately ‘inbetween’ jobs, so was online applying for jobs left, right, and indeed centre whilst also having the official Notts website on so I could keep an eye on who Martin Allen was signing next.

just couldn’t come soon enough. The train ride was uneventful, although cross country trains really need to put extra carriages on seeing as i had to stand up all the way from Leeds to Derby, but i digress.Obviously the train to Notts was late and so I was sweating abit.

Something caught my eye though.

One of his Manager’s Messages (how I miss those) and Mad Dog was asking for something called ‘player pledges’, something where he wanted the fans to write in with motivational slogans and sayings for him to put up on the dressing room wall. Initially, I wrote War & Pearce before going with what you’ll see at the bottom of this very page.

I had agreed to meet up with Sharon (known on Twitter as Ladyarya) as she had also been chosen to meet up with Mad Dog. Both excited, both late, we almost floated over to Meadow Lane from the station. Of course we were the last to arrive, but there around the boardroom table were 15 Notts fans and Martin Allen

Stirring stuff I think you would agree. Anyway, I sent it to the club and got an email back thanking me for it, and that was that, completely forgot about it. Until I saw another message in October where Martin Allen namechecked around 15 of us whose pledges he had chosen to put in the dressing room. I looked and looked and looked and couldn’t believe it but the manager had listed me on the official website!

Unbelievable! A quick email to the club and it was confirmed that Martin wanted to meet all of us in the boardroom on Thursday, November 3rd.

So having picked myself up off the floor from the shock, i had to make sure that i could be there to meet him. This presented a couple of challenges. Firstly, I had to get to Nottingham before 7pm - easy enough usually, but not for someone living and working in Leeds! So I had to ask work if I could change shifts to get a train to Derby and next Nottingham! Luckily enough I had an understanding team leader, the same team leader who let me finish early on August 9th when we drew 3-3 at the Temple Of Sin - I must be in the good books. Also had to make sure it was ok with her indoors, although that was never in doubt, she is almost my personal chauffeur when it comes to getting to Notts games.

She’s definitely a keeper! And so the challenges melted away and the day

Completely startstruck, I mumbled my apologies and Mad Dog asked if I wanted a drink, so I said yes please and he replied “Go on then, its over there!” BOOM! Ice broken!

What followed was a night I will never ever forget. Martin spoke and then we all introduced ourselves and said what our greatest game this season was. I chose the red dog’s cup tie - not only for the game itself but for the fact my missus was in the car on the embankment whilst riot van after riot van went screaming past her...yep, we can laugh about it now!

Anyway, we all then asked Martin a question about whatever we wanted, and as i couldn’t think too much on my feet I plumped for the tried and trusted “Do you have any happy or bad memories of playing or managing at Meadow Lane?” to which he replied with the day a Franchise FC player broke his leg in a complete accident. I think Notts were under Thompson at the time. After the chat around the table we moved down to the dressing room area where Mad Dog had transformed it with loads of historic pictures and a

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timeline of our greatest moments, including Sir Charlie. It made the whole area look awesome. It was definitely our ground, it was our team and history, I loved what the manager had done with it, a big difference from when i was last down in that area when as mascot for a memorable boxing day game against Barnsley where with 10 men we came from 2-1 down to win 3-2.

Back then it was dull and uninspiring as were the dressing rooms. But now, with the improvements that were still in progress, it seemed we had a manager who really cared and wanted his team to have their best preperations for a game, but also keeping an eye on the club and its history.

There, in the middle of the changing room, was the board with all our players pledges on it. Obviously I went looking for mine and it was there, almost right bang in the middle! Pride beaming from ear to ear, we all had our picture taken with Martin whilst pointing at our own pledge. I think my smile was as wide as the Trent, this was dreamland!

Unfortunately, the night was all over far too quickly. Even though we were told it would last up to an hour, we were there for over two hours which was just amazing, plus I made the last train back to Leeds with five minutes to spare!

Just an amazing night and i will never ever forget it or Mad Dog himself. He made me fall in love with the club again after the Paul Ince debacle and he gave me pride in the shirt. The team seemed to want to play for each other and I was as happy as I had been in a while being a Notts fan.

Of course we all know what happened next, but Martin Allen will remain as one of my most favourite managers during my Notts lifetime and it was my pleasure to meet him on that wonderful November evening at Meadow Lane.

Thanks Mad Dog, and good luck at Gillingham!

Ian Marsden @IanMarsden76

AWAY DAYS

There is something special about following your team on the road. Home games are your bread and butter, but away days conjure up everything we love about football.

Its not about invading a rival teams manor or the latest episode of Turf Wars, but the feeling that you’ve made the effort (sometimes at great expense) to give the lads your backing.

AUGUST 25TH, 1979

BURNLEY 0, NOTTS 1 Having graduated from standing on a stool with my dad in the old County Road stand as a kid, the next milestone in my apprenticeship was the first time I was let loose on my own on the road following Notts. Whilst I can’t exactly remember the first away day with my mates - one memory was the trip to Burnley in the old Division 2.

Not the most glamourous occasion, but for non-footballing reasons this game lives on in my memory and we still laugh about this today some 33 years later.

My mate Jon had arranged for a

family friend to take us, he only wanted a couple of quid petrol money. We set off in plenty of time for the pretty straight forward trip up the M1/M62.

But after getting lost in Leeds I knew this was going to be a nightmare.

After eventually arriving at Turf Moor just in time for kick off and locating the away section (which in those days was on the big covered terrace down the side of the pitch) we tucked into my first experience of a meat and potato pie. The game was largely uneventful only noteworthy for a last minute winner from Micky Vinter.

What made this day stay with me was the events that unfurled on the way home. Having got lost on the way to the game the driver decided to go the scenic route home back through the Peak District.

Now as a kid you dont really give a stuff about petrol stations and worry about how much petrol is

in the tank - why should you?

But neither did the driver, so about an hour into the journey home the car came to an abrupt halt. “Run out of petrol lads” came the voice from the drivers seat. “Dont worry, I’ll flag someone down to fetch us some”. Top marks for initiative!

Low and behold a car stopped and offered to fetch us some.

Back in the 70s there was obviously still a code of conduct amongst drivers,. But what happened next is way beyond any stunt I’ve ever pulled. After putting the petrol in the car our driver said “I cant pay you mate I’ve got no money”. Well i could have curled up and died! But the other chap said no problem and off we set home to Nottingham.

I actually still see from time to time our brass neck driver down the Lane, but never seem to approach him and remind him of the stunt he pulled on the A6 that day!

Sean Redgate @66seany66

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OOOOOH TOMMY JOHNSON!

He was one of the main reasons I became as addicted with football as I did. By the time my old man and I frequented the old, wooden Main Stand on a fortnightly basis, Tommy Johnson was already my favourite player and it was something that wouldn’t change in not only the next few years but the decades that would follow in my footballing education.

Although I had already visited Meadow Lane on various occasions since 1987, the 1989-90 season would be my first where I was a week-in, week-out type with my old man and his brother. Despite only being seven at the start of the promotion winning season from the Old Division Three, I was fortunate enough to be brought up just yards away from Meadow Lane amongst a family that couldn’t wait for Saturday to arrive.

By this time my granddad had stopped making trips across the main road with us but in some ways, his retirement from venturing down the lane enabled me to become so passionate about reporting back with stories and tales of my heroes each week. Despite the fact he’d listen to Colin Slater on the wireless, he’d still always seek my opinion and reports and as a result, he allowed me to gradually develop my version of events that led to the legend of Tommy Johnson within my own family.

In what was to become my first full campaign as a season ticket holder, I had to wait until two days after my birthday in late September to see a very young, rake-like figure, with ginger hair wheel away with his arms aloft for the first time down at Meadow Lane following a goal at home to Bolton Wanderers.

A lad who didn’t seem that much older than me compared to the likes of Steve Cherry, Don O’Riordan and Dean Thomas, this young forward demonstrated an exuberance that I also remember capturing the imagination of my dad, a person that was never too quick to get carried away on any old wave of optimism.

As the season gathered momentum and Notts had already gotten off to an understated but steady start, Johnson began to find the net on a regular basis and with it, I suddenly wanted to become a striker myself.

Scoring with what was one of the

quickest goals I ever remember seeing at home to Fulham just before Christmas, Johnson took my love beyond any emotion I’d ever experienced as a young school boy and from there on in, every Sunday I would kick around on the sideline at my dad’s Sunday League games for Noel Street Blues practicing my left foot for which I had ambitions to be as good as that of my mate Tommy.

With pace, acceleration, skill and guile, Johnson’s excellent form coincided with that of the team as a whole in the new year and from December 16th onwards we’d never drop out of the top three as Notts chased the dream of promotion to the Old Second Division.

Looking back now, I’d not have had that season scripted any other way.

Title winning seasons are enjoyable and as a youngster at a school where the majority of kids were supporting that lot over the river, it was always nice to have the opportunity to be the one gloating. But in that season and the one that followed, nothing could have ever bettered the experienced of driving down to Wembley with a scarf hanging out the window in anticipation of Tommy Johnson bagging me a goal to recreate in my backyard in the summer months that would follow.

Being so young, I don’t remember a great deal about that first Wembley experience but in my mind I can still see the view from the poorly positioned seats. I felt so far away from Johnson when he netted the games opener but as my dad lifted me up onto his shoulders, the grin on the Geordie boys face was unmistakably. I read many years later in Neil Warnock’s book that that particular Notts side were so confident of success heading into the game with Tranmere but my word it must have been a nerve wracking experience for a striker so young and still somewhat naive in his game.

A year went by and as a dramatic season in the second tier of English football came to its climax, I was still coming to terms with how we were not going to Wembley in the FA Cup when Paul Gascoigne had tried to ruin my life after a Don O’Riordan wonder goal at White Hart Lane had sent me and the family delirious in our quest to win the great cup competition in the world.

But

come

June

1991

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all

was

forgotten as Tommy Johnson again delivered bagging twice in a 3-1 win at under the twin towers of a dilapidated but somewhat magical Wembley. By this time I was no longer recreating goals in my own back yard with my replica shirt with little brother as an acting keeper. For each Saturday morning I now wore the number 11 shirt for my team West Bridgford Colts. As two footed as a lad coming on nine could be, I’d wanted to play like Tommy so much that my left foot was a match for anyone and goals quickly followed as the number 11 on my back gave me the confidence to play like my idol.

In the years that followed I found my place within the team I played, reverting to a central midfielder but forever more I would wear 11 as a memory of my childhood hero.

As I grew up and subsequently frequented Meadow Lane less often due to my own playing, Johnson would go on to see clubs spend combined transfer fees of more than £5,000,000 on the Geordie boy adopted by one half of Nottingham.

Much later in life I’d become somewhat jealous when fellow football fans I met at University would remember Aston Villa’s Tommy Johnson or the Tommy Johnson that scored a winner to secure Celtic Scottish titles.

Despite playing for some big clubs on both sides of the border, I am always happy when I look back at the career of Tommy Johnson knowing that no club benefitted from him scoring as many goals as we did at Notts. No club saw him wear their shirt as frequent as we at Meadow Lane and for that, no amount of goals from anyone will ever be able to displace Tommy Johnson as my favourite footballer of all time.

Every fan has one eternal love within the game for a variety of reasons. For me, maybe it was the fact that Johnson’s time at Notts coincided with me being an excitable newcomer. Maybe it was a coincidence that he was the top scorer in the first three seasons that I had a season ticket or the fact that he won back-to-back promotions by the time he was just twenty.

Or maybe it was just the fact that Tommy Johnson was just the best player I’ve ever seen grace Meadow Lane. I know which reason I’ll always stand my.

Luke Williamson @LukeWilliamson

SIR LES BRADD INTERVIEW

In this issue Black & White gets to grips with a true Notts County legend, Les Bradd, who’s career at Notts spanned 11 years from 1967 – 1978 during which time he made a total 442 appearances in the famous stripes, scoring a record 137 goals.

Hi Les and thank you for I played against the likes of many teams no longer play taking the time to answer George Curtis, Chris Nicol, with target men who were a few questions for us here John McGrath, Brian Labone, good headers of the ball up at Black & White. With your Dennis Smith and Larry Lloyd front. I think you have to go history at the club it’s a real to name a few and made my back as far as Trevor Christie professional debut playing to find a player possibly similar privilege for us. against Charlie Hurley but I to my style of playing.

In a career spanning 16 would have to say that Dave years and 5 clubs you Watson was probably the With 137 goals in 442 appearances for the would have played with toughest that I played against Magpies what would you some great and probably not so great players but Would you say there was say was the best goal you who would you say was the any player of any era you ever scored for the club and not having the why? best player you ever played regret chance to have played with?

The most memorable would alongside? have to be a goal I scored Without doubt the best player Walsall that was was George Best who I played In my playing days many teams against with at Stockport County where had two big strikers with wide reckoned to be from around 40 I also had the honour of playing men operating on both flanks yards shooting at the Kop end. alongside Bobby Charlton. I delivering quality balls for the I also have high regard for my would have to say that the strikers to earn their money. I record breaking goal scored greatest player that I played enjoyed playing alongside Tony against Wolves. with at Notts County would be Hateley which was my most Don Masson who was the best profitable year as a goal scorer What would you say was passer of the ball and had the at Notts. There was another the greatest moment of ability of selecting the most prolific scorer in those days your playing career? who I would not have minded telling pass available. playing alongside by the name The most memorable match in my playing career would have And who throughout your of Ted McDougal. to be the League Cup victory career would you say was the toughest player you Which Notts player in recent against Leeds Utd at Elland times reminds you most of Road where we won 1-0 with ever played against? the winning goal scored by yourself?

Ian Scanlon. The Leeds team During my playing days most clubs had big, tough The game has changed quite a at the time contained many and physical centre halves. lot since my playing days and International players including

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Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray, Alan Clarke and Johnny Giles.

Do you think that the relationship between players and fans is much different today than when you were playing and would you say players were more or less accessible to fans today especially with the advent of social media such as twitter?

Throughout my career footballers were part of the community and were encouraged to socialise with supporters after matches and attend charitable functions in which I personally made many great friendships as I know many other players did as well. Today’s players are less accessible to the fans who rarely meet with their hero`s off the pitch to talk.

Social networking via Facebook and twitter will never be the same as meeting and talking to players and in that respect I feel that today’s fans are missing out.

What has been your best Notts County moment since you retired from playing?

I have lots of happy memories at Meadow Lane since I retired from playing and enjoyed working with some great people in the County 75 Lottery Office from 1983 to 1994 where we raised a great deal of funds to support the Club. On a footballing side I really enjoyed the two victories at Wembley gaining successive promotions with Neil Warnock as manager as well as the recent promotion to Division 1.

As with the fans, I’m sure the clubs constant financial battles in recent times will be among your worst Notts moments but can you tell us what you were thinking at the time of the Munto saga?

I like most fans welcomed the Munto takeover and the feeling

that the club had its finances secure after the miserable days of administration and uncertainty.

With Munto`s involvement we were able to see Kasper Schmeichel, Ben Davies, Lee Hughes and Sol Campbell albeit for one game wearing the club’s colours and I believe that without the Munto experience we would not have gained promotion and could have possibly been relegated out of the Football League which would have meant that we would not be celebrating our 150th birthday this year.

Moving on to present day and you are once again a Notts County employee working as the clubs Ambassador, can you explain what this involves and is it something you are enjoying?

I took up the role of Ambassador for the Club in November last year to assist the Club in many projects during the year of its 150th Celebrations. This role has involved sales administration and the involvement of former players in events such as civic receptions, celebratory matches, darts matches, race day, sportsman’s dinners as well as an active role in Notts County Former Players Association. This role I have enjoyed immensely and it has given me the opportunity to speak to many former players that have served this Club so well over the years.

I realise you have to choose your words wisely here but what are your thoughts on the current set up at Notts County, the board and the coaching staff, and what are your expectations for the club and its future?

I have obviously had more involvement at the Club since I returned in my position as Ambassador which has given me the opportunity of understanding Club operations.

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Both Ray and Aileen Trew spend many hours at the Club to ensure that it has the best opportunity to develop to its full potential which has and still is costing them a lot of money.

I have every confidence that they will achieve their target of getting the Club into the Championship in two years.

They have appointed a very good young manager in Keith Curle who has in turn recruited a good back room team to help him deliver his plans for promotion.

If you had to name one player from the current squad who you think is pivotal to achieving a top six finish this season who would it be and why?

I believe and always have done that the captain is the most important player on the pitch to carry out the managers wishes. Not necessary from a playing point of view but in ensuring that he his motivating his team mates to deliver the best possible performance and ultimately the right result.

Les, can I just say it’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you but before we let you go could we trouble you for a prediction of where you think Notts will finish in the league come May 2013?

The season will see many twists and turns with many clubs having what may seem to be strange results that will be due to suspensions and injuries but I believe that Notts have a very good squad of players to compete for a chance of promotion. Whether we can achieve automatic promotion I am not sure as Sheffield Utd and MK Dons have also put together very good squads this season but I do believe that we can certainly reach the playoffs.

Richard Ogando @ncfcog

THE JIMMY & JACK APPEAL

Black & White is joining forces with the Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund over the next few months to help with their fundraising efforts - but it won’t be possible without your help.

We’re looking for contributions from Notts County’s supporters to help make this happen, make it as unique a fundraiser as possible.

We’ve not set a price yet - that’s all dependent on how much content we have sent forward. But once the printing costs are out of the way, all profits will go straight into the statue fund’s pot.

If you think that you can help us, please get in touch via stu@BOTNpublishing.co.uk.

Thank you for reading.

What we need is any photos and your stories of your favourite Notts County stories. We already have some fantastic names involved with the project so far, but we very much need the fans involvement with this too.

Photos can be either digital or hard copy - we can scan those in and they’d be returned to you within just a few days. Stories can be anything you want. The best games you’ve seen Notts involved in, your favourite players, that most memorable away day - there’s no limit!

Black & White shall be producing a limited edition Statue Fund special in early 2013, documenting the photos and tales of both the fans, and those fortunate enough to work alongside both Jimmy & Jack.

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PRESIDENT Ray Trew

CHAIRMAN Malcolm Voce

SECRETARY Alan Malloy

TREASURER Andy Bryan

Alan: 07909 752 772 Malc: 07980 284 331 golf@nottscountygolfsociety.co.uk

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LET’S NOT STOP DOING THE HUGHESY

With trademark composure, a neat touch, a swivel of the hips and a dinked finish, the iconic striker had won his club another vital three points.

Then, with a deft piece of movement, an experienced bit of positioning, and that unique know-how, that same iconic striker grabbed his club an away point at the division’s big boys.

Both came late in the game, both came from the bench, and both were finished off with that celebration. The ‘Hughesy’. Yes, Lee Hughes is back, and with a bang.

Notts County’s number 19 – more on that later – had endured an acrimonious summer, agonising over a possible departure from Nottingham, from the place where in the past three years he has been the fan’s favourite, the club’s leading light, arguably a living Magpies legend.

Further, following a poor return in the second half of the previous season, failing to net under manager Keith Curle who had taken the helm in February, many had begun to write off a man who turned 36 in May. Additionally, and perhaps a reason for his poor form, a sexual assault charge hung over him following an incident in the team hotel during an FA Cup weekend away in December last year. For the record, at the end of the season the sexual assault charge was dropped and the former West Brom man instead pleaded guilty to an offence of common assault and was forced to pay a fine.

the the club during pre-season. Forget his loss of form, I knew he would get back to doing what he does best – scoring goals.

Hughes should be seeing his career out at the club.

There remains no better natural finisher in the squad, and not many in the division.

That others wrote him off also tipped me over the edge.

Goalscorers don’t lose that instinct, that knack of finding the net. More than that though, many seemed to forget But back to the football, and it was to be a summer all he has done for the club. of discontent for both Hughes and for the fans who worship his footballing talent. I include myself firmly in Pre-Munto, amidst years of abject misery in League that. Problems behind the scenes - and they can only Two, the one thing more than most the club lacked was be speculated on - had led him to strongly consider a a striker to terrorise defenders, to bang in the goals required for success. Then we got him. move away.

Clearly given his age he wouldn’t be a regular starter, something he disliked. From the outside it looked to some as if Curle was pushing him away, particularly when stripping him of the number nine shirt he has worn with such distinction. Think of Lee Hughes, and you think of the number nine shirt. But Curle gave that to his new signing Enoch Showunmi, with Hughes handed squad number 19. It may well be that Curle expected him to leave, it may have been part of a plan to get him to leave, who knows. But it was a daft thing to do, and probably isolated the striker somewhat. What’s more, Showunmi is not fit to lace his boots let alone take his shirt from his back.

Thankfully, whatever the issue was, Curle and Hughes resolved it and the latter has gone on to play an important – if bit-part – role in a successful start to the campaign. With three goals in 10 appearances (though just the five starts)at the time of writing, Hughes has got his goalscoring groove back.

Forget his well-known off-the-pitch errors – and in no way can his conviction for death by dangerous driving ever be condoned or forgotten, though I talk of the man only in footballing terms – Hughes the goal machine did more than anyone to finally bring some success to longsuffering fans. He plundered an incredible 33 goals in his debut campaign to bring the League Two title to Meadow Lane, and end years of misery. He became an instant icon, a fan’s favourite, a man to stand alongside club legends. It is not going too far to say that given the paucity of club honours and of good strikers in recent times.

An injury-hit season followed, but still he found the net 16 times as the club struggled in League One and changed managers on a further three occasions. In all, going into the away fixture at Carlisle, Hughes had 63 goals in just over three seasons. An astonishing record.

If only he had arrived a couple of seasons earlier or even better was 26, not 36. Granted, if he were, there is no way he’d be in League One. Naturally, his career is ending. But he has showed already this season he will contribute goals until the day he departs. For me, hopefully for him, and certainly for the club, that will be a sad day.

The first move described at the top of his article was an 87th minute winner against Shrewsbury at Meadow Lane, the second a 76th minute leveller at Sheffield United. His first of the season came at Bury, a glancing header in the first minute of a 2-0 win at Gigg Lane. Vital At Chelsea they call John Terry, another with wellgoals claiming vital points. documented problems away from the pitch, their As a huge Hughes fan, regardless of him now being in Captain. Leader. Legend. For Hughes and Notts County, the final year of his contract – worth mentioning here read Striker. Goalscorer. Legend.

Paul Smith that he took a pay cut to sign an extended deal last @psmithyjourno season – I was aghast that he may be about to leave

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BILLY IVORY INTERVIEW

Billy Ivory is a celebrated writer, best known for penning the hit bin-men series Common as Muck and the film Made in Dagenham about the 1968 female workers strike at Ford. He’s also a lifelong Notts fan and regular at Meadow Lane, so was the obvious choice to produce a stage adaptation of former County midfielder Dave McVay’s book Steak, Diana Ross. We spoke to Billy before and after the show hit the Playhouse stage.

A few days before Diary of a Football Nobody kicked off its run at the Nottingham Playhouse I had the chance to speak to the writer, Billy Ivory, about the production, and about his many years supporting Notts, who he describes as the “Authentic Nottingham football team” For Billy, who has been following Notts County all his life and well remembers the era covered by the book, the chance to adapt Dave McVay’s work was something he had long wanted to do.

“I read the book donkey’s years ago when it first came out, originally I thought it would make a great film and wanted to produce a screenplay for it but it’s so difficult to get funding for it.”

Billy always felt the book deserved to be taken to a bigger audience and so when the opportunity came to do something with the Playhouse to mark the 150th anniversary of the football club he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

“Giles Croft from the Playhouse contacted me about putting something together for the 150th year and this just seemed like the logical thing to do.”

The book, Steak, Diana Ross, is former Notts player Dave McVay’s diary of his early years at Meadow Lane, and tells about the goings on off and on the field – where the club were under the management of the legendary Jimmy Sirrel. Adapting the book for stage was a big project, but one that Billy, who has written numerous television and movie screenplay’s, was ready for.

“I had to add a lot of narrative to the play, there were bits that were small parts of the book, things mentioned in passing, that we could use as storyline in the book, so we built a narrative structure.”

For Billy as well, the idea was to make the play more than just football, but to make it about Nottingham.

“The book, I’d say is about 80/20 football, the play is more even, it’s about Nottingham in the 70’s, not just the football but the clothes, the music, the community.”

One of the key parts of the play was how to portray the football on stage, for Billy it was important that this be something that was theatrical and not to resort to video.

“It would have been easy to use video, to use footage of Notts, we really wanted to make this a theatrical experience, we wanted to portray the camaraderie between the players, that feeling you have whether you be on Meadow Lane or on the Embankment on a shitty October morning where you would step in front of a bullet for a team mate. We really tried to create a sense of the game and I think we did that, well it makes me smile anyway.”

Of course on top off all this we had to wonder what one person in particular made of Billy’s adaptation, that being the author of the book himself, former Notts midfielder turned journalist Dave McVay.

“Dave was brilliant, he basically said to me ‘Look Billy, do what you think best’, he has been really supportive, he added a bit of narrative, but he loved it. He was really sweet about it.”

A few days after catching the play I met up with Billy in the Playhouse bar to catch his feelings on how the show was going so far, the play had been receiving great responses from the crowd’s and press, including at a national level as Billy pointed out.

“Oliver Kay, who writes for the Times, came down to see it the other day and was raving about it, he said he highly recommended it.”

We were speaking the night after the Gala event that had seen many of the ex-players who had featured in the play make an appearance, among them the likes of Brian Stubbs, who had been thoroughly pleased with how he was portrayed, and also Don Masson, who was not exactly portrayed in the most positive manner in the play.

“I spoke to Don (Masson) and said “Look Don you don’t come across that well in this” and he said, “that was a different man”, he said it was evidence to him of how much he has changed, when he played football that was all he cared about. Truthfully, the thing is, he was so much better than anyone else in the team, his skill level was a level above. I think it was one of the reasons that he was so single minded. I thought there was an interesting correlation there between that single mindedness and not being the most likeable person, but I think that’s why he made it to the top.”

The play had been going down fantastically well, and even non-football fans had been remarking on how much they’d enjoyed it. It was clear that this play was not just a play showing Billy’s love for Notts County but also his love for his hometown.

“For me, the thing about the play is, you can come and see it whether you like football or not. It’s about Nottingham in so far as it’s about the city and I’m very proud of that because I’m very proud of the city. I love where I’m from and I know everyone says that, in the same way that everyone thinks that there wife is the most beautiful, but the reality is Nottingham is the most beautiful.”

In fact it’s some of the non football moments that are the proudest for Billy, with his biggest input in adapting the book coming in creating storyline arcs of the pitch, most notably those focusing on McVay’s relationships with his grandfather and Grace, his, not really, girlfriend.

“A lot of the story is straight from the book, but those bits I’m really proud of , for me that’s what the play’s about, not just football, it’s about where football fits, it is an escape, but you know when you’ve lost someone you love, or worry about the people around you, or have money troubles it puts it all into perspective.”

We talk about the cast, who have all been fantastic, and in particular Perry Fitzgerald, who plays Dave McVay and

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as such has the task of narrating and all in all carrying the play, the pressure on the young actor is huge but he more than raises to meet it and Billy is rightfully proud of his lead.

“We had to give him extra time off just to learn it, certain days we’d schedule so that he just wasn’t in. He does carry it and he has to be at his best, the thing is if he wasn’t up to it you don’t have a play because you’d just wouldn’t enjoy it. You never had that with Perry, and the other actors all said that.”

It wouldn’t be right of course not to mention the performance of former The Bill star Eric Richard, who puts in a brilliantly funny display as the one and only Jimmy Sirrel, managing to pull off the great man’s mannerisms and dialogue to perfection. Billy tells us about the first time Dave McVay heard Eric read as Jimmy.

“Dave said the first time he met him, and of course he knew him from the television and that, and he sat down and read it in the Sirrel voice, Dave just sat up straight, it was like Sirrel was in the room. Last night all the boys were saying “It’s Jimmy, it actually is Jimmy”. It was uncanny.”

I ask him about the brilliant opening which features an expletive filled voiceover from commentator and all round gentleman Colin Slater, Billy admits that upon approaching Colin about the opening there was a touch of nerves.

What are your earliest memories?

One of the earliest games I remember was the match when Ian Scanlon scored that really quick hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday. I remember thinking, “I hope it’s like this every week”. Of course it wasn’t.

Who have been your favourite players?

There have been so many! I loved Raddy Avramovic. I used to play nets when I was younger, then I moved up front so I’ve always liked strikers, players like Tommy Johnson and Les Bradd. Masson, of course was amazing.

The Warnock side had some great players, Dean Yates was a great player who I thought could have gone all the way, you see him now and he still looks like an athlete.

Mark Draper was class; don’t think we have had as good a midfielder since. I always thought Gary Lund was underrated, he wasn’t the quickest but he scored some good goals. Charlie Palmer will always be a favourite of course, especially because of that goal against Forest.

Of the current side I think Alan Judge can go on to become a Notts great but the thing is players just don’t stay around as long as they used to.

What have been your most memorable matches?

I think for all around atmosphere it has to be that match against Forest, it was just amazing. I remember when Charlie scored and the guy next to me said he thought it was Palmer who scored and I just said “No, it couldn’t have been”, and then there he is running the whole length of the pitch. What a moment.

“Colin is such a gent, you talk about the club not having a continuation there with the players, but Colin is that continuation, he is that figure that represents the club.

When I first went to him I said “Colin will you do me a voiceover, I want to start it with a voiceover?”, and he said “Yes of course I will Billy”, because he likes my work, and he’s been a very loyal supporter of my work, he’s seen all my plays and films and things, and he said “I’d do anything for you” . So I said “Well the thing is there’s a bit of bad language in it” and he said, “Well I’m sure if it’s you it’s necessary”. It works really well because it does throw everybody.”

Often though it’s those matches you don’t expect to stand out, a 1-0 win at Cardiff on a miserable Tuesday night, that’s the thing with football you make your own experiences and memories.

With the success of the play and the all round great reaction’s received, with even the current squad fans “I’ve been told they all enjoyed it” I ask Billy whether he had any plans to bring the play back again in the future.

I’d love it if it did because I think now, because of word of mouth, people would want to come, and we’re already getting people coming back for a second or third time.

We look a better side than last year, better distribution and play; I definitely think we’re up there with the top three or four teams in the division. It’s early days though and I have been following football to long to get excited just yet.

“I don’t know, they haven’t said anything but I would love it if it did. I do think it’s the kind of thing you can come and see.”

So, if you were one of those who didn’t get chance to see what I still maintain is the best piece of theatre I have ever seen, then maybe you will still get your chance, me I will certainly be heading along to catch the show again if it does come back.

Before we parted, I asked Billy a few quick questions about Notts - here’s what he said to say: When did you first start going to watch Notts?

My first real memories are from around the same era as the play, 71-78 sort of time, so when I was about eight or nine, so I remember the glory years under Sirrel and Warnock. Mainly though I remember the noise, the colour that you experienced when you were young, all the emotion, it was something you didn’t feel elsehwere.

What are your thoughts on Notts this season?

I think we’ll get promoted this season. We look good.

Arquin looks like a good signing, he’s got a bit of a temper but looks the business, it’s hard to see a place for Lee Hughes at the moment. Labadie and Boucaud have looked good and Judge is class, that goal he scored against Portsmouth was brilliant.

What is it about Notts that makes them special?

Notts are the original side, the original football team, I have nothing against Forest but I have always thought that Notts fans are the real Nottingham supporters, the authentic Nottingham fans.

Darren Patterson | NottinghamLive.co.uk @NottinghamLive

COMPETITION

We were lucky enough to get hold of a programme from the play signed by all eight cast members! To enter the draw to win it, just email stu@thenottsblog.co.uk with an answer to this question: Q) What was the original title of Dave McVay’s book from which Diary Of A Football Nobody was taken from?

Closing date is Saturday, November 17th, 2012 when all winners shall be contacted via email. Good luck!

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VERY SUPERSTITIOUS...

Picture the scene... in the first episode of ITV Series Mike Bassett: Manager, Ricky Tomlinson’s Bassett surveys the dressing room ahead of his first match in charge of fictional Wirral United. Flanked as ever

by Steve Edge’s assistant manager Doddsy, Bassett’s eye is drawn to the erratic motions of striker Carlton Dawes...

“What’s Carlton doing? Looks as though he’s chasing an imaginary bee...”

“Pre-match lucky ritual boss, he always does it.”

“Hasn’t been very lucky for him has it? Bugger hasn’t scored for eight months” Another aspect of the beautiful game parodied perfectly by the creators of football’s biggest spoof character. Despite the comedy of the scene, the fact remains that football is rife with superstition. Every week countless of players go about their own special match day routine, whether it be travelling to The Etihad Arena to face the reigning Premier League champions or the short trip to Penrhyncoch in the Mid Wales league.

There have been some fairly impressive superstitions over the past few decades involving footballers at the highest level.

It is widely reported that Johan Cruyff would always enter the pitch chewing gum and before kickoff unceremoniously spit it into the oppositions half. Media darling John Terry apparently has nearly fifty pre-match superstitions including listening to the same Usher CD, parking in the same space at Stamford Bridge and he even wore the same pair of shin pads for ten years before losing them in 2005.

Goalkeepers

tend

to

have

more bizarre superstitions than Manchester United get minutes added time every week. Irish stalwart Shay Given shares his goal with a bottle of holy water every week, while Pepe Reina refuses to arrive at Anfield without first filling his car with petrol. these sentiments are ingrained so deeply that changing them would have a marked effect on a player’s mental performance, even though nothing is physically different. Lunacy at the level of the game where the stakes are highest, with so much riding on something as inconsequential as a parking space.

Even at Meadow Lane the evidence of players’ superstitions is plain to see. Neal Bishop would crouch facing away from goal with every penalty awarded to Notts and former ‘keeper Stuart Nelson kicked his goal posts before every goal kick with an alarming regularity. Admittedly, the latter example may have needed some work, as each perfectly choreographed goal kick would be promptly hoofed into the stands just past the half way line. There can be no doubt that nearly every dressing room in every league is rife with interesting pre-match/midmatch/post-match routines.

Superstitions are also one of the favourite weapons of reporters, keen to uncover whether the players in question brush their teeth more on one side than the other, or how many times they stir their cups of tea in the morning. The idea of superstition moves far further than just the playing and management staff of clubs across the nation, with similar systems put in place by football fans in the hope that because one Saturday a few seasons back putting your jeans on over your shoes meant that Hereford United were demolished five nil.

On a personal level, I dread the matches where I’m joined at

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Meadow Lane by my Dad. Since being promoted to League 1 we’ve only won two of the ten games he’s been in the area for. The recent exception to the rule was the recent 3-2 thriller against Shrewsbury Town; Mr Straw senior’s bad luck was countered by my own extensive pre-match rituals involving the same route to Meadow Lane and avoiding indulging in some of the excellent food on offer at the ground like the plague.

Obviously, the influence of my father is completely out of my control but when considering superstitions I realised that I always take the exact same walking route to Meadow Lane, only ever enter the Kop from one of the two County Road turnstiles and always say hello to the steward at the entrance to the stand.

Of course none of this personal superstition has any bearing on the of pitch matters that afternoon but that isn’t to say that players’ equivalents don’t.

After months of wearing the same boots and putting them on in a specific order, it’s entirely possible that their balance will gradually change according to the each stud’s wear. From there, changing the routine or even changing boots could have catastrophic consequences... an under hit pass, an over hit shot or a timely slip at a pivotal moment, all down to something as little as a boot change.

As a closing sentiment, I’d like to refer to the common sense of a certain Mr Stevie Wonder and while superstition certainly isn’t the way, you won’t be catching me going into the ground through the Iremonger Road turnstiles any time soon.

“When you believe in things that you don’t understand, then you suffer, Superstition ain’t the way” Dave Straw @DaveStraw

Wishing both Notts County FC and Black & White all the best and hoping both the fanzine and Keith Curle’s Notts take us all the way to extra time and penalties this year!

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LuSam PHOTOGR APHY www.lusamphotography.zenfolio.com lusamphotography@gmail.com Portrait Wedding Nature

sensitively composed

with added emotion

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TROUBLE AT HOME

It’s not supposed to be this way, is it? It always seems to be accepted that, to have a successful football team, you need to win your home games and get whatever you can on the road by whatever means necessary - so why is it that Notts’ season seems to be operating in reverse?

and winning at Meadow Lane - champions Charlton and Leyton Orient in what was, to coin an over-used phrase, “just one of those days”. On numerous occasions Allen’s side came out of the blocks quickly at home and gained an early goal, but perhaps even then Notts were guilty on sitting back too much and failing to build on their leads. That is a pattern that has continued into this I’m writing this after Notts fell to their third home defeat season - against both Shrewsbury and Stevenage Notts of the season, to Tranmere Rovers, and their seventh took the lead but immediately handed the initiative back overall under boss Keith Curle - by contrast, the Magpies to their visitors by failing to turn the screw. remain unbeaten away from Meadow Lane since Curle was appointed, our last defeat on the road coming in The answer to the problem isn’t necessarily a complete Martin Allen’s last game at Hartlepool back in February. rethink of the way we play - 4-2-3-1 has proved to be an What makes this situation even stranger, however, is ultimately successful system for Curle and Notts since it that it is a complete change from the fortunes Notts was brought in, but there certainly needs to be a subtle had under Allen, where their home form was what kept rethink of how Curle approaches games at Meadow Lane them towards the top half of the table for so long despite or he faces sides coming to Notts even more confident that they can get away with a result. Playing one upfront terrible form away from Meadow Lane. isn’t the completely central issue - it works fine as a In my last article, I investigated the ins and outs of the concept at home as long as you move the ball quickly 4-2-3-1 formation that Curle has brought to Notts since and get enough men in and around that lone striker and his appointment, and I think it is the way that Curle sets into the box to ensure you give the opposition something his sides up to play that is the most striking reason for to think about defensively. the disparity between his sides’ home and away records.

One feature of Notts’ play that has concerned me so far Curle has set his side up to be, more than anything this season is the lack of bodies that have got into the else, cautious towards the beginning of games. For all box when Notts have worked the ball into dangerous the talk of ‘expressing themselves’, Notts are a side who areas - far too many times a player has been forced to begin games with the mentality of not conceding and try and pick out just one player with a cross into the box, work from there. This is something that is played out in something that is very rarely going to result in much joy. the stats, with Carl Regan’s own goal against Tranmere at the weekend being the first that the Magpies had One of the Premier League’s most impressive performers conceded before half time this season. Indeed, it was this season have been West Brom, who have excelled by only the eighth first half goal that Notts have let in since playing one upfront both home and away and passing Curle took the reigns - and four of those came in one the ball neatly under Steve Clarke. Two noticeable freak half of football against Sheffield United last season. features of their play have been the number of players the Baggies get into the area when they break forward However, Notts themselves are hardly prolific before the and also the speed at which they move the ball forward break, at Meadow Lane in particular - just eight goals and willingness to play incisive passes in behind the being struck in the first half in fifteen home matches opposition defence. under Curle. Indeed, half of the home games under their manager have been 0-0 at the break. This is a problem, They play a similar system to Notts, but the speed at because a failure to impose themselves on the match which they move forward and the risks they take in is a key reason for Notts’ troublems at home - simply, getting players into the box are worlds away from what the only team to come to Meadow Lane under Curle and we’ve seen from the Magpies thus far - i’m not sure that find themselves put under enough pressure to wilt were the Baggies’ 100% home record so far is a coincidence, a Colchester United side with nothing to play for at the either. There are some reasonable excuses that Notts end of last season. Teams are finding that coming to could point to - having been missing both attacking full Meadow Lane is like entering the labyrinth but finding backs for the two recent home defeats. Carl Regan, for that the minotaur is taking a nap and has taken an awful all of his faults defensively, has also struggled to offer Notts what their system demands going forward, with lot of drugs. the ability of Francois Zoko and Jamal Campbell-Ryce to Conversely, away from home, it is Notts’ ability to stay get close enough to the lone striker to link up and cause in games and come on strong late in them that has won problems. numerous points since Curle came into the club - whether a second half barrage at Leyton Orient or nicking a late I also think that the lack of a settled central midfield equaliser at Bramall Lane. As a general rule, the longer pairing has been an issue - Neal Bishop has struggled to an away side is able to keep the scores level or even fit into a possession based style at times, whilst André remain just a single goal behind, the more they will grow Boucaud was sent off just as he was finding form and, in in confidence and believe in their own ability to get a my opinion, doesn’t move the ball quickly enough to help result. As Curle has gained so much success on the road Notts break teams down at home. living by this rule, it’s a source of huge frustration that we are losing so many points at home because we’re Curle certainly has plenty of time to sort these minor entering games far too cautiously and giving visiting issues out, but a record of six home league defeats since our last on the road is one that has to cause Notts some sides too much reason to believe they can get a result. concern. Hopefully we can sort things out just a couple For all of his undoubted faults, one thing Martin Allen of hours after you read this! was certainly able to drum into his players was the need Jacob Daniel to be positive early on at home and put visiting sides on the back foot. This was played out in Allen’s home record @NottsCountyMad during the 2011/12 season, with just two sides coming

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THIS WAS A MAN’S WORLD

Saturdays have always been about football for me. When I was at primary school, other girls used to go to ballet and dance lessons on a Saturday, but as soon as I knew where my dad disappeared off to on a Saturday afternoon, that was where I wanted to go too.

And so, since the age of seven, Saturdays have been about going to watch Notts.

I never felt that there was anything unusual about this. In fact, the most unusual part of my hobby seemed to be that I had chosen to support Notts and not F*****, which in pre-Premier League times, was by far the most supported club at school. It never really occurred to me that being female made me different and at Meadow Lane, though the crowds were predominantly male, my gender was never an issue. It may be that having three brothers, I was used to being outnumbered anyway, but there were enough women and girls around to mean that I did not feel out of place.

It was as I grew a bit older that being a girl and liking football seemed to set me apart a bit, or at least I started to notice it more.

I remember going to a football summer camp run by Alan Young and being the only girl there and I remember, aged eight, not being able to go to the toilet at White Hart Lane when Notts played Spurs in the FA Cup quarter final in 1991 because there just weren’t enough ladies’ toilets. The queue was so massive I would have missed the second half! There were about three toilets for dozens of women who all wanted to go at the same time and as a result I

had to wait until the coach stopped at a service station half way back to Nottingham before I could relieve my bladder. Anyone with young children will realise what an achievement that was on my part!

Obviously times have changed since then and female faces are happily a much more familiar sight at any football ground around the country - plus the facilities are usually much more adequate.

But there is still a long way to go before women are considered ‘equal’ in the football world.

Nobody has ever come out with a blatantly sexist comment to my face but the insinuations that I can’t know much about football because I am a woman are often still there. Whenever I meet a man for the first time, in any circumstance, and football comes into the conversation, there is still palpable surprise that I know anything about the sport, never mind that I have actually been to a game (several hundred actually – nearly always more than the man I am talking to, no matter what their age!). The fact that I am a Notts fan and don’t profess to ‘support’ Man U or Chelsea usually convinces people pretty quickly that I do actually know what I am talking about, as I am not just saying it for the glory, but the fact that they need to be convinced is somewhat annoying.

The position of women in the game is the strongest it has ever been.

The London Olympics definitely helped that with Team GB women’s football putting in some very good performances in front of some of the largest ever crowds to watch a women’s football match. For some reason, many men - and some women - are still amazed that a

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girl can kick a ball at all, never mind nutmeg a defender and put in a perfect cross for another girl to head home. But that attitude is slowly changing.

The FA’s Women’s Super League has raised the profile of women’s football and the televising of more England matches on the BBC also means that people are becoming more accustomed to seeing women playing football and being, dare they think it, quite good at it! There still needs to be more coverage of matches in the media though, particularly in national newspapers. They might employ more female football writers covering than they used to, but coverage of women’s football, which around 1.4 million girls and women in this country take part in, is practically zero.

There are two issues here – women watching men’s football and women playing football – but the prejudices and obstacles are the same for those involved.

It would be refreshing if it could just be widely acknowledged that women can play, watch and understand football and if any Andy Gray-type incidents were not met with millions of men actually agreeing with such out-of-date and discriminatory views.

We are perhaps getting ever closer to that, but in the meantime, women and girls like me will just keep going down the match and enjoying ourselves by doing so.

And if we have to prove a few people wrong along the way, so be it. It will worth it. COYP! Helen Faccio @HelenBeighton

WE’VE GOT JONNO AT THE BACK! Hi guys, Michael Johnson back again this time with the story behind my league debut for Notts! Don’t forget you can get in touch with me on Twitter via @jonsarno!

At 17 years of age I made my debut in the Zenith Data System’s Cup - anyone remember that competition? It was away to Sheffield Utd we beat them on penalties.

The manager at the time Neil Warnock said I’d done well enough to start I was so nervous and couldn’t believe I was playing alongside some great names from Notts - Dean Yates, Charlie Palmer, Paul Rideout. It was an unbelievable honour.

More was to come when I was asked to travel with the team as the general dogs body to Arsenal. At that time we were in the old first division which is now the Premier League. Every away trip there would be a YTS who would travel and his job was to make the tea on the way down on the coach and get the lads fish and chips order correct and collect it and have it ready for the trip back to Meadow Lane.

This particular journey it was mine. I remember thinking I cant wait to see live and close up Ian Wright, Paul Merson, Kevin Campbell, Tony Adams - and of course Highbury. On the way down Craig Short had an injection in his toe to kill the pain he had. It didnt work.

“Jonno i want you!” was the shout i heard from the front of the bus. “Yes gaffer im on my way” I said.

“How ya feeling son” he asked. I was all nervous and shaky, after all this is the manager of the club.

“I’m fine - I just want to thank you for giving me this opportunity of travelling and the experience” I told him.

He laughed and said “Do you think you could deal with Wrighty” he wanted to know. “Im not sure but Id give it a go“ I answered. “Brilliant answer son ‘cause you’re playing alongside Yatesy today, I have every confidence in you and the big man will look after you”.

I felt ill with worry this is the record signing in England and he was on fire and me from Clifton who was earning £29.50 a week was gonna mark him. Great I thought! The lads were brilliant to me.

I remember arriving at the stadium and seeing all the marble heated flooring and security staff, I also remember the feeling when i walked out to the roar from both sets of fans.

We lost the game 2-0 but it was a sweet victory for me personally, What ever happens nobody can take that away from me. The day got better as i walked of the pitch Ian Wright who scored by the way walked over and spoke with me and gave me a few tips to improve my game for that i will always be gratefull.

I then went onto make several appearances that season against Norwich ,Coventry and other top flight teams.

Then my life changed forever when Derek Pavis the chairman called me and offered me professional forms. I thought I’d arrived! I’d already brought the car and house in my mind! That was it exotic holidays new clothes! Yeah i’ll have some of that!!

It was short lived as i realised that the offer was wait for it... £75 per week lol!

I signed it and it was the best thing I’d ever done.

My pro career was on the road.

SUPERLABS!

Michael Johnson | michaeljohnsonfootball.com

unlikely to ever be in cinemas anywhere.

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