Notts County

Hunt ankle injury is not serious
Notts County defender Stephen Hunt has learned that he did not suffer a serious injury to his ankle as had first been feared. The 22-year-old went over on his ankle in training last week and had a scan. Magpies boss Steve Thompson told the club website: \"Stephen is a determined character who is hard on himself at times and I like players like that. \"We're glad it isn't a long-term injury and we look forward to see him in action again soon.\"

Walsall v Notts County
Walsall's Chris Westwood (hamstring) is expected to return but fellow defender Anthony Gerrard (ankle) is still out. New loanee Tommy Wright is set to make his debut up front, but Darren Wrack (hamstring) is a doubt while the rested Mark Kinsella is expected to be back. Notts County will be without winger Tom Curtis who has recovered from a broken foot but who has yet to regain the match fitness and sharpness. Steve Hunt will also be out after picking up an ankle knock.

Midfielder Needham leaves Magpies
Midfielder Liam Needham has left Notts County by mutual consent, and is expected to rejoin Conference North side Gainsborough Trinity. Needham, 21, arrived at Meadow Lane from Gainsborough on non-contract forms last season, and signed a new one-year contract in the summer. However, he rejoined Trinity on loan in November, and is now expected to tie up a permanent move there. He made a total of 26 league and cup appearances for the Magpies.

Thompson explains keeper switch
Notts County boss Steve Thompson has explained why regular keeper Kevin Pilkington was dropped in favour of Saul Deeney at the weekend. \"Kev is a terrific professional but we looked at a few things and thought 'Could he have done better?',\" Thompson told the Magpies' website. \"It is pointless having Saul at the club if I am going to tell him he can't play until Pilkington gets injured. \"It was ironic that we brought Saul in, he probably had his worst game for us.\"

Darlington v Notts County
Darlington could have Darren Holloway back to give boss Dave Penney a much-needed defensive boost. He has been out for a month with a hamstring injury, but is needed with Joey Hutchinson (hip) and Mark Albrighton (hamstring) both ruled out. Notts County are without David Pipe and veteran striker Jason Lee. Pipe is out for three weeks with an ankle injury, while Lee is suspended. Midfielder Tom Curtis is fit again and back in contention.

Notts County v Hereford
Notts County striker Jason Lee is back after serving a one-match ban, while Tom Curtis could return after breaking a foot in September. David Pipe and Stephen Hunt are out with ankle injuries. Hereford will be without defender Dean Beckwith as he serves a three-game ban, so Martyn Giles is set to deputise. Striker Andy Williams has also returned to the reckoning following his recovery from the sore throat which ruled him out of Saturday's defeat to Shrewsbury.

Stockport 2-0 Notts County
Anthony Pilkinton and Liam Dickinson scored as Stockport beat Notts County. Stephen Gleeson shot over before Dickinson went close with an overhead kick for the Hatters, while James Spencer denied Magpies' Andy Parkinson. Stockport took the lead after the break when Pilkinton headed his first senior goal from Adam Griffin's cross. Junior Mendes hit the post for the Magpies before Dickinson struck after Gleeson's shot had rebounded out off the Notts County crossbar. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stockport: Spencer, Williams, Tunnicliffe, Owen, Rose, Pilkinton, Briggs (Griffin 14), Gleeson, Dinning, Bramble, Dickinson. Subs Not Used: Deasy, Allen, Ellis, Malcolm. Booked: Griffin, Dinning, Dickinson. Goals: Pilkinton 47, Dickinson 90. Notts County: Pilkington, Silk (Martin 75), Edwards, White, McCann, Pipe, Somner, Smith, Parkinson (Dudfield 80), Lee, Mendes. Subs Not Used: Deeney, Hunt, Ross. Booked: Lee, Somner, Edwards. Att: 5,823 Ref: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Curtis set to seal Nuneaton move
Notts County midfielder Tom Curtis is to join Conference North side Nuneaton Borough on a month's loan. Curtis, 33, has agreed the switch and is set to sign ahead of Nuneaton's game against Kettering Town on Saturday. He has been restricted by injury to just four appearances for County since signing from Chester last summer. Curtis becomes the second signing for Boro caretaker boss Kevin Wilkin after he recruited striker Brian Quailey back to the club from Stafford Rangers.

Notts County v Chester
Notts County boss Steve Thompson looks set to stick with the same XI which earned a point against Swindon. Mike Edwards will be pushing for a start after shaking off a cold but Daryl McMahon (chest infection) is out. Chester boss Mark Wright will be without the services of suspended Paul Linwood for the trip to Notts County. Midfield pair Glenn Cronin and Rob Marsh-Evans again miss out with foot injuries, but Laurence Wilson will return from a one-match ban.

Managing the Magpies
If Steve McClaren thinks the England manager's job is an uncertain one he should try taking the reins at Notts County. When Steve Thompson accepted the County post last summer it is unlikely that he was attracted by the job security on offer. Not since Neil Warnock took the club into the top flight in 1991 has anyone stayed in charge for two full seasons. Since then the club have dropped down the divisions and 12 managers have been through the revolving door of the manager's office at Meadow Lane. Thompson is lucky number 13, but despite the club's penchant for change, he has set about a long-term plan to turn their faltering fortunes around. He told BBC Sport: "Three years ago Notts County were in administration and last season they were one game from the Conference. "They have finished 18th and 22nd in consecutive years and some stability was needed. They have had something like seven managers in six years and the answer is to stabilise and then to build on it." Former Lincoln, Southend and Cambridge boss Thompson is in his second spell with the club, having spent 18 months on the County coaching staff in the mid-1990s under Colin Murphy. He took charge last June after Gudjon Thordarson left by mutual consent following a disappointing campaign which saw them only avoid relegation from the Football League on the last day of the season, having earlier led the table. THE MAGPIES' DOZEN The men who have come and gone since Neil Warnock: Mick Walker (Jan 93-Sep 94) Russell Slade (Sep 94-Jan 95) Howard Kendall (Jan 95-Apr 95) Colin Murphy (June 95-Dec 96) Sam Allardyce (Jan 97-Oct 99) Gary Brazil (Oct 99-May 00) Jocky Scott (Jul 00-Oct 01) Gary Brazil (Oct 01-Nov 01) Billy Dearden (Jan 02-Jan 04) Gary Mills (Jan 04-Nov 04) Ian Richardson (Nov 04-May 05) Gudjon Thordarson (May 05-May 06) Thompson got off to a fine start, losing just one of his first 15 games and enjoying a Carling Cup run that saw wins over Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and Southampton. However, since then their play-off hopes have fizzled out and a recent run of seven games without a win looks to have ended any chance of a place in the League Two post-season party. But Thompson added: "Myself and John Gannon have come on three-year contracts. "Our brief was to do as well as we can for the first year, see how the players do and see what we need for the second season. "The main thing was to stop the club haemorrhaging money and try to get the right blend of youth and experience, which doesn't happen overnight. "When I was here in 1995-96 we had a benefactor called Derek Pavis. We had a youth policy, there was no Bosman rule so you could generate your own money, so there really is no comparison to the club now. "We are in the throws of trying to resurrect the youth system. Obviously we have Howard Wilkinson as a director and he is working hard on that. "But the club were in administration and couldn't even use a paperclip. "When I arrived last summer I only had three players and had to bring 14 in. "We started off really well. We had a great Carling Cup run and we probably suffered for our early success. Going back to the 1960s only Neil Warnock and the legendary Notts County manager Jimmy Sirrel have managed two full seasons at the helm "We've got a small squad and limited resources. If we could have gone out and bought big-name players like Julian Joachim at Darlington then we would have done but we have to watch the pennies. "A lot of the players have had to play a lot of games and are a little bit jaded. In the summer we will be looking to build on what we have achieved. "But supporters have to be patient, I can't build the thing overnight. "We didn't have a training ground for three months. We had to train on the pitch, which is not ideal for the groundsman or ourselves - and we had Nottingham rugby club on it as well. "Next year that won't happen, we will have a training ground and the groundsman can have the pitch to himself. "The aim now is to finish on a high and win as many games as possible. Hopefully next year we will have a bit more money but it has been a tough year." History suggests that the second season does not get any easier for any Magpies manager, but perhaps in Thompson they have found one worth holding onto.

Charlton duo extend Magpies loan
Notts County have extended their loan of Charlton duo James Walker and Myles Weston until the end of the season. Addicks striker Walker and winger Weston, both 19, have been at Meadow Lane since 15 March. Meanwhile, Notts County striker Junior Mendes will stay on loan with Lincoln City for the remainder of the season. Mendes, 30, has played six games for the Imps since moving to Sincil Bank on 16 March. All three loan deals will run out on 5 May.

Notts County extend sponsor deal
Notts County have agreed an extension to their sponsorship deal with Medoc. The Nottinghamshire-based technology solutions firm will be the club's sponsor for the 2007/08 season. Magpies chief executive Geoff Davey said: "This season has been one of consolidation and we are keen to add continuity in everything that we do. "This sponsorship extension is a sign that the club is making the steps to protect and enhance the development of the club."

Gleeson rejoins Cambridge United
Notts County defender Dan Gleeson has agreed a permanent move back to Cambridge United. Gleeson ended the season on loan at the Abbey Stadium and has now signed a deal until June, 2008. The 22-year-old joined Notts County from Cambridge last summer on a 12-month deal. Gleeson started 16 games for the Magpies but after falling out of the first-team picture re-joined the U's on loan in March to help them stay up.

Notts County release six players
Notts County manager Steve Thompson has released six players as he seeks to rebuild the squad for next season. Goalkeeper Saul Deeney, 24, defender Dan Martin, 20 and midfielder Jake Sheridan, 20, will all have to find new clubs for next term after being let go. Defender Alan White, 30 and midfielder Tcham N'Toya, 23, are also released, with White set to sign for Peterborough where he has been on loan. Defender Dan Gleeson, 22, has already rejoined his former club Cambridge.

Magpies seal quartet of signings
Notts County have agreed to sign four players, who have undergone medicals and will officially join on 1 July. Versatile left-sided player Paul Mayo and defender Adam Tann, both 25, have rejected new deals at Lincoln City and Leyton Orient respectively. Trinidad and Tobago international striker Hector Sam, 29, helped Walsall win the League Two title last term. The fourth new arrival is 17-year-old goalkeeper Tim Sandercombe, who was recently released by Plymouth. Tann previously had a six-game spell with County between November 2005 and January 2006, on non-contract terms. "All these players, with the exception of the goalkeeper, have had experience of promotion or the play-offs in the last year or two," boss Steve Thompson told the club website. County have already tied up the signing of former Scunthorpe midfielder Neil MacKenzie on a two-year deal, which was announced last week. Earlier this month, Thompson released six players who had come to the end of their contracts at Meadow Lane.

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