2 Bob derby Notts vs Crewe

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Possibly the biggest gate of the season in the division. Crewe bringing over 1000 and on their third allocation Notts reporting that 15000 have been sold have made the offer very worthwhile.

Crewe seem to be nosediving towards non league and Nolan seems to have learnt from his midfield experiment from our previous home games.

Our recent form has been fairly poor so we are desperate for a home win in front of a big crowd to lure a few back.

 

[jacobncfc]

I’d be surprised if there was as many there as tickets sold, at two quid a few people will have got them but decide not to go.

If we can beat the 16,000 odd at that Huddersfield game to get the biggest crowd at ML this century I think that’d be a great achievement.

More important is just winning, though. We should have a couple of new signings in it seems and Virtue back from suspension, but the team that played Swansea all deserve to keep their places, with the exception of Tootle back in for Hunt at right back if he’s over his illness.

 

[Indian Dan]

Crewe played very well for a good part of the game on Saturday - but they are very fragile.

Don’t expect a walkover

 

[TimeyWimey]

Depressed fans with big away following at one of the better teams in the league... It's actually the kind of game we'll turn up and win comfortably.

It'll get a bit awkward for Artell if we get thrashed or throw away another lead.

 

[Conker]

You lot really need to get back to winning in this, very important match for County.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Hopefully whatever signings we make don't just waltz into the team but are selected on merit as has been our downfall recently.

 

[LongEatonPie]

AH/KN said that any addition were being signed to go straight into the side and not for backup purposes.
All sorts of names being banded about, most of which I have never heard of but although there are a couple of question marks over Virtue and Husin at the moment. 1 MUST be a CD and one MUST be a Striker, not a forward, not an attacking midfielder.

 

[AdamStag]

Will be interesting to see if the choke continues.

Great effort by notts for the offer and the fans to buy into it

 

[Youpies]

Got a feeling we will get back to winning ways here. About time we performed in front of a big crowd and I hope that the 451 experiment is over. The Chairman got his replay, we should now concentrate on the league

 

[TimeyWimey]

Over 1200 sold. Surprising considering the state we’re in, would have been a good following if we were in the playoffs. Like Jacob says though, doubt some will turn up. I can’t be arsed with it (I haven’t bought a ticket) so be surprised if basically a 3rd of our home gate make the trip.

 

[Crewelad87]

1400 sold. 50 tickets left.

 

[william death]

Simply have to get back on track here against a Crewe side who are missing a few through injuries and suspension, and who suffered a demoralising defeat last time out.

Think Bennett may start for us as he won't be playing at Swansea in the cup - possibly in place of Shola. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Virtue come back in - my theory is Liverpool have inserted a 'play or you pay' clause in the loan. If so, in a midfield 2 with Hewitt, please. I'm praying to God we don't see a 4-5-1 return, but after the first Swansea game, I'm quietly confident we won't.

 

[Crewelad87]

For no logical reason really, I've just got a feeling we might turn up here and win. I don' think the big home crowd will help Notts, they could well choke ala Coventry 30,000 and they F*!@$d it up.

Notts 1-2 Crewe (Stead, Bowery, Miller) 15,855 (1412 Railwaymen)

 

[Optipez]

We need the win. The wheels are falling off the promotion band wagon and have been for a couple of months.
Just read a stat on County Mad, 25pts from the first 10 games, 26 from the next 19. I haven't checked it but it sounds about right.
Five in during the window including Noble. Yates has left and we haven't won since in four attempts.
It really is make or break time for us, in truth we haven't looked good since Exeter away and Nolan is right to do a rebuild , trouble is jiggling a new midfield without the luxury of friendlies until it's effective could well leave us somewhere between seventh and tenth and a significant gap to bridge to the automatics.

Should be a fantastic atmosphere and I just hope we start well and actually score early for once, don't sit back and gain confidence from a comfortable win, we haven't won comfortably since October.
If we play like we did at Gresty Road we will lose, comfortably. We were awful that night.

 

[Youpies]

I'm not starting a campaign but I really don't rate Vritue-Thick. What I have seen of him, doesn't convince me he will make it in the game and essentially its a case of miss with him compared to our recent additions - bit like Tahvon Campbell was. I'd rather we developed our own player in Husin alongside Hewitt

 

[Crewelad87]

Thankfully sense has prevailed and an 11 carriage train direct back to Crewe has now been put on instead of a 1 or 2 carriage with a change in derby train, it would have been like a tin of sardines.

 

[Optipez]

I would absolutely keep Hewitt in the middle, but think Virtue has the most potential of the rest.
Second half against Crawley in a two man midfield he was excellent with a good range of passes, and not shy of a tackle. I forgive him the red, he basically took one for the team as he didn't have the energy to sprint back with the player and no-one else was there to cover. His fitness will come and I would start him on Saturday or at least give him half an hour as a sub.

 

[jacobncfc]

I thought Virtue played fairly well at Lincoln and really well after we switched to a two man midfield against Crawley. He's looked completely lost playing in a 4-5-1, but isn't entirely alone in that. Worth persevering with, for me.

We've now sold enough that, if they all turn up, it'll be the record attendance at Meadow Lane since it was rebuilt. Mad.

 

[Crewelad87]

At the close of play today we had less than 10 tickets left. So all 1450 will be sold by tomorrow morning. Been a long time since we sold out an away allocation.

I take it our fans are just crammed into a couple of blocks at one end of the stand. Have many tickets been sold to home fans in the "away stand". I can' wait it should be a cracking day and atmosphere if nothing else.

 

[LongEatonPie]

At the close of play today we had less than 10 tickets left. So all 1450 will be sold by tomorrow morning. Been a long time since we sold out an away allocation.

I take it our fans are just crammed into a couple of blocks at one end of the stand. Have many tickets been sold to home fans in the "away stand". I can' wait it should be a cracking day and atmosphere if nothing else.

You will have the Sirrel stand as normal, closest end to the family stand (the one with the scoreboard above).
I am guessing around 1,000 seats will be blocked off and there are only 529 remaining for home fans, all the 3 others are sold out. That stand holds about 4,500
So as a guesstimate we could be looking at 17,500

Edit AH has just said that Saturday will break the stadium record attendance since it was fully rebuilt. That day was a 3-0 win over Spurs in front of 16952

 

[JJ1532]

Thankfully sense has prevailed and an 11 carriage train direct back to Crewe has now been put on instead of a 1 or 2 carriage with a change in derby train, it would have been like a tin of sardines.

Come again? Where have you seen this?

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Hoping that players get into the team on merit. Hope Nolan has learnt from the two defeats and goes into the game with the strongest 11 available. Out of curiosity which end of the Sirrel have the Crewe fans been allocated?

Bear in mind the road closures around the ground will have an effect after the match.

 

[Davidimp]

Just seen on twitter that Crewe had sold their allocation of 1450.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Just seen on twitter that Crewe had sold their allocation of 1450.

Great following that fair play to them we've been there down in the dumps struggling and it's hard to find the motivation.

 

[JJ1532]

Hoping that players get into the team on merit. Hope Nolan has learnt from the two defeats and goes into the game with the strongest 11 available. Out of curiosity which end of the Sirrel have the Crewe fans been allocated?

According to my ticket, the end closest to the family stand. So standby for all the yoofs we'll be taking to give it the big one to the kids in that stand. Not looking forward to this one bit. Trains there and back are going to be packed with day tripper idiots more interested in getting pissed and causing trouble, the game is probably going to be horrible unless we win by 2 or 3 which we won't. Oh and it seems we've picked up a big injury to an unknown player, possibly Ray.

 

[TimeyWimey]

According to my ticket, the end closest to the family stand. So standby for all the yoofs we'll be taking to give it the big one to the kids in that stand.

Let's hope Notts County's roof is sufficient for the the poor souls if it rains so we don't get a repeat of the FGR tantrums.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

I am suprised the away end has been located there for that reason although on police advice probably played a part. Last time we did an offer th FGR fans sat near the kop.Shame really as 1 it kills the atmosphere and 2 it is likely to damage the experience for some of the families sat nearby.

 

[Crewelad87]

Come again? Where have you seen this?

It's all over social media. 17:47 is a direct football special train to Crewe.

 

[jacobncfc]

The match is now a complete sell out. They won't all turn up, but it should be the record attendance at Meadow Lane as an all-seated stadium.

Obviously the tickets are dirt cheap, but we wouldn't have got 8,000 if they were free little more than a year ago.

 

[Crewelad87]

Impressive numbers all round really. Suprised we sold out considering how rubbish we are and after taking into fact travelling, drinks ect its still not a cheap day out. As you say not everyone will turn up though, so can probably knock a good few hundred of either side.