Address:

Meadow Lane

Nottingham

Telephone:

0115 - 9557210

Notts County - The Fans

Notts County Mad!

The Mighty Magpies

NottsCounty.net

Notts County Supporters Trust

Super Notts

The Pie

Bob's 1970-71 Notts Page

Tommy Lawton Fansite

By Car: 
Leave the M1 at Junction 26 and take the A610 towards Nottingham and then signs for Melton Mowbray. Turn left before the River Trent in to Meadow Lane.

By Rail:
The ground is ten minutes walk from Nottingham railway station. As you come out of the main station entrance, turn left and then left again. Follow the road down to London Road and then turn right. The ground is about a 1/4 of a mile down the dual carriageway on the left.

Parking:
You can park at the Cattle Market (opposite the away end £2) or in the club car park (opposite the club offices in Meadow Lane £2.50). Otherwise there is plenty of street parking.

FOR those of you who enjoy a drink before the match, on the main London Road, just across from the hump back bridge over the canal, is the newly-refurbished and renamed Globe. A comfortable open-plan pub with good food and 5 ever-changing real ales (children can use the upstairs room).

Just the other side of Trent Bridge (although mercifully facing away from that rusting monstrosity with a red tree painted on the side!) is the Southbank, the Globe's sister pub. It also serves excellent food and has sport on the numerous televisions; three real ales are offered here including one from the tiny local Mallards brewery.

Just across from the front of the station down Queensbridge Road is the "Vat and Fiddle" situated next door to the Castle Rock micro-brewery. It offers ten real ales and hot and cold food. Children are welcome.

Another bar/restaurant that Hatters fans always enjoy when visiting Nottingham, is 'Hooters'.  

It's alarming but true: There is but a single branch of Hooters in the whole of Britain, and it's not in London as you might expect but Nottingham, about two hours by train to the north. This ranks England alongside well-known fun spot Singapore with just one Hooters location.

You'd figure Hooters would go over big in England. The British go for most things American, the tackier the better. Something called "Texas Embassy" on Embassy Row packs them in after work with Budweiser beer, strange tasting nachos and bumper stickers advertising the Broken Spoke dance hall in Austin. Yet expansion of the franchise has been halting - Hooters of Birmingham shut down, leaving the Nottingham branch to fly the flag alone. Entrepreneurial British take note!

The British probably fancy they're being ironic by patronizing such establishments as Texas Embassy, but don't let them fool you - for every Sunday Guardian reader there are two perusing the Sun or the Daily Mirror, one of those tabloids featuring a detailed photo essay of a balloon smuggler on page 3.

The girls of Hooters Nottingham were friendly, but don't expect the same fawning and flattering attention you can expect at an American Hooters. Visiting the New York City Hooters, I was double-teamed by two attentive young ladies and nabbed a free calendar. "Could I interest you in some pie?" gorgeous Jennie asked, perhaps a bit too sensually than was absolutely necessary. Nottingham was strictly business, with a smile.

I did, however, find the staff to be extremely helpful, after myself and a few mates paid a couple of visits to Hooters, once while the Hatters played at Notts County, and the other on the way home from watching the Town at Sheffield Wednesday.  On the latter occasion, we ended up staying well after the last train home had left, and found ourselves in a position of either having to stay overnight at a hotel in Nottingham, or having to pay for a taxi home - that would cost some £150!  With a couple of us having commitments the following day, we couldn't stay overnight and subsequently would have to pay the hefty taxi fee!  However, a bouncer working there called Vince offered to take us home to Stevenage for half the price - a very generous offer and one that we obviously took up.  Chatting to him on the journey home, it was evident he was a top guy and he said he'd look forward to seeing us back in Hooters in the future - an offer we will definitely be taking up!

If drinking and staring at gorgeous girls is not your cup of tea though - and you are planning on spending some time in Nottingham - then you may well enjoy The Caves of Nottingham.  It opened as an attraction in August 1994. These unique hand-carved sandstone caves dating from the 13th century were almost lost for ever when the 'Broadmarsh Shopping Centre' was built in the 1960s. Now with the aid of the latest digital audio technology, visitors can experience a glimpse into Nottingham's fascinating past.

Meanwhile, for great adventures, head out west (of Junction 26, M1) to the American Adventure, with enough thrills to blow your socks clean off! For loops, freefalls, flumes and runaway trains, or dazzling shows of great skill and courage on stage and on horseback.  Fun park with an American theme featuring rides and cowboy themed entertainment.

Why not take in the legend of Robin Hood while you're in Nottingham?  A good place to begin any exploration of Sherwood Forest is at the Visitor Centre, which is managed by Nottinghamshire County Council. Don't Miss! The Major Oak (20 minute walk from the Centre) Marvel at the sheer bulk of this ancient hollow tree - reputed to be the hiding place of Robin Hood and his band.

Nottingham's most popular tourist attraction ' The Tales of Robin Hood' is just a two-minute walk from The Castle - making it an ideal full or half day experience for families, schools and tourist groups. Enter our dark and romantic world, and, experience medieval life, legend and adventure. Flee through the forest to escape the evil Sheriff and jump on the magical travel back in time ride to join in the quest.

The Evil Sheriff of Nottingham invites you to a Medieval Banquet. "I welcome you to my home; the fair and wondrous town of Nottingham. As Sheriff of the County and Constable of the Castle, I invite you to be a guest at a great banquet to be held in honour of prince John. Come and be merry!" Partake in a splendid five course repast of traditional English fayre; drink to the health of my Leige Lord Prince John, with countless tankards of fine English ales and cider! My loyal minions will wait upon your every whim and you will be entertained by the King's Troupe, a talented band of Minstrels, Jugglers and Jesters

Other attractions include the Castle Museum, Donington Park - a major international Grand Prix class motor racing venue and home to the Donington Grand Prix Collection, the largest collection of Grand Prix cars in the World - Ghost Walks, The Museum of Nottingham Lace and Green's Mill.

You can search and book hotels located right near to Notts County's Meadow Lane stadium by clicking HERE.

Richard Dryden.

RICHARD Dryden joined Luton Town on a free transfer from Southampton in February 2001. With the Hatters undergoing an injury crisis and laying second bottom of the Second Division, manager Lil Fuccillo brought in Dryden on a three-month contract after he was released by Premiership Southampton.

Dryden began his career as a trainee at Bristol Rovers and he made his debut in the 1986-87 season going on to make 6 appearances during the campaign. He featured another 6 times the next season, but only figured once in the 1988-89 campaign and he took the opportunity of a loan move to Exeter City with both hands. He featured 6 times, and his form was so impressive that he completed a free transfer move to St. James Park. He went on to make 21 appearances for Exeter in his first season and in his second campaign with the club he played 30 times and scored a very impressive 7 goals from central defence.

This excellent form earned Dryden a loan move to Manchester City in the 1990-91 season, but he failed to make an appearance during his time at Maine Road as Notts County came in with a bid of £250,000 for his services and he was duly off to Meadow Lane where he made 29 appearances in his first season, scoring 1 goal. He struggled to make an impact in his second season, playing only twice before a loan move to Plymouth Argyle and then a £165,000 switch Birmingham City. He became a favourite with the supporters during his time at St. Andrews where he made 37 league appearances in just over a season before a £140,000 move to Bristol City in December 1994. He played 19 times and scored one goal for the club in his first season at Ashton Gate and his second season, 1995-96 wasn't much more of a success.

Manager Joe Jordan persevered with him for the first half of the season, but the return to fitness of another central defender, Alan McLeary, brought Dryden only places on the substitutes bench thereafter. It was somewhat of a surprise then when Premiership side Southampton paid £150,000 for Dryden prior to the start of the 1996-97 season. He came straight into the defence for the home match with Chelsea and having spent his whole career in the lower Divisions, he was a revelation, especially when he had suffered badly with injuries in 1995-96. He was strong, reliable, comfortable on the ball and very impressive. He would have been an automatic choice, injuries and suspensions aside, and only two players made more appearances for a team struggling against adversity for much of the season. Excellent at corners and free-kicks, his opening goal, and only one in the Premiership, came at the Dell against Nottingham Forest when he headed in a Simon Charlton corner to begin a fight back that eventually ended 2-2.

He completed his second season at Premiership level in 1997-98, having been written off by some commentators. He was restricted to 14 appearances by the form of Ken Monkou and Claus Lundekvam, and injury. However, nonetheless, he performed with great composure and strength when called upon and the Saints were fortunate to have such a player to draft in when needed.

Dryden then only made 4 appearances in the 1998-99 season and just 1 Premiership appearance in the 1999-00 season, that a 0-5 defeat at Newcastle United. He was loaned to Stoke City where he was a reliable part of their side making a total of 15 appearances in all competition, including a second-half substitute appearance in the 2-1 Auto Windscreens Shield win over Bristol City at Wembley.

Dryden also enjoyed two loan spells in the Second Division in 2000-01 prior to his move to the Hatters. He appeared 10 times for Northampton Town, his debut coming in a 2-0 win against Luton at Kenilworth Road. He also spent an 8 game loan spell at Swindon Town, helping them to a 1-0 win at Northampton along the way, prior to being released by Southampton and joining Luton.

Dryden made his Luton debut in a 1-0 win at Northampton Town in February 2001. Although signed by Lil Fuccillo, Dryden never played under him as the scheduled games were postponed due to the weather. His debut at Northampton was also the first match as Luton manager for Joe Kinnear. Dryden remained a regular in the Hatters' back line for the remainder of the season, usually playing in a back five. He played in a total of 20 matches, all of those appearances coming in the League, but he couldn't prevent Luton from being relegated to Division Three. He had, however, done enough to convince Kinnear that he was a worthy member of the side, and he signed a new one-year deal at the end of the season.

Dryden was, however, merely a squad player at Kenilworth Road during the 2001-02 season. His first appearance of the season came as a half-time substitute at Reading in the League Cup First Round, but the Hatters were thumped 4-0 at the Madejski Stadium and eliminated from the competition. His first start of the season came in a 2-0 home win over Southend United on August 27th 2001, and he started the following game, a 2-2 draw at Exeter before being dropped back to the substitutes bench. He didn't feature again until the end of October when he played in a 2-3 LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge when Joe Kinnear fielded a reserve team.

Out of the side again, he didn't return until a 2-3 defeat at Southend United in the FA Cup First Round when an injury crisis saw him thrown into the side, but, with the arrival of several new defenders in the shape of Russell Perrett, Chris Coyne, David Bayliss and Ian Hillier, he was surplus to requirements and was loaned to struggling Conference side Scarborough in December 2001. He scored on his debut in a 2-2 draw at Forest Green Rovers, and appeared a further 3 times before leaving the McCain Stadium and returning to Bedfordshire.

He featured just once more for the Hatters first-team during the season - in a 2-3 loss at Darlington when the Hatters had another defensive injury crisis, although he figured regularly for the reserve side for the remainder of the season.

With the Hatters promoted back to Division Two at the first attempt, and with his contract up, Dryden was released at the end of the season by Joe Kinnear and he signed for Conference side Scarborough before moving on to Conference rivals Tamworth for the 2003-04 season.