Notts County 1-0 Wrexham

Do you recognise the picture of the footballer above? He was a 28 year-old striker reaching the peak of his career. I've been listening to a brilliant, but incredibly sad BBC podcast called Transfer: The Emiliano Sala Story. It takes you back to January 2019 when the Argentinian striker had completed a transfer move from Nantes to Cardiff City, who were managed by Neil Warnock at the time. A plane was chartered by banned (at the time) agent Willie McKay. The pilot and Sala both died in tragic circumstances as the Piper Malbu, a defective, rickety old plane, crashed into the English Channel close to Guernsey. 

The podcast uncovers a number of catastrophic aviation breaches of law. The pilot, David Ibbotson, a gas fitter and part-time DJ, from Scunthorpe, didn't have a commercial flying license, which meant he shouldn't be carrying a paying passenger or be allowed to fly after dusk. The plane had a number of faults that were never fixed. Carbon monoxide fumes were found in the cockpit. Blame fell squarely at the feet of David Henderson, the organiser of the flight, who was reckless and negligent. He was found guilty and sent to prison for 18 months.McKay's involvement in the deal and arrangement of the subsequent flight is put under heavy scrutiny by the BBC. 

McKay's son, Mark, stood to make 10% from the £15 million deal. McKay senior, due to bankruptcy, was banned for five years from acting as an intermediary - so the question is why was he involved? And why use a cowboy outfit to transport a multi-million pound player on a clapped out old plane. Take a listen folks, it's a compelling, gripping and an emotional production by the BBC team.

It's Saturday 1st October. I jump in Dringy's car on Green Lane, Clifton. All-Whites have been tonked 4-1 by Big Glenn's Radford FC. Dringy asks if I'm going to a new pub called the William Gunn, on Radcliffe Road, adjacent to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground - I have an issue with the name of the pub - let me explain.

William Gunn was born in St Ann's in 1858 and played one game for Nottingham Forest. He later moved to Notts County where he made 28 appearances (three in the League) before retiring from football to concentrate on cricket, where he was capped for England 11x times, as well as making 521 First Class appearances for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. He is one of only 13x players to be capped for his country at football and cricket. He was the 'Rory Delap' of his time, until his enormous throw-in was outlawed. So what's my (our) issue then?

It's the end of play between Notts and Sussex in a County Championship game at Trent Bridge. I'm sat with a gaggle of Notts County supporters. Someone pipes up that they fancy a mooch over the road to tick a new pub off called the William Gunn - forgot to mention he was also the founder of Gunn and Moore bats too.

The decor inside is nice enough, although I'm disappointed to hear the news that they only have one cask ale on. There's some cricketing memorabilia adorning the walls and lots of Nottingham Forest photos too. But something is missing readers. 'Crazy Steve' picks up on this and joshes with the pub manager. Why no photos of Notts County? 

We're palmed off with 'it's a pub south of the river' and that the owners are staunch NFFC supporters. Why not call it the Tricky Tree or The Garibaldi? I try to compromise on behalf of the Pies and ask if they can put a photo up of County's legendary manager Jimmy Sirrel. The offer is declined. "Ok love, I'm sneaking in a portrait of Neil Warnock then."

It's Sunday morning and Ms Moon is packing a suitcase, as she's going away for a few days to her brother's in Brighton. It's been a sad time for us all, with the sudden and unexpected loss of Sue's Mum, Val. She was a lovely kind soul who always made me very welcome. Val had a wicked sense of humour and will be sorely missed. It will leave a massive hole in Sue's life, that only time can heal. Rest in peace Val x

The only time I leave the house on Sunday is to put the rubbish out. I knock a blog up for the first time in nearly six months whilst watching Man City dish out a walloping to neighbours 'United.' England do the same to Pakistan in the final game of a rubber of 7x T20 games, to win the series 4-3.

It's Monday evening and we're half an hour away from 'El Sackio' (Leicester v Forest). Both teams are on a horrible run of form. You would say it all points to a score draw - it couldn't be further from the truth. I crank up the stove and prepare an award-winning cajun sausage pasta, as James Maddison curls a delicious free kick past Dean Henderson to put the result beyond doubt.

The second half of Coronation Street hasn't even started yet. It seems like Steve Cooper is to become the victim of his own success. The Greeks look like they are about to make a pig's ear out of it. They got lucky with Cooper and should give him the season to turn things around as it's obvious that signings have been made without his approval.

It's Tuesday evening and I'm on the No.27 bus that's making its way to the bottom of Carlton Road I'm off to take a peek at Notts County for the first time this season. A lot of noise is being made about their exciting brand of football. I'll have a bird's eye view, even with my 'mincers', as I sit perched in the Derek Pavis Stand, bang level with the halfway line. Almost 2000 Wrexham fans have made the long journey from North Wales.

The last time I was at Meadow Lane was when Grimsby Town scored an agonising last ditch equaliser in the play-offs; going onto deservedly to win in extra-time. I was sat next to a guy that day who stopped his watch with 40x seconds of added time left when a free-kick was awarded and parity restored.

Notts County light up the stage by playing the best 45 minutes of football I've ever witnessed at Non League level - and trust me I've watched some games in the last 50 years. The pace of the game is breathtaking and the skills on show are insane. 

'The Non League Haaland' - Macaulay Langstaff - opens the scoring for the Pies on 13 minutes with a set-piece performed on the training ground. They're running rings around the Dragons, but fail to notch a second. Big spending Wrexham miss three one on ones. The Pies are in debt to 'keeper Sam Slocombe, whose bravery and alertness are to be applauded. Visiting strikers Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin are off colour and fail to trouble the scorers. Notts see the game out and rise to the top of the National League table.

I tick off the new Broad Marsh bus station on Wednesday morning, and what an impressive build it is too. I jump on the Keyworth 6, part with £3.50 for a single ticket and head out to my old stomping ground. My old mucker the 'Big Man' (Bish) is recovering from a hip operation. It's akin to Stevie Wonder spending the day with Brian Potter.

I can't drive and he can't walk. We spend the day stretched out on the sofa drinking tea and watching daytime television. He sheds a few tears during the commercial break of Place in the Sun, when a recovery driver turns up to tow away 'the 'Blue Rocket' to the scrapyard in the sky. It had more miles on the clock than Steve Bruce.

The Big Man breaks out in a sweat each time Rachel Riley appears on the screen during Countdown - he's proper got the hots for her folks. I suggest he goes for a cold shower prior to the beginning of Tipping Point - Ms Moon's favourite show. You have to be as thick as a brick if you successfully pass the screen test to appear on the show. Ms Moon applied to be on, but never heard back from the production company. I said to her to take it as a back-handed compliment.

Ben Shephard's 'magic magnet' isn't working today. The contestant, some Herbert from the West Midlands, scoops the £10k jackpot despite having a lower IQ than my old budgie Murphy Palmer. We can't half pick 'em.

Man of the Match: The Big Man

Attendance: 10,741