With Fixture Release Day just one day away, we look back at a memorable opening day encounter as we demolished Bradford City 5-0 at Meadow Lane on Saturday 9th August 2009.
It was a sign of things to come, as Notts went on to storm the league and gain promotion to League One. Lee Hughes got a hattrick that day on his debut! Here's the match report from that day:Notts County got their 2009/10 campaign off to the best start possible this afternoon with a 5-0 victory over Bradford City at Meadow Lane.
Lee Hughes marked his County debut with a hat-trick while Ben Davies and Brendan Moloney also got in on the act in a convincing win for Ian McParland's men.
McParland handed full County debuts to eight of his nine summer signings against the Bantams, with the most recent signing Karl Hawley on the bench.
In glorious sunshine Bradford got the game underway, with County attacking the packed Kop Stand in the first half.
On six minutes County carved out the first opening of the game when Luke Rodgers latched onto a long ball over the top, but the forward fired straight at the onrushing Eastwood.
On the break barely sixty seconds later Colbeck had a diving header saved at his near post by Hoult from Ramsden's deep ball to the far post.
It was a lively start at Meadow Lane in an electric atmosphere. Both sets of fans were in full voice from the off.
Colbeck tested Hoult's reactions again on eleven minutes with a powerful long-range shot from eighteen yards, with the Magpies goalkeeper in all-yellow equal to the shot.
On seventeen minutes though, Notts got the breakthrough that well and truly lifted the roof off Meadow Lane.
A ball into the Bradford box was flicked on by Rodgers perfectly into the path of Ben Davies whose firm header found the back of the net via Eastwood's post.
A debut goal from the midfielder was the perfect start for County, who had been building up some momentum before making the breakthrough.
Moloney tried to add his name to the scoresheet five minutes later but his low drive was down the throat of Eastwood.
County were always looking a threat up front with their attacking options, meaning the Bantams defence were rarely having a quiet moment.
And a moment of madness by Zesh Rehman handed County a second goal five minutes before the break, with Lee Hughes making no mistake.
Rehman totally misjudged a long-ball over the top and Hughes was onto the ball quick as a flash to round Eastwood and slot the ball home to once again have the County fans in dreamland.
And just when it couldn't get any better Hughes scrambled home a cross from Westcarr down the right to make it 3-0 just a few minutes later.
Everything Notts were doing was coming off to perfection and they left the field to a standing ovation at the break.
County continued to pour forwards after the break and Hughes almost completed his hat-trick but he was first denied by Eastwood and then from the rebound he blasted the ball over the bar.
He didn't have to wait too long though for his next opportunity, and he wasn't in the mood to waste the opportunity to bag his treble.
Rodgers was hauled to the ground by Clarke - who alongside Rehman at the back had a nightmare all afternoon for Bradford - inside the area and Hughes slammed the penalty home to make it 4-0 on 55 minutes.
He could have had four on the hour but he headed over from a corner at the far post.
There was no let-up in pressure and Ravenhill fired wide from outside the area just two minutes later.
Hughes left the field to a standing ovation on 64 minutes to be replaced by another debutant, Karl Hawley in attack.
Whenever County went forward, they looked like scoring and the Bantams continued to look ropy at the back.
Hamshaw replaced Westcarr down the right and his cross to Hawley almost saw Notts celebrating a fifth but on the turn the debutant flashed his effort wide.
Rodgers wasted a good chance to make it five after more horror defending by Bradford which allowed the forward to burst clear on goal, but he put the ball wide.
A fifth wasn't far away and Brendan Moloney made it 5-0 with a just a few minutes to go, linking up well with Rodgers to burst into the Bradford area, kept his composure and simply slammed the ball into the back of the net.
It may sound cheesy, but it really was a five star performance.
Without a doubt, County could not have asked for a better start to the campaign and thoroughly deserved the 5-0 victory.
Full Time: Notts County 5-0 Bradford City
Notts County: Hoult, Moloney, Lee, Thompson (C), Hunt, Westcarr (Hamshaw 77), Bishop, Ravenhill, Davies (Clapham 46), Hughes (Hawley 64), Rodgers
Subs Not Used: Pilkington, Canham, Edwards, Facey
Booked: Hughes, Rodgers
Sent Off: None
Goals Davies (17), Hughes (39, 43 & 55), Moloney (86)
Bradford City: Eastwood, Ramsden, O'Brien, Flynn, Rehman, Clarke (Hanson 58), Bullock, Thorne (C), Brandon (Evans 69), M Boulding, Colbeck (Williams 58)
Subs Not Used: McLaughlin, Bateson, Osborne, O'Leary
Booked None
Sent Off: None
Goals: None
Match Referee: Mr P Gibbs
Attendance: 9,396 (2,289 Bradford City Fans)