Magpies defender Austin McCann has been a busy boy, providing us with his latest Exclusive Blog entry on nottscountyfc.co.uk.

Having not entered into the Blog for a month Ozzie has plenty to review, including his views on the start of the season, why taking the lead will see a different Notts, MD Lawrie Dudfield's latest antics, the Team Coach breaking down and much, much more!

"Firstly, let's look at the start of the season. You can look at it from two different angles I suppose. First of all, we are unbeaten but on the other hand we haven't won yet. But, everyone at the Club is looking at it from a positive point of view and we've had two tough away games which we would have gladly taken a point from beforehand.

There's an old saying about to get promotion you need to win your home games and get as many points as you can away, such as a few wins and draws here and there. The Brentford game was one we should have won, but that's only one 'slip-up' if you like, and we're positive we can get a win at the weekend and move up the League.

The Darlington game was great in terms of how late we got the late goal, brilliant. We were poor in the first half and in no uncertain terms were we told at the break from the Manager and Ganns, and we deserved to get back on level terms midway through the half after putting in a decent performance. Then we went 2-1 down with four minutes to go, which was a massive blow. I'm 90% sure I cleared it, and in my mind I'm convinced it wasn't over the line - but it was given. We showed great character and spirit to dig in there and get an equaliser. It has given everyone a massive, massive boost and training this week has been really bright and bubbly and now we all can't wait for Saturday. With the excitement of a last second equaliser, it was too much for Paul Mayo if you haven't seen it. Butch set off in celebration, and Paul booted the ball full force out of the net. Fair enough, but he got his studs caught in the net and went full throttle head first into the turf. He was a bit late getting to the celebrations, but he got there in the end!

It was good to see Alan White at the weekend too, obviously someone I know really well from by Boston days and last season here at Meadow Lane. He still lives in Nottingham so I see him now and again, and I think he surprised a few of us with the amount of hair he has grown over the past few months. It takes years off him, but I didn't get chance for a chat because I didn't see him afterwards. He was down the tunnel in a huff after as he wanted to get one over on us. I am sure the fans will get stuck into him when we face Darlington later in the season, but the big man will thrive on it so don't do it too much!

We haven't scored first yet, but we will put that right soon. Ganns said to us at half-time that it seemed we seem to need to concede a goal to get a reaction from us. Once we take the lead it might be different, especially as we will have to defend the lead and we feel we are solid enough to do that. Perhaps teams will 'come out' more. We've seen already teams come here like Brentford who come to try and frustrate us and look to get the same result they got against us. I am sure if we take the lead we might see teams attack us more which will allow us to get our creative players on the ball a little more and create chances.

We've got a very big couple of weeks coming up now. At home we have Morecambe and Dagenham who have come up from the Conference as it was last season and we have to look to take six points from those two matches. If we want to be up there this season we have to be winning the majority of our home games. We don't expect the six points to be there for us, we're going to have to work really hard. Both teams will come here and really dig in and sit tight, so we're confident we can break them down. MK Dons will be tough, they are up there as favourites, but we showed we can go to a tough place like Darlington and get a result so we should have no fear going there. We want to get a bit of revenge at MK Dons after what happened last season. It is a different ground I know, but it still plays on the mind what happened there and we want to rectify that.

I'm back in the team, for now, which is great. It was a massive understatement to say the least when I missed the Grimsby and Brentford games and I was disappointed. I missed the last pre-season game and Paul Mayo came in and did really well and kept his place, and I have no complaints about that. That is football and it happens at every club up and down the Country. Paul has had a great start to his career here, but I was delighted to get back in the team for the Darlington game with Paul pushed forward on to the wing, so hopefully we can strike up a good combination down the left.

One player we were without at the weekend was big Jason Lee because of the FA Video Evidence which suspended him for three games. In my eyes it is picky, because if you go through every video of every game and look at every challenge etc you will have players up and down the country being suspended. Every club has someone up there like Jason who is big, strong and puts themselves about. When you jump for headers you have to use your arms, so there are going to be clashes. To be able to watch a video like that and lose Jason is disappointing and we're upset about it. It has given a chance to someone like Spencer Weir-Daley who came in and did well on Saturday.

'Lawrie Watch' time now, I mean would a Blog be complete without it?! I've got a few stories on the boy since last time. Firstly, he's a business man now you know! Seriously! He has set up a business selling sofas at internet cheap prices, or so he keeps telling me. A few days ago he gave me his business card, which was on black, shiny card! On it, it says 'Lawrie Dudfield - Managing Director' as if he is some big-shot business man when really all it is happens to be him, his laptop and his house! I think he's getting above his station before he's even started the boy! Fair play to him though looking to set something up, but to call himself a Managing Director already? I don't know. I'm giving him stick and calling him MD now, and I advice you to do the same.

Highlight of the season for myself already has to be this tale though. A few weeks ago my wife and Lawrie's girlfriend went away on holiday for a week in Cyprus, leaving us as Bachelors for a week. One day before the start of the season myself and Lawrie went into town after training to find him some new boots and we walked out of the shop having bought them to see a couple of pigeons do their business on him from a great height across his shoulders and head. I couldn't stop laughing and he spent the rest of the afternoon walking around with his hand permanently placed on his shoulder. Mind you, it didn't help his head too much as you would need a flock of pigeons to cover his bold patches.

It's been a great month for me getting stories for the Blog. Richard Butcher has had a great start to life here and he is more critical about himself as a player than anyone I have ever known. Three goals in two games and he still isn't happy with his performance, so it will be good to see how he plays when he is happy with himself. He's had a good start, and it has been excellent to see the boys scoring from midfield so long may that continue.

As you all know by now, the bus broke down at Grimsby and we had to jump-start it in the car park. I was obviously disappointed not to start the game but the boys got a result which was great so we were all in a good mood, and then the bus just died just as we were about to leave Blundell Park. We sat waiting and waiting for someone to come out, and few of the boys were getting a bit agitated; and none more so than Ganns who was fuming. He must have had something on that night. Pilks was ringing his Mrs to drive an hour to pick him up, and the lads were desperate to get home. I don't know whose idea it was to jump-start to start a 40-seater coach, but it worked! Our Strength and Fitness Coach will be delighted that the half of the squad who had stuck around got the Coach going and we eventually got back to Nottingham a few hours later than we hoped. When I say some stuck around, well some went to MacDonald's around the corner and I'm glad to say I wasn't one of them. They came back to see the Bus running, and it was a very funny hour or so.

We've got a new recruit too in Paul Beesley who has taken over from Mike Ainslie who has set off on his around the world journey which we will no doubt all hear about with photos etc. Bees is a scouser so he has come in and livened things up a bit and made it bubbly, and he has bags of experience from the top level it has been good to have him around. Parky has a friend now and we have two scousers, so he's happy!

That's all from me for now, and thanks for taking the time to read my latest Blog!

Take Care

Ozzie"