Notts keeper and fan Belshaw relishing first derby

Belshaw helped his boyhood club achieve promotion to League One at Wembley Satdium [Getty Images] Notts County goalkeeper James Belshaw has never hidden his love for playing for his boyhood club since signing from Harrogate Town in January, going on to help his beloved magpies win promotion to League One at Wembley. Now in the third tier, they'll be reunited with Nottinghamshire rivals Mansfield Town. This weekend sees the two sides meet at the One Call Stadium for the first Nottinghamshire derby since 2024 and for Belshaw, a first-ever derby as a Notts County player. "You can feel the fans are up for this one more than others, and it's one that they probably mark the calendars in at the start of the year to go to Field Mill. "As professionals, it's about going out there and executing on the day, staying calm under pressure." The 36-year old said he had been to previous derbies as a fan and said that the two sides have had similar fortunes in recent seasons. "I have been in the stands, the noise, the chanting, the tackles going in. People ask me what is Notts' biggest derby is, and I would say this one. "I'd say for Notts and Mansfield over the last few years, teams that have been sort of at similar levels. It will be nice to play in one." His father Paul remains a season ticket holder in the Kop at Meadow Lane and will be travelling up the A60 to support his son in his first derby. "He's pestered me for a ticket; I've sorted him out," he joked. "So he'll be there with his mates; he wouldn't usually come away from home before. "I don't think my mum would give him a pass to come away from home, whereas now I think it's a little bit different now I'm here. "He'll be there cheering me on and be a very proud dad in the away end." Notts currently sit 19th in League One having climbed out of the bottom four with a 2-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday, followed by a 1-1 draw against Stockport County. All the latest Notts County news