3rd tier* League fixture
*Then known as Division Three

Notts County 4     Wigan Athletic 4
Pike 9, (pen) 65                                     Thompson 16
Birtles 44, 72                                         Campbell 23
                                                              Knowles 37
                                                              Cribley (pen) 83
 

Attendance:- 6,344
Referee:- David Phillips (Barnsley)
 

Notts County
Colours:- Black & white striped shirts, Black shorts, Black socks
League Position:- first match of season, had finished 7th/24 the previous season
Manager:- John Barnwell

1.   Mick Leonard
2.   Paul Smalley
3.   Darren Davis
4.   David Kevan
5.   Dean Yates
6.   Andy Gray
7.   Ian McParland
8.   Gary Lund
9.   Garry Birtles
10. Geoff Pike
11. Gary Mills *

Sub: David Thompson *
Sub not used: Craig Jackson
 

Wigan Athletic
Colours:- All blue
League Position:- first match of season, had finished 4th/24 the previous season
Manager:- Ray Mathias

1.   Roy Tunks
2.   John Butler
3.   Barry Knowles
4.   David Hamilton
5.   Alex Cribley
6.   Paul Beesley
7.   Stuart Storer
8.   Chris Thompson
9.   Bobby Campbell
10. Paul Jewell
11. Paul Cook

Subs not used

Video of the match:- Presumably Notts' own video camera captured the action, but I'm not sure if a goals report was shown on local news.

No report available

Up the Maggies footnote:
Quite an afternoon at the lane, and not just because of the result. This was the opening game of the season and it almost felt as though we were now supporting a new club! For a start, we looked different - Notts were wearing black socks for the first time in a quarter of a century, Jimmy Sirrel was gone, as was Jack Dunnett, we had a new Chairman (Derek Pavis), a new manager and five new players including three household names; Andy Gray (Scottish international formerly with Aston Villa and Wolves), Garry Birtles (former Forest hero of their golden era) and captain Geoff Pike (FA Cup winner with West Ham). Gary Mills and Gary Lund were the other debutants. There was a very decent crowd too (for the period), Notts had also played Wigan at home on the opening day of the previous season which had attracted 3,533 - that gate was almost doubled for this opening day clash of 87/88 and there was a real buzz about the place that something quite special was going to happen at Notts - and on the day, that was certainly true... County were in front on 9 minutes, then we found ourselves 3-1 down, then we were 4-3 up on 72 minutes and the final 4-4 result equalled the highest scoring draw in the club's history. Incredibly, Notts would be involved in two further 8 goal thrillers within the next 3 weeks! This was the first league season in which teams were allowed to both name and use two substitutes (Cup competitions had first allowed two subs to be named/used during the previous campaign).

Notts County Season 1987/88
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