NOTTS County boss Craig Short will give both of the club's new goalkeepers Rob Burch and Stuart Nelson a chance to stake a claim to be the Magpies' No.1 for the start of their campaign in League One.

Burch, whose move to Meadow Lane on a two-year deal was agreed before Short was appointed as the Magpies' boss, has been given the No.1 shirt, ahead of Nelson, who has also signed a two-year deal with the League Two champions.

But Short insists that does not guarantee the 26-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur trainee will be his first-choice keeper, and points to Nelson's experience of playing in League One with Brentford and Leyton Orient earlier in his career.

The pair both played in the Magpies' opening two pre-season friendlies against SV Austria Salzburg and Arka Gydnia, and Notts now have three more games in six days at Meadow Lane on their return to England.

They face Stoke City on Thursday night (7.45), Cardiff City on Saturday (3pm) and Sheffield United on Tuesday night (7.45).

"We have two very good goalkeepers," said Short. "I know a lot about Burch and he is probably one of the best goalkeepers playing outside the Championship.

"He's only 26 too, so he's got his best years ahead of him.

"He has come here as No.1, and he has been given the No.1 shirt, but I will give them both a fair chance in the pre-season games.

"Everyone is going to think Burch is going to be No.1, but he's got to prove it. There will be pressure on every player."

While Burch has not missed a game in the last two seasons for Lincoln City, Nelson never played a game for Norwich City during the 2008/09 campaign and only made three appearances for SPL side Aberdeen towards the end of last season.

In more than three years at Brentford, however, he made more than 100 league appearances and was involved in two play-off challenges in League One with the Bees, in 2005 and 2006.

He also played 30 games in League One in a single season at Leyton Orient, in 2007/08.

"I wanted someone with a bit of experience and Stuart has that at this level," added Short.

"He went to Norwich to try to step up to a new level, but it didn't work out. But he's still only 28 so, like Burch, he's got his best years ahead of him.

"He has not played many games in the last two seasons so he's going to feel a bit rusty, but he's a confident lad and he's not coming here just for the ride.

"I think some keepers like being a No.2, but not Stuart.

"I need two keepers pushing each other and I'll see how they do in pre-season."

Notts are also poised to sign a third goalkeeper, Hungarian David Grof, who has been on trial with them since the start of this month.