This is news I have been hoping to hear, welcome back Richard.

Fantastic news IMO

Here's the release on the club site

Richard Montague has returned to the club as Director of Football.

Having left for the same role at Swansea City in February, the 39-year-old reunites with our owners, Chris and Alex Reedtz, having previously worked closely with them for 14 years.

Chris and Alex said: “We’re delighted to welcome Richard back to Meadow Lane in what will be a slightly broader role to the one he previously held with us.

“While recruitment will once again be one of his key responsibilities, Richard will now be more involved in the day-to-day operations of the football department and will once again become a key figure of support to the coaching team.

“We’re sure fans will join us in warmly welcoming him back to the club.”

Richard added: “I’m incredibly excited and grateful to be back at Notts – a club close to my heart following a very memorable and enjoyable five-and-a-half years here previously.

“I arrive with fresh ideas, experiences and contacts from my time at Swansea – and even greater passion and respect for the way we operate at Meadow Lane.

“I look forward to meeting and building close relationships with Martin Paterson and Andy Edwards, as well as catching up with the many other fantastic people who work so hard to drive the club forward.”

I'm delighted that he has returned. He's worked with the brothers a long time. They are very comfortable with him and his work.

I didn't honestly believe he would come back, so this is great news. The work he did in his last stint speaks for itself and the owners know and trust him. Hopefully he can build a good working relationship with MP too.

I wonder where this leaves the technical board?

Hopefully disbanded, and looks like a broader role for R.M on the football side of things

This is good news. He knows the DNA of the club. He understands the way the owners want to do things. As he says in the press release, he has gained experience and has fresh ideas. It just feels like things are under control again.

Hope a new Goalkeeper is at the top of his list of priorities!!!!

i hope he can pick up from where he left and resume his role like he has never been away, he should thrive back at notts and i am pleased to see him return. i hope the next big opportunity that comes his way, he reflects a little more on what can be achieved here for a long period than a short term of success.

6 hours ago, DangerousSausage said:

I wonder where this leaves the technical board?

Well Montague would fit right into that. But with Gagliardi and the doctor gone, and RM needing time to gauge this particular team, there'd be a strong case for announcing that the board is on hold for now and communications will be done more informally.

Even if the TB resumes/continues, please announce that it isn't! :) I don't what to hear MP asked "how is the technical board going?'' ever again!

Edited October 9Oct 9 by theAnticlough

Dear Richard,

There is a player you once recruited who never plays for his current club, doesn't even make their bench now.

This player would fit into this current team like a hand in a glove.

Could you at least enquire if there's any chance of a short loan even of Mr. Ruben Rodrigues of FC Vitoria?

Welcome back

Perhaps a quiet enquiry in January about the loan signing of Macca with a view to signing him permanently in the summer....

6 hours ago, theAnticlough said:

Could you at least enquire if there's any chance of a short loan even of Mr. Ruben Rodrigues of FC Vitoria?

34 minutes ago, gtownjohnno said:

Perhaps a quiet enquiry in January about the loan signing of Macca with a view to signing him permanently in the summer....

Worth asking on both counts.

Well done the Bros

Send your man out on an internment at a championship club for 6 months. He does some benchmarking there, develops himself, learns that division, steals the contacts and all at the great expense of the championship chumps. Cheers Swansea, you didn't even see us coming. Couldn't have happened to a nicer club :)

Need a GK in first instance before thinking of getting Ruben and Macca back!

It’s the most sensible choice the board could have made. They know what Richard Montague offers and he should settle back into the role without any trouble. It’s a good move, though I didn’t see it coming. I had read that there was strong interest in him, especially from reports in the Swansea papers.

I thought he might go for one of the League One clubs that were mentioned. But bringing him back to Notts quickly shows good intent and gives us a boost.

I'm more confident in R.M for the January window Business

I read a rant on Facebook saying he needs to go and that he let us down. Imagine the reaction from that fan if Luke Williams had been appointed instead of Martin Paterson.

I think the decision made sense. The club would have been rewarded well by allowing Luke and anyone under contract to leave with him.

How can you hold a promotion elsewhere against someone who is ambitious.

If he comes back, does well and helps to steady our recruitment, which I hope he does, then that is all I can ask.

It was an absolute masterstroke by the Owners to bring Richard back. I believe his appointment could help the club to achieve promotion this season.

The January transfer window is always big, and it's vital for the club to make the best choices over recruitment at that particular time. I think Richard could make the difference.

I also believe that he will be a massive influence around the club, & will be able to support & be that go to person for Martin Paterson when he needs it.

He needs to do an interview though. Especially as his new role is Director of Football.

He was hardly ever interviewed when Ardley, Burch, LW etc were always in front of the camera. Time to be more visible and accountable this time around I'd say.

I'm still hoping we get this interview. It's a new Director of Football appointment after all.

Maybe he's been on a trip or hasn't actually started yet.

Nobody wants Frost-Nixon, just a few friendly, softball questions would do. No need for anything about Swansea....but he should interview. MP will be doing them twice a week all year, win, lose or draw. The DoF won't, but I think there should at least be an intro/welcome back one sometime before the next game IMO.

@theAnticlough your wish is granted.

A bumper interview 21mins + Upbeat and positive.

No obvious takeaways or surprises perhaps, but very clear on the data-driven recruitment model. Let's hope RM is the jigsaw piece that completes the puzzle which puts us on the road to another promotion.

Listened to the interview & I thought it was brilliant. It was very informative.

I think that Richard coming to Notts could make the prospect of success for Notts a distinct possibility.

The knowledge that he has gained at Swansea & the fact that he knows our Club inside out is a massive plus.

The way he was talking about the January transfer window I do expect that we will see some players coming in to strengthen the side. Priminary discussions about the January window have already started which is very encouraging.

Richard was particularly upbeat about the progress of the new training facilities & thought that a facility like that can attract good players to the club.

I would ask all supporters to listen to that interview. I'm sure they will come away from it, as I did, with a positive attitude. It does feel the the Club is doing all it can to make success a reality this season.

Oh and no mention of the words 'board' and 'technical' in any particular order.

I think that's for the best, as it was a mistake which put unnecessary pressure on people and scrutiny of the process. Let that kind of thing happen informally

I wonder if the technical board was put in place because the owners didn't have the same confidence in Roberto Gagliardi as they do with Richard Montague? I think his increased responsibility seems to suggest they trust him more to deliver what they want.