I look back at the start of the season where I honestly felt disappointed about the decision not to go with a more proven name after the sacking of Stuart Mayanrd. I felt we should have given him more time if the decision was to pluck someone else out unproven due to Maynard's history with earning promotion. I have been vocal about my annoyance with how we would make substitutions and start the wrong players under hum. It seemed like form didn't mean anything, and these are two key areas I feel Martin Paterson excels in.

The majority of players Paterson starts with deserve to be there, and it's based on form. He's not afraid to mix things up, but what he brings is stability. Routine and a steady team does bring good results in most cases, which makes it a lot easier when he makes changes to win a game or to keep us in it.

There's only a select few games I think Paterson made a mistake with his changes, I look back on Maynard and ponder why he was insistant with throwing certain players on that just offered little in games.

Some fans believe Notts are a weaker team this season, and I don't agree. I believe we are more together, but it helps when you have a manager that will make changes to win a game instead of trying to hold onto a win/draw. Les Bradd and so many other ex-footballers have said that attacking is the best form of attacking. Even when we aren't as god going forward, under Paterson we are stronger at the back. Paterson has proven so far that he's been a very good decision to be appointed, some will feel our squad should be walking the league but that's not football in any sense of realism.

Like @Chris I thought that Stuart Maynard should have been given more time, & I was somewhat unconvinced when Martin was appointed, but I do believe now he was the type of Head Coach along with his personality that Notts needed to take them to the next level.

Notts were a good Footballing side under Maynard & Stuart did improve our defence, but his Notts side were bullied out of games on many occasions, & I think that Martin has changed that. Notts are no longer the soft touch that they were.

Another big change is Notts being able to win ugly when it's required. Martin has brought a togetherness to the squad where they work hard for each other & never stop running.

One of the most important changes that Martin has done is his ability to make changes to the side during a game when it's needed. I thought Stuart tended to make substitutions not to change the game but just to rest players.

I don't think the squad is any stronger on paper than it was last season, but it's stronger because the players are playing stronger together as a team, a team of togetherness & I think that's down to how Martin Paterson.leads & installs belief in them.

The key is that Paterson can organise and motivate a team - I don’t think Maynard could do that, certainly not convincingly anyway. He didn’t seem to get the best out of players, either individually or collectively.

Paterson seems to be sharper, quicker to change strategy and tactics too. Generally, he utilises players in more natural roles than Maynard did. Thus, we are far more effective as a team unit and we have cover for every position now, which helps enormously, of course.

I think that Maynard has shown that he is a good leader & Head Coach. York City are challenging for automatic promotion in the NL. They are on course to exceed 100 points this season with already accumulating 86 points with 9 matches remaining.

They have the best goal scoring record 97, than any team in the NL & the 2nd best defensive record conceding less than a goal a game. To say that Maynard can't organise and Motivate a team isn't correct in my opinion. Stuart is possibly on the way to exceeding Luke's points and goalscoring totals & we thought Luke was a legend here at Notts.

On 09/03/2026 at 22:49, YoopEyes said:

The key is that Paterson can organise and motivate a team - I don’t think Maynard could do that, certainly not convincingly anyway. He didn’t seem to get the best out of players, either individually or collectively.

It might be the step-up, and the fact he had reinvented himself as an EFL head coach.

He clearly has something about himself; he's doing really well with York City. It would be shame if they were not to go up, but there are levels of pressure, and sometimes we put ourselves under it. It's possible, he just works better with more involvment in the recruitment process.

Maynard couldn’t organise & motivate here, he was extremely 1 dimensional too. Tactically naive.

Until he’s proved himself at league level, I wouldn’t get too excited about him tbh. Nice bloke but still learning his trade.

I’d take Paterson over him every day of the week.