I think that the awarding of a new contract is well deserved. Martin has joined a list of Notts County Managers that have done wonders for this club over the years. I think that the vast number of Notts supporters will be very pleased that he has put pen to paper.

The owners have shown that they have confidence in him to possibly take this club to the next level. This year may be a year of consolidation, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Notts challenging for promotion under his leadership at some stage in the near future.

Good news, I think! He's done a fantastic job for us and deserves this.

But I've got my cynical hat on today - Preston have sacked their manager and Burnley are bottom of the table, both former clubs of his. Is this a Langstaff-style extension - designed to get us a good fee if/when he moves on?

3 minutes ago, StarkMallard said:

Good news, I think! He's done a fantastic job for us and deserves this.

But I've got my cynical hat on today - Preston have sacked their manager and Burnley are bottom of the table, both former clubs of his. Is this a Langstaff-style extension - designed to get us a good fee if/when he moves on?

Anyone who wants his services now would have to pay an enormous amount of compensation to Notts for this level.

Seeing that he's a promotion winner & changed the way the side plays & it's worked out perfectly so far, could be attractive to other clubs, but it will cost them.

Transfer fee/compensation for Head Coaches is becoming more common nowadays, so I'm sure the Notts owners are shrewd enough to already have prepared for any possibility.

Fair enough @Robbie. Preston and Burnley could blow us out of the water financially and pay any compensation we demand, but I can't really see Burnley wanting him at this stage. It's probably more about securing his services for the time being and putting us in a better position to benefit financially if and when he does leave (hopefully not soon).

1 hour ago, Robbie said:

Stuart has joined a list of Notts County Managers that have done wonders for this club over the years. I think that the vast number of Notts supporters will be very pleased that he has put pen to paper.

Stuart’s coming back? 🤣 Sorry @Robbie couldn't resist.

Seriously I’m pleased Martin has signed a new contract but as we all know they aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. At least as you say we f he is tempted away we’ll get a good payout.

Excellent news. We know he's good but he might be double-promotion good.

First and foremost, this is excellent news for Martin Paterson. He remains a very young manager and relatively inexperienced as a number one, so this backing from the ownership group is a significant vote of confidence. After a year in the role, the Reedtz brothers have clearly seen enough to believe that Paterson is more likely to leave for a bigger opportunity elsewhere than to be relieved of his duties.
Of course, it does not guarantee he will stay long term, but the decision feels entirely consistent with the way the Reedtz brothers have always operated. Their approach is measured, evidence-based and rooted in careful risk assessment rather than short-term emotion. As supporters, we are fortunate to have owners who act as thoughtful stewards of the club, making decisions with both ambition and sustainability in mind.
Paterson is the fourth head coach they have appointed and, viewed purely from a business and financial perspective, their record stands at two clear successes and one failure. With Burchnall and Williams they created value; with Maynard they didn't. That may not sound spectacular on paper, but in an industry where managerial appointments are so often expensive mistakes, it compares very favourably with most clubs I can think of.

Agreed, but although they didn't make money from Maynard I don't think he was a failure. Maybe just not the right peg at the time. Strange how he was sacked by York though despite success 🤔

Fair point about Maynard and I agree that he wasn’t a failure in a footballing sense. Very unlucky with injuries and outward transfers of top players.Yes, the York sacking was very strange.

We saw last night in the fans forum why the owners see giving Martin a new contract is good business. The good form of Lucas Ness was raised by a fan in the audience and highlighted how the dynamic with Martin and the recruitment teams works. With their data they bring the raw talent, the rough diamonds so to speak and Martin works with them so as to improve and to make them better players. We have signed a few this summer, so the future looks bright!

Edited September 16Sep 16 by McPie

I think the new deal through to summer 2029 is a significant statement from the Reedtz brothers.

Paterson has won 28 of his 61 matches since taking over in June 2025 and, importantly, delivered promotion back to League One at the first attempt through the play-offs. Notts have also made a steady start to life back in League One.

My view is that the length of the contract is less about saying "everything is perfect" and more about giving Paterson and the football department stability. It also protects Notts if his reputation continues to grow and other clubs start looking at him.

The timing is interesting too—coming just after the Bradford defeat, rather than waiting for a long winning run. That suggests the owners' decision is based on their assessment of his overall work rather than one or two results.

And knowing how the Notts owners tend to operate, I wouldn't read the contract as meaning they will tolerate poor results indefinitely. It is more likely to be a vote of confidence in the long-term project.

The really interesting question for me now is: where do the owners and Paterson think Notts County can realistically get to over the next three years? That's where this contract becomes particularly significant.

23 minutes ago, Michael D Pie. said:

I think the new deal through to summer 2029 is a significant statement from the Reedtz brothers.

Paterson has won 28 of his 61 matches since taking over in June 2025 and, importantly, delivered promotion back to League One at the first attempt through the play-offs. Notts have also made a steady start to life back in League One.

My view is that the length of the contract is less about saying "everything is perfect" and more about giving Paterson and the football department stability. It also protects Notts if his reputation continues to grow and other clubs start looking at him.

The timing is interesting too—coming just after the Bradford defeat, rather than waiting for a long winning run. That suggests the owners' decision is based on their assessment of his overall work rather than one or two results.

And knowing how the Notts owners tend to operate, I wouldn't read the contract as meaning they will tolerate poor results indefinitely. It is more likely to be a vote of confidence in the long-term project.

The really interesting question for me now is: where do the owners and Paterson think Notts County can realistically get to over the next three years? That's where this contract becomes particularly significant.

23 minutes ago, Michael D Pie. said:

The really interesting question for me now is: where do the owners and Paterson think Notts County can realistically get to over the next three years? That's where this contract becomes particularly significant.

Yes, 3 seasons worth of progress.

26/27 mid-table

27/28 top half, maybe playoffs

28/29 playoffs.

I'd take that as progress.

Thoughts?

This is great news. The fans forum is also an interesting watch (recording is on the Notts website) not least for what MP said about his expectations of players, why Ness has emerged as a top talent, and possession stats.

Although I've said we're capable of making the play-offs, in terms of progress in the next three years, all I'm looking for is being competitive in EFL1 for now. Just as important for me is the club becoming 'Championship ready' in other ways - building up the average attendance to 15k+, getting a big name sponsor, buying and selling for bigger fees (looking forward to our first £1m sale), being able to incorporate outside investment into the model.

Edited September 16Sep 16 by Sheffield Pie

8 hours ago, Sheffield Pie said:

This is great news. The fans forum is also an interesting watch (recording is on the Notts website)

Is that what it was? I thought it was a recording of a Technical Board meeting : ) (no mention of that at all, so we can assume it's disbanded/informal only now)

Joking aside, agree with everything about L1 consolidation and being Championship ready over the next 3 years. it was an excellent fans forum

Good news that set the mood ahead of the fans' forum.

I didn't attend, I haven't watched it, but I have seen comments about Jodi Jones, and at this stage I have moved on. There are always two sides, then the truth. Both parties will have their points, and now he plays for Bromley. I think some fans should just focus on the players who are here; Jodi's time won't be forgotten.

The positive thing is the fact that we are in League One and fighting to establish ourselves, and the good news that Martin Paterson has extended his stay.

We don't need to go into whether he will be here by the end of the season or the campaign after that; the contract will ensure we get compensation if he were to leave. Until something comes up, focus on each game as it comes. It's good news which shouldn't be overlooked by speculation when nothing has even been hinted at.

Paterson arrived at Meadow Lane with the desire and attitude to win us over; he guided our lads to promotion and one of the club's best performances at Wembley Stadium. A contact extension is brilliant news, but the focus for us must be on picking up points and establishing ourselves. A lot of credit to our gaffer for his hard work, but we have more to do.

I was never overly worried that Martin Patterson would leave, I think a Championship club would consider him a bit of a gamble, especially one like Burnley who basically want to go back into the Prem as quick as possible. That said the new contract is completely deserved and I hope he's here until 2029, and who knows maybe even beyond that!

I know he doesn't show it but I think Martin is very happy here and I feel like he fits here perfectly too. Notts, because of the set-up, just let him focus on coaching. He mentioned at the fans forum that recruitment isn't what he considers a strength of his, he just wants to coach and improve the players. He's done a great job so far and with him at the helm I think we'll be able to make that gradual improvement year on year.