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The need for us fans to have patience has been highlighted this season. During pre-season and even after the first few game many were doubtful (myself included) that things at the club were in a good place. Poor recruitment, unconvincing head coach and a style of playing that looked chaotic at best. But look what a bit of time and patience achieves. I know we are not the finished product yet, but things have progressed for the better. As far as recruitment is concerned look at what time to settle has produced. Hall, Luker, Iorpenda and Dennis are starting to flourish as are a few others. The team is playing with our core principles with a Paterson twist and to top it off, Richard Montague is back! Yes as the saying goes....patience is a virtue.

Over the years, Notts have had some very steady defenders. Mike Edwards was one of them and people called him Steady Eddie. In midfield, we had hard-working players like Matt Palmer and Neal Bishop who always gave their all and were very reliable. Now it feels like we have a new player doing the same. Rod McDonald has come in while Matty Platt has been out and he’s been brilliant. He’s not just filled the gap, he’s made that spot his own and is playing really well every game. He’s so solid in the middle of the back three that I don’t know how we’ll take him out. I keep thinking about how Platt will fit back in. Maybe I’m not the only one wondering that.

All this shows is that they want to sell, and they will not be asking for their money back. The club will be sold to the highest bidder, and we could lose the best owners Notts have had in decades. Oh wait, I do not think like that. This is great news. It is another successful bit of business that proves the negative voices wrong. Thank you, Chris and Alex, for everything you continue to do for Notts.

I used to attend them religiously, but I find them to be quite pointless because any question worth knowing will be diluted or politically answered. It's to be expected, and as such I find it to be more of a waste of time. This one seems a lot more important, at least for me to see where other fans are coming from and getting a fairer reflection on what concerns people have. Outside of social media and beyond what fans say to me when I talk to them. I would hope the forum isn't an attempt to appease people, as I think it tends to cause more problems. My hope is that Notts can use this as a way to be informative to us fans and get the majority of supporters back on side with what matters. That is encouraging for the site, and I'm hoping we can climb the table; there have been teams who have struggled and gotten their act together. I would hope Notts sees how important we are to chasing promotion, digging ourselves out of tough times, and just mounting pressure. We had it for one brief season after promotion back to League Two.

Rod McDonald is doing really well at the moment, but good form doesn’t always last. Any player can have a bad patch or be swapped out if someone else is doing better. I think he’s a great defender and we’ve got strong choices in the middle. I hope he keeps playing well, but I also think Matty Platt is brilliant. We just need everyone at the back to stay solid.

I prefer Rod McDonald in the middle. He plays the role with ease and looks comfortable doing it. What I think and what will happen are not always the same. I reckon Rod will end up as the third choice. I can't see the club or Martin Paterson dropping Matty Platt for long, even though McDonald has done well. Even with Platt playing well, I still think McDonald is the better option.

I find it more interesting to talk about the fans forum after it’s taken place. Sometimes you can pick up on things that aren’t said directly, and that makes the discussion more meaningful. I’m not really a fan of holding these forums when there are lots of complaints that don’t seem to have much reason behind them. I’m not saying that’s the case this time, because I do think the club should have given us more updates before fans had to push for it. The problem is we don’t tend to hold forums when things are going badly, and when things are going well, they often get ignored. That’s why I prefer to wait, see what’s been said, and talk about those points properly. I also like reading what other people think.

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2025/september/17/apply--fans--forum/ Statement by the Club."Our owners, chief executive and head coach will be discussing various topics at a fans’ forum on Thursday 2 October". "Chris and Alex Reedtz will be joined by Joe Palmer and Martin Paterson on the panel". "Season ticket holders can exclusively apply to attend the event, which begins at 7.30pm in the 1862 Suite, by tapping here. All applicants will be contacted via email - either to confirm their place or to be told they've been unsuccessful - in good time ahead of the event. If you wish to apply for more than one person, please submit a new form for each individual. Information regarding parking and other details will be shared with attendees in advance". "Those not in attendance can submit their questions using the form below and watch the event via a live stream. Pre-submitted questions will be answered in the first half of the evening, with questions from the floor to follow".

I agree with you. There were a lot of changes, and it’s understandable that fans would be worried. The early performances didn’t match expectations, and pre-season should have been used to build stronger connections within the squad. Getting signings in earlier and giving the new head coach time to settle with his players would have helped. It’s fair to be concerned, but some fans go too far with the negativity, especially online. I always believed things would get better. Even if we finish 10th, I think adding permanent signings next season could give the club a fresh push. When it comes to league position, we have to think about our budget, the situation we’re in, and what other teams are doing. It’s not just about where we want to be, but what’s realistic. If we stick to being sustainable and focus on building a better future for the club, patience is key. If people only care about quick results, they risk harming Notts in the long run.

For me, Scott Robertson, Jodi Jones, Nick Tsaroulla and Matt Palmer were the standouts. Though I found it very easy to vote for Jodi because I think he injected so much into the game, some very advanced forward passes, good movement and focused on going forward. He really did seem more like his old self, which is encouraging. I don't think anyone was 'bad', but those four were the best for me.

Didn't think anyone was outstanding yesterday. However, there were a few honourable mentions. Jodi was a threat, McDonald give us stability at the back and Tsaroulla for his goal and the spirit and determination he shows. Also Palmer the go-to anchor man and Macari for his defensive work and overlaps. On balance I go for Tsaroulla.

I thought we had a number of good performances despite the loss. The back three were solid, Palmer and Robbo dominated the midfielder, Tsaroulla and Jones threatened out wide and Hall showed some really good moments of quality. It's tough and close but I think for being so threatening down the left I'll vote for Jodi.

It is normal for one company to help the money side of another, especially if the first company is doing well. The owners have given up the money, and even if it came from Football Radar, it is still their choice to do that. I learned about profit sharing in business studies and it is useful to understand. The club has put out a full announcement about it here. https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2025/september/26/statement--financial-accounts/

The Reedtz are showing real commitment to the club by writing off the debt. Our two previous owners would not have done that, and while one did save us from Munto, it was not on the same level as this gesture. The decision is not about paying people back but about pushing for promotion to League One. This deserves a lot of appreciation because it has been done in the best interests of the club and its aim to become sustainable. The whole club has changed since the National League years. Some may not agree with what I have said before, but I do not think anyone can underestimate the good the Reedtz have brought to Meadow Lane. We are now being run like an ambitious club. To match that, we just need to keep working towards promotion. Things feel much brighter, even if this season’s recruitment raised a few eyebrows. That is part of the reason why smart loans were considered. We just need to back the players and hope they can deliver or at least help us along the way.

Rod McDonald has done very well since he came in. Incidentally, this season he already has 2 PON Man of the Match awards to his name, so he has been recognised by PON members for his performances in the Notts defence. It is so important to have a mean defence in League 2 & I do think with the defensive players we have available, Notts are in a very good place. McDonald, Bedeau, Macari, Aljofree, Ness & Platt can only get better, and with Palmer, Robertson, Norburn, & Iorpenda in front of them the prospects for Notts are very encouraging. I think it will be difficult for Paterson to drop Rod the way he's playing right now

I felt up to the 30th minute that Matt Palmer would be earning my vote; everything a leader does on the pitch, he was involved in. Excellent in his tracking back, to the point he reminded me of Jim O'Brien when he would become possessed with wanting to get the ball back. And I think it's a huge credit to him and the partnership built on previous seasons, which led to Scott Robertson becoming quite competitive with doing exactly the same as what Palmer did, just going on to score a brilliant goal in the process. The game for me said a lot about how hard work pays off, because I don't think anyone underperformed, and I do think Jacob Bedeau looked more like his old self. I'm not targeting him; I just believe he's someone who could elevate his game and be more of the quality I know he can be, but he did well yesterday. Robertson, for me, is the rightful person to earn my vote, but I even think Kelle Roos deserves a shout.

Scott Robertson by a mile, his tenacity coupled with non stop energy and that wonderful goal ensured a positive outcome throughout. As a collective we never stopped from start to finish with good performances from Macdonald, Palmer and Hall when he came on. Great ethics obviously provided by Martin Patterson and his team, giving us a platform from which we can now build on and make progress going forward. Hopefully we can take this into the game against Crewe next week.

All of the above and more. The gaffer is now doing what he visualised from day one, the squad are now understanding each other and exactly what Martin and the coaching staff requires of them. Long may it last and the same for fans who were doubtful and impatient. As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day (sorry, don't know who they are) or something like that. We all must Keep The Faith and allow the process to continue. 👍🤠

@McPie, Robertson played well too, amongst all the scraps he had directed towards himself, he held his own and stayed in the game as we needed. we could have easily seen him or jodi walk due to the frustrations but they applied it to their performance.

for the most part i felt it would be matt palmer or scott robertson, but i think jodi grew into the game and showed signs of what he can produce. some very clever forward passes, and overlapping runs. he gets my vote, but nick tsaroulla deserves a shout out too.

Got to be good news hasn't it, Chris and Alex Reedtz have effectively sacrificed a huge sum they could have reclaimed. Right now if the club was up for sale I think they'd do well to get near that figure, so it does just confirm that they are committed to the club. I think in theory it will give us more flexibility in the future, especially as the league has just bought in new rules with regards to reducing losses. Clubs that are losing money now have more barriers when it comes to spending money. Our balance sheet will look a lot better now and Joe Palmer has already said the club are making good progress when it comes to being sustainable, so this just puts us in an even stronger financial position for future seasons. Can't ask for more than that really can you!

I didn’t expect Rod McDonald to be doing better than players who looked nailed-on starters. The partnership of Jacob Bedeau and Matty Platt seemed strong, but even before Platt’s injury, McDonald was showing he added something extra to the back three. It’s a good thing for the squad. Even if he ends up playing less, I’m sure he’ll take any chance he gets. Right now, it’s hard to leave him out of the starting eleven.

Sonny Aljofree is stronger at defending than Lewis Macari. Macari offers more going forward, so it depends on what the team needs most. Lucas Ness is harder to judge. He’s had injuries and hasn’t really settled into the side yet. Jacob Bedeau is tough to leave out, even when he’s not at his best. He’s got a presence that’s hard to replace. Rod McDonald has looked very comfortable. I think Martin Paterson might move him back to the right side of the centre backs. It would be a shame if that made the defence less balanced. McDonald has done really well and deserves credit.

Well if I could I would give it to Martin Patterson for getting the team selection, tactics and substitutions all spot on. However I thought all the players deserve credit for that performance, they were superb but since I can only pick one I have to agree with the sponsors and choose Scott Robertson, he took his goal superbly and was a class act the whole match.

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

I agree that there needs to be balance, and some people should be less quick to lose patience. I think all fans would agree that they want promotion. So why let bad feelings and negativity spoil what is a natural rollercoaster with its ups and downs. It would be great to be strong enough to win the league, and if we keep growing then one day this could happen. For now though, we should focus on building for League One. We need to earn the right to play there and then celebrate. Otherwise you spend more time wishing you were as successful as Liverpool instead of enjoying the journey. That is not what true football is about, especially when you support your local club.

We had a whole new coaching team and lots of new players too, it was always going to take time. I'd say one of the biggest advantages to having the Brothers in charge is their ability to not react like fans... If they had Paterson might have been sacked 3 matches in! I wonder if the belittled and bashed technical board is having a positive impact too. It was after all bought in to aid the coaching staff. If it's giving Paterson new things to think about and flagging up points he was possibly oblivious it can only be a good thing. I think given how we've seen the team change subtly it could be having an affect, Paterson isn't stubborn and I like he's changed the team up in order to make us better. It was a pretty horrible start in away, before a ball was even kicked there were a lot of questions being asked and no-one really had much faith going into this season. I'd say we are in a much stronger place now and I'm cautiously optimistic we'll be at the right end of the table come the end of the season!

I totally agree that patience is needed. When eleven new players arrive these players are not going to fit into the Notts playing system immediately. There are also other considerations such as getting to know their playing colleagues, the Coaching Staff & Head Coach & what the Head Coach expects from them, such as level of fitness & their responsibilities on the field of play. And of course, the established Notts players have to get to know the new players too. I think Martin Paterson has done remarkably well to get the squad where it is right now. There is optimism in the air around the club. The squad isn't yet the finished article & Martin will want to see more from his players in the weeks and months ahead. There will still be ups and downs & lots of patience, especially from some of the fanbase will be needed. One thing's for sure, the owners have lots of confidence in this squad, the players are definitely playing for Martin Paterson, & Martin has the confidence of the owners. A perfect recipe for success this season.

I’m happy to wait because I believe earning promotion to League One the right way is better than going up by luck or being unprepared through the play-offs. There will be good and bad moments, and it’s fine to talk about concerns. That’s why sites like PON matter. They help fans see things more clearly, which often gets lost on social media.

Great post @McPie there were lots of fans who were questioning the direction of the club, some even calling for the owners to go, how ridiculous is that? I’m afraid these days patience is not something that a lot of people seem to possess in all walks of life not just football.

McDonald with Robertson right behind.

I think you could make a case for most of the players that played the majority of that match, I went with McDonald he didn’t really put a foot wrong. Tsaroulla also very good, worked tremendously hard and was a good threat down the right hand side. The early set of subs second half were actually really good in that they allowed us to press Oldham again, that shouldn’t be underestimated, it totally swung the momentum back our way. Kouhyar came on and had a really intensity about him.

A dissapointing ending to the match when Notts conceded the match in injury time after conceding a penalty. Notts deserved to win the game with the chances they created, & can count themselves unlucky to come away with no points. So who is your PON Man of the Match for Notts today? I have selected the first eleven & two substitutes for you to pick a winner. Those players are, Roos, Bedeau, McDonald, Macari, Tsaroula, Palmer, Robertson, Jones, Hall, Iorpenda, Jatta, Luker, Dennis.

Yes he did play well I agree @liampie, It will take him time to get back to full match fitness, but he is certainly on the way. He is a first team starter for me.

That's the 10 game mark. Iorpenda has played every game and he's 0 goals from 10 with not much sign of registering, despite having a prime shirt for most of those. I think he has to stand aside now.

@theAnticlough I agree Jones had his best match of the season. We had some quality finishes against Crawley & we just lacked that today. That's what Langstaff & Didzy gave us & we could have done with that today. I believe if we had a Crowley, Didzy or a Rodriguez type player that could give quality to the number 10 role consistently, I think Notts would be in a very good place.

I think we've had a few games recently @Robbie, where the MoM has been pretty clear - this time, Jodi Jones - maybe for the first time this season? He ran them ragged on the left, such a pity we didn't have better finishers in the box. Apart from JJ, I though Palmer had yet another 7/10 and I thought all of the back 3 played quite well. We're getting good WB performances now, but maybe it's because we were spoilt by Didzy and Crowley, I think we keep getting indifferent No.10 play (apart from Hall and Luker coming on v Crawley). It's any 2 from 5 at the moment Dennis, Iorpenda, Grant, Hall and Luker. Next week I'd like to see Dennis and Luker...we need someone to grab one of those shirts and make it theirs.

What the Reedtz have done is essentially a financial decision that changes how both the club and their company, Football Radar, look on paper. When Football Radar first loaned the money, it was treated as an asset for them and a debt for Notts County. By waiving that loan, Football Radar loses an asset in its accounts, which shows up as a loss. At the same time, Notts County removes a huge liability, which makes its balance sheet look much stronger. This is a classic business move: shifting figures between two linked companies to improve the financial health of one, even if it means a hit for the other. So, it's very good news for Notts and it's nothing remotely to worry about. It's a gracious decision by the Reedtz, as it will reflect on Football Radar until they can remove the loss from its own books. For a profitable company, it's not all that difficult, and there's no issue with them seeking to put money into the company, whereas it's a lot harder in football. It pretty much wipes our slate clean and puts the club on an easier path to sustainability.

What a fantastic gesture that is and proves once again (for anyone who doubted it) that they have the best interests of the club at heart, they deserve every success that comes their way, we are very lucky to have them as custodians of our club.

Crewe fans on social media are acting like they’re unbeatable. I find it annoying when their stadium name sounds like a breakfast cereal. Notts needs to keep up the recent momentum and keep working hard to create chances. I don’t mind a draw if it’s earned through effort. Defensively, we should be able to handle Crewe. The main worry is their aerial threats and set pieces, but we’ve looked better lately. I hope we can ease the pressure at the back by attacking more or at least keeping hold of the ball and moving into areas that stretch them.

Crewe made a strong start to the season and looked like a solid side. They picked up good wins against Salford, Crawley and Fleetwood, which showed what they’re capable of. Since then, though, they’ve struggled a bit, losing to Swindon, Barnet and Barrow. That dip in form shows they’re not quite consistent yet. They seem to play better away from home, so it’ll be interesting to see if Notts can rise to the challenge and put in a strong performance on the road. I’d like to see Notts come out with energy and try to put Crewe under pressure early. It feels like the sort of match that could end in a draw, but it really could go either way. Hopefully, the return of players like Scott Robertson and Jayden Luker will give us something to build on, as it gives Martin Paterson more choices to work with.

Me too @Fan of Big Tone I'd like to see it unchanged. And that's with Grant and Iorpenda not being great last week, but they seem like a good pairing to start away at Crewe. The best time to re-introduce Dennis, as a 2nd CF or Inside-forward would be at home, it might backfire if he had a difficult away game. As for Hall and Luker, their time will come and they'd better be ready. I doubt Grant and Iorpenda will be able to produce the goals and assists to be able to hold down those positions, to guarantee themselves regular starter slots all season.

I'm looking forward to this one. I do hope that fitness permitting Martin Paterson will pick the same starting eleven & the same substitutes that he selected against Crawley. If Dennis is fit then it would still be a good idea to play with one striker with either Dennis playing behind Jatta in the same side or Dennis starting on the bench. My preference would be Dennis on the bench. I know that putting Dennis on the substitutes bench might be controversial, but he is returning from injury & I also think the side that played against Crawley picks itself. Crewe are going to want to play a passing game so it will suit Notts to employ a high press & try to win the ball as soon as possible, & try to hit Crewe on the break & down the flanks. I'd stick with Tsaroula & Jodi on the wings with Grant & Iorpenda behind Jatta. Then in the 2nd half we will have the option of bringing on super subs Luker & Hall to do some damage to the tiring Crewe rearguard. I'm hoping that a revitalised Notts can get a win against one of their closest rivals & make another statement regarding their promotion credentials.

I will be covering it and giving my thoughts on what was discussed. I think it's important to break it down as a feature and give some insight into it for those who are not able to make it. It should be a more productive fans forum, provided the form continues, as it will ease some of the upset and bring some clearer perspective. The timing is good, because it does give us a chance to get more fans on board, and if the club can openly speak about the decisions to bring in the loans and clear up some of the confusion about the board cheaping out by signing them, then it might also make some of the negative talkers relax just a bit. I do wonder if the club believes that they will make a difference to help us gain promotion and then leave space open to make signings of a better quality than we could have made this campaign due to being at a higher level, if all things go well. If the options were not much better, why not smartly use the loan system and wait for when things change to reinforce the squad with better-quality players from the transfer market?

Rod McDonald has done a great job helping to steady the defence and has shown he deserves to start. He filled in at DCR when needed and did well, but he looks much more at ease playing in the middle. With the way he’s performing, it’s hard to imagine him being left out, and there’s no reason to change things while he’s in such good form. One of the positives is that Matty Platt’s injury doesn’t feel like such a big worry now. We can give him all the time he needs to recover properly without rushing him back. That’s important, because the last thing we’d want is to bring him in too soon and risk making things worse. McDonald’s strong form means we’re not under pressure to make changes, and that’s a big help. It also gives Martin Paterson a chance to look closely at how Platt might fit into the defence when he’s ready. There’s time now to make sure it’s the right move, rather than a quick fix.

It’s a great problem for MP to have, I don’t see how he can drop Rod McDonald on current form, whether he can incorporate Platt and McDonald in the same team remains to be seen. I think while we are winning and the defence is doing well he’ll keep faith with those who have the shirt at present, to me that would make sense until there is an injury or loss of form. I agree with @Ash good form doesn’t always last but while it does why change anything?

Look at it from MP's perspective. Platt started the first 2 or 3 games, was actually pretty ragged and involved in the concession of goals. McDonald comes in after Platt is injured and becomes just about our best player since that point. Pato will be so grateful and there's no way in the world the question in the OP would come into his head. @Robbie, rightly says he's won 2 PON MoMs, not an easy thing to do. I think I voted for him 4 times in 5 games, he's been that good. If he maintains his form, Platty will only get back in as RCB. RodMac has said in interviews that centre is his best, followed by LCB. I don't think any fan would want to see him and his cultured left foot trapped on the right-side again. To my eye, he's also stepping up in terms of leadership as an experienced player with a strong personality right in the centre of things. Final thought, he might be a late developer - his bio suggests it - and he may be reaching his peak now at 33. Could be... There are a tonne of tough games coming up, even if his from does drop, his contribution to stabilise our season over the last 7 games has been immense.

Everyone played well today, but I think Scott Robertson deserves MOM. His energy, press and winning the ball was first class and the goal...... say no more! I feel he provided the platform for the rest of the team to perform well. We just have to keep him fit!

Lots to choose from as everyone was really good overall. I went for Matt Palmer, he plays like a complete midfielder he’s everywhere now. I’m so impressed with this added aggression and the fact he has a bit more license to move! The third goal, which basically wins us the match, his press wins us that ball and then seconds later Jatta has scored.