Notts County manager Martin Paterson is taking an unconventional route to Wembley Stadium. With the League Two play-off final against Salford City looming on Monday, 25 May, the 39-year-old has swapped tactics boards for chainsaws, finding solace in chopping trees and the crooning of country legend George Strait. As the Magpies chase a return to League One after an 11-year absence, Paterson’s methods underline a manager learning to balance the intense pressures of an EFL promotion race with the need for mental reset.
The Meadow Lane club secured their Wembley berth with a nerve-shredding 1-0 aggregate victory over East Midlands rivals Chesterfield in the semi-finals. After snatching a crucial away goal in the first leg, Paterson’s side dug deep in a goalless second leg at home, showcasing the defensive resilience that has become a hallmark of his tenure. It was a display that former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis—a man who built a career on clean sheets—would have admired, and indeed Pulis was quick to text his former player.
Paterson revealed the message from his first professional manager was blunt and to the point. “The gaffer texted me about clean sheets,” he told BBC Sport, a reminder that defensive foundations often decide play-off outcomes. The exchange is typical of the support network Paterson has cultivated, leaning on a clutch of promotion-winning mentors that also includes former Burnley duo Sean Dyche and Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe. “I’ve got lots of mentors that I speak to because I don’t know everything and I’m not always going to be right,” he admitted. “So I use a lot of mentors to try and get better and improve and that should be reflected with my team as well. We’re always trying to get better.”
That drive for improvement is matched by a need to decompress off the pitch. Paterson, in his first full season as a head coach after a brief stint at Burton Albion in 2024, has learned that the 24/7 nature of management can be all-consuming. His release valve is his garden. “I just make jobs for myself to take the mind off the pressure … it just gives me that little bit of time,” he explained, adding that he’ll spend the coming days with his family. When the chainsaw isn’t running, the soundtrack is strictly one artist: George Strait. “The only one. He’s a legend,” Paterson said, referencing the veteran American country singer whose music will accompany his final pre-Wembley hours.
The garden and the tunes offer a stark contrast to the high-stakes environment Paterson once inhabited as a Premier League striker with Burnley, and they reflect a maturity that has come from a playing career spanning Stoke City, Huddersfield Town, and a Championship stint with Burton. His coaching journey is still in its infancy, yet he has already steered Notts County to a fifth-place finish and a shot at promotion, rekindling hope at the world’s oldest professional football club.
For Notts County, the prize on 25 May is the end of a 11-year exile from League One. Since dropping out of the third tier in 2015, the Magpies have endured a turbulent period: controversial ownership changes, near-financial collapse, and a sharp fall into the National League from which they only escaped in 2023. The club’s loyal fanbase has ridden that rollercoaster, and Paterson is acutely aware of the historical weight behind this fixture. “We know this was just a step on the way and we’ve got another big game coming up,” he said, careful to frame the semi-final win as a platform rather than a destination.
The head coach’s ability to blend the wisdom of his mentors with his own instincts will be tested against Salford City, a club with ambitious ownership and a robust squad. Paterson’s side will need to improve, he conceded, particularly in possession and transitional moments, but the pride in his players was evident. “I have to say I’m very proud of the team,” he noted. Their defensive organisation, shaped in part by the Pulis-esque emphasis on shutouts, will be critical at Wembley, where tension often trumps flair.
What Paterson’s approach illustrates is a new generation of English coaches who are not afraid to graft old-school principles onto modern demands. His mentors range from Dyche’s famed directness to Howe’s progressive patterns, and he absorbs advice without losing his identity. That hybrid style is filtering into a Notts County team that, under his guidance, has become difficult to break down while still carrying a threat on the counter—a balance that could prove decisive against Salford.
For the broader League Two landscape, a Notts County promotion would restore one of the game’s foundational clubs to a level more befitting its heritage, while Salford’s rise would underscore the impact of the Class of ’92-backed project. The sub-plot adds further spice to what is already the richest game outside the Premier League in terms of emotional and financial stakes. Paterson, however, is not getting ahead of himself. The days before the final will be spent with a chainsaw, a country playlist, and the reassuring voices of managers who have walked this path before.
As the Magpies prepare to step onto the Wembley turf, their young manager’s story is one of resourcefulness and self-awareness. Whether chopping down trees or seeking counsel from Premier League tacticians, Martin Paterson is crafting a blueprint that could end with him leading the world’s oldest club back into the EFL’s third tier. Based on reporting from BBC Sport.