Notts County secured promotion to League One for the first time in 11 years after a convincing 3-0 victory over Salford City at Wembley.
Head coach Martin Paterson completed a remarkable first full season in management by guiding the club back into the third tier of English football after years away.
Following the final whistle, the 38 year old joked that his next request to the club owners would be a brand new lawnmower after previously revealing that gardening helped him deal with the pressure of management.
Gardening became part of Paterson’s routine
Paterson explained earlier in the season that working in his garden and listening to country music helped him relax before major matches.
The coach even said he planned to prepare for the playoff final by cutting grass and clearing plants at home after the semi final win against Chesterfield.
After promotion was secured at Wembley, he laughed while saying the owners now owed him a new lawnmower because of everything achieved this season.
Promotion caps difficult journey for young coach
Before joining Notts County, Paterson had only brief experience as a head coach during a short spell with Burton Albion.
His appointment at Meadow Lane last summer did not create huge excitement among supporters, but the former striker used that criticism as motivation.
Paterson said many people underestimated how difficult football management can be, especially when working with limited resources at smaller clubs.
He described promotion with Notts County as the greatest achievement of his football career so far.
Unique structure helped shape the season
At Notts County, Paterson works within a modern football structure that includes a technical board alongside the club’s owners and senior staff.
The board is led by Danish brothers Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz, who also run football analytics company Football Radar.
Paterson admitted the system is unusual compared with traditional football management, but said he fully accepted the approach from the moment he arrived.
He explained that regular meetings with club leadership helped maintain transparency about tactics, team selection and long term planning throughout the campaign.
Wembley victory completes successful campaign
Notts County produced one of their strongest performances of the season in the playoff final against Salford City.
Paterson praised his players after the match and admitted the emotional demands of management had left him exhausted after such an intense year.
Still, he said he plans to fully enjoy the promotion celebrations with his family before attention turns toward preparing the club for life in League One next season.
