Paterson explains why Notts missed out on Langstaff reunion

Notts County were priced out of ever competing to try bring Macaulay Langstaff back to Meadow Lane, says Magpies boss Martin Paterson.

The striker scored 71 goals in 96 Magpies appearances across two seasons – the first in which he broke goalscoring records on the way to helping them to promotion from the National League in 2022-23.

In the summer of 2024 he was sold to Championship club Millwall, but after two underwhelming seasons with the London club - in which he scored just five goals in 76 games – he moved to League Two side Salford City for an undisclosed fee last week.

The deal that took the 29-year-old to the Peninsula Stadium to join the club Notts beat at Wembley to seal promotion - and which is part owned by billionaire former Manchester United and England midfielder David Beckham - came just days before the Magpies sold last season's 14-goal forward Matthew Dennis to Burton.

When Notts head coach Paterson was asked by BBC Radio Nottingham if Langstaff had been one of the targets to try replace Dennis, he replied: "I can assure you that yes, we would have been interested in him.

"But it's quite clear why we can't get players like that at the minute – it's just the market."

Paterson, talking after overseeing the first pre-season win of the summer at non-league Alfreton Town on Saturday, said Notts will be looking to "get numbers in" after already making four summer additions.

James Gibbons, Callum Roberts, Max Sanders and Darius Lipsiuc have been added to the side since promotion to League One was sealed.

Paterson, whose job as head coach is uniquely integrated into a technical board that is headed by Notts owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz, said his only focus in the lead-up to the new season will be preparing players.

Transfer business, he reiterated, will be overseen by director of football Richard Montague and the Danish brothers who own the club.

"The way it works, I don't do the recruitment. I coach the team and pick the 11 players and the subs," he said.

"We do need numbers in and we do need players that can improve this group.

"The owners and Rich, the recruitment team, are working and it's about staying patient and positive."