Form
Notts County secured promotion back to League One last season via the playoffs, after finishing fifth in the league. They beat Chesterfield in the semi-finals before securing an emphatic 3-0 win against Salford City in the final.
Promotion ended their 11-year exile from the third tier, during which they spent four years in non-league. County currently sit 16th, two places behind Reading, despite both sides being on seven points.
They have only lost once so far in the league and have picked up four
draws and one win. They come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 0-1 home defeat to Bradford City and did not play during the week, having been knocked out of the League Cup in the first round.
The two sides last played each other almost 25 years ago during the 2001/02 season in the old Division 2. Reading claimed the double, winning 3-4 at Meadow Lane before following up with a 2-1 win at the Madejski Stadium.
The boss
Martin Paterson: Paterson was appointed Notts County manager in June 2025, replacing Stuart Maynard, who was sacked after 16 months in charge.
Paterson had a 13-year career as a player and was a forward by trade, playing for the likes of Scunthorpe United, Burnley and Huddersfield Town, while also having spells in the US with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and India, where he played for ATK. Paterson also made 22 appearances for Northern Ireland, scoring three goals.
Following the end of his playing career, Paterson rejoined the Tampa Bay Rowdies as assistant to Neill Collins. He spent further time in the US, joining both Fort Lauderdale CF and Inter Miami as an assistant coach.
He returned to the UK in 2022, becoming Michael Duff’s assistant at Barnsley, before following him to Swansea City. Paterson left Swansea following Duff’s sacking in December 2023 but secured his first managerial job at Burton Albion a month later. Paterson avoided relegation with the Brewers that season but left the club that summer.
A short spell as a coach at Huddersfield followed before Paterson took over at Notts County, guiding them to promotion in his first season. The 39-year-old likes his sides to play possession-based, front-footed football.
Squad
It was a busy summer at Nott County with 14 players coming through the door at Meadow Lane.
Four players were signed on free transfers including defenders James Gibbons and Matt Baker, midfielder Max Sanders and winger Callum Roberts.
Fees were paid for defender Rosaire Longelo (Salford City); midfielders Darius Lipsiuc (Stoke City), Jack Evans (Harrogate Town) and Dean Campbell (Northampton Town) and forwards Emile Acquah (Dundee) and Luka Smyth (VPS).
County also utilised the loan market with defender Ishe Samuels-Smith joining from Chelsea, midfielders Ollie Cooper and Hindolo Mustapha signing from Swansea and Crystal Palace respectively and forward Daniel Kanu joining from Charlton Athletic.
Expected setup
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Style: Possession-based, patient build-up
Lineup: Belshaw, Gibbons, Ness, Bedeau, Tsaroulla, Finnernan, Evans, Lipsiuc, Cooper, Mustapha, Kanu
Key player
8. Ollie Cooper: Midfielder Cooper joined Notts County this summer, signing on loan from Championship Swansea.
He is a product of the Swans’ youth system and signed his first pro deal with the club in 2019. Cooper made his Swans debut in 2021 and has gone on to make over a century of appearances for the club.
Cooper joined Wigan Athletic on loan last summer but only made 13 appearances for the Latics, so his loan spell was cut short in January. The Welshman has been capped at youth and full international levels, picking up five caps for his country.
Cooper has had a strong start to his Notts County career and is currently their top scorer with three goals to his name. The 26-year-old is an attacking central midfielder who is strong at a high press and drawing fouls out of defenders.
One to watch
9. Daniel Kanu: Forward Kanu joined Notts County on a season-long loan this summer from second-tier Charlton.
He is a product of the Addicks’ youth system and has been with the club from under-11 level. He signed his first pro deal with the club in 2022 and made his debut shortly after, coming on as a substitute against Wigan in the league.
Kanu has made 71 appearances for Charlton, scoring nine goals, also spending time on loan at Southend United and Walsall, where he played last season. He has also been capped by the Sierra Leone national team, winning six caps for his country so far.
The 21-year-old is a centre-forward who is a good finisher, winning the League Two young player of the season award in 2025/26 after scoring 15 league goals.
