Martin Paterson has admitted that Notts County's League One meeting with Burton Albion represents the toughest fixture on his horizon, according to a BBC Radio Nottingham interview broadcast on 28 August 2026.
Old club adds personal edge
Paterson, who has managerial responsibility at Meadow Lane, faces the added dimension of lining up against a club he knows intimately as a former player. Speaking on BBC Sounds, he was candid about what the match means to him personally as well as professionally.
"I think this will be the toughest game," Paterson is quoted as saying, a view that underlines the respect he holds for the Brewers' squad despite the recruitment upheaval Burton have experienced this summer.
Burton have been notably active in the transfer market ahead of the new campaign. The club have brought in Fulham defender Araujo, signed Utrecht defender Adiele on loan, added Collar from MK Dons on a season-long loan, and have been linked with a bid for Kilmarnock's Stanger, according to earlier reports. That volume of incoming business has overhauled the squad significantly, and Paterson will be well aware of the calibre of additions his opposite number has assembled.
Deadline day also on the agenda
Alongside his thoughts on the Burton fixture, Paterson used the radio appearance to address transfer deadline day activity at Notts County. The manager had previously stated publicly that the club were keen to add further bodies to their squad before the window closed, and he appears to have used this platform to update supporters on where that business stands.
Notts County have had their own share of disruptions this summer. Clark's absence following a broken jaw has placed additional strain on the squad, and Paterson has acknowledged the depth question at various points in pre-season. Whether deadline day business has arrived in time to ease those concerns remains to be seen, but the manager's tone suggested the club were working hard to secure further reinforcements.
Two clubs with contrasting summers
Both Notts County and Burton Albion have navigated demanding summers in the third tier. Burton's head coach acknowledged a squad crisis heading into the season opener, yet the Brewers have since moved to address those gaps with a string of signings. Notts, meanwhile, have been dealing with injury concerns while also pushing for incomings of their own before the window shut.
On the pitch, the fixture arrives with both sides eager to establish their early-season credentials in League One. A match between two ambitious clubs, with a manager facing his old employers, carries the sort of subplot that makes third-tier football compelling.
Paterson's framing of it as the hardest test yet will resonate with County supporters, who will want to see their side respond with the kind of performance that silences any doubts raised by the busy, sometimes turbulent, close season.
What to expect
Burton arrive having already shown they can compete, and Paterson's respectful assessment suggests he is taking nothing for granted. For Notts County, a strong showing against a well-stocked Burton side would send a clear message to the rest of the division about their own ambitions this term.
The BBC Radio Nottingham interview, available on BBC Sounds, runs approximately five minutes and covers both the fixture preview and the latest on transfer deadline activity at the club.
Frequently asked
- When do Notts County play Burton Albion?
- The fixture is scheduled around late August 2026, with Martin Paterson describing it as the toughest game of the season so far for Notts County.
- Why is the Burton vs Notts County game personal for Martin Paterson?
- Paterson has a history with Burton Albion as a former player, meaning he faces a club he knows well when the two sides meet in League One.
- Did Notts County sign anyone on transfer deadline day?
- Manager Martin Paterson discussed deadline day activity in a BBC Radio Nottingham interview on 28 August 2026, though the specific outcome of any deals had not been confirmed in the broadcast summary.