Martin Paterson has a unique game plan for preparing his Notts County side for the League Two play-off final at Wembley: chopping firewood and cranking up the country music.

The 39-year-old manager guided the Magpies to a tense 1-0 aggregate victory over East Midlands rivals Chesterfield in the semi-finals, setting up a showdown with Salford City at the national stadium on Monday, 25 May. It was a defensive masterclass—including a nerve-shredding goalless draw in Friday night's second leg—that earned them their Wembley ticket.

Now in his first full season at Meadow Lane, following a brief stint at Burton Albion in 2024, Paterson has found unconventional ways to handle the pressures of management. The former Premier League striker—who played for Burnley, Stoke, and Huddersfield—knows the demands of big matches, but he's learned to step away from the tactical whiteboard and into the garden.

"I love getting out in the garden, and I just chop stuff down to be honest with you," Paterson told BBC Sport. "I just make jobs for myself to take the mind off the pressure. It's not really pressure—there are lots of things in life that are pressure—but we want to be successful as a football club and as a team, so it just gives me that little bit of time. I'll be gardening with my family and spending a little time with them in the next couple of days."

As for the soundtrack to his preparations, Paterson keeps it simple: "George Strait. The only one. He's a legend." The veteran US country musician will be the background noise as the Notts boss clears his head before the biggest game of his managerial career.

But Paterson isn't going it alone. He has a wealth of experience to draw from, including promotion-winning mentors like former Burnley bosses Sean Dyche and Eddie Howe—now at Newcastle United. Even Tony Pulis, the manager who gave Paterson his start as a player at Stoke City, checked in before the semi-final second leg with a no-nonsense message: "The gaffer texted me about clean sheets," Paterson said. "I've got lots of mentors that I speak to because I don't know everything and I'm not afraid to ask."

With a calm mind, a country playlist, and advice from some of the game's best, Paterson is ready to lead Notts County to Wembley glory.