Martin Paterson was delighted Notts County fans are going to Wembley after Meadow Lane’s biggest crowd in eight years saw them draw 0-0 with Chesterfield to squeeze through in their League Two play-off semi-final 1-0 on aggregate.
The Magpies had to defend for much of the game but the majority of a 17,244 attendance were celebrating on the final whistle anyway.
Head coach Paterson said: “It was a fantastic game.
“Notts County fans are delighted to be going to Wembley and probably won’t like me saying Chesterfield were good. But they were.
“We had to go into the pain game and be resolute and defend.
“I’m delighted with my defensive line after two clean sheets.
“We are humble to know they controlled the ball in certain moments. Chesterfield do that because they are a good team.”
County head coach Martin Paterson revealed that Tony Pulis, his former manager as a player at Stoke, had been in touch with tips before kick-off.
He said: “Tony Pulis texted me this morning talking about clean sheets. He text ‘clean sheet’. He knows what he’s talking about. That was so important.
“We need to improve on certain aspects. But I’m very proud of the team and the way the supporters were tonight.
“The relationship between players and fans is growing at a rate of knots, pardon!
“It was great to see happiness at the end, that’s what football is all about. It’s about people enjoying moments and being able to travel to the home of football with their families.”
Chesterfield manager Paul Cook is no stranger to play-off heartache having not won any of his seven games at this stage of the season. No EFL manager has had a longer win-less run in the knockouts.
He said: “My play-off record is horrendous, that’s a challenge for anyone, but I couldn’t have asked more from anyone. they ran, they worked, the put Notts County under pressure – I really thought we would score for the fans but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.
“Thanks so much to the supporters, the support we have had over the season has been absolutely amazing.
“I just so wanted to score for them tonight to give them that lift and celebrate. I couldn’t ask any more of the players.
“I wish Notts County well at Wembley that’s for sure. For us it is lick our wounds a little bit and we have to move on.”
Jayden Luker’s goal in the first leg proved decisive and Cook concluded his side’s performance in that had been their downfall.
He said: “I just wanted to make sure Notts County had to defend tonight because I felt they got out of our ground too easily on Sunday.
“Sunday we lost it and tonight I felt we were the better team but unfortunately we couldn’t get that goal.”
