What Notts County board said when Macauley Langstaff signed couldn't have been more accurate | OneFootball

Notts County's decision to take a gamble on striker Macauley Langstaff was certainly rewarded.

It is fair to say that Notts County owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz have unearthed plenty of gems in the transfer market since taking control at Meadow Lane.

The Reedtz brothers completed their takeover of Notts County in the summer of 2019 after their relegation to the National League, and the club has been transformed over the past six years under the pair's ownership.

While not every signing has been successful, one of the main factors behind the Magpies' rise in recent years has been their recruitment, and the hierarchy are known to use data to help inform their decision-making.

There have been a host of strong signings made by the Reedtz brothers over the years, but perhaps none have been better than striker Macaulay Langstaff, who made the move to Meadow Lane from Gateshead in June 2022, and comments made by the Notts board after his arrival were certainly proven to be correct.

Notts County board got it spot on with bold Macaulay Langstaff claim

After head coach Ian Burchnall departed to take over at newly-promoted League One side Forest Green Rovers following the club's third consecutive National League play-off defeat, Notts County were without a manager when they announced the signing of Langstaff in the summer of 2022 for a fee of just £50,000.

However, given the way their recruitment model works, a manager is merely a cog in the wheel rather than being a crucial part of the process, and the Magpies board were delighted to welcome Langstaff to the club, predicting that he would be able to replicate the clinical goalscoring form he showed at Gateshead at Meadow Lane.

"Macaulay possesses great pace, excellent movement and, most importantly, a genuine goal threat," the Notts board said in a statement on the club's official website.

"His ability to attack spaces behind opposition defences creates chances from nothing and he has the poise and finishing technique to score goals at any level.

"He joins us after an incredible season at Gateshead and we’re delighted to have him on board for the next three years."

It is easy to see why the club were so confident that Langstaff would be a success after a prolific 2021-22 season that saw him score 30 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions as Gateshead won the National League North title, and he was also crowned the division's Player of the Year after his impressive exploits.

However, it was the first time in Langstaff's career that he had produced such numbers, having previously had frustrating spells with the likes of Blyth Spartans and York City, so there were plenty of risks attached to his signing for the Magpies, but their gamble was certainly rewarded.

Notts County struck gold with bargain Macaulay Langstaff, Gateshead deal

Prior to his move to Notts County, Langstaff had only made a handful of appearances in the National League for Gateshead, with much of his career being spent in the regional leagues.

However, any concerns about whether Langstaff could make the step-up to the fifth tier were quickly put to bed as he made a stunning start to his Magpies career, and he ended his debut season at the club with a remarkable total of 41 goals in 47 games.

Among that tally, Langstaff hit nine doubles and bagged three hat-tricks, and his form helped Luke Williams' men to rack up a total of 107 points during the regular season, but incredibly, it was not enough to earn automatic promotion as Wrexham claimed the title with 111 points.

Thankfully for Langstaff and his team-mates, they did eventually secure promotion through the play-offs, beating Chesterfield on penalties in the final at Wembley to secure a return to the EFL after a four-year absence, but just like the previous summer, many questioned whether the striker would be able to deliver in a higher league.

Langstaff again proved the doubters wrong as he seamlessly adapted to life in League Two, with his goals firing Notts to the top of the table by early October, but while his side were unable to maintain that form as they slumped to a disappointing 14th-placed finish after a poor second half of the season, his prolific form continued throughout the campaign.

In total, Langstaff scored 29 goals in 49 appearances for the Magpies in the 2023-24 season, and that was not only enough to win him the division's Golden Boot award, but he also finished as the top scorer in the EFL.

Unfortunately for Notts, Langstaff's continued strong form meant that he attracted increasing interest from elsewhere, and his spell in the East Midlands came to an end last summer when he joined Championship side Millwall for £700,000 plus add-ons, but while the club would have been disappointed to lose him, that figure did represent a significant profit on the fee paid for him two years earlier.

Langstaff has found the jump to the second tier a little tougher than he would have anticipated, with the 28-year-old scoring just one goal and registering two assists in 36 games for the Lions last season, and he barely featured after the arrival of new manager Alex Neil in December.

However, Langstaff's struggles at The Den will not damage his legacy at Meadow Lane, and having helped to lead the Magpies to promotion from the National League and establish them back in League Two, providing countless memories for supporters along the way, he will go down as one of the club's best ever signings, as well as one of their biggest bargains.