Thousands of Notts County supporters filled Old Market Square on Tuesday 26 May as the club brought the League Two Play Off trophy home to Nottingham after winning promotion to Sky Bet League One.
An estimated 8,000 fans gathered in the city centre for the civic reception, with the squad and Head Coach Martin Paterson appearing on the Council House balcony above a banner reading “Notts Are Going Up”.
The celebration followed Notts County’s 3-0 win over Salford City at Wembley Stadium on bank holiday Monday 25 May, a result that sends the Magpies back into English football’s third tier for the first time since 2015.
Old Market Square fills for the trophy lift
Old Market Square became the centre of the club’s homecoming as supporters watched the players lift the League Two Play Off trophy from the Council House balcony.
The gathering came one day after the Wembley final, giving fans who could not attend in London a chance to mark the promotion in the heart of Nottingham. The event had been arranged as a civic reception, turning the city centre into a public celebration of the club’s return to League One.
Nottingham had already been preparing for the homecoming, with earlier details published for the Notts County promotion celebration in Old Market Square, including the city-centre setting and expected fan interest.
League One return ends an 11-year wait
The promotion is a major football milestone for Notts County because it restores the club to the third tier for the first time since 2015.
The Magpies secured it through the play-offs after beating Salford City 3-0 at Wembley. The scoreline gave the club a clear route back up the pyramid and set up a rapid turnaround from final whistle to civic reception.
For supporters, the timing mattered. A bank holiday Wembley win was followed by a city-centre gathering the next day, keeping the promotion moment in public view across Nottingham rather than limiting it to the stadium crowd.
For the city, it places Notts County back into a higher national football conversation, with League One fixtures expected to bring bigger away followings, wider media attention and renewed focus on the club’s long history.
The practical picture
- Around 8,000 supporters were estimated to have attended the civic reception.
- The event took place at Old Market Square in Nottingham city centre on Tuesday 26 May.
- Players and Head Coach Martin Paterson appeared on the Council House balcony.
- Notts County won promotion after a 3-0 play-off final victory over Salford City at Wembley on Monday 25 May.
- The club will play in English football’s third tier for the first time since 2015.
City leaders host formal reception
Alongside the balcony appearance, a formal civic reception was held inside the Council House ballroom.
The Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Cheryl Barnard, and the Leader of Nottingham City Council, Councillor Neghat Khan, were present for the reception. The council framed the promotion as a city-wide moment, not only a club achievement.
Councillor Khan said she offered “warmest congratulations” to Notts County on securing promotion to League One, describing it as a proud moment for the club, the city and generations of Magpies supporters.
She said the event showed “the passion, pride and unity” of Nottingham and pointed to the role football plays in bringing communities together.
The next chapter now moves from celebration to fixture lists, squad planning and the demands of League One, with Notts County returning to a level of football it has not played in for more than a decade.
Source: Nottingham City Council
Source check Source trail
This report is based on Nottingham City Council’s account of the civic reception and the stated match and attendance details.
- Checked the stated location as Old Market Square in Nottingham city centre.
- Checked the reported crowd estimate of around 8,000 supporters.
- Checked the promotion context: Notts County beat Salford City 3-0 at Wembley on Monday 25...
- Checked the civic reception details naming Martin Paterson, Cheryl Barnard and Neghat Khan...
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- Nottingham City Council
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- Nottingham
- Updated
- 2026-05-27 17:33
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