Thank you very much for joining me.
Here is the great John Brewin’s report from Wembley.
Palmer lifts the trophy and the Magpies are loving it.
County are heading up the steps to collect their trophy.
Lucas Ness: “You couldn’t write it. Look at the fans, they deserve it. Absolutely buzzing.
“I thought why not gamble and the ball looped up and I attacked it.
“I started cramping 60 minutes in, probably the worst cramp of my life.”
Jodi Jones: “It is unbelievable, it makes me really emotional when you work so had for 11 months and everyone becomes a family. You are with them more than your own family. It’s been one of the hardest years of mu life mentally, I’ve had a lot of family things going on.
“It is the most fun I’ve had all season.”
Beckham and Scholes et al do not look chuffed.
Updated
Full time: Notts County 3-0 Salford
The Magpies are back in League One. It never really seemed in doubt for Paterson’s side who were dominant from very early on and took their chances, while Salford wilted in the heat.
90+6 mins: Notts County are keen to find the corners and hold the ball there as much as possible. Every pass is being ole’d by those in black and white. I’d probably blow your whistle now, mate.
90+4 mins: Woodburn is booked for a bad challenge. A glorious bit of headloss. Lose with dignity, if you can.
90+2 mins: The fourth official’s board was met with groans from everyone. A suspect a lot of the Salford fans have started the long journey home.
Jones is rightly given player of the match by Sky. It wasn’t even a contest.
90 mins: Eight minutes added on. Seems mildly pointless to me …
88 mins: Salford are still giving it a go but there really is no hope for them. A dreadful way to end a great season for the club, who will revert to wearing orange next season.
86 mins: Paterson sends on Dennis, Bennetts and Kouhyar. The superb Jones, Jatta and Tsaroulla head for well-earned rest.
84 mins: Austerfield goes down just outside the County box for reasons that are not obvious but he looks in absolute agony. It turns out Robertson does catch him on the heel.
That’s Austerfield’s final action as Stockton comes on.
Julian Menz emails: “No ill will to the Corrie XI, but I’m glad to see County getting back.”
82 mins: Belshaw pings a free-kick down the pitch with every second the ball spends in the other half one to celebrate for County.
Paterson’s side are starting to ice the puck, which is inviting some pressure. Some cool heads are required, even if a three-goal lead.
Updated
80 mins: Salford have a corner on the right. Garbutt trots across the sun-soaked pitch once more to swing it in … but Jatta is there to clear.
78 mins: Jones kisses the ball before setting it on the turf. The shoot zips off the surface but Young is down to it quickly.
The Notts County fans are having the time of their lives.
Norburn is given a rest, as Palmer comes on in the middle of the park.
76 mins: The Belshaws will be having a cracking party tonight for little Isla and the promotion of the family club. Dad has had a season ticket for over 60 years.
Graydon clips Norburn purely out of frustration. Salford cannot lose their heads here.
I say that and then Woodburn bundles over Tsaroulla on the edge of the box.
74 mins: Salford would need to score in the next five to have any chance but nothing this afternoon has indicated they might.
County are slowing things down.
72 mins: Start the car, duck, the Magpies are off to League One.
GOAL! Grant does extremely well on the right. It looks like his cross is a duffer as it goes behind Jatta but Jones leaves Graydon in his wake and pummels the ball into the corner.
GOAL! Notts County 3-0 Salford (Jones, 70)
Jones has send the Pies to heaven.
Updated
70 mins: Iorpenda decides to go it alone despite having options and his shot is very weak, allowing Young to fall on it.
68 mins: Grant replaces Luker for County.
66 mins: HYDRATION BREAK!
64 mins: Jones looks to be fouled by Woodburn but the referee is not interested and Salford counter without success.
Grant is being prepared by Paterson.
62 mins: Borini has come out to bark the orders. I think Salford are very much 3-4-3 now.
Updated
60 mins: Borini and Harris are on for Salford. The pair have cracking CVs, taking in Sampdoria and Metalist Kharkiv, and both have enjoyed success in Turkey. Cooper and Longelo off. Should be a fun formation now ..
58 mins: As we head towards the hour mark, some more changes must come. Salford have improved since the break but are still seeking greater dynamism, while County make want to freshen things up.
Ness is booked for taking down Udoh in cynical fashion.
56 mins: Woodburn thwacks in a cross, which deflects of Bedeau’s arm but it is not an illegal action. The ball reaches Graydon anyway but he fluffs his finish.
54 mins: Mnoga takes down Luker. The defender is on a yellow and the County players have a word with the referee looking for a second, which he is lucky not to receive.
52 mins: Cesay catches someone quite high to give away a free-kick but does not suffer any further punishment.
50 mins: County have a corner on the left. Jones lifts the ball into the box but Oluwo flicks away.
Salford break up the pitch but it ends with Garbutt’s cross going out off a County leg but the referee gives a goal kick.
48 mins: Jatta drives a cross from the byline but Mnoga is there to whack away. A third Notts County goal would completely kill this game off.
46 mins: Salford almost have a goal within 20 seconds as Cesay goes through on goal but Belshaw comes out bravely to stop him and gathers the ball. The goalkeeper seems to get a stud in the knee for his troubles.
Second half
Here we go again!
Woodburn replaces Butcher for Salford.
Half-time reading.
Half-time: Notts County 2-0 Salford
The Magpies have been the much better team and punished Salford’s mistakes to put them 45 minutes away from League One.
Updated
45+2 mins: We are half way through four minutes added on.
Salford need to get through to the break and then come up with a plan to change things. Woodburn, Harris and Borini could be interesting options.
GOAL! Jones pings the free-kick to the back post where McDonald is waiting to lift it into the danger area where Ness is primed to head into the top corner.
GOAL! Notts County 2-0 Swindon (Ness, 45)
A well-worked free-kick is headed home by Ness.
Updated
44 mins: Mnoga takes down Jones in crude fashion. The Salford man is cautioned while the Notts County midfielder writhes in pain. It is a poor challenge but VAR do not need to intervene.
42 mins: Longelo is needlessly fouled by Ness on the left flank. Not a smart bit of defending. Garbutt comes over to take it but it goes over everyone. It looks a decent cross but no one in red knew what to do.
40 mins: Robinson has his finger to his lips as he ponders how to change things. He also looks like he has put plenty of sun cream on.
38 mins: Norburn is too relaxed on the edge of his own box and is almost dispossessed.
36 mins: Jatta puts in a cracking challenge to win the ball back from Mnoga. A man of many talents.
34 mins: Mnoga has taken it upon himself to wake Salford up, charging out of defence and straight into Robertson to win a free-kick. They quickly lose the ball and Notts County can now be more patient.
GOAL! A superb pass from Jones catches out the centre-backs, allowing Jatta to latch onto the ball and slot a shot into the corner.
GOAL! Notts County 1-0 Salford (Jatta, 32)
I told you he was a great finisher.
Updated
31 mins: Garbutt has an excellent left foot and his latest cross is turned behind for a corner. The full-back goes over to take it but Belshaw has it under control.
30 mins: Nothing has happened since the restart. Give them more electrolytes.
28 mins: After some cold fluids and towelling down, we start again.
There are plenty of fans sat under the sun, with t-shirts not part of the dress code. The thermometer shows 36.6C pitchside.
25 mins: HYDRATION BREAK!
24 mins: Garbutt swings in the first corner of the match and Notts eventually scramble it away after some head tennis.
Garbutt sends an a superb delivery from the left but Udoh is outjumped. Salford are coming into the game now.
22 mins: Notts County have had around three quarters of possession here. Maybe Salford are trying a rope-a-dope trick on them.
Tsaroulla goes into the book for pushing Longelo down.
Butcher receives the ball around 20 yards out and has a dig, which is deflected wide for a corner.
20 mins: Jatta latches onto a long ball over the top from Luker but Salford crowd him out on the edge of the box. The striker has no support and the Ammies are able to recover possession.
18 mins: Salford play for territory with a throw-in down the line, earning another that can be launched into the box but opts to send it short. It does not result in a chance as Notts County hold firm.
16 mins: Speaking of … Jones lifts a cross into the box for Jatta but the it lacks pace and Jatta gets underneath it, forcing him to head well over.
14 mins: Notts County will want to get more of the ball to Jatta. He can run in behind and through defences but has not been involved too much so far.
12 mins: Jones v Mnoga looks like a battle I want to see. Both players look up for it.
10 mins: McDonald has an absolutely nightmare at the back. He receives a short pass from Belshaw and fails to get rid on three occasions, thanks to an impressive Salford press.
8 mins: Jones is looking lively down the left for Notts County and could be a key man today. A perfect first touch bamboozles Mnoga and the cross is a dangerous one but Salford just about cope.
6 mins: Mnoga is robust in a couple of challenges and drags Salford up the pitch, ultimately winning a free kick. Young pumps it to the edge of the box but Notts County are able to deal with it.
4 mins: Salford have a free kick on the left, which is delivered by Garbutt but easily cleared.
Notts County get in a decent pitch thanks to a good run by Jones, who slips a pass to Iorpenda but his low cross is well defended.
2 mins: Salford go long early doors, which may be an early indication of their plans to conserve energy.
Jatta has an early burst forward but he is tackled before he can cause any damage.
James Belshaw, mercifully, is at the shady end. There is a decent amount of shade on one side of the pitch – I would focus on playing in that area.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
Notts County have four times the amount of fans that Salford do. The Ammies fanbase is pretty small, to be fair.
We will be having hydration breaks because it is so ruddy hot.
The players are in the tunnel …
I did see Notts County beat Harrogate a couple of months back. It was all very easy, so I can’t tell you much except Jatta is a cut above this level as a finisher.
Oh, I’ve interviewed him too.
Gary Neville confirms that co-owner David Beckham is in attendance today. He is rightly concerned by the conditions.
More tedious links to this game, you say?
Gary Neville and Nicky Butt are at Wembley. Not sure if David Beckham will be in attendance, but who knows?
It is boiling at Wembley. Not too far away at Heathrow they have recorded a temperature of 33.5C, making it the hottest May day in history. I would not fancy going through 90 minutes (or more) in this.
Salford missed out on automatic promotion on the final day by a single point, forcing Karl Robinson to go through the playoffs.
“To play 58 games in a year is unbelievable,” Robinson said. “We have done so much, and been through so many moments. It is something that we are really proud of.
“I just hope now that we make ourselves really competitive for one last time and, hopefully, get another win under our belts. If we do that, then I will be happy.”
I have a tenuous collection articles to fit all events. I went to speak to Salford’s Fabio Borini back in October.
From Liverpool to Salford, it’s been a fun journey.
Sky are having bit of chat with James Belshaw, who is a Notts County fan and the club’s goalkeeper having joined in January. It is his daughter Isla’s third birthday today. She will be at Wembley, I am sure.
Do not worry, I interviewed him a while back, so you can learn more about him.
Starting lineups
Notts County (3-4-2-1): Belshaw; Ness, McDonald, Bedeau; Tsaroulla, Norburn, Robertson, Jones; Iorpenda, Luker; Jatta
Subs: Griffiths, Palmer, Kouhyar, Bennetts, Grant, Ndlovu, Dennis
Salford (3-4-3): Young; Oluwo, Cooper, Garbutt; Mnoga, Butcher, Austerfield, Longelo; Cesay, Graydon, Udoh
Subs: Howard, Turton, Woodburn, Stockton, Harris, Borini, Dorrington
Preamble
It does not get bigger than this, especially if you’re from Salford or certain parts of Nottingham. A place in League One is at stake, something Gary Neville has been chasing for many years but repeatedly fallen short. Karl Robinson has carefully built a robust side in recent times to five the club the best chance of reaching the third tier for the first time in their history.
Notts County have a far bigger fanbase and the greater history, so feel it is their right to go up. They possess plenty of quality in the form of striker Alassana Jatta, who should be playing in the Championship, and could be the man to fire them to success at Wembley.
Let’s hope for a cracker!
Kick-off: 3pm BST
