Notts County Face Salford City in League 2 Play Off Final

Notts County and Salford City meet in the league 2 play off final at Wembley on Monday with promotion to League One on the line. Salford are chasing the third tier for the first time in their history, while Notts County are aiming to get back there after 11 years away.

Wembley Brings a One-Point Split

The two clubs finished one place and one point apart in the League Two table, which is why the final feels so finely balanced. Salford ended the regular season in fourth, and Notts County were right behind them.

That gap was small, but the route to Wembley has been different for each side. Notts County are the world's oldest professional football club and a founding member of the Football League in 1888, while Salford are trying to turn a late-season push into the biggest step in their short history.

Karl Robinson's Salford Rise

Karl Robinson took charge of Salford in January 2024 and guided them out of the bottom two to safety in the 2023-24 season. Last season they finished eighth and missed the play-offs by one point, so this run has already pushed them past that disappointment.

Robinson said the club had broken every single record this season, and he described Wembley as the highest point the club has reached. He said, "It's the highest point the club has ever been to, currently," and added, "We've broken every single record this season, everything - FA Cup ties, beating teams from above us the most amount of times, most amount of home wins, most amount of wins in a league season, most amount of points, highest league finish."

Notts County's Third-Tier Return

Notts County beat Chesterfield in the National League promotion final at Wembley in 2023, so they arrive with recent knockout experience at the same ground. This time the prize is a return to the third tier for the first time in 11 years, and the margin for error is gone.

Robinson also pointed to the people around Salford when he said, "They have invested money, time and so much emotion into this." He added, "And this is not just a game for them, they love this football club." One club is trying to climb into League One for the first time; the other is trying to get back after more than a decade out.