Notts County players lift the League Two play-off final trophy at WembleyPA Media

Notts County were promoted via the play-off after finishing fifth in the table

Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport, East Midlands at Wembley Stadium

Jodi Jones was instrumental in ending Notts County's 11-year absence from League One, putting on a virtuoso performance in their eye-catching victory against a Salford City side who were watched by owners Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville at a sweltering Wembley Stadium.

While Salford supporters were heavily outnumbered in the crowd of 30,851 at the League Two play-off final, there was a huge focus on the former Manchester United and England team-mates in the stands.

On the pitch, where heatwave temperatures peaked at 37C, Malta international Jones once again helped the Magpies to promotion at the national stadium - having been part of the Notts side that beat Chesterfield on penalties in the National League promotion final in 2023.

He first provided the pass that set Alassana Jatta on his way to opening the scoring with a cool finish in stifling conditions. Then he helped to create Notts' second with a well-worked free-kick that was eventually headed home by Lucas Ness.

Jones went on to complete the one-sided result with a first-time finish past Salford goalkeeper Matt Young with 20 minutes remaining.

Notts County's Jodi Jones runs away to celebrate after scoring his side's third goal against Salford in the League Two play-off final at WembleyPA Media

Jodi Jones first joined Notts County on loan from Oxford United in January 2023

The sun-soaked showdown in London failed to produce a shot on goal in the opening 25 minutes leading up to the first drinks break. Once refreshed, Notts wasted no time in breaking the deadlock.

As oppressive as the temperature was, it was Salford's inability to keep Jones suppressed that proved the difference in an otherwise cagey first half.

No pass in this game was more decisive than the searching ball the winger swept into the path of Jatta from deep, that set the Gambia striker up for the opener just after the half-hour mark.

Jones then went on to orchestrate the Magpies' second on the stroke of half-time, sending a free-kick to Rod McDonald at the back post – where it was volleyed back across goal for Ness to meet with a towering header.

It was not until the second half that Salford managed a meaningful chance but, even then, goalkeeper and lifelong Notts fan James Belshaw read the danger and rushed off his line to smother a shot from Kallum Cesay as he broke free on goal.

That sniff of a chance was the best the Ammies managed to carve out, with Jones going on to put the result beyond doubt when he raced into the box and slammed the ball home after meeting a cut-back pass from substitute Conor Grant.

It was a performance that earned Jones a standing ovation when he was replaced late on, and why he earned more rapturous applause when named man of the match.

How coaching revamp helped Notts back to League One

It has taken two Wembley triumphs in four seasons to return Notts to the third tier of English football after more than a decade away.

The 11 years since the Magpies dropped out of League One have been turbulent, with multiple ownership changes and financial hardships endured on the way to them hitting the lowest point in their famously long history when, after two relegations in five years, they dropped to non-league level for the first time in 2019.

It was then that Danish brothers Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz bought the Magpies and, while they quickly restored stability at the once crisis-prone club, it took the club four years to get back to League Two.

When they fell short of promotion to League One at the play-off semi-final stage last season, the brothers sacked then head coach Stuart Maynard and put in motion their long-held desire to play a more active role in the footballing side of the club.

They did so as a pair that also owns football analytics company Football Radar – a business which has meant they have been able to build the club on a data and statistics empire.

The appointment of Martin Paterson as head coach this season saw him sign on to be part of a newly created technical board, headlined by the club's owners, who have influenced everything from recruitment to team selection and tactics.

And no number-crunching and data analytics done by Reedtz brothers and Co has been more important to the East Midlands club in recent years than what brought Jones to their attention in 2023.

Before his move to Meadow Lane, the former Coventry City forward had suffered three anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in as many years and was left fearing for his future in the game.

He was picked up on loan from Oxford in January 2023, then snapped up on a permanent deal that has ensured he has remained a central figure to their return to League One.

Salford miss out on reaching new heights

Sir David Beckham and Paul Scholes are among those from the Class of '92 in the stands supporting Saford CityGetty Images

Sir David Beckham was at Wembley to watch Salford's defeat with former Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes

Notts' promotion has kept Salford, a club who were playing in the eighth tier of English football in 2014, from reaching new heights under the ownership of Beckham and Neville.

It was only months ago that the pair took controlling stakes in the club after buying up the shares of the rest of the famed Class of '92 who were heavily involved in the Ammies' rise from the depths of non-league.

Four promotions in five seasons followed the initial investment made in the club by the former Manchester United quintet of Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.

It was an ascent that took them to League Two for the first time in 2019, but it is in the fourth tier that they have remained since – and where they will be again next term after falling one win short of going up just weeks after finishing one point adrift of the automatic promotion places.

'We played the game not the occasion' - Paterson

Paterson: "We played the game, not the occasion. Our freedom and quality shone today"

Notts County head coach Martin Paterson told Radio Nottingham:

"The thing I'm most pleased and proud of is the way the team performed throughout the 98 minutes.

"I thought we were excellent - we respected the game, we respected the opponents and performed excellently. We played the game and not the occasion.

"The essence of a team is stepping up and performing as a team and I thought from the starting XI to the substitutes and to those that didn't get on, the lads paid me back and more importantly paid the supporters back.

"The players and the supporters, I hope they all have a great night."

'Notts County deserved victory' - Robinson

Robinson: 'I apologise to all Salford fans'

Salford City head coach Karl Robinson told BBC Sport:

"I thought every single one of the Notts County players were probably an eight out of 10 and Salford players were four and fives out of 10.

"Every one of their players put in a performance that they probably haven't all season as a collective and they deserved the victory.

"They are the oldest [professional] football club in our country and we are one of the youngest, and we are all learning who we are. We have big dreams, big aspirations and big hopes, and today we didn't fulfil any of them.

"Our fans turned up in their thousands, in relation to where Salford are, and Notts did that in the way that Notts County have. I think both sets of fans sang their hearts out, and ours were drowned out at certain stages because the numbers were so vast for Notts, but it shows you where we all are in the history and timeline in our football club."