Nottingham fans pack square for Notts County
Thousands of Notts County supporters filled Old Market Square on Tuesday, 26 May, as the club brought the League Two Play Off trophy back to Nottingham after sealing promotion to Sky Bet League One.
Nottingham City Council said around 8,000 fans gathered in the city centre for the civic reception, held the day after County’s 3-0 win over Salford City at Wembley Stadium on bank holiday Monday, 25 May.
The players and Head Coach Martin Paterson appeared on the Council House balcony above a “Notts Are Going Up” banner, lifting the trophy in front of supporters who had packed into the square for the club’s homecoming.
8,000 supporters gather in Old Market Square
Old Market Square became the centre of the celebration as fans turned out to see the squad after one of the club’s most significant recent results.
The reception followed County’s play-off final victory over Salford City, a result that confirmed promotion from League Two and gave supporters a public moment with the trophy less than 24 hours later.
The council described the event as a civic reception, with the public celebration outside the Council House and a formal gathering inside the building’s ballroom.
For residents who followed the build-up to the event, the celebration completed a short but busy spell for the city centre. A previous local guide on the Notts County homecoming plans set out arrival advice, restrictions and expected disruption around Old Market Square.
Promotion returns County to the third tier
Notts County’s promotion puts the club back into English football’s third tier for the first time since 2015.
That gap gives the celebration its wider sporting context. The Magpies have experienced major changes over the past decade, including seasons outside the English Football League, before returning to league football and now moving up again.
The 3-0 Wembley win over Salford City secured the place in Sky Bet League One and gave the city a high-profile football moment at the end of the season.
For supporters, the Old Market Square reception was not just a trophy appearance. It was the first chance for many to see the squad together in Nottingham after the final whistle at Wembley, with the Council House balcony providing the main focal point.
Civic reception held inside the Council House
Inside the Council House, a formal reception took place in the ballroom with Lord Mayor of Nottingham Councillor Cheryl Barnard and Nottingham City Council leader Councillor Neghat Khan.
The council’s involvement reflected the scale of the city-centre gathering and the club’s place in Nottingham’s sporting identity. Old Market Square is regularly used for large public moments, and Tuesday’s reception put the football club at the centre of that civic space.
Councillor Khan congratulated Notts County on what she called “a truly outstanding achievement” in securing promotion to League One.
“This is a proud moment not just for the club, but for the entire city and the generations of supporters who have stood by the Magpies through every high and low,” she said.
City leaders point to football’s community role
Councillor Khan said the reception showed “the passion, pride and unity” associated with Nottingham, adding that seeing thousands of supporters gather together underlined football’s role in bringing communities closer.
The promotion now moves attention toward Notts County’s return to League One and the fixtures, travel days and derby stakes that will come with life in the third tier.
For the city, Tuesday’s crowd gave a visible measure of the support behind the club: an estimated 8,000 people in Old Market Square, a Wembley trophy on the Council House balcony, and a team preparing for its first third-tier season since 2015.
Source: Nottingham City Council
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This report was built from Nottingham City Council’s account of the civic reception and checked against the event details stated in the source item.
- Confirmed the event location as Old Market Square and the Council House in Nottingham.
- Checked the stated attendance figure of around 8,000 supporters.
- Verified the match context as Notts County’s 3-0 play-off final win over Salford City at W...
- Matched the promotion context to a return to the third tier for the first time since 2015.
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- Nottingham City Council
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- Nottingham
- Updated
- 2026-05-27 17:30
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