Notts County sealed promotion to League One for the first time in 11 years after beating Salford 3-0 at Wembley.
Goals from Alassana Jatta and Lucas Ness in the first half set them on their way in the League Two play-off final.
Jodi Jones struck after the break to seal the win. Just three years after promotion from the National League, the oldest professional football club in the world are back in the third tier.
For Salford, watched on by co-owners David Beckham and Gary Neville, an eighth season trying to get out of League Two awaits in August.
Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville, both part owners of Salford City, were watching on at Wembley
Stylish County comfortably win at Wembley
Both of these sides were still in contention for automatic promotion heading into the final day of the season, before being forced to settle for the play-offs. They got through their semis in very different ways, with Notts County beating Chesterfield 1-0 over two legs, while Salford City saw off Grimsby 4-3 on aggregate in extra-time.
It was County, though, who found the breakthrough on 32 minutes, when a long, searching pass from Jones evaded the Salford defence and glided into the path of Jatta, who coolly strode into the box before finishing low past Matthew Young.
And on the stroke of half-time it was 2-0. A smartly worked free-kick steered into the box, where Ness rose highest to head in.
The game was sealed with 20 minutes to go. Conor Grant surged down the right and pulled the ball back into the box. It missed Jatta but found Jones, who had acres of space to slide one into the bottom corner.
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Alassana Jatta gives Notts County the lead against Salford at Wembley
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Lucas Ness’ towering header doubles Notts County’s lead
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Jodi Jones makes it three for Notts County
Paterson ‘absolutely delighted’ with promotion 18 months into managerial career
Notts County head coach Martin Paterson speaking to Sky Sports:
“It’s a moment of gratitude. I had a little moment at the end, even at 3-0, where (I thought) you can take nothing for granted. When you’re young like me and competing and coming up against senior managers, you have to first be respectful, but there’s two sides of this.
“Not sympathy, but empathy goes to Salford. They are a great team, really competitive and beat us in the league twice, so we knew we had to work really hard and I thought we were, from start to finish, excellent today.
“It’s the culmination of 11 months of hard work and I’m only 18 months into my career, so I don’t know all the answers, but I know one thing: this is hard. It’s tough and there’s lots of pressure that comes with it. There’s an effect on your family life, whether people admit it or not.
“I’m just absolutely delighted for me and my family, for the football club, for the supporters and the owners.”
‘Notts County were superb – but Salford didn’t turn up’
Bromley manager Andy Woodman on Sky Sports Football:
“Notts County were superb and they deserve all the plaudits they get.
“I feel a bit sorry for Karl Robinson. His team just didn’t turn up today and big players didn’t turn up, for whatever reason. He’ll be scratching his head at that.
“But it’s all about Notts County today. What a fantastic performance from Jodi Jones.
“They were absolutely faultless. Was it the lack of quality from Salford that made it easier for them? Or were they just on it from the word go?
“I think the latter. They just didn’t give up any ground anywhere, they didn’t lose any headers, any second balls and they just looked like a complete unit out there together.
“Credit to how they set up. Clean sheets get you promoted – I’ve always said that.”
