Notts County provided the world with one of the most entertaining playoff runs in recent years.
Defined by some stunning comebacks, the oldest professional association football club were languising in the national league for far too long but managed to emerge victorious in the Vanarama National League Playoffs.
In the semi-final Notts County were 0-2 at half time, against a side who finished 35 points behind them in the league. It felt like the great injustice of only having one automatic promotion place in the National League was going to bite County in the backside.
But thanks to the grit and character of this side, a 120th minute winner topped off a stunning playoff semi-final win, which was only topped off by Sheffield Wednesday’s miraculous comeback against Peterborough in the League one playoffs.
Having come excruciatingly close to automatic promotion, the Magpies were pipped to the post by Hollywood-owned Wrexham AFC.
Macauley Langstaff, who scored an astonishing 42 goals last season, may well have thought he had cost County promotion.
He missed a vital last minute penalty against Wrexham which could have seen the Magpies take one step closer to automatic promotion. But despite this, County got to secure promotion in the best way possible; at Wembley.
Although the playoffs can be a heartbreaking affair, if victorious, the release of tension and anxiety makes for some memorable celebrations. We’ve picked out some of our favourite moments from this incredible end of season climax.
These pictures show just how special playoff football can be...
1. Meadow Lane looking resplendent as fans celebrate on the pitch.
Pitch invasion
2. One young county fan getting a birds eye view of the frenzied celebration at Meadow Lane.
Ecstasy
3. There’s something about a big win that makes people whip their shirts off ans spin them around their head..
Que sera sera
4. County’s playoff run was remarkable and romantic in equal measure. Back in EFL after a stunning playoffs defined by epic comebacks.
Infamous equaliser