Mansfield arrive in League One after ending their long League Two exile
Mansfield Town's promotion to League One ended a spell in the fourth tier that lasted over two decades. The Stags had become one of those clubs seemingly destined to spend eternity in League Two, with multiple near-misses in the play-offs adding to the frustration. Finally going up was an emotional release for a supporter base that had waited since 2003 for third-tier football, and the 2025-26 season is about proving they can compete at this level rather than becoming immediate victims of the yo-yo effect.