Thousands of York City supporters lined the streets in red and blue on Thursday evening to celebrate promotion back to the English Football League.
York fans partied in style at the promotion parade as a result of a late dramatic equaliser at Rochdale last weekend, ending a decade long absence from the EFL and prompting widespread scenes of joy across the city.
Fans traveled from outside of York to join the locals in welcoming their heroes along the streets.
Both players and staff lifted the National League trophy from an open-top bus as it made its way through York, while fans packed the heavy streets of the city and lit red flares into the sky.
Players and staff acknowledge supporters before later joining them in local pubs to continue the celebrations.
When asked by York Press on how they would be celebrating, club media manager Ed Simpson said: ”Carrying on drinking!”
Fans filled the air with chants and waved flags as the bus moved through the centre, following a 1.2 mile (2km) route from St Leonard’s Place to the Eye of York , taking two crossings over the River Ouse.
Speaking at the parade, both co-owners of the club Mathew and Julie-Anne Uggla thanked the ”unbelievable support” from fans and how they were ”elated” to see the club return to the EFL.
The celebrations carried on as fans described the promotion as ”amazing” while others called it a ”massive celebration for everybody.”
Along the parade route, the clubs return to a higher division drew emotional reactions.
”We’ve not been in this league for 10 years – I think we deserve it”, said Ian, 60, from Rawcliffe, speaking to the York Press.
Speaking from the bus, York manager Stuart Maynard told the BBC: ”They spend their hard-earned money week in, week out, up and down the country and it’s incredible.
”The people behind the scenes, they all play a key part – there’s so many and they deserve the success.”
Safety concerns raised by City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police led to the parade to being postponed earlier this week.
After the successful promotion parade, attention now shifts to preparations for life back in League Two after a decade away.
