It was a welcome fit for heroes - and the City players were HEROES.

Thousands of jubilant City supporters who had cried and cheered through 90 minutes of agony turned up at Valley Parade with one mission - to give the men who had given their all a homecoming to end all homecomings.

Those who couldn't get to the Wolves match headed for the ground after they heard the final whistle on the television or radio.

Valley Parade was the place to be - to celebrate with fellow fans.

They came on foot, in cars, by taxi and they waited - a sea of claret and amber singing, chanting and revelling in the glory of an historic afternoon.

As the minutes turned to hours - they didn't care how long it took - they shared a common purpose. And when, finally, just after 8pm, the players' coach arrived via a back way because of the massive throng, there was a surge of anticipation.

The waiting was over.

A police officer stood on top of a portable building to tell the crowds where the players would appear.

At first there were faces at a window, then they appeared - all of them heroes.

Despite being kept outside the car park, the fans went wild when the players laid on their own entertainment.

They sprayed champagne around, their adoring fans loving every minute of it. And the players acknowledged the ovation they received.

Chants of: "Stuart!" went up as club captain McCall went to every corner of the car park, waving at fans who craned to get views of the afternoon's stars.

He was joined by Gordon Watson and the pair led the celebrations, Watson leaping on to the gates of Valley Parade and leading the crowd in a chorus of City Till I Die. McCall and Darren Moore then delighted the onlookers, who were behind locked gates, by really getting into the swing of things.

McCall at one stage clambered onto the roof of a car to join in the singing while Moore bravely hauled himself onto the roof of a portable building at the entrance to the ground.

Other players joined manager Paul Jewell in applauding the fans.

It could have lasted all night - but the exhausted players had some celebrating of their own to finish and they went inside for an informal private party for directors, staff, wives and families.

Many diehard fans continued their party into the night, while others decided to end their joyous day in the pubs and bars back in the city centre.

Police praised the behaviour of the fans. Inspector Tony Davey, from Central Police Station, said: "We have been stretched to the limit.

"There has been the odd incident of drunkeness but considering we have had thousands of people out across the city and at Valley Parade, they have behaved well. The pubs have been packed to the rafters."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.