SEAN Dyche had to pause for laughter.
He was trying to answer a question about his highlight of the season, and it was put it to him that Burnleyâs 2-1 win over arch-rivals Blackburn in March was a strong contender.
The thousands of Clarets fans assembled outside the town hall answered it for him.
And while the victory chant may have turned the air blue for any broadcasters present, this was definitely a claret and blue day.
The clubâs colours were proudly displayed the length and breadth of Manchester Road; on shirts, flags, scarves, balloons and faces.
There was even a dog proudly sporting a Clarets jersey, probably wondering what all the fuss was about.
But this was an occasion worth savouring.
The Twittersphere may have scoffed at the idea of an open-top bus parade for a team that finished second in the Championship, but this squadâs achievement is one worth heralding. âIf youâd have told me at the start of the season that weâd be having a promotion parade, Iâd have asked what you were drinking,â said Turf Moor season ticket-holder Gareth Murphy.
The 36-year-old recalled similar scenes in the town centre in 1994, when the club was promoted to the old Division One following a play-off victory against Stockport County.
âThe bus definitely broke the 30mph limit that day. Blink and youâd missed it. Today has been a good day out. Itâs exactly how you want to end your season. We couldnât have dreamt of this at the start of the season.
âI think weâre better equipped to say up than last time. Weâve got a team that will work together for each other.â Mr Murphy, from Nelson, managed to access the first floor of a Manchester Road business to get a premier view of the bus.
Others clambered upon window ledges, bins, lights and railings - whatever they could to get a glimpse of their heroes. Some of those present werenât even born the last time the Clarets were in the Premier League.
Little Lowerhouse lad Noah Drury, two, had somehow fallen asleep on his dadâs shoulders. Goodness knows how.
The diehards outside the town hall were going through their full repertoire of songs, with a tune for almost every player.
The outgoing Mayor of Burnley, Coun Frank Cant, barely got a word in as the jubilant crowd demanded to see Clarets boss Sean Dyche.
âSean Dyche has made all the difference,â reckoned Steven Blake, from Rosehill, who turned up with his whole family.
âWeâre looking forward to going to some Premier League grounds next year,â he added. Fresh from a civic reception from the townâs political leaders, the Burnley squad were introduced one by one to the sea of supporters.
As Ross Wallace pondered the Claretsâ chances in the top flight, one excitable fan yelled out: âWeâre going to win it.â
And while that may have been tongue-in-cheek, there was a real optimism about Burnley town centre yesterday.
Gordon Renton, 44, was one of three generations of his family in attendance, along with his daughter, Sarah, and her son Ryan Hancock.
Mr Renton, from the Stoops estate, said: âThey have done really well, especially with such a small squad. Itâs been great for the whole town and the community spirit.
âIâm glad thereâs been such a good turnout today because they deserve it.â The crowdâs biggest cheers were reserved for top scorer Danny Ings and captain Jason Shackell.
Injured striker Sam Vokes briefly abandoned his crutches to salute the street. Once the players had milked their applause, the clubâs directors emerged to hold aloft the Championship runners-up trophy in front of the rapturous supporters.
There was a 40 minute wait until the open-top bus set off, which gave the crowd time to disperse along the route to Turf Moor.
Despite a healthy police presence, and the townâs pubs taking full advantage of the surge in Sunday trade, there was no trouble at all as the crowd danced alongside the bus when it finally turned out of Hargreaves Street into Manchester Road.
What followed was a surge of Clarets fans through the pedestrianised area of St Jamesâ Street, eager to arrive at the Yorkshire Street roundabout in time to get a second view of the bus.
As it crept along Centenary Way at walking pace, hundreds more fans followed it up the dual carriageway.
By the time it had reached Harry Potts Way, the bus was surrounded by thousands of people. The scenes were evidence of a town in a state of pure ecstasy, fit to rival any match day march to the stadium.
Fans shouted at the players for attention, bellowing over the din of horns to ask them to pose for pictures.
In return, the players filmed the fans, keen to create a keepsake of the day. Outside Turf Moor, the party was well underway.
At one point, the squad even joined in with the fansâ vocal tribute to Ings and Vokes.
Red-haired Emily Evans, seven, was stood with her home-made tribute to Sean Dyche, which read: âThis ginger loves the ginger Mourinho.â âThe fame against Wigan when we got promoted was her first game.â explained her dad Nick, from Harle Syke.
Burnley fans will be hoping she brings similar good luck to Turf Moor next year.
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