THOUSANDS of Town fans turned the streets of Huddersfield into a sea of blue and white last night to honour the club's promotion to
the Championship.

As many as 15,000 supporters, many of whom weren't able to get toWembley on Saturday, paid an emotional tribute to the
players, manager Simon Grayson and chairman Dean Hoyle.

Players and club officials boarded a classic open-top bus - the sameone the team used after winning promotion at Wembley in 1995 - and paraded the League One play-off trophy through the streets.

Hundreds turned up to set the bus on its way from the Galpharm Stadiumat 5.20pm for a 17-minute journey into the town centre for a civic reception at the Town Hall.

The 1965 Leyland bus was bouncing - literally - and driver Greg Lawson twice had to warn the players not to get carried away.

At one point he said over the bus microphone: "The floorboards are only a quarter of an inch thick. Someone's going to end up in my lap! It'snot advisable to jump up and down."

That was the second warning and it did little to dampen the players' enthusiasm.

The players and management milked the moment - and the fans lapped it up.

As the bus trundled its way into town, gears crunching, ceiling groaning, there were smiling faces, painted faces, huge flags, small flags, scarves, shirts of all descriptions. A stunning sight.

Drivers blared their horns in appreciation of a promotion job welldone.

Some fans ran alongside. Everyone had cameras or mobile phonespointed at the top deck.

As the wheezing bus turned into the Ring Road an ice cream van - with jingle playing and Town banner hanging off the back - accelerated hard and overtook in a cloud of diesel and dust, the driver loving every minute.

In places in the town centre the crowd was 10-deep as Town fans young and old strained to get a look at their heroes, and chanted the names.

There was even a guard of honour from Huddersfield's firefighters.At the town hall the players tumbled out to be greeted by Mayor of Kirklees Clr David Ridgway, Deputy Mayor Clr Martyn Bolt and councilleader Mehboob
Khan.

The trophy was then summoned and Mr Hoyle, Mr Grayson and many of theplayers - including 40-goal striker Jordan Rhodes and Wembley hero Alex Smithies - were interviewed on the balcony amid scenes that few will forget.