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IT was a day that promised so much.

Tens of thousands of Town fans took over half of Manchester United’s famous Old Trafford ground for their club’s biggest game in  a decade.

And they certainly made themselves at home  on the Stretford End, chanting and singing long before the 3pm kick-off.

They’d overcome horrendous M62 traffic jams and queues for the trains, determined to enjoy their day out.

Many poured into the bars of Manchester and Salford Quays well before the game, determined to make it a day to remember and a season to cherish.

It was a friendly invasion by the Blue and White Army, and the recruits came from every  generation.

There were Town strips from so many seasons  –  the zigzag red and black, the shocking pink stripes, the Mitre gold and umpteen versions of  blue and white.

And those were the colours that Town owner Dean Hoyle had hoped would spur his club to  success.

The Town chairman paid for blue and white T-shirts – emblazoned with the slogan  “BELIEVE” – to be on every Huddersfield’s fan  seat inside the stadium.

It meant solid banks of the famous old colours gave a stunning reception to Lee Clark’s side, as they came out for the warm-up and as they took to the field against Peterborough United to a crescendo of noise, chants and  fireworks.

There were balloons, wigs, painted faces and  jester hats.

This was a real family day out, with old men sat alongside sons, grandsons and grand-daughters. It was a day when memories would be relived and, hopefully, new ones created.

The songs came thick and fast throughout the first half, with more than 30,000 joining in to the strains of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and with chants of “Lee Clark’s Barmy Army”.

The first 20 minutes of the second half were to  be Town’s best of the game, spurring even more  songs and chants from the massed ranks of the  faithful.

But there was to be no breakthrough and the Army were stunned into near silence when Peterborough took the lead through Tommy Rowe in the 78th minute.

There were brief efforts to rally the troops but two further Posh goals in the space of five minutes brought reality crashing down on the Stretford End.

The T-shirts came off, with many hurled  down the terracing to the disgust of others, and only a few remained to salute the Town players at the final whistle.

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THE Theatre of Dreams turned into a palace of tears.

Three Peterborough goals in eight, late, second-half minutes brought despair to Town fans young and old.

And many were also disappointed at Town’s lack of adventure on the pitch, in a game in which they failed to fire on many fronts.

Ben Lewis, of Bradley, was at the game with his seven-year-old son Kye, who plays with Town’s Academy.

“We haven’t played anywhere near enough football today.

“We relied on the long ball too much. We needed to get the ball down on the floor and punish them, especially in that opening spell in the second half when we looked to be getting on top.

“It was very disappointing”.

Disappointing was also the word used by Kim Stopford, still wearing her “BELIEVE” T-shirt.

She was at the game with many members of her family, all keen Town fans, and said: “It was so disappointing after all the build-up.

“I thought we’d done well in the first half and would go for it in the second half but we didn’t turn up”.

Young Ryan Goodall, 10, of Batley, was almost in tears at the end of the game.

He’d been in the Stretford End with his dad Tony but could barely raise a smile after the final whistle.

Tony, a season ticket holder for many years, said: “I think we got the tactics wrong today.

“We have done better when we play with two men up front and unfortunately today the manager went with one who wasn’t the right one.

“It is so depressing after what has been a good season but I don’t think we really turned up today.

“They had the slight edge in the first half but we really went at them in the second and I don’t know why we didn’t make it count”.

Mel Walker, formerly of Huddersfield, made the trip to Old Trafford from Leicester with son Josh and daughter Gabby, and their friends Lauren and Ellie.

“Very disappointing. We played well only for the first 20 minutes of that second half and I thought we should have brought our substitutes on at that point to get us a goal.

“Today wasn’t a good day but there is always tomorrow”.

The Ambler family, from Wakefield, managed to enjoy the day despite the result.

Youngsters Faye, eight, and Archie, five, loved their blue and white jester hats, while dad Stuart and mum Judith still wore their “BELIEVE T-shirts with some pride.

Stuart, a fan for many years, said: “I’m gutted about today after a fantastic season.

“I don’t think the team turned up today, other than a 20-minute spell in the second half.

“But we have had a great day out and coming to Old Trafford is a great memory”.

There were great memories, too, for some 800 youngsters who got to visit one of Britain’s finest sports grounds thanks to Town chairman Dean Hoyle.

He paid out £3,000 to set up a fund which attracted more than £25,000 to pay for tickets and travel for the children from deprived areas.

Many school parties poured into Manchester in a fleet of coaches – including youngsters from Year 7 at the Nether Hall Learning Campus in Rawthorpe.

They were still laughing and smiling at the end, despite the result, and were in great spirits as they were shepherded back to their coach with teachers Wendy Taylor, Joanne Taylor and Fida Rehman.

Wendy said: “We want to thank Town for doing what they did for the kids, who have had a day to remember. They would never have had a chance like this if it was not for so many generous people”.

ONE sour note came when Town fans fought with stewards and police in the Stretford End upper tier.

Police said three people had been arrested.

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HUNDREDS of fans packed into Varsity bar to watch Town’s bid for the Championship.

But the expectant atmosphere died as Tommy Rowe, Craig Mackail-Smith and Grant McCann put the game beyond doubt.

After the match, Town fans described their dismay at the result.

“We didn’t deserve to lose and we certainly didn’t deserve to lose 3-0,” said Chris Day.

The 55-year-old from Newsome added: “We should have scored when we were on top but they got one bit of luck with the first goal and that was it.”

Chris’s friend David Griffiths, 53, agreed. The Newsome man added: “It was just one lucky free-kick from Peterborough. I’m disappointed because I thought we might have done it.”

David added that Town should have won automatic promotion this year rather than having to go through the play-offs.

“We have to stop losing silly games,” he said.

“We lost at home to Hartlepool and away to Swindon. If we’d won those two we would have gone up automatically.”