Bolton Wanderers supporters invaded the pitch in their thousands at the Macron Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
David Wheater, shirtless but sporting a pair of shades, was mobbed by dozens of fans wanting a selfie with the free-scoring centre-back.
Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline was belted out over the tannoy and Bolton's delighted followers, young and old, happily sung their hearts out.
The scenes told a story about the kind of raw sporting emotion that perhaps only football can bring.
Wanderers, pushing for Champions League qualification under Sam Allardyce in the not-too-distant past, had just won promotion from League One after thumping Peterborough 3-0.
A town and a football club felt unified again.
Nobody has played a more crucial role in the renaissance than manager Phil Parkinson, who has guided the club to promotion back to the second tier at the first attempt.
The Trotters have certainly endured a rollercoaster ride in recent times.
Promoted to the Premier League under Allardyce in 2001, they went on to become a respected top-flight force thanks to a galaxy of stars such as Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ivan Campo, Fernando Hierro and Nicolas Anelka.
Allardyce blended them perfectly with the likes of Jussi Jaaskelainen, Mike Whitlow, Simon Charlton, Gudni Bergsson, Per Frandsen, Gary Speed, Kevin Nolan and Kevin Davies.
Allardyce left a decade ago and not much has gone right since.
Sammy Lee and Gary Megson had spells in charge before Bolton were relegated from the top flight in May 2012 after 11 years in the Premier League.
That sent them into decline on an off the pitch which included a financial meltdown and battles with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in the High Court.
It had appeared a long road back for the Trotters, who finished bottom of the Championship, 19 points adrift of safety, only a year ago.
The paperwork on the club's takeover by Dean Holdsworth and Ken Anderson was signed minutes before a High Court winding-up hearing in March 2016.
Despite the change in ownership, the Trotters have had to deal with further difficulties this term, including a public dispute between Holdsworth and Anderson.
Holdsworth eventually agreed the sale of his stake in March, which appeared to put the club back on a stable footing.
Yet Bolton have remained under a transfer embargo, imposed in December 2015 for failing to submit accounts, which meant they could not pay fees for new players.
Parkinson, who famously led Bradford City, then a fourth-tier side, to the 2013 League Cup final against Swansea before returning to Wembley three months later to win promotion, has nevertheless worked wanders.
The 49-year-old, who also guided Colchester United to promotion from League One as runners-up in 2006, has built the division's meanest defence, conceding only 36 goals in 46 games.
Zach Clough was sold to Nottingham Forest in January but the goals have been shared this season among 19 different players.
Wheater scored his ninth goal of the season in Sunday’s win over Peterborough while centre-back partner Mark Beevers weighed in with seven.
Parkinson has breathed life into a dying club, but the hard work starts here as the future of 17 members of the current squad has been left unresolved.
Parkinson said: “It means a lot to so many people in the club.
“The club has had some tough times over the last few years and this is a great day for us.
“It has got to be the start of the club building back and putting a platform in place to take us forward again.”
After several years in the doldrums, it has been a season of such emotion for the people of Bolton.
