As a record 24,128 crowd watched Huddersfield Town beat Newcastle United to record their second successive win, it was easy to forget just how far the Yorkshire club have come.
Five years ago, the Terriers were plying their trade against the likes of Stevenage, Hartlepool, Exeter and Leyton Orient in League One.
Now they sit joint top of the Premier League and are making a huge mockery of their pre-season billing as relegation favourites.
For chairman and owner Dean Hoyle, who began supporting Huddersfield as a child before taking ownership of the club in 2009, it must feel like a dream.
The last time they had won a football match in the top flight was against Derby in November 1971 when legendary striker Frank Worthington was on the scoresheet in a 2-1 win.
Huddersfield were relegated that season but they are back again, and so too was Worthington on Sunday to witness a hard-earned and deserved success.
That it was Aaron Mooy who should claim the matchwinning goal was apt.
For he was hugely instrumental in their fairytale promotion last term after arriving on a season-long loan from Manchester City.
After the penalty shoot-out win over Reading in the Championship play-off final, Wagner signed the Australia midfielder in a permanent deal worth up to £10m.
In a tight encounter bereft of genuine goalscoring opportunities, Mooy struck with a glorious effort five minutes into the second half.
Playing a neat one-two with Elias Kachunga inside the left channel, Mooy took the return pass, steadied himself and fired a brilliant right-foot shot into the far corner of Rob Elliot’s goal.
Mooy said: “It was a special goal, the club's first home Premier League goal, so I’m very proud.
“It has been a great start so far, but we can't get carried away, it's early in the season. We just have to keep working hard and keep trying to improve.”
Having destroyed Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on the opening day of the season, this result further encouraged hopes that Huddersfield can establish themselves at English football’s top table.
Hoyle’s influence as chairman cannot be underestimated but energy and self-belief drips from Wagner and the charismatic German continues to transmit that desire to his players.
Wagner said: “This was a very strong performance from my team, especially the defence, and I’m delighted with the workload that the players invested in the match.
“We gave no clear-cut chances away over the whole game and then we won the game with a moment of magic from Aaron Mooy, which made it even better. It was a deserved result because we invested so much into it.”
Huddersfield’s against-the-odds promotion last season was chiselled on their relentless energy and high-pressing game.
Wagner added: “Everything in the Premier League is a little bit quicker and more intense, but we were one of the fittest teams in the Championship last season.
“I have no doubt we will be one of the fittest teams in the Premier League as well. We need this for our high-intensity of play.”
Newcastle, whose only serious effort on goal came when Matt Ritchie’s first-half strike drew a smart stop from goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, struggled badly to penetrate the home rearguard.
Dwight Gayle was hauled off in the 52nd minute and Rafael Benitez’s frustration was clear for all to see afterwards.
For Huddersfield, optimism abounds and Mooy added: “The boss has a saying that we have ‘no limits’. We all stand behind that.”
