THOUSANDS of Chester FC fans descended on the city on Saturday to celebrate a momentous occasion for the new club.
The players paraded through the city in an open-top vintage bus while legions of fans, kitted out in blue and white, looked on with pride.
After the heartache and pain of seeing their club be destroyed by crippling debt, fans of the new phoenix club had something to celebrate on Saturday.
Thousands turned out, wearing the traditional blue and white, to see the players who secured promotion in their very first season as a new club run by the fans, parade through the city on an open top vintage bus.
The successful squad showed off the Evo-Stik First Division North trophy before ending their tour at the Town Hall where they enjoyed a civic reception.
The parade started from the Bumpers Lane Exacta Stadium through the centre of the city to a civic reception at the Town Hall. The fans, backed by the council, which owns the Exacta Stadium, resurrected the team last year after the High Court wound up the old debt-ridden club.
Lord mayor of Chester, Cllr Eleanor Johnson, performed her first civic duty by hosting the reception for the management, team sponsors and representatives of the fans.
Chester Council leader Mike Jones, a club season-ticket holder, said: “The club has become a true community club – exactly what this authority wanted and will continue to support.
“The fans have backed the club every step of the way and the parade is as much for them to celebrate their own achievements as it is to applaud those of the players.”