Pictures: Thousands of football fans line streets for open-top bus parade
Fans line streets for Burnley FC promotion parade (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Thousands of fans lined the streets of Burnley today (May 6) as the town's football club celebrated its return to the Premier League with a parade.
Fans lined the streets and red and blue plumes of smoke could be seen as crowds gathering outside Burnley Town Hall and along the open-top bus parade route.
Manager Scott Parker and players were at Burnley Town Hall from 6.15pm for interviews on the balcony, with Clarets fans watching on and cheering from the street below.
Scott, kitted out in a retro Burnley shirt, said: 'I am absolutely delighted that we managed to get [fans] Premier League football.
'I am glad these boys managed to deliver that, and to get it over the line at home against Sheffield (United) in a one-off game was important to us.
'This team has been very consistent. They represent what I want to be about – core values, commitment, hard work – and this group has it in abundance.'
Striker Ashley Barnes, who rejoined Burnley from Norwich in January, added: 'It is an incredible feeling.
'There was a lot of change in the summer, a lot of players left the club and there was a change in manager, so it has not been straightforward.
'But we set a solid foundation that we could build on, we timed our run at the right time to win important games and get promotion, and that's what it is all about.'
After interviews at the town hall, the parade followed a route along Manchester Road, St James' Street, Yorkshire Street and then Harry Potts Way before arriving at Turf Moor.
The atmosphere was akin to a Burnley match, with children on top of parents' shoulders, people chanting football songs, including No Nay Never. Crowds were awash with claret and blue shirts.
The fun is set to continue at matchday pub The Royal Dyche, which is hosting DJ and celebrations until midnight.
The great news even reached the music industry. At the weekend, singer Natasha Bedingfield made a surprise appearance at Turf Moor.
Natasha was videoed in the changing room with the squad as they sang her song Unwritten together following their promotion from the Championship.
Bedingfield was also pictured with Clarets manager Scott Parker sampling Bene 'n' Hot, a Burnley delicacy.
She also performed on the pitch as Turf Moor celebrated the club's promotion, which had already been sealed prior to their 3-1 win over Millwall.
Natasha said: "Surprising the Burnley players was so much fun, seeing their reactions was priceless! I'm incredibly grateful that Unwritten has meant so much to them, it's an incredible story to be a part of. Congratulations to the team on such a huge moment, they deserve every bit of it!'
It's not the first time the town has celebrated with a parade.
In 2023, thousands of fans also lined the streets to celebrate Burnley FC's return to the Premier League.
The open-top bus parade then made its way through the town centre to Turf Moor to the delight of thousands of fans.
The parade today was after the Clarets clinched promotion with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United in April.
Burnley became the first side in English football history to finish with 100 points but not be crowned champions, yet they also conceded only 16 goals in 46 league games – bettering the record set by Liverpool, who conceded 16 across 42 matches in 1978-79.
Success this season means manager Scott has achieved three Championship promotions with three different teams, having previously guided Fulham and Bournemouth out of the second tier.
It also means Burnley will once again compete in the top flight having last been there in 2023/24 under Vincent Kompany.
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