Ipswich Town Premier League promotion parade sees fans pack streets

Summary

Ipswich Town won promotion to the Premier League on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield
Players parade across the town centre in an open-top bus, starting from Portman Road
The party continues in Christchurch Park
BBC Radio Suffolk had live coverage of the parade, with match commentator Brenner Woolley on one of the buses with the players

Live Reporting

By Paul Grunill and Richard Haugh. Edited by Andrew Woodger

Farewell from uspublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 6 May
Image source, Jon Welch/BBC
Image caption,
The bus passes your home for Ipswich Town commentary - BBC Radio Suffolk
That's it for our live coverage of the celebratory parade - thank you for joining us, and congratulations to Ipswich Town Football Club!
You can listen again to BBC Radio Suffolk's live coverage of the event via BBC Sounds.
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Time for a beach party? Conor Chaplin, with beach ball in hand, alongside skipper Sam Morsy
Image source, Gareth Fuller/PA
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Manager Kieran McKenna raises the promotion/runners-up trophy as Conor Chaplin grabs the mic
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
Image caption,
Jeremy Sarmiento acknowledges the crowd in Christchurch Park
The view from the bus...published at 14:02 British Summer Time 6 May
BBC Suffolk's Brenner Woolley has been on the players' bus throughout the procession. Here are a few more of his photos:
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
Image caption,
Harry Clarke looking slightly more lively than Marcus Harness
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Janoi Donacien, an international with St Lucia, joined Town permanently in 2019 after a loan spell from Accrington Stanley
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Welsh international Nathan Broadhead fails to pass incognito as the bus passes St Margaret's Church
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Kayden Jackson gives it the thumbs-up
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Cameron Humphreys and Lewis Travis on Crown Street
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Boxer Fabio Wardley joined in the celebrations as they turn into Soane Street
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Kieran McKenna and Harry Clarke on Crown Street
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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Ipswich players share the moment with their fans outside the New Wolsey Theatre
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
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We await the police/council estimates for the size of the crowd that has lined the streets and thronged Christchurch Park
Image source, Brenner Woolley/BBC
Aerial photos capture Ipswich Town celebrationspublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 6 May
Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets for Ipswich Town's promotion celebrations as the open-top bus weaved its way through the crowds.
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Some fans looked on from the roundabout as the bus entered Crown Street in the town
Image source, PA Media
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Many fans followed the bus as it made its way towards Christchurch Park in the town
Image source, PA Media
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Fans packed pavements and spilled on to the road as the bus passed through
Image source, PA Media
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The parade culminated in Christchurch Park, where manager Kieran McKenna and some of his players addressed the fans
Players wave goodbye to fanspublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 6 May
And that's it from the Christchurch Park celebrations. The players wave goodbye and head for the exit - ready for a well earned summer break (after their night out with Ed Sheeran, of course).
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Watch: Crowds and players sing at Christchurch Parkpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 6 May
Media caption,
Jubilant crowds turn out for Ipswich Town parade
'We love you all,' says chief execpublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 6 May
Stuart Howells
BBC News, Suffolk
An emotional chief exec Mark Ashton tells the crowd: "What a group of supporters - this town has blown me away.
"We can't believe how many people have come out.
"From myself and everyone at the club, thank you so, so much. We love you all."
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Watch: Blue smoke and cheers fill the airpublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 6 May
The bus heads along Soane Street past the main entrance to Christchurch Mansion (once owned by the Cobbold family, external, who also used to own Ipswich Town) and up towards The Woolpack.
Kieran McKenna given a hero's welcomepublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 6 May
Stuart Howells
BBC News, Suffolk
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
The outpouring of love for Kieran McKenna is incredible. Fans absolutely love the manager who has gained back-to-back promotions.
Speaking to the crowd in Christchurch Park, McKenna thanked the club staff who work alongside him "at the front of house" and have done "an incredible job".
He told ex-player-turned-interviewer Simon Milton he was happy to clinch promotion at home and joked about how the players' mistakes had helped make that happen.
"We wanted to finish it at home, on a bank holiday weekend, so everyone could enjoy it."
What the national papers have saidpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 6 May
As everyone speculates whether he will be poached by a bigger club, Kieran McKenna tells The Guardian , external"I love it here".
"Ipswich Town fans leave extraordinary sea of litter as supporters enjoy boozy celebrations," writes The Mail, external.
While The Telegraph, external offers "Six things Ipswich need to do to stay in the Premier League".
Thousands of fans at Christchurch Parkpublished at 13:31 British Summer Time 6 May
Stuart Howells
BBC News, Suffolk
It's a big crowd welcoming the players.
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Some fans went to great lengths to get a good view
'A deserved and special moment'published at 13:27 British Summer Time 6 May
Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk commentator
Image source, Chris Radburn/PA Media
Image caption,
Conor Chaplin enjoys a sip while for chief exec Mark Ashton the future's so bright, he's got to wear shades
Some of these players weren't even born when Town last played in the Premier League [2002] - the likes of Omari Hutchinson, Jeremy Sarmiento and Cameron Humphreys.
Then you've got those to whom this will mean that bit more - local lads Harry Clarke and Luke Woolfenden - plus those who have seen the lowest of the lows and are now seeing the highest of highs in blue - Janoi Donacien and Kayden Jackson.
What a period of the club's history those two have bookended.
It is such a deserved and special moment for these players and fans of the club, that after years in the wilderness they are finally back with the big boys.
'A double promotion is so, so hard,' says Miltonpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 6 May
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Simon Milton (far left, pictured with Jason Dozzell, Chris Kiwonya and John Wark) celebrates Town's promotion 32 years ago. Hasn't the North Stand changed?
Former Ipswich midfielder Simon Milton, now a club ambassador, believes it is "absolutely vital" for the club to keep hold of manager Kieran McKenna following two incredible seasons.
"I was part of the team that won promotion to the newly formed Premiership in 1992. That was amazing but this feels so much bigger, maybe it's because there's more access to players now on social media, more filming," Milton told BBC Look East.
"I finished in 1999 and was then part of the backroom team going to Wembley and watching George Burley and his team get promoted [in 2000] from the play-offs. That again was absolutely massive.
"But a double promotion is something that is so, so hard and hats off to Kieran and his team."
Watch: Jubilant Ipswich fans pack parade routepublished at 13:16 British Summer Time 6 May
The player bus arrives in the parkpublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 6 May
Stuart Howells
BBC News, Suffolk
The singing is in full swing as the players arrive at Christchurch Park.
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Players show off trophypublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 6 May
Midfielder Massimo Luongo holds aloft the trophy the club received for clinching second place in the Championship, gaining automatic promotion to the Premier League in the process.
Image source, Chris Radburn/PA Media
Image source, Chris Radburn/PA Media
A club for Suffolkpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 6 May
Image source, Alice Cunningham/BBC
At some 45 miles from Ipswich, the Suffolk seaside town and port of Lowestoft is closer to Town's arch rivals Norwich City.
But supporters from the seaside town are displaying their flag outside Portman Road.
Absolute scenespublished at 12:54 British Summer Time 6 May
Image source, PA Media
Fans of Ipswich Town have waited 22 years for the club to return to the top flight.
The scenes in the town today show what it means to the supporters, and the players.
Players taking it all inpublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 6 May
Stuart Howells
BBC News, Suffolk
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
George Edmundson and Christian Walton, who was given some minutes on the pitch late into Saturday's game, are all smiles.
Walton was Town's first-choice goalkeeper until he suffered an injury early in the season, allowing Vaclav Hladky to make the spot his own.
Walton played 47 games during the League One season last year, but only played four times this term.
Flares are back in fashion againpublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 6 May
Stuart Howells
BBC News, Suffolk
The players have got hold of a flare to add some more colour to the celebrations.
Image source, Stuart Howells/BBC
Watch: Party atmosphere as crowds line streetspublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 6 May