Ian Evatt remembers Blackpool's 'crazy' day of promotion celebrations

The resort was a sea of tangerine as the players travelled by open-top bus along the Promenade.

Now manager of National League leaders Barrow, Evatt told The Gazette: “The parade back in Blackpool was another amazing day. I just remember the weather being red-hot once again.

“There wasn’t a yard or two’s gap the whole way down the Promenade. It was madness to see it right from the top.

“Travelling down to the Tower, it was just crazy to see the amount of people there. But it just showed you what kind of achievement it was and how proud everyone was of us.”

Many of the players were understandably feeling a little worse for wear as they returned from the capital.

But Evatt says the celebrations after the Wembley showdown weren’t as disorderly as you might expect.

The 38-year-old said of that night’s celebrations: “To be honest, we were all so tired, emotional and hot, and the whole day was just so draining that it wasn’t too rowdy.

“But a couple of days after we all went away on a stag do to Las Vegas and we had a great time.

“I can remember arriving, walking straight into a nightclub and seeing the whole Nottingham Forest team in there.

“I don’t think they were too pleased to see us but we made sure we let them know that we had won it ... and that we beat them in the semis.”