Fans have great day at Wembley as Wanderers win Papa Johns Trophy

So while the strikes from Kyle Dempsey, Dion Charles, Elias Kachunga and Gethin Jones will live long in the memory of the Bolton Wanderers supporters to make the trip to Wembley Stadium on Sunday, so too will the trip down the M6, the walk down Wembley Way, the half and half scarves and the sounds of "White Army" in the air.

Wanderers fans outside Wembley

Wanderers fans outside Wembley

On what started as a bitter day but turned into a bright day, there was a sense the result of the cup final was less important than the realisation The Whites were back onto the biggest stage for the first time in 12 years, a period in which the club fell from the Premier League to the foot of the Football League and into administration.

It was perhaps for this reason the atmosphere outside the stadium was a relaxed one, in contrast to the wind which whipped around the stadium, until the cloud surrendered to the sunshine around an hour before the start of the match.

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Wanderers fans outside Wembley

Wanderers fans outside Wembley

Wanderers fans outside Wembley

Outside The Torch – one of multiple pubs set aside for The Whites in the area – Chris Naylon, from Bolton, set the tone for almost all of the supporters to speak to The Bolton News ahead of the match.

He said: "Whether we win or lose, it is a great day. It is a great day for the club.

"I love the way we play now. It is a million miles different from what it was in the past and it puts the bums on the seats," he added.

Bob Watson, from Coppull, was one of several to praise manager Ian Evatt and owner Sharon Brittan.

He said: "I feel confident to be honest. I feel good.

"It is great to see the atmosphere again. It is great to see all of the fans on their feet. Whether we win or lose today we have had a great season."

Daniel Alker, from Bolton, said: "I think we deserve this after the last few years.

"It is good to focus on what is on the pitch rather than what is off the pitch.”

And Patrick Dickinson, also from Bolton, said: "It is a celebration. A few years ago we did not know whether we were going to have a club at all.

"I think the fact we are here at all is amazing."

Although one thing the supporters were unanimous on was that the result did not matter, another thing the supporters were unanimous on was the result was destined to go one way and one way only.

The predictions ranged from a modest 1-0 to what at the time seemed like an ambitious 5-0 – the score by which Wanderers lost on their last trip to Wembley – but almost all had Dion Charles on the scoresheet in some sort of win for The Whites.

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Wanders fans inside the stadium (Picture: CameraSport)

Wanders fans inside the stadium (Picture: CameraSport)

Mr Naylon said: "I woke up this morning thinking it'll be 3-0 to us. It can't be nil all.

And Melvyn Woodcock, from Nottingham, a follower of the club for more than 70 years, said: "Hopefully, we're going to win, but I think it'll be tight."

Although the Argyle supporters outnumbered the Wanderers supporters in the stands by a few thousand it was not enough to drown out the chants of "Walking Down The Manny Road To See The Burnden Aces", "We Are The One And Only Wanderers" and other, less publishable tunes.

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Wanders fans inside the stadium (Picture: CameraSport)

Wanders fans inside the stadium (Picture: CameraSport)

Wanders fans inside the stadium (Picture: CameraSport)

The roars from the stadium all came from The Whites, with The Pilgrims streaming towards Wembley Park station while there were still some 20 minutes or more remaining.