"Ten minutes from the Premiership!" was the answer in the Kennedy household when someone asked how long there was to play.

The family are long-standing friends of Hubert Pountney, who at 82 was named JCT600/T&A Supporter of the Year earlier this week, and he took pride of place in the family living room for the crucial match which saw Bradford City sweep aside Wolves to take a place in the top flight of English football.

"This is the proudest moment of my footballing life," he said at the final whistle.

As the teenage members of the family - Hubert's great-nieces and nephews - dashed onto the pavement in Toller Lane to the shout the news to passing cars, older members grinned with glee and muttered about historic moments.

Seventeen-year-old Matthew Kennedy, middle son of John and Josephine Kennedy, had bought a football signed by the entire City team in a charity auction the night before the match. He clung onto it throughout the nerve-jangling game and vowed it would be worth a fortune today. "I'm keeping it forever, though," he said, clutching it even as he opened champagne.

City fans John and Josephine prepared rows of chairs, bottles of beer and wine and bowls of nibbles to welcome members of their extended family and friends to watch the game. In the end 18 people took their places in the sitting room. One Telegraph & Argus reporter and photographer barely added to the throng experiencing the rollercoaster of emotions as the game progressed.

It's not every day an 82-year-old asks me for a kiss, or gets one, but I was thrilled to celebrate City's entry to the Premiership and kissed just about everyone in the room!

"Does anyone mind if I leave the room to cry?" Hubert groaned, as Wolves took the lead less than a quarter-of-an hour into the game.

And there were moans as Sky TV showed Sheffield United hit the post against Ipswich Town - City's near rivals who were also challenging for second place in Division One.

"Don't worry. The wind's behind us in the second half!" Hubert reassured the rest of the family as City battled to regain the lead.

The chanting in the room continued throughout the match, but Hubert confided: "I don't sing: 'City till I die' because I'm too near it!"

Before the game, Hubert predicted a one-all draw and Ipswich to lose. "Scribble that out of your notebook!" he said, as we came close to the final whistle.

John and Josephine are both teachers, he in Halifax, she at Shaw House School in Bradford, and they were predicting plenty of absentees at firms throughout Bradford tomorrow after the party to end all parties.

The thrilling game had everything - and us on the edge of our seats. We covered our eyes as Peter Beagrie lined up the ball for a penalty - and were downcast when he missed. Cheers filled the entire house when City took the lead and when they took their third goal.

But to call the atmosphere tense in the final ten minutes - when Wolves looked like they would equalise - is the understatement of the decade. "I feel my age all of a sudden!" Hubert commented, and took another sip of shandy.

The scenes at the end of the match in the Heaton household could equal those of any at Molineux. "It's history, is this," said family friend Paddy McKillop, sipping his champagne.

There's plenty more to enjoy next season.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.