Stringer celebrates his finest hour

IT gives you a queasy feeling to watch grown men cry, particularly when you’re one of them.

Suffice to say I was in good company. The outpouring of emotion when referee Chris White blew the final whistle was widespread throughout the stadium.

After all the heartache, near-misses and what-might-have-beens over the past six years, the moment that everybody had craved for so long finally arrived. Call it fulfilment, deliverance or whatever you like. All I know is that it was well worth waiting for.