FOOTBALL fans turned out in force to celebrate Bury FC winning the FA Cup -- 100 years ago.

The trip down memory lane was organised to mark the centenary of the club's memorable FA Cup win in 1903 when they beat Derby County 6-0 -- the biggest win ever recorded in FA Cup final history.

More than 400 fans turned up to watch as members of the current squad and officials retraced the 1903 victory parade travelling on the East Lancashire Railway from Ramsbottom to Bury's Bolton Street Station on a steam engine bearing the FA Cup winner's plate.

The platform guard got in on the act as the clock ticked close to the 6.50pm kick off, telling the assembled mix of youngsters, middle aged and more elderly supporters: "The train's coming, it's coming."

The Pullman was cheered into the station shortly before 7pm.

A friendly sabotage attempt by Radcliffe Borough fans who had hung their team's banner onto the last coach added to the joviality.

But nothing was going to sway the Gigg Lane club from honouring the day it secured its place in the history books.

The platform was packed with the town's dignitaries, including council chief executive Mark Sanders; council leader John Byrne; the Mayor and Mayoress of Bury, Councillors John and Stella Smith, and Bury North MP David Chaytor. Mr Chaytor said: "This is one of the main reasons why everyone in the country with a knowledge about sport knows about Bury FC.

"It was a great achievement and it is right we should make the most of it.

"A lot of credit must go to the people who have thought this event up and organised it, and people have responded with a very good turnout."

Some of the players seemed quite overawed with the reception as they stepped off the train, and the FA Cup of 1903 -- on loan for the day -- was paraded along the platform.

Paul Perry, aged 65, a Shakers fan for 41 seasons, said: "It was a great day, and I felt really proud to have had my photograph taken with the cup.

"To hold a record for 100 years is absolutely brilliant and it keeps Bury on the map.

"To me there is no other club like it. I was a Bolton councillor in my younger days, but there was no way I was going to watch Bolton -- only when Bury were playing there."

An open-top bus took the Cup and today's players from the station to a Town Hall reception, with Bury FC manager Andy Preece at the front with a firm hold on the coveted trophy.

Among the memorabilia on display at the Town Hall was the original match ball.

Andy Preece said: "It is an honour to be involved in marking a record that has never been beaten, and I doubt very much that it will be beaten.

"It shows how we were once part of the big time, yet it is going to be very difficult for Bury to get back there."

Descendants of players in the Derby County side of 1903 were among the guests gathered inside the town hall.

Earlier yesterday during the half-time interval in the game against Scunthorpe, which Bury drew 0-0, 10-year-old Samantha Crane, from Bury, paraded the cup around the ground. Her great, great, great uncle was the trainer of the 1903 team.

Club press officer Gordon Sorfleet said it had been a "fantastic day".

"It was also the first time the cup has been paraded on the ground, because all those years ago, the club's offices were not at the ground, so it never actually got to be shown off there."

Chairman Fred Mason pointed out to a rapturous applause: "You know, we won this cup twice before a smaller club down the road did."

The Mayor gave a rallying call to supporters to get behind the side for its final home league game of the season against Wrexham on May 3, which could secure a place in the Division 3 promotion play-offs.

Council leader John Byrne announced that Bury Council would continue to sponsor the club next season.

The final whistle was then blown at 8.20pm, with handshakes all round, and a piece of local history fondly remembered.