at Wembley with the fans A ROLLERCOASTER ride saw the hopes of thousands of Wanderers fans dashed at the last.

The carnival colour from the White Army splashed one side of the Wembley ground.

But seats were already being vacated as Villa's Dion Dublin struck the final penalty home which broke Bolton's hearts.

The game provided so many might-have-beens for Wanderers fans to discuss, some in tears in huddled groups outside the ground. But above all Bolton's faithful army felt they could raise their heads high. They believed their team had competed against a Premiership side always expected to run rings around them.

It didn't prove to be the case. The Wanderers came so close but their dream of an FA Cup final was cruelly dashed - which could be seen in the agony on the fans' faces.

Some sat dejected or cried on one another's shoulders, most just hurried back to cars, coaches or trains unable to bear being at Wembley for another minute.

It was all so different as hopes rode high in the morning.

When the coaches neared the Twin Towers, car horns sounded from good natured rival Aston Villa fans. The Super Whites travelling supporters converged on Wembley for the 3pm kick off after a smooth journey down. But there was plenty of friendly banter between rival supporters at the Warwickshire service station.

Fans with blue and white painted faces and waving their Bolton Wanderers flags made sure their presence was heard and seen as the convey headed south.

Even the sun filtered through the grey London skies and the fans had hoped it would shine on a Wanderers win.

It was a family day out with the coaches packed with the young and the old, all determined to have a wonderful day no matter what the result on the pitch.

Traffic queues proved a slow procession to the Stadium with Bolton Wanderers colours seeming to outnumber the claret and blue Villa fans. There was a carnival atmosphere before the match as supporters from both sides chanted their songs on the long walk up Wembley Way.

When little Ben Elliott, aged nine, led out the Wanderers players as their mascot, the ground exploded in a deafening roar from both sets of fans.

But the Bolton fans will be hard to match for sheer good voice by who ever makes it to play Villa in the final. At half time fans were relieved that Wanderers had not conceded a goal. The Wembley spirit was high. Peter Tang, aged 46, from Singapore, had popped in to watch the semi-final during a business trip and ended up a Wanderers fan.

He said: "I've been supporting Bolton as I know they are the underdog. It is the first time I've been to Wembley and the atmosphere is fantastic. There is nothing like this in Singapore."

Villa supporters Maureen, aged 54, and husband Terry Boyle, aged 57, from Denton, Manchester, were trying not to cheer Villa too loudly as they were sitting in the Wanderers' enclosure. They had good reason to support the Claret and Blues - their nephew Alan Wright was battling it out in the Villa defence.

Maureen said: "I'm not bothered by all the barracking from Wanderers supporters, it's only friendly banter, I think the Wanderers' fans are cheering louder than Villas'"

Geoff Smith, aged 67, of Hilltop, Atherton, has been a Wanderers fan for 30 years. He was with his son Mark, aged 33, a member of the London Whites Supporters Club.

As the whistle blew for the end of normal time, with the game locked at 0-0 Geoff said: "The sad thing is we will not have the same team next year when we lose some of these players. It has been a great match." The crowd rose to their feet in extra time as Gudjohnsen broke free and appeared to set up Dean Holdsworth but the cheers turned to desperate groans of agony as the ball failed into the crowds.

The team took the fans to the edge of their emotions with goalmouth scrambles on the other side of the pitch and the post thumped from a Wanderers free kick. But it was all becoming too much as penalties loomed.

The excitement was almost unbearable as the fans got the best view of the goalmouth where the penalties were to be taken. Just before the exhausted players stepped up, Andrew Hodson, aged 16, who had travelled 10,000 miles from Perth, Australia, said: "It is the first time I have seen Bolton play, it has been a cracking match. I just hope we can do it in the shoot out."

His dad, Dave, aged 45, originally from Chorley Old Road, Smithills, added : "It has been brilliant, absolutely magnificent. "

The fans left Wembley's old ground for the last time ever in Wanderers' colours. So many dreams of glory had been shaped over the years for Wanderers fans - the first team ever to win there. But even in defeat, more than 75 years later, the magic of Wembley will live on for all the thousands of families and friends who went there yesterday.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.