The deafening roar as the final whistle sounded at the Reebok Stadium signalled the start of the biggest party since Wanderers won promotion to the Premier League two years earlier.

It had come down to the last game at the end of a roller-coaster season. A final throw of the dice for Wanderers and West Ham.

Another season in the Premier League and all its riches would be the reward for the winners while the Nationwide League and the prospect of financial disaster awaited the losers.

Wanderers began the day with their noses in front. If they beat Middlesbrough they would stay up, regardless of what West Ham did at Birmingham.

Inside the Reebok the atmosphere was electric from the off. Supporters cheered their heroes to the echo and often the noise reached deafening proportions.

Chants of “We are staying up!” rang out as Jay Jay Okocha curled a free kick over the Middlesbrough wall to put Wanderers two-up and, to all intents and purposes, the celebrations started at 3.20pm.

But the second half brought fans – many tuned in to radios to keep track of the West Ham game – back down to earth as Boro pulled a goal back, Michael Ricketts, of all people, putting his old team-mates’ survival hopes back in the balance.

But although the nerves were tested to the full, the supporters sang and shouted long and hard to help spur on their heroes.

Then, as the final whsitle blew, the crowd erupted in jubilation and, as the tension drained away, manager Sam Allardyce hugged Per Frandsen, scorer of the 10th minute goal that had done so much to put Wanderers on the front foot.

For Gudni Bergsson, the club’s long-serving and revered captain, it was the perfect going away present as he finally embarked on retirement.

Players and management did a lap of honour, applauding their devoted supporters.

Big Sam gave player of the year Okocha a piggy back round the pitch and even tried to copy some of his fancy dance steps.

All they had done was survive – and by just two points – but this was the first time in 40 years the Wanderers had secured a third successive season in football’s top division.

Allardyce admitted the pressure had become almost unbearable.

“I am completely drained, emotionally unstable, absolutely delighted and so relieved,” he said.

“The world has been lifted off my shoulders and I am floating about six feet off the ground.”

It should have been a much more comfortable afternoon for the manager and for the fans as Borough’s stated intention to do Wanderers no favours looked like being blown out of the water in the first 20 minutes.

Frandsen robbed Jonathan Greening in midfield and fired a 25-yard shot past Mark Schwarzer to open the scoring and 10 minutes later the supremely talented Okocha hit virtually the same spot but with more finesse, lifting a free kick up and over the defensive wall.

But the introduction of Ricketts, who had left the Reebok for the Riverside in a £3.25million transfer in the January window, changed the complexion of the game.

The fear was that the former Wanderers striker would spoil the party and those fears were realised when he pulled one back on 62 minutes. Ten minutes later, word came through that Les Ferdinand had put West Ham in front at St Andrew’s.

The crisis was shortlived, though, as news arrived that Jeff Horsfield had equalised in the 80th minute for Birmingham, by which time Boro were down to 10 men after Frank Quedrue was sent off for a reckless challenge on Ivan Campo. Eight minutes later Allardyce was shaking hands in celebration with his assistant Phil Brown at the news that Birmingham were 2-1 up.

The fact West Ham equalised in overtime was academic in the end as Wanderers kept their own side of the bargain.

As they celebrated, the major players reflected on a job well done.

Frandsen – the Great Dane at the heart of the Bolton midfield – confessed it had been tough in the closing stages of the season.

“The pressure is nothing new,” he said. “I have been through it nearly every year but it has been mentally difficult in the last few months.

“I have never scored a more important goal than this one.We have some good players here and we can do better next season.”

France legend Youri Djorkaeff – a World Cup and European Championship winner – revelled in the occasion and looked to the future.

“We showed in the last 10 games how much we want to stay in the Premier League,” he said.

“It was a big game in my life and I have never lost these big games.

“The manager has a big job in the summer. He will not be on holiday like us.

“We can’t miss this chance for the team to grow. We have played wonderfully well in a lot of our games. It’s a working team and I am happy to be a part of the Bolton team.”

Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside made it clear his manager would get the financial backing he craved to take the team to the next level.

“We have spent a lot of money building the squad we have and we are going to continue doing that,” Gartside said.

“In football you have to consolidate then move on.”

Okocha hailed Allardyce as “fantastic” for what he had achieved on the lowest budget in the Premier League while the man himself shared the credit, saying: “Everybody in the town can take great pride in their contribution, no matter how big or small.

“We are creating history year on year. We can build on what we have achieved now.”