‘We were shit for 35 years. United won everything. So this is perfect’

Brendan O’Reilly cheers as the final whistle blows. Photograph: Joel Goodman/The Observer

When the full-time whistle blew, it felt like the cheers at the sky-blue Waldorf pub in Manchester city centre would be heard at Wembley.

“We’ve won so much over the last 10 years,” grinned 26-year-old Tom Lucas. “But this is special. This is one we’ll be telling our grandkids about.”