Diehard ... the Wanderers fans showed their passion on Tuesday. Source: Craig Greenhill / News Limited
If Western Sydney Wanderers fans were disappointed their team missed out on winning the grand final, they certainly didn't show it.
And if you didn't know any better, you would be forgiven for thinking the Wanderers had in fact beaten Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.
Close to 10,000 fans, decked out in the red and black colours of the club, lined the streets of Parramatta to cheer on their new team, who were worthy winners of the Premiers' Plate in just their first season.
The Wanderers' players, coaches and management paraded down Church St on an open-top bus and took as many photos of the crowd as their fans took of them.
And after the disappointment of losing to the Mariners, the enormous show of support provided the squad with a welcome lift.
"It's unbelievable," skipper Michael Beauchamp said. "It's a great feeling."
Beauchamp said he had never seen such a show of support for a football team in Australia and admitted that it almost felt as though the Wanderers had won the grand final.
"It shows also how proud they are of us as a team and what we've produced this year," he said.
"Obviously it would have been great to hold up the toilet seat (the A-League's champions trophy) and have that on the bus with us, but you know, next year.
"Obviously all the boys still hurt deep inside, but to show this support here today it's going to show the boys how appreciated they are still and what they've achieved this season has been unbelievable. You can't buy this."
Shinji Ono, Western Sydney's marquee signing and fan favourite, said the crowd reminded him of when his J-League club, Urawa Red Dragons, won the championship in 2006.
Ono is still recovering from the disappointment of Sunday's loss, but said seeing the support has given him added motivation to win more trophies next season.
"Today is a very special day, it's amazing," Ono said. "Next season I want to come back and win.
"My performance (on Sunday) was also not good, (it was) disappointing. And of course we had many supporters at the stadium and I want to make them happy, but we couldn't and that's why I'm disappointed."
But the fans were anything but disappointed. Many said the team were already winners and credited them for bringing so many fans together.
"The culture of football in Western Sydney is very big," one said. "Being a multicultural area, everyone just joined together and became one.
"We won the most important part - the (minor) premiership. That is the most important to us."
"Look how much they've done the first season," another fan said.
"Just wait until next year. They're like a family, they're wonderful, they're wonderful players."
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