‘Yorkshire, Yorkshire’ was the cry as Huddersfield Town and Barnsley beat the drop - on this day

Seven years ago today, one of the most remarkable occasions that football in the White Rose has ever seen took place at the John Smith’s Stadium and it joyously ended with supporters of both clubs enjoying a love-in amid chants of ‘Yorkshire, Yorkshire’.

The game ended 2-2, enough for both these rivals on either side of the Emley Moor mast to secure their Championship status on the final day of the 2012-13 season. That did not tell the half of it.

Both Town and Barnsley were in the relegation zone on two separate occasionsthat afternoon - with only the most dramatic of late twists saving the Reds.

It produced one of the strangest finales ever seen at a football match in the UK, with both sides effectively downing tools in ‘Fergie Time’, mindful they were safe after Peterborough went behind in the 89th minute at Crystal Palace courtesy of Eagles captain Mile Jedinak.

The sight of the Reds’ goalkeeper and captain Luke Steele - a Peterborough lad - with the ball at his feet, in open play, for fully two minutes with home and away players urging to keep it and leaving him unchallenged was bizarre in the extreme.

It harkened back to the famous Germany versus Austria Anschluss game in the 1982 World Cup.

At the end of it, Barnsley achieved their ‘Great Escape’ mission after one of the most stunning acts of relegation escapology for many a year - with manager David Flitcroft, a Lancastrian by birth - enjoying his most famous day in football across the Pennines.

He was given the bumps by his Barnsley players on the pitch shortly after it was confirmed that Posh had lost 3-2 at Selhurst Park, the cue to an explosion of joy from those in red on the pitch.

Reflecting on that day seven years ago, Flitcroft - who spent time at the graveside of his late father John in Bolton on that Saturday night to reflect on a remarkable day and journey, said: “For fifty minutes of the game, we were relegated and in the other bit, Huddersfield were relegated. At the end of it, we didn’t know and were still waiting on other results.

“That was something that we did not have control over. But there was the joy of the work we put in.

“The fans did not have to travel down south or anything. It was happening there and then right in the middle of Yorkshire where a remarkable occasion took place.

“Two Yorkshire teams staying up in the Championship was certainly what I wanted. People talk about Man City and Man United rivalry, but for me, a true Manchester fan would want to see those derbies.

“Every Barnsley supporter loves derbies, whether it is Doncaster, Huddersfield, Sheffield United or whoever it is. You wanted to see Barnsley and Huddersfield stay in the Championship a year after.

“It was absolutely amazing. We still talk about it now. I bumped into Luke Steele a few months ago and Chris O’Grady is with us at Bolton. They were the best times for some players.

“For some players, you might only do two or four special things in an eight-year career. It was a moment to be proud of. Money is unimportant, memories are the thing.”

It was also a special day for Huddersfield and their relieved chairman Dean Hoyle, who was put through the mill again just hours after completing a four-day 280-mile cycle ride to raise funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Their divisional status was secured as the Terriers avoided the fate of their class of 2000-01 who went down after losing on the final day of the season against Birmingham with other results going against them.

Hoyle, whose Town side were plunged into the relegation zone on two separate occasions, encompassing 26 minutes, before hauling themselves level twice, dryly observed: “It was never in doubt...”

Town did things the hard way after a dire first-half when they were nervy, rudderless and second-best to Barnsley by a country mile, with O’Grady’s coolly-taken opener handing the visitors a deserved interval lead.

But the half-time introduction of Danny Ward and Keith Southern injected some badly needed urgency and purpose into their ranks, with the former supplying Jermaine Beckford for a quality leveller eight minutes after the break.

Home goalkeeper Alex Smithies thwarted efforts from Jacob Mellis, Stephen Dawson and David Perkins before an inspired change from Flitcroft saw substitute Jason Scotland head in from close range 16 minutes from time.

But that advantage lasted just six minutes when James Vaughan’s shot deflected in off Tom Kennedy after good work from another home replacement in Lee Novak.

That looked to be that for the Reds. But Flitcroft’s braves found salvation and went that extra mile to seal their ‘Great Escape’, with a bit of help from a certain Palace player.