On Tuesday night those famous bubbles rose over Upton Park in earnest for the last time - but the emotional goodbye to West Ham's famous old ground was marred by pre-match trouble.
Each individual sphere floated away on a chorus of West Ham supporters belting out a rendition of their famous club song.
For 112 years they have been coming to this famous part of east London - down the fabled Green Street to cheer on their heroes.
Sadly the occasion was blemished as the masses gathered around the Upton Park gates well ahead of the turnstiles opening, with the Manchester United's team coach caught up as it fought through a crowd unwilling to disperse - with bottles hurled in the direction of United's transport.
The coach had been too long in arriving and subsequently saw kick-off delayed until 8:30 - with the Metropolitan Police later confirming one officer and a member of the public had suffered minor injuries.
Not the sort of moment to be remembered on such a night - which had started with such hope.
The unpredictability of the British weather could not dampen the pre-match hype - with a result needed to keep alive European qualification hopes as well as to give the place the perfect finale.
Having made the same tube journey since I began covering the Hammers in the Championship almost five years ago, there was a palpable feeling in the air intertwined with the usual hustle and bustle of an underground train full of football fans.
One girl could not hold back the tears as the announcement "you are now approaching Upton Park" rang around the car - every fan who walked out to the steps at the side of the station did so with a hint of trepidation, taking a deep breath before entering the throng.
And it was the same on the walk to the ground once we had all made our way out of Upton Park station - a well-trodden path for the West Ham faithful, no doubt.
Today's vintage will go down in history as the final XI to start a match at a stadium graced by such greats as Billy Bonds, Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Paolo Di Canio and Carlos Tevez.
It seemed fitting that the fixture computer was beaten and that a night game against Manchester United would mark the closure of such a beloved home.
Even the most ardent fan would concede a move to the Olympic Stadium, a bigger, state-of-the-art venue, was a no-brainer.
And that was before the London Legacy Development Corporation revealed just how attractive the move would prove financially.
But, even when modern day heroes such as Mark Noble and Dmitri Payet turn out in Stratford, the ghosts of those from the nearby rubble that was once Upton Park will cast themselves over the new home, jostling with the ever-present bubbles and with a sense the club are going somewhere further than a four-mile move up the road.
T-shirts were placed on seats ahead of the game so that supporters created claret and blue stripes in every stand - with the exception of the away fans, who also applauded as a brass-band version of Abide With Me accompanied big-screen images of former West Ham players no longer with us.
The great West Ham songbook was soon opened as Ludek Miklosko, Di Canio, Payet were all sung about in the opening stages - before Diafra Sakho curled in a superb opener to almost save the demolition outfit a job and tear the roof off the place.
A video of skipper Noble was beamed to the 34,602 fans at the break imploring the fans not to run onto the pitch at full-time, while an announcement informed fans the kiosks had been cleared out during the delay and were out of food and drink.
Anthony Martial's second-half double threatened to ruin the party but the story continued as Michail Antonio and Winston Reid scored headers to turn things around once again.
As referee Mike Dean blew the final whistle, Bilic was left in tears as the stadium erupted for one last time.
A firework display followed, with Ben Shepherd hosting a after-show party with lasers, Frank Sinatra and a host of former players. It may have been a little twee, but it was a good sign-off for supporters and everyone involved with the club.
Source: PA
