"It's a fairytale story when you think about how far behind everyone else this club was at the start of the season.

"Going up the steps, receiving the trophy, it's undescribable - it's the proudest moment of my life to be honest and I'm going to enjoy it.

"The lads have proved they're good players and they'll get better with time.

"I said to the chairman last week that Stephen Pearson would be the match-winner and he was.

"He is such a wonderful young talent, we were disappointed to lose him for 11 weeks with the injury so we're delighted for him - he thoroughly deserves it.

"We didn't play as we could do in the first half, I think we gave the ball away too much and were a little bit tense.

"But we were certainly very well prepared and organised through the week.

"We have earned each other's respect from day one, and that has been reflected in the attitude and effort today to put this club into the Premiership.

"It's a memory nobody will ever forget, the achievement is fantastic and now we will go and enjoy it."