Accrington finished the current campaign on 100 points - 16 clear of Premier Division runners-up Barrow. The Crown Ground club now go forward for promotion into the Nationwide Conference for the first time. Manager John Coleman is naturally delighted with his team's success. He feels a few simple ingredients made all the difference.

Coleman said: "We brought one or two new faces in last summer, including Mike Marsh (ex-Liverpool, Coventry, West Ham and Galatasaray) who quickly became a big influence on the team. He played well himself, but also got the other players into good habits and believing in themselves. He was a great inspiration to everyone here."

But even though Marsh has now left the club, Accrington have a base on which to buiild for next term.

"We had a great start, winning our first nine games of the UniBond campaign. We just kept snowballing from there, keeping everything going when everyone else expected us to fall apart.

"We just didn't take our foot off the gas. In the space of a couple of weeks, the title race can change by nine or 10 points. So although we always had a cushion, we wanted to press home our advantage and get there as early as we could. Luckily, we clinched the title with four or five games to spare.

"It was great to break through the 100 point barrier. That's testament to how well we have played all season. We've been very consistent, winning a lot of games and making the most of our goalscoring opportunities. The lads worked really hard and I was delighted when they got their reward at the end of the season."

The town of Accrington has seen good and bad footballing times in the past. The original Accrington FC were founder members of the Football League in 1888, but resigned five years later. They were then succeeded by the first Accrington Stanley FC - members of the League from 1921 until their resignation in 1962. The current club were founded in 1968. The modern day fans have responded to Stanley's success with the average home gate of 529 in 2001/2 more than doubling to 1,133 in the championship winning season. Coleman is delighted with the response.

He said: "We've had great support all season. I think we only dipped below the 1,000 mark a couple of times. We took a lot of fans away from home as well and they really got behind us. I hope the crowds continue to grow even more.

"But the local people deserve the success for sticking by the club. I joined Stanley four years ago and they were really in the depths of despair, having just been relegated to the UniBond First Division. Luckily, we managed to bounce straight back up, with the fans getting behind us and things have taken off from there."

So Stanley look forward to the uncharted waters of the Nationwide Conference. Coleman is excited about the challenge.

"This is a great boost for the town, the fans and the players. It will be a real adventure to go to new places. I am sure the players will respond to that next season.

"We are going into the Conference trying to do our best. We'll only really see how we fit into that league as and when we play in it. We will prepare well and I hope to make a few more additions to make us as strong as possible.

"But we are aware that it is a big step up. The one thing I have noticed from watching Conference games this season is that it is very physical. You have to be very fit, strong and organised. That is something we will have to work on in the summer and hopefully it will come right."

The publicity for Stanley has been tremendous since the title win. Their players were invited to parade the UniBond championship trophy around the pitch at nearby Blackburn Rovers before the recent Premiership match with Bolton and they received a standing ovation. So what is the message now to the little boy on the TV advert?

Coleman said: "People will always remember us for that advertising campaign. But it has been my job to get the public to know us for our football prowess. We're on the map now as regards to going into a national league in the Conference. So hopefully people will start taking more notice of what we do on the pitch.

"This is a famous old club. If you go anywhere in this country - and some parts of the world - people know who we are. That is a big advantage, because it can be a pull for publicity. So it is great to be involved with such a club and it would be fantastic to take them even higher."

Tony Incenzo