Accrington Stanley star Jonathan Smith has won the double -- promotion to the Nationwide Conference, coupled with the birth of his baby daughter, Holly.

The 27-year-old central defender was 'over the moon' when wife Donna gave birth to their first child after an 18-hour labour on Thursday.

Jonathan, of Pole Lane, Darwen, said: "I was in hospital all day and it was just fantastic. Donna was amazing and I'm so proud of her.

"She was in hospital for a while but she's out now.

"I just can't believe it. It's the best feeling in the world and I'm over the moon."

Despite Jonathan's grandfather boasting the name Stanley, the couple had no intention of calling their baby after their number one team.

Jonathan said: "Loads of people have asked us whether we would have called the baby Stanley if it had been a boy. But if it had been, we would have called it Alex."

Holly came into the world weighing 7lb 12oz, less than the Unibond Trophy won by Accrington Stanley.

The Reds will enter the Nationwide Conference next season, their highest position for 40 years.

Marjorie Bradley, Holly's great-gran, said: "She is absolutely beautiful and we are so very proud of Donna and Jonathan." Jonathan, who broke his nose and cheekbone in a clash two weeks ago, missed the last game of the season against Hyde United on Saturday.

The side needed to clinch a win and four goals to reach its target of 100 points and 100 goals but a 1-0 victory left it three goals short of the target. The defender, who has made more than 160 appearances for the team since he joined in 1999, will dedicate the next game -- the title winners versus cup winners game against Marine -- to his daughter.

He said: "I was disappointed not to be playing against Hyde but I've been given the nod for the Marine game so that one will be for Donna and Holly.

"We're thinking of a middle name for her at the moment but we don't really know. Nicole is one of the options we are considering."

Jonathan and Donna married last May and are not yet thinking of giving Holly another brother or sister.

But the Reds star is sure that he will stay with Stanley to ride out the Conference league.

Jonathan, acting duty manager at Hyndburn Leisure Centre, said: "I will be signing a new contract in the summer and I just can't wait to get stuck into this league."

The team paraded the Unibond trophy around the packed Crown ground at the end of the Hyde match.