Accrington Stanley are the toast of East Lancashire today -- and it feels just champion.

The club is on top of the world as well as on top of the Unibond League after its fantastic season.

And today it was aiming still higher.

The club has just a few short weeks to wait to find out if it has been successful with plans to expand the club.

Councillors will decide later this month whether to approve an application to build a new stand at the legendary club.

And the timing is no coincidence.

Chairman Eric Whalley already has his sights on the big stage and insisted: "It could it really happen - Accrington Stanley back in the top flight."

The planning application to Hyndburn Council to build another stand would take the club's capacity from 5,057 to 6,000 - the Football League's magic number.

"We need to be able to take 6,000 and have the possibility of extending to 10,000. We have the land," said Whalley.

It's all a far cry from the mood around the club just four seasons ago when Mr Chairman was taunted by fans on the team bus on the way back from a defeat at Matlock.

"They said it was a load of rubbish and we would end up in the Lancashire Combination League, as it was then.

"I said in five years we will be in the Conference. I was wrong, we have only taken four years.

"Another couple of years could see us back in the league."