HE'S helped Preston North End clinch the Division Two Championship -- but Sean Gregan went one better last season, finishing 14th in the Premiership and winning the FA Cup!

The North End skipper has been selected by Barnsley's Dave Bassett in a 22-player virtual-squad of Nationwide players.

Gregan became a member of ZOOfootball FC in a special game of Championship Manager 3, widely regarded as the definitive football management simulator.

He and Wigan Athletic's Roy Carroll were the only two Division Two players picked, the rest selected from the cream of Division One's teams.

The progress of the team was recorded on the ZOOfootball website and the Nationwide players more than held their own. Following a shaky start to the season, played over three weeks, the virtual side picked up and scored rousing victories over Chelsea, Sunderland and Southampton, finishing in 14th with 43 points.

The real surprise came in the FA Cup where the players, under Bassett's careful manager, managed to overcome Leeds, Arsenal and Wimbledon, before beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final.

Afterwards, Bassett joked: "That's the UEFA cup next season then -- not bad for a Nationwide team.

"In the league, my aim was to keep us up and after a difficult start, we did that with ease. Bagging the cup was a bonus.

"I'm after a Champions League place next year and I expect a virtual Martin Edwards will be on the blower for me. Move over Alex!"

As for Bassett's best virtual player, he added: "Richard Wright (Ipswich) was outstanding -- he's the second most important person at the club after me!"