KING ANDY Saville (pictured) crowned a perfect season on Saturday - scoring his 30th goal and putting Proud Preston on the road to Division Two.

It was a proud day at a proud club - and there was only one man prouder than King Andy, his boss Gary Peters.

Since he took control 18 months ago and Preston North End Football Club has not looked back since.

Saturday was for everyone, yet in a way it was all Gary Peters.

A crowd of 18,700 roared Preston to another victory.

Saturday May 4 1996 will long be remembered for the carnival atmosphere and the feeling of a club going places ... in style.

And talking of style, it was fitting that Andy Saville - the Citizen's runaway winner of the Player of the Year title - started the ball rolling.

Deepdale echoed to the sound of his name before, during and after the game.

"Saville, Saville, Saville," they chanted and the great man did not disappoint.

Kevin Kilbane chipped in a perfect cross in the seventh minute, Steve Wilkinson missed out with his header and Saville needed no invitation to turn the ball into the net.

His sweet effort - his 30th of the season - sparked another famous celebration run.

Saville put his shirt over his head, raised his right arm and saluted the thousands who have witnessed his many triumphs this season.

North End were on fire in the opening 30 minutes with Kevin Kilbane causing the visitors numerous problems.

The gifted Irish under-21 star ran amok in the space he created for himself on the left wing.

John Vaughan had little to do throughout the 90 minutes, but when called upon he did no disappoint.

Exeter's Mark Chamberlain sent in a thunderous shot in the 27th minute, but Vaughan's reflexes ensured that North End kept a clean sheet on this most special of days.

A minute later, Exeter's perseverance looked to have beaten Vaughan, but big Kevin Kilbane was on hand to clear the ball off the goal-line.

The second half was what you might call a "sit back and enjoy" period.

Preston found it hard to break down the Exeter defence, but for the sake of seeing out their last 45 minutes of Division Three football, they tried.

Ian Bryson, captain fantastic in this championship-winning season, missed a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 66th minute.

Four minutes later, the second goal duly arrived.

Graeme Atkinson, a second half substitute for the disappointing Kevin Gage, lashed in a vicious rocket.

His shot cannoned off the post straight into the path of Steve Wilkinson.

Wilko blasted the ball into the roof of the net. Deepdale exploded into a turbulent sea of blue and white.

The champions were on song!

Gary Bennett made an appearance in the 75th minute at the expense of the excellent Kilbane, who received a standing ovation as he left the field.

This young man will have even greater days in the future.

Bennett hit the post in the last minute of the season.

Alas, it remained 2-0. But no one in Preston was disappointed.

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