A delighted St Mary’s skipper Frank Jones has spoken of his shock after lifting the Canada Life Premier League trophy on Tuesday evening.

Speaking after the Saints’ mid-week 10-0 mauling of Douglas Athletic that secured the Bowl outfit a fourth top-flight title, Jones said: ’At the start of the season I didn’t think we’d be stood here now lifting the league, so it’s an amazing feeling.’

’Last season the club finished seventh and they were struggling. People were even talking about them folding.

’The expectation wasn’t there I don’t think, we were looking to build toward a proper title challenge next season.

’It’s St Mary’s 125th year and if you’d said at the start of the season: "We’re going to win the Premier League and Combination One", no-one would have believed us.’

Reflecting on his ninth top-flight title in a row, having won eight on the trot with former club St George’s, Jones said: ’Winning the first one was up there, but to come back here and win it for everyone at the club is amazing.’

The island midfielder was also quick to praise manager Alex Harrison and the rest of the squad: ’I can’t speak highly enough of Al. He got everyone together through the summer.

’A couple of months ago we beat Peel on the Bowl 5-1, to put us right up there.

’Everybody had been talking about Peel winning it all the way through the season, but that was the turning point when all of the pressure transferred to us.

’I can’t speak highly enough of the lads because there is not many that have been in this position before.’

The Saints may yet end the season with a double as they are through to the Hospital Cup semis. Jones added: ’Hopefully we’ll get through the semi-final in a couple of weeks, then we’ll have one last league game against DHSOB which we want to win.

’We want to win the league by as many points as possible.’

St Mary’s only needed a draw from their final two games of the season against Athletic and DHSOB to seal the spoils.

As it happens the only side that could deny the Bowl outfit the silverware, Peel, lost 3-2 to St George’s in their penultimate fixture of the season ending the westerners’ title challenge.

The Saints were into their stride from the off against the Pinks, player-manager Harrison heading his side ahead inside five minutes.

Darren Hudgeon then scored the first of a first-half double before skipper Jones added a fourth on the stroke of half-time.

In the second period the Saints added six more goals. Jones scored his second ahead of Hudgeon wrapping up his hat-trick.

Stuart Monks’s attempted clearance cannoned off Jack McVey to make it 0-7 before Hudgeon netted a fourth.

A quickfire brace from substitute Jordan Crawley brought up double figures as the silverware was sealed in style.

Last season’s champions St George’s will end the league season in runners-up spot after beating Peel 3-2 at Douglas Road.

Jay Sketcher-Maxwell and Furo Davies put Geordies two goals up before a Rhys Oates penalty reduced the arrears for Peel.

St George’s, however, hit back through former Peel player Johnny Myers, Oates’s second spot-kick of the match setting up a tense final 10 minutes.

Peel will finish third though as Corinthians, who could have overhauled the westerners on goal difference, lost 4-3 at DHSOB in their final game of the campaign.

On target for the Blackberry Lane side were Sean Gavin (2), Jack Townsend and Robbie Ward.

Sean Doyle (2) and Phil Kelly grabbed the Whites’ goals.