A National League One record crowd of 13,500 celebrated an instant return to the Premiership as Saints beat nearest-rivals Exeter Chiefs 18-8 on Saturday.

But Smith, who fans are hoping will be staying at Franklin's Gardens to help Saints in the Premiership next season, knows the real work to get the club back challenging the big boys has only just started.

"The Premiership is where we always felt we belong," said the former Scotland international. "You don't get relegated unless you deserve to be relegated, so we've had to swallow our medicine, deal with a few issues and come back.

"Hopefully that is what we have done – the real test of where we are and how far we have come will be next season, but so far, so good.
"This is great for us and for the fans, but the premiership is a different world.

"As a team and a management we will find out how good we are a few games into next season.

"Nobody is blowing a fanfare and saying look at how well we've done. We should have won this league, we were the best resourced club to do it, next season we will see if the changes in the club have brought about something better which is reflected in us not bouncing around the bottom three again."

After last season's relegation Jim Mallinder was brought in from England Saxons as director of rugby, while his number two Dorian West took over as forwards coach.

Not only has Mallinder delivered the club its first piece of silverware since winning the Heineken Cup in 2000, but he is just five games away from going the whole season unbeaten.

Smith is now hoping Mallinder's midas touch will continue in the top flight.

"When you get relegated there are obviously things that need fixing, it was the same with us without going into specifics," said Smith.

"We had been bumping around in the bottom three for a while and then we finally got sucked down, so it was time to have a good look at ourselves. Hopefully it has done the trick."

Eight-page pull-out special celebrating Saints' promotion inside today's Chron