Richard Chaplow believes he has nothing to prove in the Championship next season.

The midfielder joined Saints permanently from Preston in January after a successful loan spell and has enjoyed an immediate promotion while his previous club were relegated from the Championship.

Chaplow may have been forgiven for affording himself a wry smile after his treatment at Preston whereby he was frozen out to the extent he was not even training with the first team.

But despite that experience at the next level up Chaplow feels he has nothing to prove on his return to English football’s second tier.

“I’ve played all my career in the Premiership and the Championship so I have nothing to prove at that level at all,” he said.

“It’s great that we’ve managed to do the job and for the fans because it’s their first promotion in a while.

“I’m delighted with the fans and the way they’ve been with me since I’ve been here.

“The gaffer’s given me a great opportunity and I’m going up and Preston are unfortunately going down.

“I always said when I first joined that the club would be back in the Championship and true to my word we are back up there.”