MODEST Alan Manning captained Lions to glory and then gave the plaudits to his title-winning heroes by admitting: I couldn’t have done it without them.

Proud Manning thanked his team-mates after writing his name in Bournemouth’s sporting record books by guiding the Chapel Gate outfit to National Three South West success.

The tight-head prop led from the front as Lions hammered Weston-super-Mare 61-5 to secure the bonus-points win required to seal the championship and elevation to English rugby’s fourth tier.

Director of rugby David Dunn last week paid a glowing tribute to Manning’s leadership skills and said that promotion to the highest level in the club’s history would be a fitting reward for his skipper.

But speaking moments after Saturday’s home victory over Weston, the 25-year-old was quick to deflect the attention to his Lions colleagues.

Manning told the Daily Echo: “There have been great captains at the club beforehand. I have just taken from them and learned from them.

“I couldn’t have done it without this bunch of boys. It is a great team and they are always behind me, which is fantastic. On and off the pitch, we always stick together so you can’t ask for more than that. I am as proud as anything of all the boys. It is not just a one-man show so I will definitely be buying them a few beers tonight.”

Manning, who hailed his team’s “dedicated performance” against Weston, continued: “We have had our tough games and easy games.

“But, as a team, it is not just about this season. It has been about the past couple of years.

“Players who have played one game, 10 games or a game three years ago, they have all been a part of this community and this family.”

Both Manning and coach Dunn felt previous experiences had made the club stronger.

Dunn said: “We came into the season with real determination, having got so close last year and having lost Sam Yarwood. That helped to gel us.

“We got the good start to the season. We had one or two touch-and-go moments and I still remember the Exmouth home game that we could very easily have lost.

“There have been one or two other close shaves but, at the end of it, all the balls fell into line.

“You make your own luck and we fully deserve it. We are champions and have automatic promotion – and that is exactly what we deserve.”

Manning added: “No matter what people said, it was disappointing not to go up last season, but I think that really benefited us. We re-grouped and became stronger as a team. It has not quite sunk in yet.”