MICHAEL Duff did his famous promotion dance after steering Cheltenham Town into League One.

The former Burnley defender danced on the steps of Wembley after the Clarets won the 2009 Championship play-offs to earn a place in the Premier League - with Wade Elliott, who is now a first team coach under Duff, scoring the winner.

Duff danced after Burnley returned to the top flight in 2014 and 2016, retiring after his third and final promotion at Turf Moor as champions.

But after breaking out similar moves on the car park of Cheltenham after Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at home to Carlisle United meant they secured a top three finish in League Two with two games to spare, he said winning promotion as a manager surpassed his experiences as a player.

“It’s better as manager,” said Duff, who spent 12 years with Burnley.

“As a player you are a small cog in a big wheel really, but to be the leader of this group after the disappointment of last year.

“The amount of times we’ve been questioned over the last two years and historically the club has struggled at the wrong end of the table.

“I am immensely proud to be in charge of this mob. Board, players, staff and supporters have all been brilliant.”

Duff, who was signed by Steve Cotterill from Cheltenham for just £30,000 in 2004, added: “I’ve been in football 26 years now, and I’ve had two clubs (Cheltenham and Burnley), so the two of them are close to my heart.

“I married a Cheltenham girl, whose family are all from Cheltenham. All my family have moved to Cheltenham now so it is home.

“You don’t realise how many people know you until you start doing well and people want to say ‘well done’.

“I want to leave the club in a better state than I found it and it’s taken a lot of hard work.”