Barnet boss Martin Allen feels he has paid back Bees supporters by delivering the club’s third Conference title, claiming he knew they would win the division since pre-season.

A Mauro Vilhete brace was enough to see off Gateshead 2-0 and send Barnet back into the Football League at the second time of asking following relegation in 2013.

For Allen, now in his fourth spell at the helm, the win was about repaying the supporters who felt betrayed when he walked out three games into an eight-match contract to take the Notts County job in 2011.

Speaking on the steps to the tunnel after the celebrations had ended, he said: “It is my job. Wherever I go I put everything into the club, whether the club has employed me to fight relegation – like this one has done, Brentford have done and Notts County have done – [or to win promotion]. I saved those clubs and I think I have saved them (Barnet) a couple of times.

“I think I owed the supporters something as well, to be honest. Walking out of the relationship, ditching them and going for money – which is what I have done, I have never made any secret of that.

“I think today, for the first time all season, I have paid it back and given them something back.

“I am not sure all of them actually thought I was a nice guy. But I have been honest all along, I just went for the money,” he added.

Since going top of the Conference on August 30, Barnet have only been deposed at the summit for two weekends by Bristol Rovers, winning seven of their final nine games to clinch the club’s third Conference title.

Times Series: Picture: Action ImagesPicture: Action Images

But for Allen, promotion was never in doubt: “To be top of the league from wire to wire, as the Americans would say, has been quite remarkable.

“Nobody expected us to do it; the bookmakers, pundits and experts said we would be nowhere near it, maybe the play-offs but not winning it.

“But I knew with the players we had together and the way we played in pre-season, I knew a week before the season started we were going to be the champions. There was no-one who could stop us – no way. We had too much pace, power and too much of everything.

“Privately and quietly behind the scenes, I knew we were going to get 90 plus points and win the league – it was obvious to me.”

You can read Tony Kleanthous’ thoughts on winning the Conference by clicking here.