Fry, who played a key role in the recruitment of successful manager Darren Ferguson, believes Posh have never been better run on and off the field.

Fry won a promotion as Posh manager in the 1999-2000 season, but the veteran wheeler-dealer insists the good times are here to stay at London Road this time around.

Posh clinched automatic promotion from League Two with a 1-0 win at Hereford on Saturday. They still have an outside chance to claim the League Two title with two games of the season remaining.

Fry, who also enjoyed success at Barnet, Birmingham and Southend, said: "It has been a wonderful season, one of the best I have been involved in throughout my career, but I sensed from the moment we appointed Darren that we were going places.

"He is a young manager, but he had been preparing for management for years.

"He had a clear idea of how he wanted his team to play and the sort of player he wanted – he also introduced a more professional approach to training and stuff like players' diets and fitness.

"The result is the most exciting and entertaining team I have ever seen.

"To score 98 goals in a season is a fantastic achievement, but the beauty is that the team will only get better.

"We had an average age in the team of about 22 on a couple of occasions this season. We have a young, hungry side and Darren, although he can be ruthless when necessary, has also generated an unbelievable team spirit.

"You can't under-estimate how important a good spirit is and from what I saw in pre-season I fancied us strongly to do well.

"The chairman obviously has to take a lot of the credit as well. He took a gamble in employing a novice manager, but it's paid off and they work brilliantly together.

"Darren didn't actually apply for the job, but when the chairman became fed up with more experienced candidates, I put Darren in touch with him.

"I knew Darren had taken all his coaching badges and was keen on getting into management and he gave a brilliant interview which persuaded the chairman to immediately offer him the job.

"I was with Darren when he spoke to Darragh on the phone and he never once mentioned money or his father.

"They hit it off straight away and they still enjoy a fantastic relationship which can only help the club.

"The immediate reward is the possibility of mouth-watering fixtures against the likes of Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest, and of course the big derby against Northampton.

"It's a tough fixture list, but I really fancy we will do well and challenge for promotion as well."

Posh have sold 8,500 tickets for the final match of the season against Darlington at London Road on May 3. The match is all-ticket.

Posh have extended the loan of striker Danny Crow to Notts County until the end of the season.

In-form Rene Howe's loan at Rochdale expires after the final match of the regular season. Dale have yet to ask for an extension into the play-offs.