IAN Millward took the helm at Knowsley Road on March 13 – just in time for the second game of Super League – and he immediately made changes that lifted the mood.

He must have done something right because the team began playing like champions again, and they went on an 11-game winning run.

Millward’s opening game was at the Boulevard against a merged club comprising Hull Sharks and the short-lived Gateshead Thunder.

Shaun McRae's Hull FC would pose a test for the new boss, but Saints passed it with flying colours.

Tommy Martyn returned to the fold at stand off in place of Darrell Trindall, who had returned home, while Paul Wellens was handed the full back jersey – and he made sure it was his for keeps.

Free-scoring Saints stormed through the spring and among the highlights of that Millward honeymoon period was the 42-14 triumph at Leeds featuring an Anthony Sullivan hat-trick, and the 38-14 Good Friday demolition of Wigan.

Martyn, who was back playing with a smile on his face, grabbed a brace that day with Kevin Iro crossing for a hat-trick.

Iro certainly still knew where the try line was and after Saints had won a bizarre 47-34 Easter Monday encounter at Warrington, 'the Beast' crossed five times in an equally Millwardesque 50-30 triumph over Huddersfield.

The pattern led many to characterise the era as, 'you score 30 and we'll score 40.

The winning run was finally halted against the Bulls, who completed the double with a 17-16 win at Odsal.

Bradford may have thought they were settling old scores from the previous year's Grand Final loss, but Saints still had something up their sleeve that would make the Bulls laugh on the other side of their faces.

Apart from the Bulls defeats, Saints only lost three more games that year - a shock one at Wakefield, at home to Leeds and then a rogue result at home to Wigan at the end of the regular campaign.

But the summer months saw Saints play with a real spring in their steps with Martyn's hat-trick in the 30-28 win at Wigan being another highlight.

Twice they posted half century plus points on both Warrington and Salford, with Martyn scoring another hat-trick against the Wolves.

It was form like this which saw the skilful stand-off earn the RLWA Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year Award - all this from a man who looked on his way out of the club in February.

Half back partner Sean Long prospered too, that year, and he would go on to win the Man of Steel.

As the season reached its crescendo, Saints provided a passage of play that embodied a never-say-die spirit.

Saints had entered the top five play-offs in second spot, three points behind leaders Wigan and a similar margin ahead of Bradford.

Those three sides were head and shoulders above the remainder of the competition.

In the opening play-off match Saints trailed Bradford 11-10 when Paul Sculthorpe regained his feet to play the ball inside his own half with a second on the clock.

The Bulls fans counted down and cheered when the hooter sounded, some of them oblivious to the bewildering passage of play unfolding before their eyes with Long, Iro, Sean Hoppe, Steve Hall and Tim Jonkers working the ball 'Wide to Dwayne West' who shrugged off two tacklers before sending skipper Chris Joynt storming over for the winner.

Long celebrated by dancing around with St Bernard's head on while Bulls boss Matthew Elliot slid off his seat like a sick blancmange.

Buoyed by that, Saints bounced into the semi-final where they obliterated Wigan 54-16, with Sullivan's length of the fielder putting the icing on the cake.

Wigan had a second bite, beating Bulls to reach the final, and another Old Trafford classic was in store.

It was a day of departures, with Saints saying goodbye to Freddie Tuilagi, Julian O'Neill and Apollo Perelini with Wigan, and league, saying farewell to Jason Robinson.

Saints started brightly and stormed to 17-4 lead with Harry Sunderland winner Joynt scoring a brace of tries, but Wigan came back.

Hearts were in mouths as the score was narrowed to 17-16, but then Martyn provided the killer pass for Tuilagi to sign off with the winner before youngster Jonkers' try wrapped it up emphatically at 29-16.

Saints had enjoyed another rollercoaster year but had secured back-to-back Grand Final wins.