The New Orleans Saints marched into Vicksburg Tuesday, giving fans young and old a glimpse of their football heroes up close and personal.

“It’s awesome,” said eight-year-old Matthew Foley of Vicksburg, who was one of a hundred or so kids making the rounds toward the five players who were ushered into the Good Shepherd Community Center on Cherry Street.

The Saints were in town as part of its Eastern Regional Caravan tour, a publicity junket set up for fans to meet and get autographs on paper, footballs, shirts, jerseys, pictures, anything they can get a signature on in black Sharpie ink from a Saint.

Star running back Deuce McAllister, a Morton native who starred at Ole Miss, led the five-man contingent which also included defensive tackle Charles Grant, return specialist Michael “the Beer Man” Lewis, special teams veteran Fred McAfee and Dont