On loan winger Aiden McGeady is hoping his and the team’s fine recent form can catapult them into a Play-Off push.
The Irish international has scored three goals and assisted just as many in the last month, with three wins and two draws recorded by the Lilywhites during February.
And speaking to PNE.Com he feels that a top six finish is achievable if the squad can continue in the same vein for the last dozen games.
“I have been playing well and the team has been playing well,” he told the club’s official website. “Everything seems to be clicking at the minute and hopefully we keep continuing that and pushing for that sixth spot.
“Since we had a good run two or three months ago I think it was in the back of everyone’s minds that the aim is to try and get a Play-Off place and now Sheffield Wednesday have lost their last two and we are six points off them, so it is an achievable target.
“And it’s not just them; we play Reading next weekend and Leeds are only just ahead. We are winning games and picking up points and that gap that was there seems to be getting that little bit smaller and if we can keep doing what we are doing, then I think it is achievable for us.”
The North End faithful have taken to the his entertaining style during his loan from Everton and a chorus of ‘ohhhhh Aiden McGeady’ isn’t far away in any fixture, with many fans of a certain generation comparing his style and quality to another popular Irish midfielder, in Brian Mooney.
And the 30-year-old is enjoying the extra support from the terraces, even if the pressure is on to deliver: “I got asked about what it is like when I was in the lounge after last weekend’s game and it has been a few years since I had fans singing me name – Russia probably – and it is great for me,” he continued.
“It gives you a boost and I am delighted that I have settled in well; the fans seems to be enjoying having me here and I am enjoying it as well – so far so good.
“That’s what happens when you class yourself as a creative player [the expectation to entertain].
“I had it at Celtic. Celtic are a very big club and there is a lot of pressure and when I was there, every time I got the ball people were expecting me to create a goal or score a goal, but the life of a wide players means you have to be patient, it doesn’t always work like that, but over the course of a game I feel I can create a few chances and no wide player or creative player can go through a game without having that pressure, it is always going to be on top of you if you class yourself as that sort of player.”
As other media forms have already stated, the No.14 has been having a goal of the month competition of his very own in February, but despite this the coverage for him and the entertaining and attractive football the team have been playing has gone under the radar nationally and he believes the only thing that will change that is promotion to the Premier League.
“That’s just the way football is. At Preston we are playing in the league below the Premiership, if we were playing in the Premiership then it would be all over the place and that’s our aim and ambition, to get there.
“I think the club is set up for it – I read something the other day about the club having one of the smallest budgets in the league, so you could say to an extent we are over performing in that sense, but the recruitment has worked very well, who have something to prove – like myself who hasn’t really played much the last couple of years and have been given that platform to go and play and express myself.
“You can say well done to the manager and the staff for having that environment to play in and thrive, but in terms of not getting the coverage or the credit for that, it is just part and parcel of football.”
This weekend will be the former Celtic man’s first experience of Gentry Day and he is looking forward to what he sees as a crucial game in those efforts to make the top six.
“I heard about Gentry Day because our kit man had been talking about.
“It will be strange to see people at a game in suits and bowler hats, but it means we will have a big following at the game, which will be good for us.
“It is a big game, because Fulham are right in the mix with us, so it is a potential six pointer.
“The last few away games that we have had, the fans have turned out in big numbers and that only really helps us,” he added.
Don’t miss out on seeing Aiden and his team-mates live – tickets are on sale for the weekend’s trip to Fulham, the next three home games – including another massive three pointer against Reading on 11th March – and of course the big local derby away at Blackburn Rovers next month – click here now to buy tickets online at MyPNE.Com or visit the ticket office between 9am and 5pm at Deepdale.
And speaking to PNE.Com he feels that a top six finish is achievable if the squad can continue in the same vein for the last dozen games.
“I have been playing well and the team has been playing well,” he told the club’s official website. “Everything seems to be clicking at the minute and hopefully we keep continuing that and pushing for that sixth spot.
“Since we had a good run two or three months ago I think it was in the back of everyone’s minds that the aim is to try and get a Play-Off place and now Sheffield Wednesday have lost their last two and we are six points off them, so it is an achievable target.
“And it’s not just them; we play Reading next weekend and Leeds are only just ahead. We are winning games and picking up points and that gap that was there seems to be getting that little bit smaller and if we can keep doing what we are doing, then I think it is achievable for us.”
The North End faithful have taken to the his entertaining style during his loan from Everton and a chorus of ‘ohhhhh Aiden McGeady’ isn’t far away in any fixture, with many fans of a certain generation comparing his style and quality to another popular Irish midfielder, in Brian Mooney.
And the 30-year-old is enjoying the extra support from the terraces, even if the pressure is on to deliver: “I got asked about what it is like when I was in the lounge after last weekend’s game and it has been a few years since I had fans singing me name – Russia probably – and it is great for me,” he continued.
“It gives you a boost and I am delighted that I have settled in well; the fans seems to be enjoying having me here and I am enjoying it as well – so far so good.
“That’s what happens when you class yourself as a creative player [the expectation to entertain].
“I had it at Celtic. Celtic are a very big club and there is a lot of pressure and when I was there, every time I got the ball people were expecting me to create a goal or score a goal, but the life of a wide players means you have to be patient, it doesn’t always work like that, but over the course of a game I feel I can create a few chances and no wide player or creative player can go through a game without having that pressure, it is always going to be on top of you if you class yourself as that sort of player.”
As other media forms have already stated, the No.14 has been having a goal of the month competition of his very own in February, but despite this the coverage for him and the entertaining and attractive football the team have been playing has gone under the radar nationally and he believes the only thing that will change that is promotion to the Premier League.
“That’s just the way football is. At Preston we are playing in the league below the Premiership, if we were playing in the Premiership then it would be all over the place and that’s our aim and ambition, to get there.
“I think the club is set up for it – I read something the other day about the club having one of the smallest budgets in the league, so you could say to an extent we are over performing in that sense, but the recruitment has worked very well, who have something to prove – like myself who hasn’t really played much the last couple of years and have been given that platform to go and play and express myself.
“You can say well done to the manager and the staff for having that environment to play in and thrive, but in terms of not getting the coverage or the credit for that, it is just part and parcel of football.”
This weekend will be the former Celtic man’s first experience of Gentry Day and he is looking forward to what he sees as a crucial game in those efforts to make the top six.
“I heard about Gentry Day because our kit man had been talking about.
“It will be strange to see people at a game in suits and bowler hats, but it means we will have a big following at the game, which will be good for us.
“It is a big game, because Fulham are right in the mix with us, so it is a potential six pointer.
“The last few away games that we have had, the fans have turned out in big numbers and that only really helps us,” he added.
Don’t miss out on seeing Aiden and his team-mates live – tickets are on sale for the weekend’s trip to Fulham, the next three home games – including another massive three pointer against Reading on 11th March – and of course the big local derby away at Blackburn Rovers next month – click here now to buy tickets online at MyPNE.Com or visit the ticket office between 9am and 5pm at Deepdale.