Saturday’s clash with former manager Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough United will be Simon Grayson’s 100th in charge of the Lilywhites.
The previous 99 have seen 49 wins and just 19 defeats as the Club has rebuilt and draws to the end of 2014 in a positive position in Sky Bet League One and still fighting in two cup competitions.
However, the 45-year-old is not resting on his laurels and says that the hard work is continuing behind the scenes to improve every single week, with one clear aim at the end of the season.
“I am really pleased and proud of how things have gone,” said the man who celebrated his birthday with Tuesday night’s JPT semi-final win over Notts County. “The first thing you do as a manager when you come into a club is to try and galvanise it and get it back on track and we have certainly done that.
“Last year was a good year for us – although we couldn’t complete the outcome we set out to achieve – which was promotion – but we have carried it on so far this season.
“We have had a lot of victories in the 99 games we have had so far and not too many defeats and they have been a fantastic group to work with since day one.
“We have to continue working hard and trying to take the Club forward. We can’t stand still and accept that what we have done is enough, because it is not. We all want a promotion on our CV.”
The team make the trip to face the Posh drawing a close to what had been some incredible travelling over the past couple of months, something the manager and his squad will be pleased to see the back of.
“It’s been a difficult period for us, both for the players and the supporters,” he continued. “When you look at the fixtures and think about all the long trips you have to make over the course of the season, we have probably had the majority of them in a two month period, so it has been demanding. However, we have been successful and we have to try and continue that.
“It is a difficult game against a team who have aspirations to be, at the very least, in the top six, so we have to be at it.
“Hopefully the supporters will get their rewards for the long hours and the money that they have spent at the end of April with what we are all trying to achieve.”
Saturday’s hosts picked up a good win at Leyton Orient last weekend and with the re-united ‘Mac Attack’ spearheading their challenge going into the festive period, the gaffer is very aware of how good his team will have to be to get a positive result and his 50th in charge of the Club.
“It was one of the few games that we lost last year, but they were up there amongst it and top of the league at the time.
“Going to Peterborough is never easy. They have re-signed Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail-Smith and are a team that have been successful, so we know what we have to do.
“We are very respectful of the opposition, but will try and maintain the good run that we are on with results and performances both home and away.
“Peterborough had a good result against Orient last weekend. The division is clear – if you don’t turn up, you don’t win a football match and we have to make sure that we go and try and win the battles in the areas of the pitch that we think are key and hopefully take away the three points,” he added.
However, the 45-year-old is not resting on his laurels and says that the hard work is continuing behind the scenes to improve every single week, with one clear aim at the end of the season.
“I am really pleased and proud of how things have gone,” said the man who celebrated his birthday with Tuesday night’s JPT semi-final win over Notts County. “The first thing you do as a manager when you come into a club is to try and galvanise it and get it back on track and we have certainly done that.
“Last year was a good year for us – although we couldn’t complete the outcome we set out to achieve – which was promotion – but we have carried it on so far this season.
“We have had a lot of victories in the 99 games we have had so far and not too many defeats and they have been a fantastic group to work with since day one.
“We have to continue working hard and trying to take the Club forward. We can’t stand still and accept that what we have done is enough, because it is not. We all want a promotion on our CV.”
The team make the trip to face the Posh drawing a close to what had been some incredible travelling over the past couple of months, something the manager and his squad will be pleased to see the back of.
“It’s been a difficult period for us, both for the players and the supporters,” he continued. “When you look at the fixtures and think about all the long trips you have to make over the course of the season, we have probably had the majority of them in a two month period, so it has been demanding. However, we have been successful and we have to try and continue that.
“It is a difficult game against a team who have aspirations to be, at the very least, in the top six, so we have to be at it.
“Hopefully the supporters will get their rewards for the long hours and the money that they have spent at the end of April with what we are all trying to achieve.”
Saturday’s hosts picked up a good win at Leyton Orient last weekend and with the re-united ‘Mac Attack’ spearheading their challenge going into the festive period, the gaffer is very aware of how good his team will have to be to get a positive result and his 50th in charge of the Club.
“It was one of the few games that we lost last year, but they were up there amongst it and top of the league at the time.
“Going to Peterborough is never easy. They have re-signed Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail-Smith and are a team that have been successful, so we know what we have to do.
“We are very respectful of the opposition, but will try and maintain the good run that we are on with results and performances both home and away.
“Peterborough had a good result against Orient last weekend. The division is clear – if you don’t turn up, you don’t win a football match and we have to make sure that we go and try and win the battles in the areas of the pitch that we think are key and hopefully take away the three points,” he added.