There's nothing like a player switching sides to guarantee adoration from fans and Kurt Nogan proved that in his three years at Deepdale.
Signed from Burnley in 1997, the former Brighton frontman provided the finishing touches to David Moyes' late nineties team and was present at many great Deepdale nights.
The frontman spoke to pne.com exclusively before a game involving two of his former clubs, but he warned PNE they will have their work cut out if they are to come away with three points this Saturday.
"I've seen quite a few of Cardiff's games this season and they've clearly impressed me, they've got a decent manager who they've kept hold of for a long time and obviously they've cemented themselves in the Play-Offs.
"Looking at the strikers, I've been impressed with Ross McCormack, Jay Bothroyd has come on a lot since he arrived, now he's settled in he's been a big signing for Cardiff. Stephen McPhail has had a quiet season but is a decent player, he makes things tick, Chopra gets goals and both are valuable team members. But Dave Jones has been the main thing keeping things ticking over.
"They've still got a chance to go up automatically so it's a big game this weekend. They need to win to have a chance of going up automatically but obviously Preston are still in with a shout of reaching the Play-Offs, their home forms been good but their away form has let them down."
Much has been made of Preston's poor away form this season with only four wins on the road and ten defeats from 22 games. Cardiff have been similarly unsuccessful in their collection of wins with only five on the road but the difference, says Nogan, is that the Bluebirds have picked up one point eleven times meaning they've only lost four times.
"When I was at Preston our attitude was to win our home games and to make sure we didn't lose our away games, so if we went away and got two draws on the bounce and won at home you could see the difference in the table, the most important thing was to not lose away from home.
"There have been so many times that PNE havent' gone away and got that point that it's cost them dearly in their Play-Off challenge this season. Cardiff have mounted up so many draws that they have come in hand now so it's not a bad thing to go away and get loads of draws and then come back to Ninian Park and win - Preston have been missing out on valuable points away from home."
And the former Deepdale favourite says that it's about time Cardiff were challenging after some troubling years that threatened their future.
"Sam Hammam was taking the club to the cleaners, everyone thought he was spending his own money but he was borrowing on the strength of Cardiff City, the best thing that happened was getting rid of him, he was only interested in making a bit of cash and running away.
"He did nothing positive for Cardiff City, now it looks like we have someone who is doing some good, is balancing the books, sorting the new stadium, not fleecing the club, if players are not wanted they're off the wage bill and they're doing it right and properly, it's a stepping stone and we'd love them to go up this season."
Nogan hasn't had the chance to watch PNE too often this campaign but when he has he has ended up with differing opinions depending on where they're playing.
"I've watched them on the telly, I saw the Bristol City game and it looked they were up against it but they got away with the draw, away from home they're not looking like they're on top.
"I've seen a couple of home games, listened to them and they look like they're on top at home, but that's like many clubs in this division, some clubs struggle to get the points on the road but they can't stop winning at home."
Lining up for North End on Saturday will be Kurt's former team-mate Paul McKenna and with the Club captain set to equal Sir Tom's number of appearances for PNE Nogan recognises the impact the Chorley-born midfielder has had at Deepdale.
"I played with Paul, he's a quality player and always will be, he'll pick out any striker, when I was playing he would always pick me out for a chance on goal and was always looking forward to the strikers, a good midfielder is always looking to hit the frontmen first, he makes things tick there.
"To be honest he's a legend anyway because of his commitment to the Club, it will be phenomenal for him, he has shown his commitment to the club,you don't get a lot of that nowadays and it looks like he'll finish his career there. When he was coming through he had to bide his time but when he was moved to the middle he has settled in so you couldn't' take it away from him."
Nogan admits he was aiming for a move to a higher division when he decided to swap Turf Moor for Deepdale but looking back he definitely thinks it was the right choice.
"I'm glad I made the move because when I signed I was a biy dubious but it was one of the best moves I made and when Moyesie took over it was great. The training, the way he looked after the players, it was one of the best moves of my footballing career.
"He was a strict manager, training sessions were hard but good, he had a big influence, he conducted himself properly, all the players would say that. When we had a night out they were good, everything about David Moyes was good and that's why he's having success at Everton."
It won't surprise many readers to learn that one of his favourite moments at North End was against a certain North London outfit in the FA Cup ten years ago but Nogan points to a lesser known game for the highlight of his stay.
"The Burnley games were a highlight, and the Arsenal game, but the most memorable was playing for Cardiff after I had signed for them and going back and getting the ovation I got, it was so memorable, I got a standing ovation and they respected what I had done, normally they give you abuse but I went back and I thought that was fantastic."
Nogan notched 33 goals for PNE after similar goal-laden stays at Burnley and Brighton and Hove Albion and he says that the role of the striker nowadays means it is harder for strikers nowadays to get 20-plus tallies.
"I scored at Brighton, Burnley, Preston, wherever I've been given a run, thirty fourty games I've scored 20-plus goals, when I was left out I didn't get as many goals.
"When I was played I scored, my best tally came at Brighton, and I got mine at home and away from home which a lot of strikers can't do. It's changed a lot, a lot of strikers have to work a lot harder because it's getting faster every year, it must be harder to score goals than it was in my day."
After spells with Tiverton Town and ENTO in the Welsh Non-league Nogan retired from competitive football last summer but he still turns out for the Cardiff City masters team and has worked for Radio Wales as a match summariser. His predicted summary of Saturday's match is one which won't please either Club.
"I think it will be a draw, both teams have to win, Cardiff will be going for all three, it will be a draw because both teams need to win but I wouldn't be surprised if Preston win, it can go either way, it could be like the Chelsea Liverpool game."
His crucial goals in big games mean he will always be a legend in the eyes of many North Enders and the feelings are very reciprocal for the Welshman.
"I will never forget my times at Preston, hopefully they'll be in the Premiership soon, the North End fans were some of the best supporters I ever played in front of."
