Though it's business as usual for the majority of PNE's returning professionals as they resume pre-season training, this time of year is actually a fairly new and exciting experience for the select few recent recruits who've arrived at Deepdale over the past twelve months.

As one of the Club's January signings, Michael Hart is undertaking his first preparatory campaign with Preston, and indeed this summer represents the first time he's been involved in a pre-season programme with a club outside his native homeland.

We caught up with the Scot on tour in Austria to ask how he's finding life working - if you excuse the shameless stereotypes - in the land of pies and bitter as opposed to the nation of haggis and bagpipes...

Michael, how does a Scottish pre-season compare to an English pre-season?
I think this is pretty much a Scottish one as well, it's fairly similar to what I'm used to. I was at Aberdeen for such a long time that I knew what to expect. At Preston, there are a few more longer runs and on different surfaces like the grass, a running track, a beach, or even a bike track - we are always testing ourselves. It's a little bit different but very similar in the demands that are put on us, it is very tough.

Are you someone who enjoys this type of work?
I enjoy working hard. I wasn't too keen on the thought of coming back to pre-season but once you are back you know you can do it so I don't mind doing it too much. I'll be glad when it is over!

You'll be happy that you are at the same fitness levels as your team-mates after a few months with an injury niggle?
Yes, the main thing is getting through pre-season, being at the same level and same standard as the rest of the boys. Whoever is the best on the day gets the game on the Saturday and that's what I need to do and make sure I am fit come the first game of the season, doing well and hopefully I will be involved.

It's a big time for everyone isn't it? With the Gaffer only arriving midway through last season this is the clean sheet for everybody.
The Gaffer when he came in said that you would be judged on every game, whether that's a friendly, a reserve game or anything. Everybody knows that, everyone has seen how hard he is training us and everybody knows what his intentions are for the coming season. The boys are happy enough to follow that and we have got the same intentions as he has - we will do the best we can and try and progress from this league.

You've mentioned that it is almost a Scottish pre-season, well even more so with the arrival of another Scotsman, a player you know all about, Barry Nicholson.
I shouldn't really need to say anything about him, he's got a great CV. He was obviously at Rangers, he's been capped for Scotland and I think when he was at Aberdeen he didn't miss too many games. He played 53 games last year so you are getting a player with a lot of experience. He's a good user of the ball and is pretty versatile in that he can play anywhere across the middle of the park. Barry knows that he has set a new challenge coming down here and that excites him. Given time he will do well.

You've described his attributes as a player, can you compare Barry to any player the Preston fans might have already heard of?
Paul Scholes maybe? He likes to get on the ball a hell of a lot. He's not to the same standard of Scholes or he wouldn't be here, but he gets on the ball, he puts himself about when he can and for a small guy he is pretty good in the air. He's got the brain to find space and make time for himself with his touch. Given a chance he will do really well.

You knew each other before and you'll know each other even more now because you are living in each other's pockets.
I knew how difficult it was when I came down to Preston. After speaking to the manager on Sunday he was down here on the Monday and pre-season started on the Tuesday so instead of staying in a hotel he came and stayed with me till we came away to Austria and we are rooming here as well. It's good, it's a bit more relaxed, I know his bad habits and I know what he likes and dislikes and we get on pretty well. He doesn't need to settle in because I can just tell him to shut up right away whereas if it was somebody else it might be a wee bit strange to be doing that.

Barry arriving makes our midfield look incredibly strong for the coming campaign.
I think it is one position that we are not really struggling in, we've got a hell of a lot of midfielders, all with different qualities. They've all got different attributes and as a manager that must be great to choose from. I don't know what he will do come the first game but any one of the midfielders could come in and play in the opening game of the Championship.

There's not many who know how Alan Irvine will choose to line his side up come the opening game of the season is there?
That's the exciting thing, one of the reasons I left Aberdeen is that I knew I was playing every week. A lot of the boys at Preston who took for granted that they were playing last season might be starting to think that they can't really do that now. There's so much competition for places, everyone is pushing everyone to be the quickest in the runs and the first to the ball and passing the best. That is what makes you a better team.

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