Chairman Derek Shaw surprised a few people 12 months ago when he announced that he only ever had one person in mind when he was looking for a replacement to the departed Paul Simpson.

That man was David Moyes' perhaps unheralded assistant Alan Irvine, who outside of football circles may not have been a consideration, but within it had a huge reputation in the game.

The decision to covet and then employ Irvine 12 months on looks an inspired one and looking back Shaw is happy with the progress that has been made: "Alan had a difficult start," admitted the PNE chief. "We had 17 points with 17 games gone when Alan was appointed. His first month was very difficult, but thankfully he got things going and the main thing what we all wanted, was survival in the Championship. In the end we were clear with the few points and games to go which was very pleasing.

"We are progressing nicely. We are very pleased with everything that is going on. Alan works extremely hard; he is very very thorough. Everyone has good things to say about his who works with him, both on the football, playing and office side of the Club. Everybody is very fond of him and I am sure that with time he will continue to make steady progress.

"The board and major shareholders have supported Alan to the best of our ability as well. He has made eight or nine signings and a couple of loan signings. We always end up talking about finance, whatever the subject. We all know we can't compete with some clubs, but we do the best we can in our way.

"There are a lot of myths that we won't pay this or that, but our wages go up every year. We have signed players from the Premier League like Neil Mellor (Liverpool), Richard Chaplow and Darren Carter (West Brom) and Ross Wallace (Sunderland). They are all lads who have been on extremely good money at Premiership clubs, so if you don't pay the going rate you can't compete. We have supported Alan in that way and will continue to do so."

And as the dust finally settles on last Sunday's superb derby win, and attention turns to former PNE star Simon Davey's Barnsley arriving, the chairman was also delighted to be enjoying the 'bragging rights' over our seaside rivals.

"It is terrific, isn't it? The local paper did a poll asking which derby was the bigger, Blackpool or Burnley, but I think Blackpool is the big derby for Preston fans; especially the middle-aged people who had the terrific rivalry in the 1970s and 80s. It was brilliant to turn the game around and it was very very pleasing to see more or less our full strength squad the way it was back in August.

"It makes a massive difference having a pretty much fully fit squad. The likes of Callum, Chaplow and Browny are very influential players for us; that's why these sort of players cost a lot of money. We have to push on now.

"We are still in a decent position. We are one point adrift of where Hull City were this time last year and look where they are now!

"There's a lot of football to be played in the Championship yet and hopefully, if we can get three points against Barnsley and continue building, then we may have a chance of pushing for the Play-Offs. That is what our aim is and we will have to wait and see."

And with the win last week, Shaw thinks that the crowd should be very much up for doing their bit: "I think it should help the atmosphere. The fans at Blackpool were magnificent and when we got the second and third goals it was carnival time. It was very pleasing. There were one or two thick heads for people on Monday morning, for people who stopped off for the odd beer on the way home!"

Still want to get to Deepdale and welcome home the conquering heroes after their derby day win on the seaside? Tickets are on sale online until midnight Friday at www.mypne.com and again from 9am on Saturday morning at the ticket office and on 0870 442 1966. Cash turnstiles are available at turnstiles 18 and 19 on the Bill Shankly Kop and tickets for other stands are onsale until kick-off at both the main ticket office and from the Invincibles Pavilion ticket office (which can sell for any part of the ground).