PNE will need to call on Premier League experience in order to achieve the promotion the Club so keenly craves, and they can prove their credentials once again on Tuesday night as a former top flight star aims to overturn near neighbours Wigan Athletic from the top flight.
Richard Chaplow knows exactly what it takes to succeed at that level, and is looking forward to the challenge of testing himself against Premier League opposition for the second time in four days, as he continues a very promising comeback from injury that has so far yielded some highly impressive performances in the heart of midfield.
PNE.com caught up with him to find out how he's getting on with the latest friendly on the horizon.
You've been playing a lot of minutes - and playing well - so far in pre-season. I'm sure you must be enjoying that after missing so much football at the back end of last season?
"Yes, obviously I didn't have the best end to last season with being injured and what not.
"Now that I've come back, we still find ourselves a little bit short in central midfield, so I'm playing a lot of minutes and I'm just enjoying being involved."
The scarcity of numbers in your area of the field will presumably give you a good chance to have an extended run, too, if all goes to plan?
"Yes, certainly. I always feel that if I'm doing well and fully fit, training well, day in, day out, I've always got a good chance of being in the team.
"It's vitally important for me now to keep fit and show to everyone why the gaffer put his faith in me in the first place."
I suppose it's time, too, for someone to stand up and show they want to be considered our main man in central midfield with Paul McKenna now departed?
"Obviously with Paul leaving he's going to be missed. He was an experienced campaigner who knew exactly what job he had to do, inside out, and I'm sure he'll be hard to replace.
"The gaffer has brought me in to do a job though, and fingers crossed if I can keep fit, I can play 40-plus games this season and become a focal point in central midfield."
You lined up alongside Darren Carter on Saturday - how do you think that combination worked?
"I've played with Darren before at West Brom, so we've known each other long enough, and while he's had a tough time while he's been here, it's good to see him playing alongside me, because he hasn't had the chance to do that very much while I've been at Preston.
"Darren is a good player. He's comfortable on the ball, willing to put his foot in, and can get up and down.
"I thought we did well together on Saturday and gave the gaffer something to think about. We're both playing well so hopefully we can both get a starting berth when it matters."
How did you rate the team's performance as a whole on Saturday, gaining a pretty good result against a Premier League team?
"It was definitely a good performance. We had a few people back in the side who made a difference, people like Sean St. Ledger who helped to sure up the back four.
"I thought we moved the ball round well as a whole, which is something the gaffer likes to work on in training, and I think that if we do that again, like we did last season, we'll be a problem for a lot of teams.
"Stoke struggled to deal with us in the first half and had to go a lot more direct in the second."
Tuesday's test is another top flight side, and a Wigan team that's now established at that level and can play some very good stuff. How do you rate their potential?
"Wigan have done fantastically well for the last couple of years in the Premier League, and they've got some big players.
"Obviously everybody will be battling for the shirt with the new manager coming in, and if Roberto Martinez' style of play is anything like it was at Swansea, they'll be getting the ball down and playing some nice football. Swansea were a good team last year, so we're expecting a similar test from Wigan."
When you look at clubs of the size of Stoke and Wigan doing well in the Premier League, does it make you think 'that could be Preston'?
"Definitely. Wigan went from strength to strength from starting out in the lower leagues, and they've risen all the way up to being an established Premier League club.
"Looking at Stoke as well, it shows that it can be done, and fingers crossed that Preston can hopefully be the next one on the list."
You must be taking a keener interest than most in the fact that your old club Burnley are now up there too. Is that an extra motivating factor for you to try and emulate that achievement with Preston?
"Yes, because Burnley have managed to get up there with a small squad, and they did it in spite of playing an awful lot of games last year.
"Only time will tell how well they do in the Premier League, because it's a lot different to the Championship, but they've done well to get where they are and I hope they can stay up there, allowing us to join them."
Tickets for Tuesday's game can be bought from the PNE ticket office or at the turnstiles on the night of the game, priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions. Please arrive early to prevent congestion at the turnstiles, but please note that the game kicks off at 7.45pm and not 7.30pm as incorrectly stated by most national media outlets.
If you can't make it in person, listen live on PNE Player, with coverage getting underway at 7.40pm.
