Preston North End left back Scott Laird believes the Club is moving in the right direction and reckons the Lilywhites have what it takes to earn promotion next season.
Simon Grayson’s side finished fifth in Sky Bet League One in 2013/14 but lost to Rotherham United in the Play-Off semi-final over two legs.
Despite that defeat, Laird is confident Preston are progressing and thinks, with some slight adjustments, the Club can compete for automatic promotion in 2014/15.
“We’ve got to go away, look back at the season, look back at the things we can improve on and things that we can do better,” he told PNE.Com in an exclusive interview.
“But as a whole if you look back on the season the club’s moving forward, the board’s moving forward, the coaching staff’s moving forward.
“This Club’s going in the right direction and we’ve got to make sure we do better than we did last year, but if we get a similar points tally we’ll almost certainly be up there.”
After suffering a broken leg in 2012, Laird returned to North End’s starting line-up against Liverpool in a pre-season friendly prior to the 2013/14 campaign.
The 26-year-old defender went on to feature regularly for Preston throughout the season but insists he still has more to offer next term.
“The gaffers been brilliant with me and I’m really thankful to him for playing me. I’ve played 40 games or so and I’m very proud of that,” he added.
“I haven’t been at my best, it’s taken me eight months to get to where I was, and last month I was starting to come back to the way I was.
“So it’s just a shame the season’s ended, but I'll go away, work hard on my fitness like everyone else in this squad and come back for pre-season ready to kick on.
“Hopefully next season I can play some of the best football I can play in my career so far, and help Preston get promoted.”
While most players have been able to wind down since the season finished, Laird has had the small matter of his wedding to fiancée Leanne to sort out.
The defender admits the organisation has been stressful but says he ‘wouldn’t have it any other way’.
“Everything is sorted, it’s obviously been a bit hectic being involved in the Play-Offs at the end of the season but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
“The only thing I’d have differently is to have won promotion but that’s something I’ve got to concentrate on now, and there’s some things in life that you’ve got to do.
“I’m looking forward to the summer, but it’ll good to see the boys again after it with all those smiles on their faces and get that winning feeling back.”