Manager Simon Grayson can't wait for Sunday's league opener against Middlesbrough to come around, with most of the preparation now complete.
With six summer signings done and dusted and months of prepartion, North End will return to the Championship this weekend, starting with a mouthwatering tie against a strong Middlesbrough side, and the gaffer admits it's an exciting prospect.
"It only seems two minutes since we were celebrating at Wembley and now reality hits that it's just around the corner.
"We've done a lot of our work, we still have a couple more days to do a little bit more preparation but as you can imagine everyone is getting excited with anticipation of what is around the corner for us and what's going to happen this season."
"It should be a good atmosphere on Sunday, and with Middlesbrough selling over 3,000 already, that's a bonus and that's what the Championship is all about.
"It's about bigger crowds, bigger players, it gets more exciting just talking about it! Hopefully our supporters will get behind the team right the way through the season, there will be some ups and downs, I can guarantee that.
"If anyone thinks it's going to be like last year where we are going to go 19 or 20 games unbeaten then they need a bit of a reality check, but it would be nice if that could happen!
"That is our intention obviously but we are now a small fish in a big pond as they say, but it's eleven versus eleven every Saturday, so you just go out there and do your best and see where it takes you."
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