Manager Simon Grayson spoke to PNE.Com after the completion of the signing of Greg Cunningham, who could make his debut at Carlisle on Tuesday.
The defender finally completed the move late on Monday afternoon after and the PNE boss was pleased to put another piece in the jigsaw.
“What you find with Greg is that he is a really good age, but he is experienced as well,” he told the official website. “He has played for some good clubs, big clubs, knows the Championship and was part of a winning mentality at Bristol City last year.
“We are very pleased to have got him; he’s desperate to do well for Preston North End and try and get back into the Ireland squad and if he does that, hopefully it means we are doing well.
“There is no secret that we had been looking for defenders and when we looked over the summer Greg was very much one of the names that came to the fore straight away. We have had to be patient, but what have signed is a very hungry, young, but experienced player with a real appetite to do well.
“A big part of our recruitment policy is that they have to fit into our spirit. When I met Greg a few weeks ago it was clear that he had a lot of desire and positivity about our club and he is just another part of the jigsaw that we are trying to complete as quickly as possible.
“There’s a good chance we will give him some game time this week. He landed from Faro on Friday and did a medical and trained on Saturday and then joined in again on Sunday and Monday with us all and now the paperwork is completed we can go full steam ahead.
“I’ve have no issues on his fitness levels and game time, because he has been doing all that with Bristol City, so we are delighted to have got him and I would expect him to be involved in some capacity against Carlisle.”
The team head down to Carlisle from Glasgow, having completed four days north of the border beginning with their win against Motherwell at Livingston on Friday and concluding with their 7.15pm kick-off at Brunton Park on Tuesday night and the gaffer is delighted how the trip has gone.
“The purpose of coming on this trip was to get some work into the players; which was ultimately the No.1 priority of being up here, but also when you are up here with not a lot to do we filled the time with a trip to the Celtic game on Saturday and then went Go Karting with plenty of banter flying around including for several members of staff, which is all part and parcel of building the unit.
“The Carlisle game is the opportunity for another game; it has worked well, coming down for Scotland. It will be a good test and players will be upping the ante in anticipation of the season starting in ten days’ time.”