With 52 points already on the board, manager Simon Grayson is excited at where the final nine games of the season could take the Lilywhites.
Speaking ahead of the visit of Queens Park Rangers to PR1 the North End boss said that he was looking for a ‘positive’ end to the season and that there was still plenty to play for.
“We want to finish the season in a positive manner,” he said. “There will be no easing off from our point of view. On Saturday they were told in no uncertain terms what they were supposes to be doing, so there will be no sense of our season petering out.
“Players are playing for their futures; yes, they are under contract, but they are playing to stay in the term and playing for their place next season.
“Who knows where this season could still take us to; so there are an exciting nine games to go and we are keep seeing where it takes us. The players are under no pressure, because of the expectancy levels that we have got, but the pressure comes from within and the standards we set ourselves.
“There are some big games coming up, with some games against teams in and around the promotion places, some derby games and some big teams coming to Deepdale, so it is an exciting part of the season. Just because the sun is out and the season end is drawing closer it doesn’t mean our season will peter away; we want to be on the front foot, taking games to teams and no better opportunity for that than against QPR, who were in the Premier League last year.”
The Hoops have been in good form in the last few weeks, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink starting to get the best out of his expensively assembled squad.
“Since Jimmy has gone in it has taken a bit of time to get his philosophies across, but they have had some really good results over the past few weeks and they have some really talented individuals,” continued the gaffer.
“When we looked at the players they had got when we were down there in November and they have some expensive players, who have all played in the Premier League.
“They be disappointed where they are in the table at this moment in time, because the expectancy level there to get back up, I am sure of it, so they have underachieved a bit. But they have had some good results of late and have some talented players, so we know what we need to do.
“We have to play with a tempo with and without the ball; stop them playing and go and take our game to them and they will be aware of us and will be expecting a touch game against us.
“Jimmy has gone in there to get them moving up the table and now he will be telling them to finish the season as strongly as possible to get ready for next season.
“We will need to shut out the threats that they have got, the likes of Phillips and Hoilett, who have pace and ability, but we need to attack them as well and show what we can do.”
The team return to action seven days after their thrilling Gentry Day triumph and the PNE chief is looking for a repeat of the atmosphere created at the Macron.
“Last week was really special, in terms of the numbers we took away; how the result panned out and the fact it was a local derby.
“You couldn’t really have asked for a better day to celebrate Gentry Day, with a late goal that makes it feel even better.
“Our home supporters have been very good and we are encouraging them to come down and keep backing us from now until the end of the season,” he added.
“We want to finish the season in a positive manner,” he said. “There will be no easing off from our point of view. On Saturday they were told in no uncertain terms what they were supposes to be doing, so there will be no sense of our season petering out.
“Players are playing for their futures; yes, they are under contract, but they are playing to stay in the term and playing for their place next season.
“Who knows where this season could still take us to; so there are an exciting nine games to go and we are keep seeing where it takes us. The players are under no pressure, because of the expectancy levels that we have got, but the pressure comes from within and the standards we set ourselves.
“There are some big games coming up, with some games against teams in and around the promotion places, some derby games and some big teams coming to Deepdale, so it is an exciting part of the season. Just because the sun is out and the season end is drawing closer it doesn’t mean our season will peter away; we want to be on the front foot, taking games to teams and no better opportunity for that than against QPR, who were in the Premier League last year.”
The Hoops have been in good form in the last few weeks, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink starting to get the best out of his expensively assembled squad.
“Since Jimmy has gone in it has taken a bit of time to get his philosophies across, but they have had some really good results over the past few weeks and they have some really talented individuals,” continued the gaffer.
“When we looked at the players they had got when we were down there in November and they have some expensive players, who have all played in the Premier League.
“They be disappointed where they are in the table at this moment in time, because the expectancy level there to get back up, I am sure of it, so they have underachieved a bit. But they have had some good results of late and have some talented players, so we know what we need to do.
“We have to play with a tempo with and without the ball; stop them playing and go and take our game to them and they will be aware of us and will be expecting a touch game against us.
“Jimmy has gone in there to get them moving up the table and now he will be telling them to finish the season as strongly as possible to get ready for next season.
“We will need to shut out the threats that they have got, the likes of Phillips and Hoilett, who have pace and ability, but we need to attack them as well and show what we can do.”
The team return to action seven days after their thrilling Gentry Day triumph and the PNE chief is looking for a repeat of the atmosphere created at the Macron.
“Last week was really special, in terms of the numbers we took away; how the result panned out and the fact it was a local derby.
“You couldn’t really have asked for a better day to celebrate Gentry Day, with a late goal that makes it feel even better.
“Our home supporters have been very good and we are encouraging them to come down and keep backing us from now until the end of the season,” he added.