Reflecting on the summer transfer business at Deepdale, it was perhaps as much about who stayed as who came in or who went out.
The long-running saga over the whereabouts of Jordan Hugill once the clock struck 12 on 31st August was something that seemed to drag on and on.
But three months on, the frontman has got his head down, worked hard and already has seven goals to his name in 2017/18, but what did he learn about himself from that experience?
“I learned that I just need to keep going on being myself regardless of what is going on in the background,” he told The One And Only during the international break. “As long as I stay true to myself and my word it will be alright. It was a very stressful time in the summer and I got my head down and stuck to my guns.
“What will happen will happen, regardless of what goes on. The way I look at life in general is that everything happens for a reason so maybe it wasn’t a time to go, maybe it is an objective to get 20 goals a season here. I have just got to keep working, get my head down and be as professional as possible.
“[Orgnising his wedding that will take place next summer] was making it more stressful, trying to plan a wedding with all this going on as well.
“Life might get in the way of things, but I have just got to get my head down and be as professional as possible. I have got to work hard. One thing I don’t lack is my work ethic, regardless of what situation I’m in. I have been out of football. I have been where I have had to work for a living, where I have had to work for everything that has been given to me.
“To start here at the bottom of this club and to work my way up to near the top of it is a testament to me, my work rate and what has come with it. Personally I think there is a lot more to come, so we will see what happens.
“I am very pleased with how I have performed so far. Seven goals is brilliant. Getting to ten goals before Christmas is a nice stat to take with you into the second half of the season. I would like to have more in the league – but I’m very proud of the seven and hopefully I can keep improving and keep kicking on to get to that next level to get to ten, 11, 12 by Christmas.
“It is one of those things I am aiming for, the focus is about improving and playing as many games as I can to get some more goals.
“I think I have been improving. It is a different role as such, but I am still doing the same things I was last season that got me my merits and plaudits. I know what I do well as a player and I am sticking to that formula and it seems to be working with me. To finish last season with 13 goals and then to carry it on into the first half of the season and to have seven, which is already half the tally in less time is good; but there are still things I can improve on.”
There’s loads more from Jordan in an extended interview in Friday night’s programme, plus we have interviews and features with Marnick Vermijl, Josh Earl, Darnell Fisher, Daniel Johnson and Kevin Davies, plus all the usual features and articles.
There’s 100 packed pages – available for just £3 from Friday afternoon from the club’s Sir Tom Finney Stand ticket office and both inside and outside the ground from our sellers, so don’t miss you copy!