The international fortnight came when Preston were going great guns on an unbeaten run.

But far from cursing the timing of it all, Irvine has embraced the rest period by using it to sharpen his players even more.

"These breaks could be good or bad," he said. "But in my view you have got to make them good.

"You have got to use it as a time when you can top-up a little bit of fitness.

"It is also a chance to look at what you have done so far, try and find out how you can improve on what you have done and hopefully be better for it."

North End went into their enforced two-week break sitting second in the table having gathered 10 points from a possible 12.

The big fear of teams on such a good run is that a break can halt momentum.

Irvine added: "Obviously when you are playing well and getting results you would like to carry on.

"But this is a situation you can't do anything about. So it is a case of making the most of it.

"We have recruited two new players in the past week and it gives us a great opportunity to teach them the way that we want to do things here at Preston.

"We can make sure that by the time the next game comes around at Coventry next Saturday they will have a much better idea about the way we play and the principles we want to follow.

"We also get a good chance to top them up in terms of fitness and at the same time really get to know them."

New boys Jon Parkin and Stephen Elliott have both had limited football this season with Stoke and Wolves and Irvine is keen to improve their match fitness.

Parkin played the full game for North End on his debut last weekend against Charlton – only his second 90 minutes in 16 months. He later confessed he was 'blowing a bit' in the last 20 minutes.

Elliott has even less game time this term with only one second-half substitute appearance for Wolves in the Carling Cup at Rotherham – he had a spot-kick saved as the Championship leaders went out in a penalty shoot-out.

Read the rest of Brian Ellis's Deepdale Diaries in Saturday's Lancashire Evening Post