The boss refused to utter one word to his players about their 3-0 defeat by Bristol City – the heaviest since he took charge.

Instead he applauded the job they had done to rescue the club from the very real threat of relegation.

"I said to them in the dressing room that I wouldn't talk about this game," he said after the season ended on a low.

"I wanted to talk about what they have done since I came in. And that has been terrific.

"So they deserve to go away on holiday being acknowledged for what they have done overall, rather than being criticised for what they did in the final game.

"In January we were in a terrible position and we have managed to get to 15th place in the league, which is an amazing achievement.

"I expected us to have to go to Bristol and get a result on the last day of the season. But we were safe with three games to go."

North End had slumped to second bottom just as Irvine arrived from Everton.

But he told reporters at Ashton Gate: "We managed to get worse than that – we managed to get cast adrift at the bottom before things started to pick up.

"So obviously it has been a brilliant achievement by these players. The target I set them in January was 54 points and that meant at the time we needed nine wins out of 18 games.

"We had only won five out of 28 prior to that.

"It was a very demanding target and the lads made it with three games to go.

"So I'm not going to send them away for a rest with criticism ringing in their ears.

"They have been brilliant and, despite what happened at Ashton Gate, they deserve to be praised for that."

Preston were hit by two goals in the first 17 minutes and never really looked like fighting back.

City, who were fighting for home advantage in the play-offs, were the hungrier of the two sides and finished the game off six minutes into the second half from a free-kick.

Gary Johnson's side ended third in the Championship and now tackle Crystal Palace in the semi-finals, starting at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Hull City take on Watford in the other play-off.

Irvine's side had little to play for other than one place higher in the final table – and it showed.

They lacked the edge they have shown in recent weeks and were deservedly beaten.

>> Bristol City 3 PNE 0

"Put simply, we wanted to play when we had the ball, but not when they had the ball.

"Was it because it was the last game? Probably.

"It is not what I wanted, that's for sure. I am disappointed and they are as well.

"But mentally you have got to be just right to play in this league – in any league – and if you aren't then you get found out.

"I am disappointed it has ended this way, because I wanted to finish on a high.

"But now it is all about next season and the work starts right now."