The Scot, who admits he has never set foot in a betting shop in his life, is determined to upset the odds following news that PNE are not even fancied to make the top half of the table, never mind the top six.

All the major bookmakers see the club as rank outsiders for a shot at the Premier League – some are even offering odds as long as 59-1 and 50-1 on the Championship title coming to Deepdale.

But Irvine told the Evening Post: "The bookies get it wrong at times.
"I don't think too many would have thought Hull and Bristol City were favourites to contest the play-off final this time.

"Both those clubs have shown that if you get on a good run and get everything right you can go a long, long way."

The shortest price on offer for PNE amongst 19 of the country's major bookmakers is 25-1 from Ladbrokes.

But the betting giants reckon there are 12 teams better fancied in the race for promotion to the big league next term.

North End are only quoted at 59-1 with Betfair and 50-1 with Centrebet, with the rest hovering around 40-1 and 33-1.

Favourites with many of the bookies are mega-rich Queens Park Rangers, whose owners Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal are ready to fund the biggest summer shopping spree in the division to claim a Premier League place.

Already they have captured Radek Cerny from Slavia Prague and Peter Ramage from Newcastle.

In addition they have made an offer to West Bromwich Albion's Kevin Phillips and are reported to be chasing a host of other players including Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa), Bobby Zamora (West Ham), Anthony Gardner (Tottenham), Adam Johnson (Middlesbrough), Ben Watson (Crystal Palace) and Blackpool's Kaspars Gorkss.

Typically, the three clubs relegated from the top division – Birmingham, Reading and Derby – are all well-fancied to be in the mix, particularly the Blues who are favourites with a number of bookmakers to bounce straight back up.

Palace, Wolves and Sheffield United are also backed to finish high up.

At the opposite end of the table, Preston's Lancashire rivals Blackpool and Burnley are tipped to struggle, with the Tangerines as low as 100-1 with a handful of odds-makers including SkyBet and Bet365.

Irvine, who is still working hard to make his first signing of the summer, confessed: "I'm not a betting man at all, not in the slightest.

"I've got no idea about betting and odds. It is not something I follow.

"I know people say there aren't many poor bookies about, so they must get some things right. But it doesn't concern me how they rate everyone's chances in the Championship because it is going to be a tough one to call, yet again.

"I'm not sure how many of our players look at the odds."

"I can't imagine they will take too much notice.

"Things change during the season as we proved last time."

One of the biggest bookmakers Coral view the division with Birmingham out in front at 11-2, QPR 13-2 and Reading 9-1.

After that they go for Palace, Wolves, Sheffield United and Derby at 12-1, Charlton 14-1, Watford 16-1, Ipswich and Cardiff 20-1, Bristol City and Nottingham Forest 25-1, PNE 28-1, Norwich and Southampton 33-1, Swansea, Coventry, Plymouth, Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday 40-1, Doncaster 50-1 and Barnsley and Blackpool down at the bottom on 80-1.

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