While the 23-year-old might be a winger to most folk at Preston, inside there's really a frontman bursting to get out.

"Maybe people don't realise I played most of my career at Bury playing up front," he told the Evening Post ahead of tomorrow's home game against Charlton Athletic.

"When I came to North End I was asked to play out wide and, apart from a few games here and there, that's where I have played.

"But I prefer playing as a striker. That's really what I enjoy most."

Whaley has formed a dangerous-looking partnership with Neil Mellor in Preston's three Championship games so far this term.

The two are good friends off the field too, and the former Shakers' star feels that has helped them to build a good working relationship on it.

"We are close mates and we do things together in our spare time," he said. "It helps massively when it comes to playing together.

"We understand the movement of each other.

"I think having a good relationship away from football helps us read each other.

"We have gelled together and we seem to have got a good understanding.
"Of course we could both do with a few more goals.
"But it is still early days yet. I'm sure they will come."

Whaley scored what proved to be the winner on the opening day of the season at Portman Road.

Then three days later, Mellor bagged two in the Carling Cup win over Chesterfield.

They have drawn a blank in the last three matches, although Whaley feels cheated that a perfectly good goal at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend was chalked off by an offside flag.

That decision was later shown to be a clanger by the linesman.

Whaley added: "It was a goal, no doubt about it. I've watched the video over and over again and there was nothing wrong with it.

"The referee said Neil was initially offside, which he was. But in today's game it is called 'Phase Two'. The ball was played back to Neil and he put me in.

"It was a clear goal and I was very disappointed, especially as we only got a point from the game. They say these things even themselves out, so maybe it will."

Whaley admits his partner is 'more of an out-and-out striker' than he is.

But he reckons the two of them complement each other, especially when they get the ball down and attack sides on the deck.

"It's been going well as a partnership," he said. "I felt we did well from the first day at Ipswich, considering the circumstances.
"We are not huge strikers like Chris Brown.

"But when we got the ball down on the floor, we caused them a lot of problems.
"I don't think their defenders could cope with us really.

"Neil has had a great pre-season and I think he ha started the season very well too. Obviously he hasn't scored in the league yet, but I'm sure the goals will come for him.

"He has just got to keep doing what he's doing. The fact he has only got the two in the Carling Cup has made him even more eager to get going in the league.

"He's not the sort of player whose head drops, it only makes him more determined to score. Everyone has their own intentions when they run out on to that pitch, but Neil just wants to score goals. Plain and simple.

"Now I'm playing up front I have more of an expectation to score as well. I went into the Ipswich game telling myself I was going to score, and I did.

"And it was the same last Saturday at Hillsborough and, had it not been for the offside flag, I would have done it again."

Whaley believes the completion of Deepdale's fourth stand has made the ground more of an intimidating place for teams to visit, with the atmosphere boosted by the acoustics.

"We are going to make Preston a hard place to come," he pledged.

"And Charlton will find that tomorrow. We aren't going to let teams come here and walk all over us. It is our home turf and the atmosphere this season is completely different.

"Having the fourth side is absolutely fantastic for keeping the noise in. The crowd for the Palace game was up on last season and if we can get even more in the ground, then that will really help the team.

"It really gives you a buzz when the fans are making a lot of noise and cheering you on. It makes you work 10% harder when they are doing that.

"And if we could get the crowds up to 18,000 for home games, that would be a massive help."