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Irvine working miracles at Deepdale - Shaw
Chairman Derek Shaw has hailed Alan Irvine as a 'miracle worker' for steering Preston into the play-offs.
And, as the Deepdale supremo dreamed of North End finally reaching the Premier League via Wembley, he admitted: "If we could just get up there, it would transform this club."
Shaw was the man who prised Irvine away from David Moyes at Everton 18 months ago in a desperate attempt to prevent PNE slipping out of the Championship.
Today, as he assessed the Scot's impact on North End over one-and-a-half seasons, he said: "Alan was some catch.
"What he and his management team have achieved in such a short time and under such difficult circumstances, has been nothing short of miraculous.
"But the work begins again now. We have two games against Sheffield United starting here with the home leg on Friday.
"They will be tough matches. But the thing is we've got a chance."
North End were deep in relegation trouble when Irvine was called in to launch a rescue mission.
Having saved the club from plunging into League One, he has now turned things round with a season challenging at he opposite end of the table.
Preston spent almost half the year in the top six, only dropping out with six matches to go. So Sunday's dramatic return with the final kick of the match sent fans – and the chairman – into raptures.
"It is a magnificent achievement, especially as we had a wobble – and a heavy wobble at that – where it looked like we were out of it," said Shaw.
"And especially as we have been dogged by long-term injuries all season.
"But the management team and the players all kept going and recorded four straight wins.
"One of those was a fantastic 6-0 victory over Cardiff and that is what has done it in the end."
Full story in Tuesday's Lancashire Evening Post
Live webchat with Brian Ellis, Tuesday at noon
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Weather for Preston
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
