Amid links to Rangers, Freddie Woodman is loving life at Preston North End as he prepares for Watford test

Woodman joined PNE for an undisclosed fee this summer from Newcastle United and has played in all but one game across all competitions so far this campaign.

Speaking to the Lancashire Post, Woodman discussed how he’s settled into his new home, his progress so far and Saturday’s game against Watford – on his birthday.

How do you reflect on the season so far?

“It's been up and down. It's obviously my first year here and I'm really enjoying it. I've really enjoyed playing here and being a part of the team. We are where we are, we'd have liked to have been higher and sorted out the home form a little bit sooner but on the whole I think it's going alright.

“Every time I've been a part of this league, I've done three seasons now, and it’s a rollercoaster. When I was at Swansea for two years we did the exact same. You go through periods where you're playing unbelievably well then you hit a bit of a dip, then you come up again. That's just the way the league goes. I think it's what makes the league quite exciting and why people come to watch this league instead of the Premier League.

You came in over the summer, signed a permanent deal and have been a fixture in the side, is that everything that you could have asked for?

“It is and it makes it even better coming to a place where I've settled so well. I've made some really good friends and I come into work every day and I love it. I love being part of the team and being part of the club.

"I couldn't have asked for it to go better in terms of that. I'm really enjoying it and hoping to keep improving in the team.”

You reached 14 clean sheets in midweek, did you have any targets for them at the start of the season?

“It's funny because me and my dad (Bromley boss Andy Woodman) always set goals at the start of the season, we have done since I was a kid. We said to get to 14. That was at the start of the season knowing what the club had done last season in terms of clean sheets.

"I've ticked that off now it's a case of 15, 16, 17 - I want to keep pushing. It was nice to call him after the game the other day and say we'd achieved him. The beauty of having him there is we set goals all the time, we've set another one now and hopefully we can achieve that.”

You play Watford at the weekend, what are you expecting?

“It'll be a tough game, a Championship game. A side that have got good quality. Every game you go into there are players that can create moments of brilliance. We're going to have to be at it like we have done in the last couple of games. We'll got there with a gameplan and we'll go there thinking that we can win and put up a fight. We're not going there to just roll over. I'm looking forward to it.

“It's actually my birthday on Saturday, so none of my family are going. It's mad, isn't it? Makes loads of sense! We'll hopefully go out for some food afterwards and celebrate my birthday with all the family.

"No one is actually going to the game, it's real sad, isn't it? One of my best friends is a Watford fan but he's away at the moment. I think some of my other friends will go, it's not far from home.

"I think my mum and my sister are going to my dad's game, he's playing at home, I think they have Notts County. It seems more important!”