The Lillywhites find themselves in the crowded mid-ground of the 24 team table where they are just nine points above the relegation zone and only eight points away from the play-off places.
What will the next three seasons look like for North End? Who will they sign and where will they be at the star of the 2024/25 campaign? Just for fun we simulated the next three years in Football Manager 22 to take a look.
The football management simulation game has been wildly popular since it’s initial release in 1992 and is now played by football fans and professional players alike.
‘FM’ is also used as a player database by football clubs due to their worldwide scouting network of around 1,300 scouts which developers use to ensure full accuracy across the game.
The full version of Football Manager 22 was released on November 9th.
In our simulation, there’s been little to shout about for Preston who have maintained their posistion in the Championship without ever really getting close to promotion.
They ended the 2021/22 season in 16th place, moved up two places to 14th in the 2022/23 campaign before dropping back down to 16th again at the end of 2023/24.
However, they have assembled a strong squad for the 2024/25 season and brought back one of English Football’s greatest managers to his first club to help them progress.
Here is how our simulation had Preston North End lining up for the opening game of the 2024/25 season:
1. GK - Fraser Forster
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2021/22 season but came straight back up with Forester playing 24 Championship games. The England international didn't feature in any competition in 2023/24 and was snapped up by Preston on a free for the 2024/25 campaign Photo: Pool
2. RB - Sam Byram
Norwich were also relegated at the end of 2021/22 and Byram was transfer listed in January 2023. Preston snapped him up for jut £82,000 and he has been first choice right back at Deepdale for a season and a half Photo: Marc Atkins
3. CB - Jack Tucker
Preston paid Gillingham £875,000 for the centre back in the summer of 2022 and he played in all but one Championship fixture that season. Injuries hampered his 2023/24 season but he's back fully fit for the latest campaign Photo: Justin Setterfield
4. CB - Jack Simpson
After a successful loan spell from Rangers in 2022/23, Preston paid £300,000 to sign the former Bournemouth centre back permanently but he only played in just over half of their league matches that season. Photo: Pool