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:
9. CAM - George Honeyman
Stoke City paid £1 million to Hull City in the summer of 2022 to sign Honeyman who chalked up an impressive nine assists that season. His second season was less consistent and Preston acquired his services in the summer of 2024 for £1.3 million Photo: Ashley Allen
10. LW - Kyle Edwards
After three impressive seasons with Ipswich Town, who won promotion back to the Championship at the end of the 2021/22 season, the former West Brom winger moved to Deepdale on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 Photo: Ashley Allen
11. ST - Adam Idah
Idah scored four Premier League goals in 19 games as Norwich City were relegated at the end of 2021/22. He was allowed to leave to join Preston for just £425,000 and he scored eight goals in 19 games in the 2022/23 season. The following season saw him net 13 in 39 games and he leads the line going into the latest campaign Photo: Marc Atkins
12. Substitutes
Current PNE players Ali McCann and Ryan Ledson are joined on the bench by the likes of Sheffield Wednesday defender Chey Dunkley (pictured), West Brom striker Jordan Hugill and Rangers midfielder Stephen Kelly Photo: George Wood