Former Preston North End striker Neil Mellor predicts a thrilling Championship play-off chase when football resumes

The Lilywhites are in sixth place in the table, having held on to that position despite three successive defeats prior to the shutdown.

Seven clubs are bunched up behind them, as far down as Queens Park Rangers in 13th place.

QPR beat PNE at Deepdale on March 7, that the last slice of action for Alex Neil’s men before the season was halted.

Mellor has been a regular visitor to Preston this season as a Sky Sports commentator.

He was in the last PNE side to reach the play-offs at this level, that being in 2009 when they made the top six on the back of winning the last four games of the season.

Mellor told the Lancashire Post: “With nine games left Preston are in sixth place and are genuine contenders for the play-offs.

“With the budget they have got compared to a lot of the other Championship clubs, I think the point has to be made how well they are doing to be challenging.

“Credit to the manager and players for getting up there and being right in the mix.

“There is a good group of players at Deepdale, some really talented young players who are maturing and improving all the time which is great to see.

"Preston don’t rely on a 20 goal a season man, it’s more of a team understanding and contribution.

“I’ve enjoyed watching Preston this season and the chase for the play-offs will be exciting when football comes back.

“There are teams below Preston who are in with a good chance, right down to QPR in 13th place who are only six points away.

“I remember back to when I was playing and Preston got into the play-offs.

“We made up a lot of ground in the last few games, overtook a few clubs by finding some good form at the right time.

“This season it could all go down to that last game at Bristol City, who are just behind Preston.”

Mellor knows that a great deal of patience will have to be shown before football can come back and resume some sort of normality.

He has been keeping himself busy helping his two children do their schoolwork at home.

Said Mellor: “This is a difficult time for everyone and health is the only priority.

“I’ve got two children aged 13 and 10 and I’ve got stuck in with the home schooling.

“With my lad I’ve tried to give a football theme to a few of the subjects. We’ve had a look at where teams are based in the world, tied in a bit of geography and history, it’s been interesting to do that.

“The education side of things I’ve enjoyed and it is good to have something to concentrate on.”