The one key reason Preston North End WILL continue fighting for a Championship play-off place
There is one key reason why Preston North End can continue their push for a Championship play-off place.
Former Accrington Stanley assistant manager Jimmy Bell believes the ‘fighting spirit’ shown by PNE will keep Paul Heckingbottom’s men will remain in the hunt for a Championship play-off place this season.
Despite being held to a home draw by Watford on Saturday, North End are sitting level on points with Derby County, who currently occupy the fourth and final play-off spot. However, only an inferior goal difference is keeping Heckingbottom’s side out of the top six as they now turn their attention towards Friday night’s short trip to Blackburn Rovers.
Challenging for a play-off spot is a major turnaround in fortunes form last season when North End only preserved their Championship status in the final week of the season - and Bell has stressed the key reason behind the improvement during the current campaign has been the spirit shown within their squad.
He told BBC Lancashire Sport: “I’ve been a big fan of theirs this season and the way they have conducted themselves with Paul Heckingbottom, after last season, and I’ve said this time and time again this season, has been fantastic. The fighting spirit of the club, of the team, of the management, is unbelievable. They’ve had two wins in their last eleven and to be in and around the play-offs, very close, epitomises what I think that club is this season. They are fighters and they are going to fight with everything they’ve got to get in those play-offs this season. They’ve ground some unbelievable home wins out.”
Challenge
A push for the automatic promotion places appears to be out of reach for Preston as they are sitting 11 points behind second placed Coventry City and a further two points behind current leaders Middlesbrough. Millwall, Ipswich Town and Hull City all appear to have a tight grip on play-off spots at least and North End and Derby are just two of 11 clubs that will feel they also remain in the mix for a top six place.
Bell explained: “You’d say Ipswich are going to challenge. Coventry are having a wobble aren’t they? They’re in second, five points ahead of Ipswich, who have got a game in hand. Then you’ve got Hull, then you’ve got Wrexham, Preston and they’re stacking up. They really are stacking. If they (North End) get back in then, I think they will go on a little bit of a run, a mini run, and they’ll try and get enough points to get away from that chasing pack, who are gathering momentum aren’t they?”
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