Former PNE striker writes for the Lancashire Post

It’s about time I stopped saying I was part of the last Preston North End side to reach the Championship play-offs. Well, with 15 games to go, the Lilywhites are in with a chance.

Ultimately, every team in the league wants to be in with a chance of achieving something each season. But, Preston haven’t been in and around it for too long and they now find themselves in a really good position: seventh place, outside of the play-offs on goal difference. This is it... this is it now. This is where the players need to stand up, the fans have to get behind them and it could well be a really memorable season for North End.

The Champonship is an absolutely brilliant league and North End, for me, have done very well at not having bad runs. They had one recently and the Ipswich result was needed. A win against Portsmouth was good; the performance was not. But, you have to get out of those bad runs and then put one together between now and the end of the season. It starts with the next game: Watford.

North End need to be looking at a couple of wins in the next three games, just to let all those teams around them know that they are in the play-off mix - and are there to stay. Just looking back to that season where we did make the top six under Alan Irvine, the one thing which stands out to me is the belief within the squad. We were a good team and that dressing room genuinely thought it could get in the play-offs.

We knew we could beat, pretty much, any side on our day. When you looked around the dressing room... I looked at Paul McKenna, Sedgy, Parky, Browny, Lonners, Ledge and you had winners there. I had players who I wanted to be out there fighting for and the manager was brilliant. His preparation was superb back then. I have seen the current North End squad and there is a lot of quality.

I like the manager and Preston have got a good chance. They are not the favourites and with the number of big teams in the Championship, they will continue to go under the radar. But, North End are in with a shout. That was the same with us - everyone fancied Cardiff and different teams. I really hope that group of players in there believes they can make it a special season, because there is a lot of talent in that dressing room.

I was at the game last weekend and always take an interest in the strikers at Preston. We saw Milos Lukovic in action for the first time since his loan move from Strasbourg. The Championship is difficult. Ultimately, it was a risky signing because he does not know the league and will have to settle quickly. I think the signing of Callum Lang is a good signing, because he knows the league and is at an age where he can be effective straight away.

With Lukovic, I don’t know how good he is; I really don’t. I hope he can be good and score some important goals, but he doesn’t know the league and that becomes a risk. I look at Daniel Jebbison and I really like him, but he needs a goal. He hasn’t scored in his last nine games but if he becomes an important player between now and then end of the season, he could make the difference.

I don’t know what is going on with Milutin Osmajic and whether the manager trusts him after what has gone on this season. But, these are players who have to contribute. I like Lewis Dobbin and I like Alfie Devine. Those players will contribute from midfield but you need your front players to contribute as well. Whether it is Lukovic, Jebbison, maybe Smith or Osmajic, somebody is going to have to step up and score important goals.

The reason I like the Lang signing is that it’s here and now. You are not waiting for him to develop. He is in his prime and comes to North End knowing the league, knowing the area and here we go... this is not a case of waiting for him to settle in. I think he will be an important player for North End between now and the end of the season. Keeping him fit, of course, is going to be key.

Obviously, the manager took it easy by not involving him against Portsmouth but 15 games to go, he’s been signed for now. Going back to Lukovic, he is one who could be great. He could score five or six goals yet but the first game was difficult for him and the Championship is. So, there is not as much expectation on Lukovic but I am looking at Lang and thinking, ‘Right, here we go... you know this level. Go and show everybody why North End have bought you’.

On Osmajic, he has let himself and the club down. There are only so many times you can do that. Ultimately, he is a good player, a very good player, but if you want to succeed in a dressing room you’ve got to look around and believe, and trust, your team mates. He has let them down and it’s not the first time, so that’s the battle he’s got and his manager will have to make his own mind up on that one.

For me, if you want to succeed you need a dressing room with everyone together where I know I can trust you out there whatever happens.. We might lose, but we will give it everything we’ve got. Unfortunately, for him, I’m not sure if he’ll have lost some trust from his team mates because of what’s happened on more than one occasion.

I have to say, I think Preston are missing Harrison Armstrong, massively. I know it is great for him that he is going to develop his career, because he is going to become an established Premier League player. I really enjoyed watching him at North End but Preston will miss him. But, the players and fans cannot think of that; be grateful for what they saw at the start of the season.

Now, it is up to the players who are at the club to get Preston into the play-offs - which would be a really successful end to the season. Also, there are big players coming back. Daniel Iversen is the best goalkeeper in the Championship and will be back soon. The pitch doesn’t help either, it isn’t great. I can’t imagine there will be many pretty games between now and the end. I think there will be a few hard fought wins at Deepdale to get three points, because of the pitch - and that is something North End will have to sort out in the future.

Your next PNE read: Preston North End predicted XI vs Watford as attacking options bolstered