PNE are 12th in the Championship with one game left to play

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has described the club’s second half to the season as a ‘lesson’.

The Lilywhites go into their last game of the campaign - at home to Southampton - sitting in 12th spot. After beating Bristol City away from home, in early January, PNE were fourth but ended up sliding into the bottom half of the table. Assistant boss Stuart McCall reflected on that drop off in Friday’s pre-match press conference.

Heckingbottom’s side have picked up 10 more points than they managed last year and could yet add another three. While he will not be celebrating that, the PNE boss recognises it is progress. But, his main focus when asked about that on Saturday was the opportunity Preston had and, ultimately, let slip.

“Yeah, and it's also a lesson, isn't it?” said Heckingbottom. “(You’ve got) choices to make. You're fourth in January and we didn't kick on and try and get in the top. We just rolled with it, and I said all along that that's not what I wanted here... not what I'd accept here.

“I keep saying it's not all about money, but it'd certainly help. Why can't we keep these loan players, or compete to keep them? Because we don't want to be ripping this apart and then trying to do it all again on frees and loans in the summer.

“Because if we do, how can we expect anything different? I want us to improve again. Transfer windows are always difficult but we can make it easier for ourselves by trying to build something, rather than letting it get ripped apart.”