Preston North End right-back Darnell Fisher on Sheffield Wednesday's visit to Deepdale and his contract latest

The Lilywhites won 1-0 in August 2017, that being the opening day of the 2017/18 campaign.

Fisher had been the first signing under Alex Neil’s watch, with the right-back bought for a nominal fee from Rotherham United.

“I remember that game well with it being my debut, Daniel Johnson scored with a penalty,” said Fisher who now has 108 PNE appearances under his belt.

“Something similar would be nice on Saturday to get us going at home.

“DJ scored a great goal during the week for Jamaica and I was saying to the boys over breakfast before training that I haven’t seen him have a shot from outside the box since I’ve been here.

“I’ve heard he used to shoot from outside the box before I came to Preston, so I’ll be having a word with him about that.”

Now in his fourth season at Deepdale, there is a possibility it could be Fisher’s last with him out of contract in June 2021.

The 26-year-old doesn’t seem to get talked about in the same manner Ben Pearson, Ben Davies, Alan Browne and Johnson do – all players in the same boat contract wise –but he still a key cog in the North End works.

On the subject of a new deal, Fisher said: “I’ve not really considered it, I haven’t had a conversation with the club yet.

“If there was a conversation then yes, I will see what happens.

“I’m quite long-serving now, been here a while, but there are quite a few of the other boys who have been at the club longer.”

This season has been a ‘stop-start’ one to use Fisher’s own words, with injury restricting him to five appearances.

A calf strain sustained in the shortened pre-season kept him out of some of the friendlies and the opening game of the Championship campaign.

Then within days of him scoring his first goal in PNE colours in the 2-2 draw at Norwich City in September, he pulled his hamstring in training.

Fisher has played the last three games but had to struggle through some of the defeat to his former club Rotherham after taking a blow in the ribs.

Thankfully the bruising he suffered has cleared-up during the international break.

“It’s been stop-start for me this season having had some niggles,” said Fisher.

“I got back fit for the Derby and Norwich games, scored my goal, then got injured again.

“Hopefully I can get a run of games now.

“My first injury came in pre-season. We did a week of hard work and at the end of it we did one of the hardest runs we do over a pre-season.

“I got injured right at the end of that, I’d got through most of that first spell.

“Since the season started it has been a busy schedule which is difficult when you’ve been out.

“We are starting another busy run, with a lot of games between now and January.

“When you’ve got that schedule you’ve got to quickly move your focus on to the next game.

“You’ll have the debrief from the previous game on the Sunday or Monday, then you are preparing for who you play on the Tuesday or Wednesday.

“In between it is so important that you recover correctly, eat the right things, do the ice baths and the massages.”

Saying all that, you would have thought Fisher will have been glad to have had a bit of time off during the international break.

However, that wasn’t quite the case.

Fisher said: “Normally I’d be buzzing during an international break when we get some time off.

“During lockdown though, there is nothing to do on a day off.

“You just sit at home and put your feet up, watch a game on the TV.

“So it’s been good to come into training, see the lads and work. We got last weekend off but it’s been a normal week.”

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking here