Preston North End should be a Premier League club according to director Peter Ridsdale

It is of course the aim again this season to reach the promised land, the top flight in the world’s richest league.

North End are one of just five teams in the Championship never to have played in the Premier League, coming closest 17 years ago this week with a play-off final defeat to West Ham United.

There has been a lot of change at the club since Ryan Lowe was appointed manager in December 2021, all of it geared towards a tilt at promotion.

PNE flirted with the top six briefly last year but in the end were short of mounting a realistic challenge of reaching the post-season.

With a full pre-season, including a trip to Alicante for Lowe’s men, there is optimism about what could be achieved at Deepale this season.

With its storied history, club director Ridsdale feels it is only right that PNE find themselves in the top flight once again.

He said: “This football club should be in the Premier League, Preston North End football club is one of the great football clubs in football history, starting by winning the first ever league title.

"The fact that it's never been in the Premier League I think is concerning, worrying. If you're a supporter you're desperate to get there. Our ambition is to deliver on behalf of our supporters.

"I sat and had a similar conversation in a crumbling Ninian Park a number of years ago and everyone just sneered at me. It's been there twice, since I left as it happens, although I took them to a play-off final.

"If you do the right things, if you have the right elements there is absolutely no reason why this football club cannot get to the Premier League. Despite the fact we've got 23 other clubs saying the same thing too. That will continue to be our ambition until we achieve it.

"There are 50 teams that have been in the Premier League since it was formed in 1992.

"There are not many in the Championship that haven't been there, we would like to add to the list of new clubs that have been there.”