'I thought I was going to be dropped': Preston midfielder Alan Browne's honest assessment of his season so far

While the Irishman has scored four goals this term and started 14 of North End’s 16 league games, Browne thinks there is plenty of room for improvement.

“To be fair, I’m not fully happy with my form so far this season,” Browne told the Post.

“I think I can do better and there have one or two games this season where I thought I might be dropped.

“But the gaffer has stuck by me and I will always try and do a good job for him.

“I haven’t been letting us down but considering how well I did last season, I need to kick on and be better this year.

“I don’t think I have done that yet and I’m working hard to get back to my best.

“Maybe I’m being harsh on myself but as a player I’ve got to look all the time at trying to get better.

“I’ve got four goals which I’m quite pleased with, that is something I’m always looking to add to my game.

“It is my form overall though, that I see as being more important.”

Browne has played 179 times for North End since his arrival from Cork in January 2014.

He really came to the fore last season, with PNE boss Alex Neil moving him into a more advanced No.10 role.

That saw him score nine goals last term, the 45-yard finish against Cardiff in the running for the goal of the year prize at the North West Football Awards next week.

On Saturday, North End make the trip to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City.

They head there on the back of a six-game unbeaten run, although four of those have been draws.

Browne said: “We will go there looking for three points, like we do with every game we play.

“We need to be solid and this season when we’ve been solid, we have tended to pick up points.

“Probably the exception to that was Brentford when we won 4-3.

“In the last couple of games we have been solid and if we just had a bit more cutting edge, we could have won both of them.”

Browne will catch-up after the game with his former PNE team-mates Josh Brownhill and Bailey Wright.

Although Wright is out with a long-term thigh injury, Brownhill will go toe-to-toe with Browne in midfield.

Said Browne: “It is always good to see familiar faces but any catching-up and chat will be done after the game as we have a job to do first.

“Bailey and Josh played a huge part in me settling-in at Preston when I came over.

“They are great lads but on Saturday what I’ll be aiming for is three points.”