Football Season Review

Preston will be delighted at a magnificent season that saw them finish 11th. It was their first season back in the Championship so to finish top half is quite an achievement. They proved to be a difficult nut for plenty of the division's best sides to crack and their record of just 14 losses all season confirms that. They responded superbly to the blow of losing goalscorer Jermaine Beckford on the eve of the season and without him were weak in that department finding the net just 45 times and only 21 times at home. Early in the season it looked like it may be a battle just to stay up but they soon moved away from the drop zone and achieved their survival aim with ease. Simon Grayson also proved he can play with both a 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 system. Adam Reach had an excellent time of it on loan from Middlesbrough and Preston will be desperate to make it a permanent arrangement in the summer. They will probably be looking for a permanent No.1 keeper having used Jordan Pickford, Sam Johnstone and Anders Lindegaard, all on loan this term.

Player of the Season: Adam Reach