Ahead of Saturday's meeting at Loftus Road, LFW caught up with Preston fan Robert Cookson for his thoughts on PNE's life after promotion from League One.

What were the key factors in Preston's successful season last year?

RC: The key factor in the promotion last season was finding the correct combination in midfield early in the campaign. We always had goals in us with Joe Garner in the team but the addition of players like Daniel Johnson and Jamaine Beckford gave us the fire power to put teams to bed.

Assess your start to the season. What did you expect and how has it gone?

RC: Fifteen games into the season I'm happy with our position — sixteenth and climbing. We're starting to look like a difficult team to beat — we've gone five games unbeaten and le[t five clean sheets. After making the step up I think we have to be happy with that.

All the League One promoted teams seem to be finding it tough in the Championship this time, why is that?

RC: The beginning of this season was a eye-opener and the step up in quality was very evident. The big difference is strikers who scored 20+ goals last season in League One have yet to score at the higher level. The top strikers in this division put chances away.

Opinion on Simon Grayson and the job he's done?

RC: Simon Grayson, as a League One manager, has a record that is second to none. He's had four appointments in that division and been promoted with all four of them - Blackpool, Huddersfield, Leeds and now Preston. His record in the championship isn't as good but hopefully he can change that with us.

Stand out performers and weak links in the side?

RC: Stand out performers so far this season have to be Daniel Johnson and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford who's on loan from Sunderland. Weak links in the side, at the moment, have to be the strikers as we're just not scoring enough goals — just 11 in 15 matches so far.

Is Will Keane any good? Had a difficult time at QPR.

RC: I've seen nothing yet to convince me that he's going to set the place on fire. Maybe with a run of games in a settled side he might be able to show his quality but I don't think that will happen with us .

Short, medium and long term aims for the club?

RC: Short term goals for the club have got to be just stay up this season then going forward we need to be looking at improving the squad and ultimately pushing for promotion again. I don't think anybody is under any illusions about how tough this league is and for a club our size trying to compete with teams coming down from the Premier League with parachute payments it doesn't feel like a level playing field.

The Twitter @loftforwords, @RobertCookson

Pictures — Action Images

Photo: Action Images

TacticalR added 22:18 - Nov 6 Thanks to Robert. I always had a positive impression of Simon Grayson, although his Leeds team was prone to some strange collapses towards the end of his time there. Will Keane never impressed at QPR - he seemed very unimposing for a striker.
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