Brett Ormerod pinpoints most impressive thing about Preston North End this season

It’s been a fantastic start to the season for Preston North End. What I’ve been so impressed with is the togetherness and work rate among the squad - there are no passengers and everyone knows their job. There is maximum effort being put in by everyone and they’re well drilled as a team. All of that really can take you far, along with organisation and team spirit.

It can be a massive thing and Preston seem to have that bit between their teeth. The confidence is up, which I think is a big thing early doors. They were always good away from home last season, but they seem to have found a way at home now. And if they can make Deepdale a fortress again, like a couple of years ago - while keeping the away form going - they will be right up there.

At Stoke, I think it was 77 minutes before the home side had a shot on target - where Freddie Woodman really had to make a save. That is against a team with a hell of a lot more cash spent on it than Preston. But, they threw bodies on the line. The second goal especially was great. It’s a great ball from Brad Potts and I’ve been really impressed with Duane Holmes in the two games I’ve seen.

He can go inside and out, with a low sense of gravity and that’s just a nightmare for defenders. He had a hand in both of Will Keane’s goals; the number seven is looking like a really good signing for Preston and he deserved his brace. Holmes coming on to the pitch helped him I think, in the second half. He brought that pace and got up there, alongside him.

He was sometimes isolated in the first half, which can happen away from home. It is important that those balls into him are good, so that he can get hold of the ball and players can then support around him. If you are ever under the cosh, that job becomes very important and Keane works his socks off.

You are always learning in football and Ryan Lowe is still a pretty young manager in terms of the average age. The Championship is such a 100 miles an hour league; so full on. You sink or swim and the difference from League One to the Championship is a big gap. The ones who come up tend to struggle to stay up, so I think you are learning all the time as a manager and coach - but I’m sure they are as a group as well. He seems to have put together a really good squad now and it does take time, which is the important thing.

I don’t think managers are always given that time, but the ones who are trusted often have a good run and tend to turn things around. He came from a League One club to a Championship club and had to get his own players in, so there are a whole load of things which go into management apart from standing on the touchline.

In the Championship, 13 points from 15 is good at any time of the season. Any team with that kind of form is fantastic, because it’s so hard to put that kind of run together. And especially at the start of the season, it just gives everyone a really good platform and that confidence to kick on. I think there is a good feeling around the club right now, with players to come back from injury and Preston having a good transfer window as well. They’ve had that fantastic start and as I say, they are all in it together and there seems a real team spirit - which can’t half work in your favour.