Preston North End

League Position: 3rd (2013/14: 5th)

Average league attendance: 10,852 (2013/14: 10,007)

Top league goalscorer: Joe Garner (25)

Preston North End can look forward to life back in the Championship after a four year absence. The Lilywhites finally put their prior woeful Play-Off record to bed in style, beating Swindon Town at Wembley Stadium 4-0.

It was their first success in the Play-Offs after ten attempts. Striker Joe Garner scoring 25 goals in 36 appearances. His tally was supplemented by loan signing Jermaine Beckford, whose hat trick at Wembley added to 12 scored in the league. He has now agreed to a permanent switch from Bolton Wanderers.

Mid-way through the campaign Preston were in fourth place, having won 13 matches from 23 played, seven of which were obtained in successive games in September and October. After beating Norwich City in the FA Cup at Deepdale, they wobbled, going seven games without a win, but nine league wins out of ten matches put Preston two points clear in second place.

Despite going unbeaten in the league since January, they missed out on automatic promotion to Milton Keynes Dons due to the Buckinghamshire’s side superb run of form. With such a poor Play-Off record, most Preston fans went into the knock-off competition with trepidation.

However, they brushed aside Chesterfield, winning both legs to progress 4-0 on aggregate. Their Play-Off Final opponents were Swindon Town, who Preston had beaten 3-0 at Deepdale in their final home league match of the season.

It was a one sided contest, Swindon conceded three goals before half time and Preston wrapped up the contest with a fourth from Beckford, who completed a hat trick, only the xx in Wembley Stadium’s history.

The Play-Offs may be beyond Preston in 2015/16 but a top half finish is certainly attainable.