STOREY CRAVES PERFECT ENDING
THERE’S always a side that comes with a late play-off surge - and Jordan Storey believes Preston can be that team in the Championship.
The young centre-back has become a mainstay at the heart of Alex Neil’s defence as their results have picked up of late. Heading into yesterday’s game against Nottingham Forest, the Lilywhites had won four of their last five, including the impressive 3-1 midweek win against title-chasing Norwich.
It put them 13th, eight points off the top six, but with momentum on their side. And the 21-year-old has backed Preston to keep up the pace.
“You’ve just got to look at the league to see how tight it is,” he said. “We’ve still got a great chance of reaching the play-offs.
“There are still about five teams who can win the league, so it just goes to show that anyone can beat anyone - but we believe in ourselves.
“Having the majority of the players back fit makes a difference. We’ve struggled throughout the season with injuries and it’s cost us a few games.
Benefit
“Getting the team back fit and playing consistently together is going to benefit us. I think that as long as everyone stays fit we should finish the season well.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but with the form we’ve been in lately you can’t really write us off. With everyone back fit now we’ve got a real chance, so why not?”
Since breaking into the first team over the Christmas period, Storey has forged an ever-improving partnership alongside 23-year-old Ben Davies, with the pair ably flanked by 24-year-old Darnell Fisher and 26-year-old Andrew Hughes.
It’s a vote of confidence that, according to Storey, has allowed the talented quartet to let loose and play without fear of retribution, buffered by the support of Declan Rudd between the sticks.
“The manager having the belief to throw me in and keep me in is a great confidence boost,” he continued.
“Also having a good partnership with Ben Davies as well - we’ve warmed to each other and I think we know each other’s game well.
“He (Rudd) has been great. He’s a great talker and he showed his class against Norwich especially – he pulled off some great saves. It’s always great to have someone like him behind you.”
Remarkable
It’s been a remarkable rise for one of the Championship’s most talented prospects, with Storey returning to previous club Exeter from a loan spell at Dorchester Town in October 2017.
The Yeovil native really made his mark in the closing few months of last season, including playing at Wembley in the 3-1 League Two play-off final defeat against Coventry.
It earned him his move to Preston last summer, signing a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
But there were times as Storey waited patiently to make his Exeter bow while spending short-term stints at the likes of Tiverton Town and Bideford that he never thought he would make the grade.
“I’d do well in dribs and drabs but wondered whether I’d ever get a chance,” he admitted. “There were plenty of times where I wanted to give up and thought that I was never going to make it but it just goes to show that you’ve always got to believe in yourself and keep the faith because you never know who’s watching.
“When you do get your chance you’ve just got to grab it with both hands and take it, because it could be your last.”