It was a fantastic three or four days I can tell you the training facility was excellent, the time we spent on the training ground with the privacy and everything that we had and just the whole team getting together was a wonderful four days and it was great to get some sun on my back obviously. And it was also nice to hear that the rain was pouring down in Preston which made it even better.

Well I think it was, when we looked at the situation with regards to tickets and things, the fight for tickets it was going to be difficult, so rather than being down at our normal training ground I just thought it was a very good idea to take them away they’ve certainly earned it for sure there’s no doubt about it and I think as part of our preparation I think it was a good place to go especially with the type of training that we had.

Well I think we got about it in the same way to be honest with you but we know ourselves that we know find ourselves 90minutes away from premiership football and we’ve got there because we deserve to be there there’s no doubt about it.

We’ve proved already this year that we can match and beat a lot of big clubs in this division that will mean nothing with regards to going into this game, but at the same time too we’re there because we deserve to be there and we will now go into that game with confidence that we can go and hopefully go all the way.

Well I don’t think there’s any advantage in one off games I think obviously that West Ham without a shadow of a doubt are obviously the bigger club there a club that only recently have been playing Premiership football so we know the situation. Irrespective of whether it was Liverpool or a fourth division club or whoever we had to play against we respect all opponents we’ll respect West Ham we will certainly not fear them and we’ll certainly go into the game with confidence that we can hopefully on the day play the best we can play again there’s no doubt about it that we’ve been over achieving all season with regards to the changes we’ve made hopefully we can now can on and continue to do that.

I don’t they’ve got a main strength I think they’ve got they’ve got a group of very strong players and they’ve also got a very good squad there so we certainly won’t be focused on any one person or one player they’ve got very experienced players there no doubt about it. The most important thing is our preparation has got to be right to make sure that we’re doing exactly what we’re doing. I don’t think we should sit back and look at any individual players of West Ham. They have got good players there’s a lot of good guys through that team but at the same time too we’ve got good players and all we can do is encourage our players to hopefully do what they have to do on the day.

Not that I’m aware of definitely not I think that to be focused on Preston North End and be focused on getting our players to play to the best of their ability. We’ve been very evenly matched both teams are in the play off final because they deserve to be there because of the results that they’ve got as I told you before all season we’ve been resetting our targets as I said before. Our first target was 53points  and then we moved on to a top half finish we then moved on to a play-off place and now we find ourselves in the final and we’re now resetting our target again which is to go and win the game.

Well I think throughout the side we’ve got good strengths and depth in the squad we’ve got good experience in the right places. We’ve got players who have played in these type of games before, we’ve got good youth in there and guys who must be looking forward to the occasion and I think from back to front there’s a lot of different strengths in that team that could be very, very beneficial to us on the day.

Well Graham Alexander’s certainly on track to be part of the squad for the final, Callum’s still touch and go at the moment we’ll be racing against time with Callum but we’re still keeping our fingers crossed that we can get him there He’s working very hard with the medical people but that ones going to be tricky and I think we might just be against time on that one.

Sometimes needs must but you know sometimes and I said that to our squad prior to the Derby game that I always felt that Derby County would go and take chances if they needed to take chances we will be in the same situation if it’s a case of needs must then sometimes you have to do it but at this moment in time we’re looking very healthy with regards to the squad and what we’ve got.

We’ve Callum Davidson who’s racing against time and once we get closer to the final we will then look at the situation, look at his fitness and then make decisions from there.

No first time, no. Not with regards to the financial gains I mean obviously I think it’s one of the most important games it the country with regards to what’s at stake, but both clubs know what’s at stake and as I said before that to get there will be a wonderful achievement but you know it’s a game of football we’ve just got to go and approach it as a game of football. We know the importance of it as I said before we’re there and we’re there on merit and we’ve now got to go in there with the confidence and belief that we can go one step further and go all the way.

No I don’t think so I think that we’ve got good experience in the squad obviously we’re very excited and looking forward to the game.

It’s like everything else when you get to this type of games then it can be very exciting for everybody concerned. We’ve just got to go in there and enjoy it. My message to the players and to everyone at the club is enjoy the occasion because we’re delighted to be here and we’re looking forward to it very much and as I say there’s no other way you can approach it except going in there, doing what we have been doing all season, continue to play the game we have been playing and hopefully  on the day get those one or two breaks that you need as you saw last night with the  Liverpool game and even like the game up in Scotland the Rangers and Celtic things you need those little breaks that go for and against you when you get to these stages and that’s all we can hope for that on the day we get our players playing the way we can and we get one or two breaks to go and take us through.

I do think they can I think everything gets taken on it’s own merit I think the squad now look forward to the West Ham game and we’ve got players in there that can play international football we’ve got players who have played in these playoff games before so we have got good experience and we’ve also got one or two younger guys who are coming in and it will be their first experience. So I think as a team we’ll be together we’ve been together all season again we’ll go to Cardiff and we’ll be together again and irrespective of whether it’s the most senior guy or the youngest guy in the team we will go into this and we’ll make sure we’re very much together in everything we’re trying to achieve.

Plenty of advice from plenty of people spoke to a lot of guys I’m just ready to phone that former manager here that David Moyes guy and get some stick off him in the next couple of days. But I’ve spoke to many people as you can imagine and it’s always nice to hear their thoughts and get their views on the situation.

Just little things, just they’re past experiences travelling to the ground and once you get to the ground the situation and the preparation all these little different things that you deal with prior to a game like this and we’ve all got our own little opinions as far as I’m concerned I’ll listen to what the guys have got to say  I’m very, very happy to speak with them and very happy to seek advice but the most important thing is that you do what you do and I’ve got to go on continue to do what I’ve been doing and continue to believe in the things that I believe and the things that I’ve tried to put in place and that’s the most important thing. But there’s always room to I think listen to people and I’m certainly very keen on phoning people up and seeking advice.

Not really, there’s not been really too many things about not, I don’t think there’s any prescription to football or anything that you do I mean how can you possibly legislate for that last night its just football and that’s the game we’re in you never can tell, you can prepare properly and you can do all the right things, setup your team and do wonderful things but on the day you just need that little break to go and take you there and that’s what we’ll be trying to do. Our preparation has been excellent so far between now and the weekend we’ll prepare again the way we have been doing all those months  and we’ll  continue to do what we have been doing there’s not going to be a great deal of change I certainly believe I got the players to go and win the game and that will be my main focus which is to encourage these players to go and do what they can on the day play the way they can play on the day and you never know what can happen.

I’m not a great believer in it to be honest I think it’s an individual thing some people fell comfortable practicing penalties like  Graham Alexander practices penalty kicks everyday irrespective of who we play or the situation other guys like to stay away from it and I’ll very much leave it on their own shoulders to see how they feel I certainly won’t be putting any emphasis on them practicing their penalties, if they want to do it then fine on the day  it will be all about confidence, all about the players who feel confident and we’ll let them do their own thing.

No definitely not they’re already picked, yeah very much so. well I’ve picked it because I think I know who the calm heads are the ones with the courage who will stand up there .I’ll be encouraging all of them as it may be needed but at the same time I won’t be putting any pressure on them.

To put the ball in the back of the net and continue to do it throughout the 95 minute game. Enjoy it it’s a wonderful achievement for him and I think he’s bought about 196 tickets for the game so you can imagine what he’s like, he’s got a great following behind him and it’s a great experience for this young lad to go there, go and enjoy yourself hopefully it’ll be the first of many great things in his career. And the most important thing is play the way you normally play irrespective of your surroundings and what’s there, just go out and enjoy his game that’s what my message will be to him and everybody else. Not at all absolutely not, these are the games you want to play in, this is what footballs all about, this is where you want to go as a player, as a coach as a manager, you want to try and achieve as much as you possibly can and as I said we’re very proud to be in the final we’re very proud to be 90 minutes away from premiership football the most important thing now for the players is to enjoy the whole day, the whole occasion. Don’t stand and admire it and don’t stand and admire the surroundings. Go out and do the job and work as hard as I can and hopefully on the day we’ll do what we’re good at.

Yes, well I think it’s get away there and get the son on our back it was excellent weather as I said before it was an excellent facility and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent, particularly the late afternoon sessions that we’ve done about 4’o’clock I think that was obviously very beneficial to us it’s all about doing the things you think are right and I genuinely feel that it was a wonderful 4 days both from a working point of view but from a spirit and team bonding point of view.

Funny enough as soon as we both made the final Alan and I were on the phone to each other and we basically wished each other all the best and I know Granty very well, Peter Grant at West Ham so that’s football throughout the year you jump about like lunatics sometimes on that touchline but at the end of the day you know the situation the guys are trying to do the best they can to get the job done and we’re the same and sometimes you get a little bit hot headed on that touchline sometimes you can be passionate but we don’t bear grudges in this game we know the situation and we’ll shake each others hands after the game and we move on. As far as I’m concerned it’s a great occasion for both sets of teams and obviously both sets of fans.

It was actually a phone call and a fax that went opposite ways if you like. He sent a fax I made a call.

It’s already washed and ready to go again and it will not be coming off, Irrespective of how it’s come off it’ll be worn anyway it can have as many stains as you like on it, it wouldn’t matter. I’m not rubbing any Buddha’s I can tell you.