North End should aim for promotion - Dobbin
'When you're a loan player, one of the most important things is knowing you're wanted' - Dobbin
- Published
Preston North End's Lewis Dobbin says the squad can aspire for Championship promotion this season, using their performance against Middlesbrough as the benchmark.
North End have lost just one game from their opening six and sit fifth in the table with 11 points, five points behind leaders Boro. Their highest finish since returning to the Championship in 2015-16 was seventh in 2017-18.
Rob Edward's Boro earned a late equaliser at Deepdale earlier this month in a game the hosts felt they should have won.
"When we played Middlesbrough we were unlucky not to win that game and obviously they're top of the league, so I don't see why we can't be up there come the end of the season," Dobbin told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"We're in fifth because we've earned it, we're there on merit. The games we've won, we've had good performances and we've probably outplayed teams."
The forward, who is on loan from Premier League side Aston Villa, has made an impact in recent weeks, making three appearances in the last three fixtures and getting a goal and an assist.
Dobbin suffered a calf injury in March while on loan at Norwich City which ruled him out for the rest of the 2024-25 season, but was able to secure his loan move to Preston North End after interest from multiple clubs.
"You want to be out there showing everyone what you can do because I feel like I'm making up for a bit of lost time," he added.
"[The loan] is good for me because I don't want to be sat on the bench getting five or 10 minutes. I want to be playing, I want to be an important player, I want to get as many games under my belt as possible."
North End will face similarly high-flying Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 BST) at Deepdale, hoping to leapfrog the Robins who sit third in the league, also on 11 points.
"There's not one fixture that you look at and think we shouldn't be getting three points," he said. "I think that's the mentality. If we want to do well this year that's got to be the mentality throughout the whole club."
Listen to the full interview with Lewis Dobbin and more North End on Sounds.
