LEE Cartwright's mates from the Rossendale Valley are ready to help him keep his feet on the ground.

The right winger, Preston's longest serving player with 12 years behind him, has been with North End in their move up from the old Division Four -- and now could help them achieve the ultimate of the Premiership if they beat Bolton in the First Division play-off final at the Millennium Stadium on Monday.

But Lee's friends won't let his thoughts of being in the big time change him.

"I don't think a lot of my friends can believe it themselves," laughed the 28-year-old, who still lives in Rawtenstall.

"If we are out they say 'You could be in the top flight next season and you won't want to know us.'

"They take the mickey out of me and have a laugh. I don't mind as keeps your feet on the ground."

Lee played for Preston in their last play-off final back in 1993/4 when North End lost 4-2 to Wycombe in the Division Three battle.

"That was a good experience. This was the first chance I'd ever got to play at Wembley and it was in front of 40,000 fans.

"I wasn't used to that -- well I'm still not used to it really -- but although the result was a disappointment, it was a great experience to go and play there.

"It was great to play at Wembley and now it's Cardiff. I've seen the Millennium Stadium on television and it looks incredible.

"It is just going to be a proud day."

Lee's family will be making the trip although he is leaving recent addition twin girls at home.

"They would be too hard work," he laughed.

Lee has seen it all at North End -- seven managers, the move from the plastic pitch, and Preston's dramatic charge up the divisions which could culminate in two successive promotions -- and he is still slightly shell-shocked at what has happened this season.

"It hasn't sunk in, it won't, and I don't know when it will.

"We are 90 minutes from the Premiership, the ultimate in English football.

"It is a strange, strange feeling.

"I can't believe I'm representing Preston North End in a game which could take us into the top flight. Since I've been here we have always been in the lower divisions."

The former Fearns High School pupil continued: "It is a great experience to be there.

"Everyone's saying 'Can we do it?' and I don't see why not.

"It is a one-off game and there is 90 minutes between us and the Premiership."

Cartwright has started both the play-off semi-finals against Birmingham which ended in the dramatic penalty shoot-out -- and has played 22 of Preston's last 23 matches.

"The season has got better for me personally," said Lee, who admits to being 'the quiet one of the team.'

"The beginning was not too well, I was pushed into the middle of the park.

"But then I just seemed to increase in confidence and I started playing a lot better.

"I've been in both the play-off games so with a bit of luck I could start at Cardiff." WELL GROUNDED: Preston's Lee Cartwright will not let a North End success at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium go to his head

LEE Cartwright's mates from the Rossendale Valley are ready to help him keep his feet on the ground.

The right winger, Preston's longest serving player with 12 years behind him, has been with North End in their move up from the old Division Four -- and now could help them achieve the ultimate goal of the Premiership if they beat Bolton in the First Division play-off final at the Millennium Stadium on Monday.

But Lee's friends won't let his thoughts of being in the big time change him.

"I don't think a lot of my friends can believe it themselves," laughed the 28-year-old, who still lives in Rawtenstall.

"If we are out they say 'You could be in the top flight next season and you won't want to know us.'

"They take the mickey out of me and have a laugh. I don't mind as it keeps your feet on the ground."

Lee played for Preston in their last play-off final back in 1993/4 when North End lost 4-2 to Wycombe in the Division Three battle.

"That was a good experience. This was the first chance I'd ever got to play at Wembley and it was in front of 40,000 fans.

"I wasn't used to that -- well I'm still not used to it really -- but although the result was a disappointment, it was a great experience to go and play there.

"It was great to play at Wembley and now it's Cardiff. I've seen the Millennium Stadium on television and it looks incredible.

"It is just going to be a proud day."

Lee's family will be making the trip although he is leaving recent addition twin girls at home.

"They would be too hard work," he laughed.

Lee has seen it all at North End -- seven managers, the move from the plastic pitch, and Preston's dramatic charge up the divisions which could culminate in two successive promotions -- and he is still shell-shocked at what has happened this season.

"It hasn't sunk in, it won't, and I don't know when it will.

"We are 90 minutes from the Premiership, the ultimate in English football.

"It is a strange, strange feeling.

"I can't believe I'm representing Preston North End in a game which could take us into the top flight. Since I've been here we have always been in the lower divisions."

The former Fearns High School pupil continued: "It is a great experience to be there.

"Everyone's saying 'Can we do it?' and I don't see why not.

"It is a one-off game and there is 90 minutes between us and the Premiership."

Lee started both the play-off semi-finals against Birmingham which ended in the dramatic penalty shoot-out -- and has played 22 of Preston's last 23 matches.

"The season has got better for me personally," said Lee, who admits to being 'the quiet one of the team.'

"The beginning didn't go too well, I was pushed into the middle of the park.

"But then I just seemed to increase in confidence and I started playing a lot better.

"I've been in both the play-off games so with a bit of luck I could start at Cardiff."