PROMOTION contenders Preston will live like Premiership footballers over the next month as the club have chartered a private jet to ensure they are in the best condition for their push for the top flight.

Tonight's match in Southampton is one of three on the south coast in the space of three weeks, the others being Plymouth and Brighton.

Chairman Derek Shaw is determined to give Billy Davies' squad the best chance of securing promotion, and if that means splashing out on expensive flights then so be it.

"We think it will be money well spent," Shaw said ahead of the squad flying down this morning.

"We probably wouldn't have done it had we been down in 17th in the league but we are high in the table and things are looking very positive.

"We want to give the manager and the team every help we can to keep us in those play-off places.

"There are an awful lot of long-haul trips this season. Billy feels that flying down to the south coast puts less strain on the players. We want to do the best we can to support the manager."

Callum Davidson is in contention after missing the last two matches with a thigh problem.