Yorkshiremen Neil Warnock, Peter Ridsdale and Simon Grayson are all out to gain the upper hand at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday.
Sheffield-born Warnock, 68, is demanding a win for his Bluebirds.He has a burning desire to achieve an eighth career promotion – and would love it if Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan gave him the backing to have a right go at that next season.
Warnock is among a group of managers on seven, but nobody has hit the magic eight.
“I’d like to get promotion next year whoever I’m with,” said Warnock. “I’m working hard to show them (owners) what I can do. Everything’s very positive and I’ve told them in detail what I think we need. I’m sure they’re going to come back and let me know if it’s possible.
“Cardiff is a great club and I think we’re showing them that we know what we’re doing but we just need that little bit more.
“I’ve got a lot of time for the people above me. Mehmet’s (Dalman) been fantastic with me, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.
“We are not far away from being an extremely good side.”
Peter Ridsdale, originally from Leeds, is 64-years-old and played a major role in stabilising Cardiff City and ensuring their proposed new stadium was completed. He has been running things at Preston’s Deepdale for six years.
Ripon-born Grayson is not that well known around South Wales, but he would love to inflict more pain on Warnock after back-to-back Cardiff defeats against Brighton and Reading.
Preston are unbeaten in five Championship fixtures – two wins, three draws – and they lie 10th, four points behind Sheffield Wednesday in the final play-off position.
Ridsdale left Cardiff after their Championship play-off final defeat against Blackpool at Wembley Stadium and headed north top be closer to his family in Lancashire.
Now he is back in Cardiff for a match which is crucial to both the Bluebirds and Ridsdale’s Lilywhites.
Warnock, certainly, is fed up after this close-fought defeats in Sussex and Berkshire when his Bluebirds matches Brighton and Reading for long periods without being able to earn any reward in terms of points.
The Bluebirds boss admitted he was ‘distraught’ after Cardiff’s 2-1 defeat at Reading which came only five days after a 1-0 loss at Brighton.
“That’s two games on the trot now – we could have easily won both,” said Warnock.
“It shows that we’re not far off. We haven’t got enough goals in the team.
“But I’m not going to offer money for players that are probably just on a par with what we’ve got so I think we’ve got to bite the bullet and I’ve got to conjure up a few more wins with the lads I’ve got.
“It shows how far we’ve come because I’m absolutely distraught (after defeat v Reading).”
Warnock has sent former Arsenal defender Semi Ajayi out on loan to Rotherham United for the rest of this season, while he is still hoping to strengthen his squad with Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes still a target.
Aberdeen are demanding £1m, while Cardiff have increased their offer a couple of time and are close to going back in with £750,000.
Striker Rhys Healey is expected to start against Preston, while there are doubts over Kenneth Zohore and Rickie Lambert. Both will be assessed on Tuesday.
Cardiff City, possible: McGregor, Halford, Morrison (capt), Bamba, Peltier, Ralls, Gunnarsson, Richards, Hoilett, Healey, Zohore.
