Experienced Preston defender Graham Alexander says he will take limited pleasure from being named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year if North End fail to reach the play-offs this season.
The 35-year-old Scotland international was voted the division's best right back for the fourth time in his eight-year spell at Deepdale but he maintains his primary concern is a top six finish for Paul Simpson's side.
Speaking at the awards dinner on Sunday, Alexander said: "I am very proud to be in the Team of the Year. The first time I was honoured was when we won the League One title, and I was 29-years-old then, so to be named a divisional winner on three separate occasions since then is great for me.
"But this is a side issue for what we are really after this season. Hopefully we can get into the play-offs and if we get there we want to take full advantage and achieve what we all want to achieve. All these little things that come along in your career are great but they're small compared to the prize we're after - and that is promotion to the Premiership.'
After looking set for an automatic promotion challenge at the turn of the year, the Lilywhites have hit an untimely dip in form, epitomised by last weekend's home defeat at the hands of struggling Leicester.
Alexander added: "We've been in the promotion positions, at least, since September but we've had a big slip recently, losing five out of our last six matches, so it's been a massive disappointment. So now we're looking for a play-off place and we haven't had too much luck in those in the recent past so we'll be hoping to change that."
As for the reasons behind Preston's slump, Alexander is baffled: "We're all trying to find the reasons, the players and the staff, but it's difficult. But we are looking to remain as positive as possible and if we can get into the play-offs all four teams will start with a clean slate."
The Lancashire outfit now find themselves in fourth place on 71 points but the six clubs immediately below them in the table are all within just three points.
"We've only got ourselves to blame for bringing that pressure on ourselves. We had the play-offs in the bag and we've now left it until the last couple of games. But I've said all along that it will go down to the wire because all the teams are beating each other," said Alexander.
"There are only four of five points separating ten teams and it's going to go down to the last week before decisions are made. We're still in there pitching, and we're happy with that, but we need to get a couple of wins from our last two games and then we'll take it from there."
