Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett is braced for testing start

Optimism at Molineux fuelled by the bright new era under the head coach is being matched at Deepdale.

The marquee summer signing of Kevin Davies, the form in the final third of last season and the size and history of the opposition all points to Preston challenging for a return to the Championship.

North End finished a modest 14th in League One last season, but following the departure of Graham Westley in February, they lost just three of the final 15 games.

"It's two clubs with promotion aspirations," acknowledged Jackett.

"It's a big one, when you look at the size of the clubs.

"Preston have a good fanbase and a big ground, they have tradition, and, even in recent seasons, they've been a Championship club that has been in the play-offs many times and in and around it too.

"That's been their standard which is a very good one.

"In the second half of last season they were one of the form teams of League One.

"They had a very good run towards the end of last year and they'll be looking to continue that and I'm sure they'll be trying to get promotion themselves this time."

Jackett believes the setting couldn't be better for League One to showcase the Football League's 125th anniversary.

"It's two of the bigger clubs in League One, it's the Football League's 125th anniversary, and it will be played on a cracking pitch – it's excellent," he said.

"You look at every clip and it's a fantastic surface at Preston."

Jackett believes his rebuilt squad, packed with younger players promoted from the Under-21s, are ready for the challenge ahead and he is satisfied with preparations for the big kick-off.

"I'm pleased with the way pre-season has gone because there's been a lot of sorting out done," he said.

"Players have come in and players out – not necessarily out of the club, but the groups have changed.

"It's all settled down quite well and I'm looking forward to the start of the season.

"It's a team that's evolving but it's a side with balance and quality and it's a team that has to be hungry to be successful because there are big tests and tasks for us ahead and we must have the appetite for that."

Pre-season is a notoriously tricky barometer to judge the real thing by.

But after successive relegations, the sight of four wins in six games – and the only defeat to a Real Betis side that finished seventh in La Liga last season – was a welcome one as Jackett tries to develop a winning mentality.

"Developing a winning mentality is important for us," he said.

"It's about concentrating on the young players and making sure they're ready for League One.

"We've had good tests so far, but now we get down to the nitty-gritty of playing at our level."

Jackett admits Wolves are a work in progress, however, and will re-assess after the first 10 matches.

"A start is 10 League games – I feel that's a good assessment period," he said.

"The team has fallen into place but it's not something that stops on August 3.

"That assessment is quite often a key for clubs going forward because you can't just say on August 3, 'right OK, we've got it'.