VELICHE Shumulikoski says he will do everything he can to help Preston North End get one over his former club at Portman Road today. The 28-year-old Macedonian enjoyed his time in Suffolk but in the end became frustrated at his lack of regular first team action and, after he was first refused a loan move to the Lilywhites under Jim Magilton, eventually joined them for a �400,000 fee this summer.

Stuart Watson

By Stuart Watson

VELICHE Shumulikoski says he will do everything he can to help Preston North End get one over his former club at Portman Road today.

The 28-year-old Macedonian enjoyed his time in Suffolk but in the end became frustrated at his lack of regular first team action and, after he was first refused a loan move to the Lilywhites under Jim Magilton, eventually joined them for a �400,000 fee this summer.

“Ipswich have plenty of good players,” said the midfielder, who is likely to start today after fellow central midfielder Barry Nicholson broke his leg against Peterborough last Saturday.

“Everyone who plays there are my good friends and I'll never forget them. I had a good time there, I still have a house there and a good relationship with some people.

“It should be a hard game (today). We really want to win and I will do everything I can to get the three points. I think it doesn't matter if their team has changed a lot because if we play our game then we can win.”

In his season and a half at Ipswich, Shumulikoski was never able to make the defensive midfield role his own and made just 32 league starts.

He has featured in three competitive games so far this season as Preston boss Alan Irvine rotates his squad, the latter admitting that the Macedonian is still to reach peak fitness.

The Lilywhites are unbeaten so far this season and currently sit fifth in the table after they followed up draws against Bristol City and Doncaster with wins over Barnsley and Peterborough in the league.

And Irvine's side come into the game against Roy Keane's struggling Ipswich with additional confidence after they reached the third round of the Carling Cup for the first time in five years on Tuesday night with a 2-1 win over Leicester City.

In contrast Ipswich have accrued just one league point from a possible 12 so far, their drab 0-0 home draw with Leicester coming among defeats to Coventry, Crystal Palace and West Brom.

Preston enjoyed a strong pre-season, winning seven of their eight matches, including victories over Premier League side Stoke and SPL outfit Hibernian.

Shumulikoski isn't the only player to be lining up against a former club, Town's new Hungarian striker Tamas Priskin up against the club he scored twice for in four loan starts last season.

Ipswich manager Roy Keane will hand late fitness tests to Lee Martin and Jack Colback, both for groin injuries, while Jaime Peters is not yet back in contention following his ankle injury sustained against Leicester. David Norris, Luciano Civelli and Ben Thatcher are still long-term absentees.

In addition to Nicholson, Preston will be without French defender Youl Mawene (hamstring), who isn't likely to return for another couple of weeks.