Irvine has led Preston to 44 wins in 103 games

Preston manager Alan Irvine believes winning promotion to the Premier League is becoming harder for clubs with smaller transfer budgets.

The former Everton assistant boss said big-spending Newcastle and West Brom will make it more difficult for poorer clubs to step up to the top flight.

Irvine told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The Championship is becoming harder.

"If you look at the size of the clubs who are in it I think it's more difficult to get out of now."

Irvine is celebrating his second anniversary in charge at Deepdale, having taken over from previous boss Paul Simpson in November 2007.

But, despite a win ratio of around 40%, the 51-year-old believes he is still adjusting to life in the Championship.

"I feel that I'm still in a period when I'm learning as a manager," he said. "Yet, by the law of averages, I probably shouldn't have lasted this long.

"We were second bottom of the league when I came, so the fact we're disappointed if we're not in the play-off area at this moment tells you we have made some progress.

"I've spoken to two very experienced managers who've both managed at this level, as well as in the Premier League, and they say they hate the Championship.

"I won't tell you who they are, but they say they hate it because it's such a hard division to win games in."

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