This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Preston North End's season has been quite an average one and they find themselves heading into the final game of the season 14th in the league.
They started the season under the management of Frankie McAvoy, who was dismissed in December and replaced with Ryan Lowe.
Whilst they will be hoping to build on what they've done this season and push further up the table, there have been some excellent additions to the side this season.
We asked FLW's Preston North End fan pundit Sam Weeden who he would name as his signing of the season.
He said: "This could have gone to any of the loan players we've got, the main three of Archer [Cameron], Iversen [Daniel] and Sepp van den Berg.
"I don't exaggerate when I say the fans have literally fallen in love with Sepp van den Berg.
"He came to us last January as a little shy kid who couldn't even throw the ball (do a proper throw-in) but now he's literally transformed. We've seen him develop, we've seen that bond build with the fanbase and he's a 7/10 every single week.
"He's played at right wing-back for a lot of the season. Obviously it wasn't his most natural position and he's gone back in now mainly under Ryan Lowe to centre-half, just consistently performing week in, week out.
"Scored a couple of goals this season, scored the one away to Morecambe in the cup and scored an equaliser against Swansea in what was Frankie McAvoy's second league win of the season.
"Like I say, we're all just chuffed to bits to have Sepp. He really has fallen in love with the fans, he's re-signed for us since the summer and I think there were a lot of clubs in for him by the sounds of it, so the fact we got him again is unreal.
"Again he's another one who looks like he's going to be parting with us unfortunately, when he goes back to his parent club. That is going to leave a big hole because the fans adore Sepp and I think he's really fallen in love with the club from what he's said.
"So he's been signing of the season for both on the pitch and the relationship he's got with the fanbase."
The Verdict:
van den Berg is a very fair shout for signing of the season. Not only has he provided Preston with the business on the pitch but the fact he has built a strong relationship with the fans, shows why he is valued so much at the club.
He has been a regular part of the side this season having made 44 league appearances and the fact he spent some of that time playing out of position, shows the type of player and character he is.
Unfortunately for the Preston fans, it looks as though he will be back to his parent club of Liverpool next season, which will leave the club with work to do in terms of replacing him.
However, the 20-year-old definitely deserves the praise he is getting from the Preston fans and he looks to have a bright future.