The Magpies were all set to take their place in last season's National League North top seven only for a remarkable turnaround by Gloucester City to win their final-day showdown with the last kick of the game.
It meant the Tigers were able to leapfrog Preece's side and consign them to a summer of what ifs.
Departures of top scorer Connor Hall to Solihull Moors and Jon Ustabasi, who joined AFC Fylde, saw 36 goals walk out of the door too.
But Preece's side have found the perfect response, with Tuesday night's 4-1 win at Banbury United moving them up to third.
"We are a team that people expect to be in and around the play-offs but that only tells half the story," Preece told The NLP.
"Financially, we are down in the bottom half. We punch above our weight year-in, year out and you always think, 'When is it going to be that year it might go wrong?" "But, for us, it's going really well. To be third at this stage -although it's early and really tight we're delighted. Credit to the players. They've been fantastic.
Sacrifices
Esta historia es de la edición December 24, 2023 de The Non-League Football Paper.
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Esta historia es de la edición December 24, 2023 de The Non-League Football Paper.
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SHAKERS REVEL IN MAKING HISTORY
DAVE McNabb says Bury's FA Cup heroes are proud to be writing their own chapters in club history.
WILCOX: WE FEEL COMPLETE WITH WIN
RUSS WILCOX'S verdict after watching his Gainsborough Trinity side outmuscle and outplay their hosts was that it was \"probably our most complete performance\".
CRACKER BY KABIA TOPPLES TUDORS!
ASSISTANT boss Stewart Yetton said his Truro City side were good value for their win over table-toppers Hemel Hempstead Town.
BRAKES PUT STOP ON BORO BATTLERS
SEPARATED only by goal difference before kick-off, these sides remain neck and neck in the embryonic table after playing out 90 minutes in the October sunshine that was a great advert for the division.
BOSS COTT'S GOT A REALLY GOOD THING WITH ROVERS
STEVE Cotterill hailed Forest Green Rovers’ first class performance as they produced a spirited comeback to topple fellow high-flyers Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.
SKIPS STEER HEED'S SHIP
GATESHEAD captains of the past and present are playing a lead role in helping the National League club move on from the departure of FA Trophy-winning manager Rob Elliot.
FA CUP PREVIEW: SWEET! 'DREAM' DRAW IS CHANCE OF OUR LIFETIME
DAVE NORTHFIELD says minnows Biggleswade FC were like 'kids in a sweet shop' when they drew out York City in what he describes as the 'draw of a lifetime'.
PARKER'S HEART IS STILL AT HOME
FORMER England right-back Paul Parker has revealed he would never completely rule out a return to management – but says he would only do so for one of his beloved local clubs.
LOCALS RALLY TO REBUILD BRIDGE
WHEN committee members at Bamber Bridge set out to raise £30,000 to protect the club's future, they were apprehensive about the response they'd get.
RUTHLESS BEES FIND THEIR FEET
ASTERLING second-half performance resulted in league leaders Barnet brushing aside a Boston United outfit that led at the interval through Keaton Ward’s early strike.
