It had been an area for concern that whilst preston looked tight at the back they had only managed to score two league goals with both being scored on the break.
Options up front had bene restricted due to Beckford's injury which may keep him out until Christmas as well as a minor knock for Keane along with hughill's suspension. Garner had been laying up front alone in recent games.
North End therefore spent their largest sum on a player in over a decade by signign Stevie May from Sheffield Wednesday. Grayson had tried to sign the striker when he was at St Johnstone but he choose to move to South Yorkshire atthe time with Wednesday a division higher.
The fee is rumoured to be int he region of the £1m mark which would be Preston's second highest fee for a player behind that of David Healy who signed for around £1.5m in 2000.
May was joined by Eoin Doyle who signed a season long loan deal from Cardiff. Grayson had also tracked Doyle previously when he was at Chesterfield but the striker moved to Cardiff instead.
It was rumoured that Preston had bids int he region of £850,000 and £900,000 rejected by Cardiff with the Bluebirds wanting to retain the player. A loan deal was then agreed for Doyle to sign for the season.
Both will go into the squad for the Derby game a week on Saturday with Grayson hoping they can add some much needed firepower to what has been a lacklustre start up front.