Blackwell said: "Leeds are a Premiership club in every way bar status and we are trying to win that back. I want to see this club back; the Premiership wants Leeds United back.
"But we have to earn the right against a quality side like Preston. After we were relegated, I expected it to be a three-year process to get back. I thought the first year would be to stop the slide and then the second would be all about consolidation. The third would then be going for promotion.
"But we find ourselves 12 months ahead of where we wanted to be and that is down to some prudent planning by the chairman."