Evendence suggests it was.
Promotion. Followed by consolidation, establishing team half way up the table. He may have had Jack, as did Bruce. He also extracted his best form from him. Easy to forget how his career was going until the second season down there, with the wrong coach, he could've been a busted flush.
Purslow, like him or not saw progressive growth of the club, on and off the pitch. Kudos to him (bar Gerrard)!