Preston chairman Derek Shaw has reassured Paul Simpson that funds will be made available in the January transfer window.

Simpson was rewarded this week for a fine start to his tenure at Deepdale with a new five-year deal that binds his long-term future to the Championship promotion hopefuls.

Shaw has been delighted with the manner in which Simpson has adapted to managing at a higher level, having previously only been in charge at Carlisle and Rochdale in the lower divisions.

With Preston very much in the hunt for automatic promotion, Shaw is ready to back his manager if and when the right players become available.

"Without a doubt we will try and back the manager to the best of our abilities," he told the club's official website.

"If there are players out there who can help the club at the right kind of fee and the right kind of wage then we will do our utmost to bring them in.

"Paul's an extremely calm man, I think he could have been a bomb disposal man with they way he goes about things, he never seems to get rattled.

"He has been a pleasure to work with since he joined us in the summer and we are very pleased."

Lonergan signs new Preston deal

Preston keeper Andy Lonergan has signed a three-and-half-year contract extension with the club.
The new deal for the 23-year-old will run until 2011 and there is also the option of a further year.

"He has shown what a quality keeper he is and is pushing Carlo Nash very close for a starting place," Preston boss Paul Simpson told the club's website.

"We all know it has been a frustrating couple of seasons for him with injury but he just has to be patient now."

PNE boss Paul Simpson admits to pne.com that he may be tempted to offer Michael Ricketts a deal if he impresses in a forthcoming reserve game.

The former Bolton, Middlesbrough and England striker was spotted training at North End's Springfields complex last week, Ricketts has spent the last few months out of the game after being released by Southend earlier in the season.

It was thought that Simpson had allowed the player use of the North End training facilities as a favour and to allow him to get some sharpness back, but after impressing the PNE management with his attitude the striker may well be playing himself into Simpson's thoughts.

"Michael Ricketts has been training with us now for about a week to ten days," Simpson told pne.com.

"He's been over in the United States getting himself fit, he's got himself in really good shape and he is looking very good in training.

"We are hoping that we can get a look at him in a reserve game in the first week of January and look to see whether he is up to what we need."

Simpson admits that if he can rediscover that old Bolton Wanderers magic then he could be a useful asset to PNE.

"He's a fantastic football player, he just let himself go a little bit and lost his fitness, he put a lot of weight on but he has got rid of all that now.

"He's been working with a personal trainer, so his cardio fitness and all of those things are in really good shape.

"He just needs to get back to playing football and that's what we have been giving him over the last ten days, he's back with us on Thursday and we will see how he goes if we can get him into a game."

Preston boss Paul Simpson insists he will decide whether David Nugent is sold or not.

Simpson insists Nugent could leave 'one day' but at that point it will only be he who decides whether to let North End's prized asset leave.

"The day will possibly come where he may have to go," said Simpson. "But until that day, I want to keep him.

"I hope there will be comings and goings this month, but there will only be comings and goings if it is to my knowledge.

"If we believe there is a player out there who can strengthen the squad, then we will try and bring him in.

"If we believe there are players here who are not part or who don't want to be part of what we are trying to do here, then we will do everything to move them on as well.

"I accept that the speculation over Nuge is going to carry on, especially after he has scored four in four games. But I say 'fantastic, keep making headlines'.

"I'm not bothered about that and I won't lose any sleep about it.

"We want to keep Dave Nugent at this club. We have some good footballers here and I think you could see from his reaction when he scored against Derby, he is with us and he wants to help us to be successful."

On the transfer front, North End confirmed that Brian Stock and Alan McCormack have both left the club as their respective loan moves at Doncaster and Southend have become permanent.

McCormack has signed a two-and-half year deal with The Shrimpers - who have in-turn allowed Arnau Riera to return to Sunderland.

Preston insist Nugent will stay

Preston chairman Derek Shaw insists £5m-rated striker David Nugent will not be sold in the January transfer window.
Sheffield United, Portsmouth and Everton have been linked with a move for the 21-year-old.

Shaw said: "We have 19 cup finals left, and David Nugent is not for sale. We want to get to the Premier League.

"David Nugent has been tremendous for us, and I am sure he will play in the Premier League. But we want that to be with Preston North End."

He added: "We do not want to sell him.

"He will be a big player for us in these 19 cup finals, and we will assess the situation again after that."

Preston North End have allowed Young striker Chris McGrail to join league 2 outfit Accrington Stanley on a months loan.

Youngster McGrail recently appeared on the bench for Preston in the recent league trip to Sunderland and looks to have a bright future at Deepdale but with the signing of Ricketts and the imenant debut of Neil Mellor on the cards his chances of breaking into the Preston side look very slim so manager Simpson has allowed the young lad to go out onloan and gets some first team action.

Billy Barr described this afternoon's match as the 'ideal workout' as North End ran out 1-0 winners over Carlisle.

Neil Mellor was on target again, converting from the spot, to give the second string a well deserved win and the performance of the striker was one of many positives to take from the match.

Mellor along with new signing Michael Ricketts played an hour of the match at Brunton Park, while the like of Simon Whaley, Danny Dichio and Jason Jarrett all got a full 90 under their belt for the first time in a while.

There was some good news at the back as Sean St Ledger got through the match after missing the last two games with an ankle problem.

Barr was pleased to see his side make up for the 2-0 defeat up there earlier in the season:

"It was a good game to watch and just what the players needed.

"Some of the players were desperate for a game and this one was ideal, it was a high tempo and there were a lot of positives to take, right across the pitch, from Andy Lonergan who made an excellent save in the first half, to the front two who looked sharp and dangerous throughout."

taken from PNE.com

Preston manager Paul Simpson is taking a close look at two unnamed players on trial at the club.

The pair, thought to be a defender and midfielder, will spend several days training with the club before Simpson makes a decision on their future.

Both players featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Carlisle on Tuesday, The Lilywhites winning the game 1-0.

They will also be involved in a reserve team fixture against Tranmere next week.

Simpson is unwilling to reveal their identities at the moment, but has been pleased with what he has seen from the pair so far.

"Both lads look very promising. Both players had only just arrived and they had done a fair bit of travelling. But I was still encouraged by what I saw," Simpson told the Lancashire Evening Post.

"It's still very early and at the moment I would prefer not to say who they are or where they are from.

"But hopefully we will all get another chance to have a look at them next week."

Striker Neil Mellor scored the only goal from the penalty spot against Carlisle as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

Preston North End fc today announced the agreement with PCT (Preston Primary care trust) over the construction of the fourth stand and Deepdale and finally finish off the stadium along with a walk in health center.

David Nugent insists he is not being distracted by constant speculation linking him with a move away from Preston.

Nugent's future at Deepdale has been the subject of intense rumours for the last few months with a number of top clubs keeping tabs on the striker.

Sheffield United were priced out of a move for the England Under 21 international with Preston determined to keep hold of their prized asset.

Nugent insists he is not worried about the speculation and is only concentrating on helping Preston secure promotion to the Premiership.

"The main objective is scoring goals for Preston and helping them get into the Premiership through automatic promotion," said Nugent.

"I don't get distracted by the speculation.

"I'm a Preston player, the chairman says I'm not going anywhere so I stand by his word and hopefully I can concentrate on playing for Preston.

Preston North End have reportedly made a move for Gambian midfielder Seyfo Soley.

The 26-year-old currently plies his trade in Belgium with Jupiler League leaders Racing Genk, and according to reports in Belgium, Soley has reached an agreement with The Lilywhites.

Both clubs, however, have yet to concur on terms to bring the African talent to Deepdale this month, with Preston boss Paul Simpson already suggesting that he has been 'priced out a deal' for a player in Belgium.

The versatile Soley, who is also comfortable playing in defence, is under contract to Genk until the end of the current season, and it remains to be seen if both clubs will complete a deal before next Wednesday's deadline.

One player that Simpson is interested in signing is an unnamed American midfielder who had a recent trial with the Lancashire club.

"He had to leave the country because the paperwork from the U.S. FA wasn't correct," Simpson told Preston's official website.

"He's had to leave the country to get the paperwork done properly. We are hoping he'll be back.

"He has no contract anywhere. He has just come out of college and he's a very good footballer.

"I don't want anyone knowing who he is because we risk missing out on a really good footballer and I want to make sure that we give ourselves the best chance of getting him."

Preston North End have completed the signing of former Sparta Prague defender Pavel Pergl on a deal until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old can play in a variety of roles including central defence, right back and also as a defensive midfielder. The player impressed North End boss Paul Simpson following a successful trial period with Preston and comes with extensive Champions League experience as well as playing for one of the Czech Republic's top teams.

The Lilywhites are still awaiting international clearance on the deal but the player could be available for selection for this Saturday's trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

Courtesy of pne.com

Preston North End striker Andy Smith has left the Club after having his contract cancelled by mutual consent.

The former Northern Ireland international made just three league starts for the Lilywhites since being signed by Craig Brown in the summer of 2004. He had subsequent spells on loan at Stockport, Motherwell and Cheltenham but failed to score a league goal.

Preston North End have completed the signing of Republic of Ireland international keeper Wayne Henderson from Brighton on a three-and-a-half year deal.

North End have paid £150,000 for the services of the 23-year-old, a fee which could rise to £200,000 dependent on appearances.

Henderson started his career at Roy Keane's former club, Cherry Orchard, but signed for Aston Villa as a 17-year-old and after spending several years in the youth ranks at Villa Park and loan spells at Wycombe and Notts County he signed for Brighton in January of last year.

Regular first team football at the Withdean Stadium got him noticed by the Irish selectors and he has since been rewarded with an Irish cap when he was selected to play against the Czech Republic earlier this season.

Henderson is included in the Republic of Ireland squad to face San Marino next week.

Courtesy of pne.com

North End have completed their second capture of transfer deadline day after signing up Gambian national captain Seyfo Soley on a deal until the end of the season.

The player arrives at Deepdale from current Belgian league leaders Genk where he had turned down the offer of a new contract to try his luck in English football.

The powerhouse defender/defensive midfielder impressed North End boss Paul Simpson in a behind closed door friendly against Carlisle at the start of January but the deal looked to have died after the Belgian club priced the player out of a move. But as the transfer deadline approached the two clubs have agreed an undisclosed fee, the 26-year-old does not require a work permit as he has a European passport.

Seyfo has been recently appointed captain of his home nation and he is expected to lead his side out against Luxembourg on international duty next week.

Not bad, and you kept hold of Carlo Nash aswell Steve0.

u've been busy in the old transfer market Ste m8

Yeah it's good to get these boys in and make the squad stronger for the final push for promotion.

It was fantastic to keep Nugent aswell he is in a rich vien of form at the moment and losing him would have been a big miss.

As for Nash he has blown it with us now he will leave at the end of the season thats for sure he has showed the club a compleat lack of respect.

Yea im quite shocked how he has treated the club, manager and fans!

Jason Jarrett has joined Leicester City on an initial month's loan from Preston North End.

The midfielder has been told he is not part of Paul Simpson's immediate plans at Preston and has not featured for the promotion chasers since early September.

He made three appearances on loan at Hull City in November and will now spend a month at The Walkers Stadium.

Leicester boss Rob Kelly feels Jarrett will be a useful recruit to his squad and could extend the player's stay at the club.

"We've taken Jason for an initial one-month loan period with a view to an extension and I am delighted to get him," Kelly told the club's official website.

"He is a player who I know quite a lot about as I watched him play a number of times for Wigan when I was at Blackburn.

"He's been promoted out of the division and knows what it takes to be successful in the Championship.

"I am sure he will be a really good addition to us. He's the type of box-to-box modern midfield player which we need."