PNE will head into the Easter fixtures sitting 13th in the Championship
Ex-Preston North End captain and club ambassador, Ian Bryson, does not think takeover talk will have affected players or staff, writes Craig Salmon.
From dreaming about watching their side play in the Premier League in the first half of the season, PNE fans have witnessed their team fall into the bottom half of the Championship table.
From the lofty position of fourth in the Championship - just three points behind second - in the early part of January, Paul Heckingbottom’s men sank to 17th in the table within slightly more than two months. They picked up just six points from a possible 36, losing eight and winning only one of 12 games.
A much-improved performance against Stoke City at Deepdale before the international break resulted in a 3-1 victory and a much-needed three points. That nudged Preston back up to 13th in the table and allayed fears that the team could get dragged into another late relegation battle.
Naturally, the results in 2026 have incurred the ire of fans with many expressing frustration with the manager, players and the club’s ownership. The Hemmings family continue to invest significantly in the club but have previously indicated a willingness to sell to the right buyer.
Indeed, the ownership stated last October that they do not possess the ‘financial firepower’ to compete with the Championship’s big-hitters, in today’s world. While understanding fans’ frustrations, Bryson insists the owners’ financial support should not be underestimated.
He cited the example of Sheffield Wednesday, who have been condemned to relegation this season after incurring an 18-point deduction in total for entering administration and breaching EFL regulations, related to payment obligations.
Bryson said: “When you look at what’s happened to Sheffield Wednesday... the EFL are supposed to put these guys (owners) through checks and various things. That has happened but Sheffield Wednesday find themselves in the position that they are in. They might even get sanctioned when they go down to the next league. It’s a travesty.
“Are we in a good financial position? We sort of have been for a long while now and that is thanks to the Hemmings family. Obviously, when the father (Trevor) died, we wondered whether things may change.
“I am sure they are looking to move it on but whether that will have a positive impact or negative impact, who knows? I wouldn’t have imagined that would affect players’ performance, or how the manager is going about his business.”
Continue Reading