Preston North End have released their retained list following the end of the 2023/24 Championship season; some crucial contract decisions have been made.
The Lancashire side endured a topsy-turvy campaign, starting the season off promisingly, before eventually settling in a mid-table affair and tailing off in a disappointing culmination to the season. Five losses with no goals scored, after a late play-off push had been flirted with, could see alarm bells ringing for the Lilywhites’ boss, Ryan Lowe. Furthermore, murmurs of doubt from the fans over the club’s willingness to take ‘the next step’, have led to a cut-throat end of season assessment from the chairman, Craig Hemmings.
Hemmings seemed keen to address the scintillating start that his North End side had this year, but also acknowledged his shared disappointment with the fans over the periods of dreadful results in the middle and the end of the season:
“Had I written this overview with five games to go, when we had an outside chance of a place in the Play-Offs, I would have been upbeat about our overall season and the progress we’ve made.
“Unfortunately, the results in our last five games were totally unacceptable. The end of the season therefore leaves me with the feeling of disappointment. The players, the manager, coaches, and everyone at the club feel like we have let the fans down – that ultimately, we should have done better.”
This feeling of guilt that the board have displayed, following a bitter end to the season, has partly led to a squad re-shuffle, seeing two key names around the club being released. Ben Woodburn, who joined the Lancashire side in July 2022 on a free transfer, has played 63 times under Lowe, but mainly found himself exposed to minutes from the bench. In that time frame the Welshman has only mustered up three goals.
Greg Cunningham is another name to be evicted from Deepdale this summer. The former Ireland international sees his second stint at the club come to an end following a fairly similar season to the ex-Liverpool academy player – with most of his appearances also being from the bench. The 32-year-old has also scored three goals since arriving again in January 2021, and has played 184 times overall for his side.
A lot of Preston fans will be feeling very relieved to hear the news that club captain, Alan Browne, has at least been offered a contract before his summer predicament. Some speculation suggesting that the offer at hand will be record-breaking for the club, has unsurprisingly split the fan base over the necessity of such a ludicrous deal. The 29-year-old skipper has been at the club for ten years since his move from Irish side, Cork City, in January 2014. 414 appearances later, and most PNE fans now wait anxiously for his signature.
The final first team decision that has been made by North End, surrounds Ched Evans. The striker had an injury scare throughout the middle of the season, which threatened his ability to continue his beloved career altogether. The Welshman underwent rehabilitation to return to fitness and has now been offered a player-coach role ahead of his expiring contract.
Some promising youth candidates may follow the likes of: Kian Best, Josh Seary, Noah Mawene, and Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile, by breaking into the first team in the upcoming years. Those in question are the under-19 players who have seen their one-year extensions activated. The list consists of Cole McGhee, Kacper Pasiek, Kaedyn Kamara, and Tommy Davis. Unfortunately, the second-year scholars that no longer have a future with the Lancashire club are: Callum Harvard, Charlie Goldsmith, Ellis Horan, Ethan Eccleston, Izac Khan, and Tom Wilkinson.
Writer’s View
Most of these contract decisions seem very sensible considering the club’s league position and open willingness to learn from their mistakes this season. Cunningham has been a strong character and a reliable player for many years and will be sorely missed by many. Furthermore, Evans taking up a coaching role may prove to be the most sensible next step in his career, considering the risks around his latest neck injury.
The confirmation of Browne’s decision is the one most fans will be waiting for, and a summer rebuild will either be centred around the Irish captain, or will be used to find the next successor. Furthermore, it’s good to see some more youth candidates being tested for at least another season, but question marks will surely surround the omissions of Havard and Eccleston, considering the excitement some fans shared over the two.
