Preston North End midfielder and ex-Everton man Ryan Ledson opens up on becoming a dad with Coronation Street star Lucy Fallon

The Preston North End midfielder and Blackpool soap star are set to have their first child, a baby boy, in early February.

And while it’s always been football, football, football, for the former Everton youngster, 25, he’s well aware that’s about to change in a big way.

“I'm one of them where there is more to life than football,” Ledson said.

“There are hundreds more games, you might never get another kid. I definitely won't be missing the birth of my child but if he's out and there's a game I'll make sure I'm at the game.”

Ledson is in awe of what his girlfriend has gone through during her pregnancy and insists he’s ready to become a father with all that brings.

“She's 37 weeks, she's ready to pop,” he said. “It can be any time now, can't it? I'm just waiting now, I reckon in 10 days, maybe two weeks, it'll finally be here.

“I am prepared, I think it gets to a stage, every woman will know, where she just wants the baby to come out now and you start your journey.

“It's been hard for her, bloody hell. Any girl, they're absolute machines to go through what they have to go through.”

Actress Fallon, 27, grew up in Cleveleys and is famous for playing the character Bethany Platt in the soap. She announced she was pregnant back in September and opened up about a devastating miscarriage, telling OK how it had been a traumatising and horrendous time and although scared, she was excited.

Fallon was last seen on the Corrie cobbles back in 2020 having won a string of awards for her portrayal of the teenage character. She went on to star in ITV’s challenge series Don’t Rock The Boat.

Having been with Everton and Oxford, Ledson joined PNE back in 2018 and the former England youth international has become a firm favourite with fans.

The couple revealed the gender of their baby at a baby shower at the Shankly Hotel in Liverpool last month where they were joined by family and friends.