PNE waiting for an answer

Preston are yet to hear from Josh Brownhill about their contract offer

The 20-year-old is the only out-of-contract player at Deepdale who they have offered fresh terms to.

A formal written offer was made last month, talks with his representatives having taken place before that.

Brownhill has been on loan at Barnsley since January and it might be that he is waiting until after the Tykes’ play-off campaign to decide on his future.

He is bidding to play at Wembley for a second time this season and make a third visit in a year.

In April, Brownhill was in the Barnsley side which won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, beating Oxford 3-2.

Last May, he was part of the North End squad for the League One play-off final against Swindon but did not make the matchday squad.

Tomorrow, Barnsley face Walsall in the first leg of their play-off semi-final at Oakwell.

On the final day of the League One season last Sunday, Brownhill was on target in a 4-1 victory away to Wigan Athletic.

The Yorkshire side pipped Graham Alexander’s Scunthorpe side to sixth spot on goal difference.

It was Brownhill’s second goal in Barnsley colours – he has made 24 appearances.

Game-time was the reason he made the temporary move over the Pennines.

He had made three starts and three appearances from the bench for PNE this season.

Since breaking into the Preston team as a 17-year-old during the 2014-15 campaign, Brownhill has played 64 games and scored six goals.

Looking ahead to the  play-offs, Brownhill said: “Not a lot of people get to play at Wembley once. For us to have a chance twice is a great feeling.

“We knew it would be really hard to get a result at Wigan but we were on our game and deserved the win.

“I felt we fully deserved the four goals we scored.

“The lads were buzzing after the match.

“But we have a lot of work to do now on the training pitch for two big games against Walsall.

“If we play like we did at Wigan, I feel we can go and do a job.

“If we can replicate that over the two legs then I can’t see why we won’t go through to the final at Wembley.”

Two other players who North End loaned out, Kyel Reid and Andy Little, are also in play-off action this weekend.

Both are leaving Deepdale this summer after being released at the end of their contracts – they joined PNE in June 2014.

Reid will be in the Bradford side which takes on Millwall at Valley Parade on Sunday.

He has been on loan with the Bantams since October and is looking to earn a permanent move there.

Little is in Accrington squad for the visit to AFC Wimbledon in the League Two play-offs tomorrow evening.