Difficult decisions: Released Preston youngsters have been unlucky says boss Alex Neil

Ethan Walker was the only player from this season’s crop of second-year scholars to be given a professional deal.

He signed that contract as long ago as October, and others were tipped to follow him into the pro ranks.

But North End manager Neil says the coronavirus pandemic meant the club had to make some difficult decisions.

First-year pro Jack Armer was another to be hit by the change of course.

There was an option to extend the Lostock Hall-based defender’s contract but the teenager has been released.

With PNE not having an Under-23s squad or a reserve side, Neil explained that it was hard to fit too many youngsters into the first-team squad.

The alternative is to loan them out, however Neil says the current uncertainty in football could see loan deals difficult to set up.

Neil said: “The younger lads have been really unfortunate.

“We would probably have retained some of themhad we not been in the position we find ourselves.

“A difficulty I have is with accommodating them in training.

“When I’m doing an 11 v 11, I need to basically put on another session for them to do something else because we have a lot of pros.

“It is difficult for the kids when you don’t have an Under-23s, you need to get them out to play men’s football as soon as possible.

“Last season is was difficult getting some of the lads out on loan. There are clubs who won’t take lads who haven’t played league football.

“Had Covid not come along, I would imagine that at the moment we would have been in the process of getting a loan system in place for the younger lads in order to get as much game time as possible.

“Next season clubs where lads might have gone to play football aren’t going to be spending money and they will have smaller squads.”

In terms of young players, PNE have Adam O’Reilly and Jack Baxter under contract, both of them coming to the end of their first season as professionals.

Preston-born Walker, a year below those two, made his first-team debut aged 16 and got his pro deal earlier in the season.

Neil said: “Ethan signed his deal a while ago, he’s a different kettle of fish.

“The lads who have been unlucky recently, we are talking about boys like Jack Armer, Tyrhys Dolan, Brian McManus.

“There are quite a few of the boys who are unfortunate to have found themselves in this position.”