Paul Gallagher to stay at Preston North End after signing a new one-year contract

It extends a long association with the Lilywhites for who he has made 297 competitive appearances.

Of that lengthy list of games, 279 of them have come since November 2013 when he came on loan from Leicester City - and never left.

He stayed on loan for the rest of the 2013/14 season and then spent the full 2014/15 campaign on loan.

After helping North End to promotion via the League One play-offs, Gallagher signed permanently.

Last season, he made 22 Championship starts and 11 appearances from the bench, scoring six goals.

His previous contract ended in June, with him signing a short-term deal to cover the remaining games of the extended season.

After putting pen to paper, Gallagher said: "I enjoy being here. It will be my eighth year and I am on 297 games and I want to play in front of the fans again.

"I didn’t want to walk away and leave this football club without playing in front of the fans again.

"You need experienced players with knowhow and who know the standards that are set at this football club.

"I have been here a long time and I know what those standards are and can hopefully help get the best out of the younger players who are here and put this club in good stead.

"It is big opportunity to kick on this year for the group.

"The clubs who went up, deserved to go up and the clubs coming up will be up for the challenge, but if you look at the league as a whole, we are one of a few with a group of players who have played at this level for a number of years now and that should stand us in good stead going forward."