PNE deny reports they are up for sale

The talk actually started down the M61 at Bolton Wanderers when their chairman Ken Anderson held a question and answer sessions with Trotters supporters.

Mr Anderson name checked North End when answering a question about the future of Wanderers and whether investors would come in.

He said: "In an ideal world I’d like to see myself and this club in the Premier League but I’ve watched how long it takes and whether I’m still around in five years, getting older, I don’t know.

“I hope that the club is there and as I have always said investors must show they can come in and take it to that next level.

"The facilities and the infrastructure to be in the Premier League, this club has it all.

“I see people offering to buy other clubs, and Preston is a good example, it is up for sale, but this club has far better facilities and stadium than them.

"It is the same with Bournemouth – and I am not saying there is anything wrong with Preston or Bournemouth – but it is a fraction of our size."

North End sources say that the club is not up for sale, with them in the healthy position of owning Deepdale, the training ground and having no external debt.

Like any club, if a Russian oligarch or big investor came in with an offer too good to refuse, it would be sold - it is a similar principal to every player having his price.

Trevor Hemmings bought North End in 2010, with his initial involvement at boardroom level going back to the early 1970s.

The latest set of financial figures filed recently with Companies House showed that PNE's turnover increased in the year ending June 30, 2017, to £13.5m, with that money all accounted for by wages, pension contributions and social security payments.

Pre-tax losses were reduced by 35% to £2.9m.

The report which accompanied the accounts stated that North End remained reliant on Hemmings' financial support.