'It's a case of' - Preston North End man on whether contract and Deepdale future was on his mind

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The PNE man’s contract extension was confirmed this week

Preston North End defender Andrew Hughes didn’t have too much thinking to do over signing a new contract at Deepdale.

This week the Lilywhites’ one-year extension to his deal was confirmed, with the Welshman now under contract until the summer of 2026. Hughes - who has made 242 appearances for PNE - was set to see his deal expire in the summer.

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But, the former Peterborough United and Newport County man will head into his eighth campaign as a North End player next season. The 32-year-old was always focused on playing his way to fresh terms and was delighted to sign on the dotted line once again.

“Yeah, pleased to get it done, yeah,” said Hughes. “When I caught wind that there was something to be done it was a case of getting it over the line. I mean, it's a case of just playing football and, yeah, just kind of letting performances take care of themselves. What will be, will be.

“Obviously, you never know what can happen when a new manager comes in but only I can control what happens on the pitch. So, yeah, I just need to keep my head down and keep performing. I think this is my seventh year.

“Same with Jordan Storey and Ledo as well. So yeah, we've been here quite a while. But honestly, it goes so quick. I can remember the first time turning up to the stadium and having a look around and, yeah, you saying it there it's like ‘wow’ - it's a long time. I'm proud of that.”

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Andrew HughesAndrew Hughes
Andrew Hughes | CameraSport - Ian Cook

Manager Paul Heckingbottom is the fourth Hughes has played under at PNE. He was signed by Alex Neil in the summer of 2018 and went on to play for Frankie McAvoy and Ryan Lowe as well. Heckingbottom is fond of the flexibility and experience his number 16 brings to the squad and Hughes has found the boss’ approach refreshing so far.

“Yeah, really enjoyed it,” said Hughes. “He's very clear with his messages. We know what he wants and we know how to play. And, yeah, there's no confusion. So, up to now, I've really enjoyed my time with him.”

“Fitted in really well.”

Hughes has been a regular in the starting lineup for the majority, if not all, of his North End career so far. It will be interesting to see if that remains the case over the next 18 months, after Preston’s acquisition of Lewis Gibson. The 24-year-old is a left-footed, versatile defender like Hughes. The pair played together for the first time on Tuesday night; Hughes sees Gibson as a positive addition to camp.

“Yeah, he's been really good,” said Hughes. “Fitted in really well and you can see he's a good player as well. It's always good to have players who are versatile in case of injuries or any situations. I had to go left-wing back at the end (against Charlton) for 10 minutes. It was a bit heavier on the lungs, but it was one of them - I just had to do my job for the team.”

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