Preston North End deal was a 'no brainer' insists Paul Heckingbottom as positives pinpointed
PNE defender’s contract extension was confirmed this week
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom was keen to get a contract extension sorted for Andrew Hughes.
The Welshman’s new deal, which now runs until the summer of 2026 instead of 2025, was confirmed on Monday afternoon. Hughes has racked up 242 appearances for PNE since signing from Peterborough United in the summer of 2018.
Of those, 27 have come in the current campaign, with Hughes having been a regular in Heckingbottom’s starting XI when fit. The 32-year-old now has added defensive competition with Lewis Gibson having joined this month, but the PNE boss sees Hughes remaining an important member of the squad.
“Yeah, you're looking now and we're sort of back and relaxed about the centre-back position,” said Heckingbottom. “So yeah, pleased it's all done.
“He deserves it... started the season great and he gives us that good balance because he can play left-sided centre-back as well and left-back if we want to go that back four. And he was performing really, really well. So it was a no-brainer to get that tied down.”
Hughes was one of several first team players in the final 12 months of his contract this season. So far only he and fellow defender Jordan Storey have penned fresh terms at Deepdale. Approaching the back end of his career and having been at the club for a long time, Heckingbottom knows players like him can be underappreciated. Keeping the Welshman on board was a simple decision in his eyes though.
“It’s fully deserved...”
“Yeah and like I say, until you're finding someone (else), or you've got people inside who are performing better and are cheaper, just from a business point of view, and performance point of view (it makes sense),” said Heckingbottom. “But for me, we've been really pleased with him this season, really pleased.
“It is fully deserved and I want him to keep going because he's a fit boy, gets the game and his attributes really lend themselves to that left-centre-back slot. I believe, if he believed in himself as much as I do, he'd be even better.
“Just more... but I want more from all our players. I can't be happy with where we are and I've seen enough in this group, and in the majority of these players, to know that we can go and compete with whoever in this league.”