Preston North End Fans’ Panel members in salute to Trevor Hemmings who ‘saved the club’ and has joined ‘the Gentry in the sky’

Hemmings owned North End outright from the summer of 2010 but his involvement at Deepdale went back to the early 1970s when he joined the board of directors.

Fans’ panellist John Roper said: “Heartbreaking news for North End fans as the club announced the death of the owner, Trevor Hemmings, on Monday Evening.

“Just exactly how much this man put into North End to keep us debt free and competitive will probably never be known, but I suggest it is a figure north of £100m.

“A part of our great club has died and thank you doesn’t begin to cover what Trevor Hemmings did for Preston North End Football Club.

“Rest in peace, Trevor. God bless We will never forget.”

And fellow fans’ panel member John Smith added: “It was an emotional night for many of the faithful as news broke that our owner Trevor Hemmings had become the latest addition to the ever growing club of ‘the Gentry in the sky’.

“There is no doubt that without his financial input Preston North End would have gone to the wall many years ago as before his takeover the club had no other buyers interested, as it was losing money every season, which it continues to do at the present time.

“In recent times I admit to being frustrated about the club’s business model as I’m desperate for it to reach the Premier League but without Mr Hemmings’ involvement I am certain we would never have seen the team playing at Championship level for so many seasons, and might even have ceased to exist at all in it’s current form.

“What’s next, who knows, as we are in uncharted territory but for now it’s a time to pay our respects to the man in the flat cap affectionately known to some as ‘Uncle Trevor’.”