Five players absent from Preston North End's first friendly after Paul Heckingbottom injury admission
PNE’s first team began pre-season on Wednesday night
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom used 22 players in Wednesday night’s 1-0 win at Chorley.
Stefan Thordarson’s second half goal earned the Lilywhites victory in their first pre-season friendly of the summer. Heckingbottom changed his XI at the interval with new signings Odel Offiah, Thierry Small, Pol Valentin and Daniel Iversen featuring, along with several youngsters including Felipe, Theo Carroll and Kacper Pasiek.
There were a handful of senior players not involved at Victory Park, though. In his interview with in-house media last week, Heckingbottom explained how some of his squad were still working their way back to full fitness after injury. One of those is new recruit Jordan Thompson.
The former Stoke City man, and Northern Ireland international, missed the final three games of last season after being stretchered off against Sheffield Wednesday, in late April. Thompson’s blow was suffered to his ankle with the midfielder said to be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks.
There was also no Robbie Brady, who finished the 2024/25 campaign fit but had to be withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland’s game against Luxembourg, in early June. The 33-year-old’s match was brought to an end after 20 minutes but he did manage to walk off the pitch.
Mads Frokjaer and Brad Potts were two more absences in midweek. The Dane played no part in the final two games of last season, due to a hamstring injury sustained away to Hull City. Potts’ spell on the sidelines was longer, with the number 44 having played no part from mid-March onwards - also due to hamstring damage. Josh Seary is continuing his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury and wasn’t involved either.
Loan signing Daniel Jebbison didn’t feature, but that was to be expected. The Canada international only linked up with PNE this week and was pictured at Euxton for the first time on Wednesday. Jebbison had been away with his country at the Gold Cup, with Canada’s campaign having ended on June 29.
Preston’s next test of pre-season is at home to Liverpool on Sunday, with kick-off 15:00 at Deepdale. North End then head out to Spain for a pre-season training camp in which they face Getafe, on July 18 (18;00). The final confirmed friendly is the trip to Bolton Wanderers on July 26 (15:00).