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Brown, 24, joined PNE on a Bosman this week after being released by Chelsea.

Ledson will be a familiar face for him in the dressing room when North End’s squad report back to Euxton for pre-season training next week.

The pair were in the England team which won the Under-17s European Championship in 2014, beating Holland on penalties in the final.

Preston North End's new signing Izzy Brown in action for Sheffield Wednesday last season Pic: Getty Images

Two years later, Ledson and Brown were in the Under-19s which reached the semi-finals of the Euros.

Brown told the Lancashire Post: “Ledo and myself grew up together in football.

“He’s always been the same type of person, bubbly and a very good footballer.

“In the England Under-17s we won the European Championship, what an occasion that was.

Ryan Ledson was a team-mate of Izzy Brown in the England youth set up

“We got to the semi-final in the Under-19s but lost that one to Italy unfortunately.

“I’m told Ryan was player of the year at Preston last season, so he’s done well.

“We exchanged a couple of tweets on Tuesday after I signed and I’ll be able to catch up with him when we start pre-season training.”

Someone else with a North End link who Brown knows is Callum Robinson.

He recalls Robinson giving a glowing report of PNE a few years back.

Said Brown: “I started out in West Bromwich Albion’s academy and Callum was with Aston Villa so we used to play against each other a lot and I got to know him.

“I was out for dinner one night and Callum happened to be on the next table. He was a Preston player at the time and he was telling me all about the club and how much he enjoyed it.”

Brown revealed there had been a couple of occasions in the past when PNE might have been a possible destination.

“Preston was mentioned in the past but didn’t materialise,” said Brown.

“When the chance came this time I asked my agent to do everything he could to get things done.

“I had a couple of meetings, the first with Peter Ridsdale and then with Frankie McAvoy, What Frankie said really opened my eyes.

“He said the big thing was to make sure the person was happy and if that was the case it would help the player be good on the pitch. That made a lot of sense.”

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Preston North End new boy Izzy Brown reunited with England youth-team pal Ryan Ledson