'They don't seem to exist' - Preston North End told the one piece of recruitment they are 'desperate' for
PNE finished 14th in the Championship with 60 points on the board
Preston North End supporters are crying out for a talisman of their own ‘to love’.
That is the view of former Manchester City youth, Huddersfield Town and Doncaster Rovers coach, Steve Eyre.
The Lilywhites showed promise in the first half of the 2025/26 season but ended up finishing 14th, in manager Paul Heckingbottom’s second campaign at Deepdale.
As another important summer looms and loan stars head back to their parent clubs, Eyre thinks one piece of recruitment would make a big difference at Deepdale.
"I think the supporters have been a constant but I think they are desperate for somebody to love," Eyre told BBC Lancashire. "I think they love the badge, the institution and they keep coming to the games - most of them home and away.
"But, I think they are desperate to love a player, a talisman type of player, but they don't seem to exist at that football club. The best players, again, have been loan players. I think the Player of the Year, arguably, would've been Devine or Dobbin.
"If it had continued, I think it would've been Armstrong from Everton. Daniel Iversen ended up Player of the Year, which means he was a good signing - we knew he was going to be. The year before, the Player of the Year was a right-back on loan from Aston Villa.
"So, I think they are desperate for a 20-goal man if they can - one of their own, on a three-year contract... amazing if they could come through the system as well. Maybe they are hard to really find.
“As a supporter, I want to go in the hope that we might score from 20 yards. I never feel that with North End. Whilst you respect the jobs of those positions, do you really want your goalkeeper and right-back being Players of the Year? I don't think so."
Preston scored nine goals from outside the penalty area but none after December 29, while only getting one penalty kick all season. Among that nine was Milutin Osmajic’s opening day chip at QPR and Alfie Devine’s finish from a tight angle at home to Leicester City.
Michael Smith found the net at Hull and there was Thierry Small’s stunner at home to Swansea. Ben Whiteman whipped in the equaliser at Sheffield Wednesday and in the same game, Mads Frokjaer struck the winner from range.
Alfie Devine’s fine effort clinched victory at Derby and Lewis Dobbin grabbed goals from distance, at home to Middlesbrough and Sheffield United. As for set-play goals, Preston’s 14 has them joint 15th with Leicester, Middlesbrough, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday.