Preston North End man addresses his future at the club amid transfer speculation and Oxford United link
PNE midfielder is in the final six months of his contract at Deepdale
Preston North End midfielder Ryan Ledson would ‘love to stay’ at the club but accepts this season could be his last at Deepdale.
The 27-year-old is one of a handful whose contract expires this summer. Ledson joined from Oxford United in the summer of 2018 and has gone on to make 198 appearances for PNE - scoring seven goals and assisting 14.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom recently addressed the player’s situation and by no means ruled out an extended stay for Ledson. There has been some speculation in recent weeks; the Us were credited with interest in their former player as well as Portsmouth - though those rumours were then played down.
That stuff hasn’t escaped Ledson’s attention but having recently welcomed a second child into the world, his contract at Preston has been at the back of his mind. After Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Luton Town - in which he played 90 minutes - Ledson discussed his contract situation.
“Yeah listen, you know what goes on in football with a few months left on your contract,” Ledson told the Lancashire Post. “I've got to look after myself as well and my family. But listen, we'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks or what.”
He added: “I absolutely love it here, everyone knows that. I've been here for seven years now and of course if anything happened, I'd love to stay. But if that's not the case then you've got to go and look after yourself. It's a short career obviously, but everyone knows how much this club means to me.”
Ledson is approaching the 200 appearance mark in a North End shirt but starts have not been all too regular over the course of his time at Deepdale. The number 18 has predominantly been a substitute under Heckingbottom this year, though the manager has only spoken highly of him. There has been a bit of frustration for Ledson while watching on from the side at times - especially given the fact he’s felt he could’ve contributed in certain games.
“Oh yeah, definitely,” said Ledson. “Portsmouth, even Plymouth when it went 3-3, QPR, there's been loads. I just want to get on the pitch and show what I can do. If it means me coming on or seeing a game out, or starting it and getting a good result, that's all I want to do. I just want to try and impress and show what I can do.”
He added: “I think every single time I've played this year I haven't let myself down. I've scored three goals as well. I’m trying to keep on adding that to my game... scoring goals, assists. I might have been unfortunate, I don't know. But at the end of the day it's about putting myself there, keeping myself fit and being available. That's all I can do.”
“I just want to impress as much as I can.”
Regardless of his reduced minutes in the team this year Ledson has plenty of admiration for the North End boss - whose eye he is looking to catch every day.
“Yeah, no, listen, so much respect for him,” said Ledson. “The way he's come in and he's got some really good ideas. I do think he's brilliant. Obviously, I probably haven't played as many minutes as I can. But as I say, I don't mind, I keep myself fit and I just want to impress as much as I can.”
Whether this summer proves to be the end of the road or not for Ledson at Preston, motivation for the final 19 games - and with PNE still in the FA Cup - is by no means lacking. He knows the team has slipped up towards the end of previous campaigns and is determined to ensure that doesn’t happen this year.
“There's so much more positive signs,” said Ledson. “I think we can see that. A good cup run would be nice as well. We've got another good home tie and then maybe get one of the big boys. You know what the FA Cup is about, it's brilliant and it’d be boss to go on a cup run with these lads.
“Then, just try and finish as high as we can. And I think really finish on a positive note, because the last few seasons we've finished quite negative. So, I think really finish on a positive note at the end of the season, then go into next season, them lads and give it a real good go.”