Sean Maguire’s aiming to keep up appearances for Preston North End

The 26-year-old was on the pitch at some stage in 44 of PNE’s 46 Championship games last season.

Of that league game time, he started 38 matches and came off the bench on six occasions, although he scored only five times.

Maguire, who last week signed a new contract which takes him to June 2023, told the Lancashire Post: “There were only two league games I wasn’t in the squad for.

“I missed the home game against Stoke because I’d got concussion that match before at Swansea.

“Then I got that eye injury in training which meant I missed the away game at Nottingham Forest. Other than those two, I was involved in all the others.”

Maguire’s scoring record will be under scrutiny in the season ahead after just finding the net just five times last season.

The fifth of those was at Bristol City on the closing night of the regular season, breaking a goalless run which had stretched back to December.

“Bristol City was one of my strongest performances of the season,” said Maguire.

“I scored a one-on-one and I’ll always have belief in my ability in those situations.

“Hopefully I can go on from there and make a real impact this season.

“We are a few days into pre-season training now, it’s been a quick turnaround from the end of last season so we should find our fitness quickly.

“When the new season starts I think the gaffer will need to dip into the squad to use everyone so we have to be ready.”