Sean St Ledger talks signing for Preston North End, getting his chance and one player that caught his eye the most

Sean St Ledger spent an eventful five years as a Preston North End player, making 200 appearances for the Lilywhites and being capped for the Republic of Ireland in his time at Deepdale. He spoke to the Lancashire Post this week about his time in a PNE shirt, starting with how the move came about.
Former Preston North End and Ireland defender Sean St Ledger.Former Preston North End and Ireland defender Sean St Ledger.
Former Preston North End and Ireland defender Sean St Ledger.

Sean St Ledger joined North End from Peterborough United in July 2006 and went on to be a key player at the heart of the defence.

However, he was close to signing for Birmingham City before making the move to Preston.

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Bearing in mind St Ledger grew up an Aston Villa fan, that would have been some plunge for him.

Sean St Ledger celebrates alongside Youl Mawene.Sean St Ledger celebrates alongside Youl Mawene.
Sean St Ledger celebrates alongside Youl Mawene.

St Ledger said: “I was on trial from Peterborough to Birmingham, Steve Bruce was the manager when they had players like Emile Heskey and Jermaine Pennant.

“I think they’d just got relegated from the Premier League. I was training there and I got offered a contract.

“Because I had been offered a contract there, I think Preston then made the move to offer me one.

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“I had the choice of going to Birmingham or coming to Preston and I chose Preston.

“It was tempting to go to Birmingham because of the players they had and they were one of the favourites to go back up but as a player I felt my opportunity of playing would be greater at Preston.

“North End had been in the play-offs in recent seasons and gone really close.

“It was just one of those decisions and as it goes I probably made the right one.

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“When I came in the manager told me I’d probably be third choice behind Youl Mawene and Liam Chilvers and I was fine with that really – I had faith in my ability.

“It was fortunate – not so fortunate for Youl – that he got a pretty serious injury in the lead-up to the season.

“That’s what happens in football, people get suspensions or something happens out of the blue and someone gets an opportunity.

“I was very fortunate in that it happened with me.

“I might not have gone on to have the career that I did if I didn’t start

playing that season.

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“I might have just gone into the reserves and then back on loan to League One or League Two.

“I was fortunate in that I played so many games but I was surrounded by great players and a team that had been successful, so that played its part.

“There were really good options, I think each player would say that they enjoyed playing with each other.

“It was all about they players we were surrounded by, especially for me and Chilvers who had no real experience at that level.

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“To be playing alongside Graham Alexander, Callum Davidson, you had Brian O’Neil and Paul McKenna in front of you.

“That made the transition so much easier because of the experience they had at that level, not just the experience but also the talent that they had.”

In what was regarded as a star-studded era at PNE, one man in particular stood out to St Ledger, who won the player of the year award during his time at the club.

Former PNE captain and local boy McKenna left a lasting impression on the Ireland international.

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“I will always say, for me, Paul McKenna was one of the most underrated players I ever played with,” said St Ledger, 35.

“What he did for the team was phenomenal.

“He was a leader, he demanded that the standard was really high. It was one of the things that made him special in my opinion.

“He won the ball back, his heading was good even though he was only small.

“When Alan Irvine came in, he brought in this tactic where if we played against a big centre-forward Paul would stand in front of him to head the ball and I’d just have to drop off.

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“For me, my season under Alan Irvine was probably my best season for Preston and I probably owe a lot to the job that Paul McKenna did in front of me.

“I wasn’t 6ft 3ins and I wasn’t dominant in the air but it allowed me to use my other strengths and for them to shine.

“McKenna was unbelievable at winning the ball in the air and his spring was brilliant.

“That was a part of his game that people didn’t really see too much.”

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St Ledger got his break in the PNE side thanks to a long-term injury suffered by Mawene which ruled him out of the 2006/07 campaign. Although he did not like to see his team-mate and friend sidelined, St Ledger admits that sometimes that has to happen in football.

He said: “Every footballer would say they would rather win their place or earn back their place on merit.

“But as we know, that’s not always the case. Players get long- term injuries and suspensions and you have to take that opportunity.

“A player might get sold and then the club don’t have time to get a replacement.

“You sometimes find that the opportunities that come up when you least expect the player to play well, go on to be superb.”