Tommy's Spurr-ed on by PNE challenge

The defender moved across Lancashire yesterday, leaving Blackburn to join PNE on a three-year contract.

Spurr was in demand, with Rovers having offered him new terms to extend his stay at Ewood Park.

It is believed that Rangers and Leeds had also shown a strong interest in the 28-year-old.

But he chose Deepdale as his destination, with the move taking effect from July 1.

“It was the right time for a change,” Spurr told the Evening Post.

“When an opportunity comes up like this one, you just have to take it.

“I feel wanted and I’m very excited about coming to play and work at Preston.

“My fiancée is from around here and I live in the Clitheroe area, so location wasn’t a problem.

“The fact that I will have a chance to play in a couple of different positions, was part of me coming here.

“I play left-back and enjoy playing in the middle too, that might give the chance to play more games.

“Pre-season training starts on Thursday and I’ll probably be a bit more nervous this time than I have been in the last couple of years because it is a new club for me.

“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and getting started.

“I missed the back end of last season so it seems ages since I played.

“My last game for Blackburn was actually against Preston. I got a bit of an Achilles tendon problem because there had been a lot of games in a short space of time.

“It flared up and it was a case of allowing the injury to settle down.

“Everything is fine now – the break from playing games did the trick.

“I’ve been doing some work in the off-season to keep my fitness up.”

North End had maintained an interest in Spurr for all of the close season.

The player returned from holiday at the end of last week and he was at Deepdale yesterday for a medical and to conclude the move.

Said Spurr: “It has been ongoing since the end of last season.

“With people being away and myself being on holiday, it slowed things down.

“As soon as I spoke to the manager and his staff, I felt really wanted.

“They told me about the lads they have here and what they want to do.

“I wanted to be part of that and it feels good to have got everything done.”

PNE assistant manager Glynn Snodin said: “Tommy is another quality signing.

“He can play at left-back or as a left centre-back and it is good to have that versatility.

“We had only got Greg Cunningham on that side of the pitch, so we needed another left-sided player.”

Meanwhile, former PNE keeper Chris Kirkland has joined Bury.