Gallagher targets Premier League with PNE after signing new deal

Paul Gallagher has signed a new contract at Preston

The midfielder has been at Deepdale since October 2013 and in that time has played his part in a promotion and PNE establishing themselves as a strong Championship club.

After a seventh-placed  finish last season, the next  target is to push into the top six and try and land a place in the Premier League.

“I’ve seen this club grow year on year since I came back. It keeps getting better with every season,” Gallagher told the Post.

“My first season here we got in the play-offs, the next we made the play-offs and got promotion.

“We had the two 11th-placed finishes in the Championship and we finished seventh last month. If we were to improve our league position again, that would mean play-offs or even automatic promotion.”

Gallagher would have been out of contract at the end of the month but signed his new deal yesterday after returning from a coaching course.

The 33-year-old said: “I’ve been taking my UEFA ‘B’ badge in Northern Ireland.

“That is something for the future because I still feel I’ve got a few good years left in the legs to keep playing.

“You look at my record here, I’ve made more than 200 appearances and most of those have been starts.

“Touch wood, I’ve never had an injury which has kept me out for a long time.

“I’ve adapted my game as we have gone along, played in a variety of positions.

“In games I have always felt comfortable and even at my age I’m learning new things.”

Gallagher’s new deal comes on the back of Darnell Fisher, Tom Clarke, Sean Maguire and Mathew Hudson pledging their futures to the club in the last fortnight.

Talks are also ongoing with others in the first-team squad to get them on longer deals.

Said Gallagher: “I’ve been on holiday with my family and had a good rest.

“I always wanted to stay here, the club wanted me to stay – it was a case of finding the right balance.

“It’s good that everything is sorted now and I can really look forward to next season.

“I had a good chat with the gaffer earlier in the summer which was really positive.

“He was saying that he saw me as a big role model, on and off the pitch, for the younger players we have here.

“That’s a big thing for me, we’ve got a lot of young lads which is great.

“We were all young once and I know that sometimes it’s good to have someone who is a bit more experienced to talk to about things.

“It might be about football or something off the field. I’m always there to give advice.”