Tommy Spurr hopes to get back on track after leaving Preston for Fleetwood

The 30-year-old defender joined Fleetwood yesterday on a season-long loan.

With Spurr now in the last year of his North End contract, it effectively ends his time at Deepdale.

A knee injury restricted his first-team opportunities last term.

Having started the season in the centre of defence, Ben Davies got ahead of him in the pecking order.

And then a torn ligament in his left knee sidelined him for more than four months.

Spurr said: “I started last season in the team and then did my knee early doors.

“Once I was fit I couldn’t get back in because the lads at Preston had done so well.

“This is a chance to play some games, look forward to playing at the weekend again.”

Spurr made 18 starts and seven substitute appearances in his two seasons at PNE.

He was initially signed as a left-back and acted as cover for Greg Cunningham in his first campaign.

Last pre-season, Alex Neil moved him into the centre of defence and he started four of the first six league games in the middle.

It is that central position which Spurr prefers.

“I played at left-back for a lot of years but I feel a lot more comfortable in the centre which is where I played last year,” said Spurr.

Other clubs were linked with Spurr but Fleetwood got to the front of the queue.

Had he stayed at Deepdale, there would have been plenty of competition.

Jordan Storey has come in to strengthen the centre-half positions – competing with Tom Clarke, Paul Huntington and Ben Davies.

Last week, Andrew Hughes joined from Peterborough to battle it out with Josh Earl for the left-back slot.

Hughes can also play as a centre-half.

There are likely to be more departures on the back of Spurr’s loan exit.

Eoin Doyle, Andy Boyle, Ben Pringle, Marnick Vermijl and Kevin O’Connor could all be playing elsewhere come the new season.

Doyle has a list of suitors in League One but a firm cash bid has yet to be received.

The start of pre-season training – the PNE squad were reporting back today – could well bring about more interest in the others.