Latest news with #PeterRidsdale
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Revolution not evolution' for Preston
Preston North End chairman Craig Hemmings has reiterated the club's intention to significantly overhaul the playing squad during this summer transfer Lilywhites lost 10 players at the end of the season, with six released upon expiration of their contracts, including Emil Riis, Freddie Woodman and Ryan loanees Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Jayden Meghoma, Ryan Porteous and Sam Greenwood all returned to their parent executive Peter Ridsdale previously said Preston would likely need at least eight club have already made four, with goalkeeper Daniel Iverson, defenders Pol Valentin and Thierry Small and midfielder Jordan Thompson has suggested more players will be brought in between now and the start of the Championship campaign in August."This transfer window more than any other in my tenure as chairman is about revolution and not evolution," Hemmings told the club website, external."Paul Heckingbottom and his coaching staff have a significant opportunity to reshape the football squad into the team and style of play they believe needed to compete for the play-off places."Plans have long been made and player targets identified for the summer transfer window."We believe our scouting infrastructure, analytics focus, and efficient decision-making processes will enable us to move quickly to land some hidden gems, both from the UK and internationally."
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'A rebuilding opportunity to be relished'
The 2024/25 Championship season won't be looked back on in years to come with great affection by Preston North End fans. They spent last summer preparing for another year under Ryan Lowe. He left after one match; his interim successor, Mike Marsh, was in charge for one league match with Paul Heckingbottom in charge of the remaining 44. Considerable upheaval that simply wasn't expected. Just after the turn of the year, it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that they could mount a play-off challenge. The reality was that they avoided one of the most unlikely relegations to League One by just a point. Surrendering a two-goal lead at Bristol City on the final day to settle for a draw was pretty typical of how the season panned out. Twenty draws is just far too many in any season. But it's the same number as they recorded in the second tier in 2005/06, which saw them finish the season in fourth spot. It's fair to say that the Championship is a much different animal, 19 years on. Since that final day fixture, the retained list threw up very few surprises, if any. It had been long since assumed that Ryan Ledson, Freddie Woodman, Emil Riis and Patrick Bauer would be leaving on frees. Ched Evans will join that list if it's mutually decided that he'll leave the coaching staff and wishes to carry on playing elsewhere. CEO Peter Ridsdale is optimistic about rebuilding a squad which could be argued is long overdue. He told me: "There's a number of vacancies that Paul [Heckingbottom] is excited about being able to fill." The expectancy is that summer incomings could total 10 or more. Despite the remaining members of the squad being under contract, departures could still take place. Danish midfielder Jeppe Okkels, who has been on loan at Aberdeen since the winter transfer window, is one who can look for pastures new. His arrival came between permanent managers last summer. It's a deal that could potentially have been stopped by North End, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Had he hit the ground running, his signing wouldn't have come under any real scrutiny. The fact is, it's not worked out, and it's one that they're highly likely to take a substantial financial hit on. So, it's over to Paul Heckingbottom's judgement, along with the recruitment team headed by James Wallace to find the new pieces of the jigsaw. The return of goalkeeper Daniel Iversen has been "doing the rounds" for some time. It's a signing that makes great sense. A terrific shot stopper who has the fanbase on his side from day one. Then come the other areas in need of addressing. Full-backs, or wing-backs as referred to by Peter Ridsdale are required on both sides. A right-sided centre-back to rival Jordan Storey. Left-footed midfielders, with former Stoke and Blackpool man Jordan Thompson an imminent arrival and replacements for Riis, Evans and Layton Stewart in the front line. In total, there is a lot to do, but it is something the club should relish. The area that screams out as needed to me is a maverick-type player, someone who can get the crowd on their feet. The likes of Liam Millar, Paul Gallagher and Aiden McGeady have all provided that spark over the last decade of second-tier football. It promises to be an interesting close season at the Euxton training ground.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'A rebuilding opportunity to be relished'
The 2024/25 Championship season won't be looked back on in years to come with great affection by Preston North End spent last summer preparing for another year under Ryan Lowe. He left after one match; his interim successor, Mike Marsh, was in charge for one league match with Paul Heckingbottom in charge of the remaining 44. Considerable upheaval that simply wasn't after the turn of the year, it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that they could mount a play-off challenge. The reality was that they avoided one of the most unlikely relegations to League One by just a a two-goal lead at Bristol City on the final day to settle for a draw was pretty typical of how the season panned draws is just far too many in any season. But it's the same number as they recorded in the second tier in 2005/06, which saw them finish the season in fourth spot. It's fair to say that the Championship is a much different animal, 19 years that final day fixture, the retained list threw up very few surprises, if any. It had been long since assumed that Ryan Ledson, Freddie Woodman, Emil Riis and Patrick Bauer would be leaving on frees. Ched Evans will join that list if it's mutually decided that he'll leave the coaching staff and wishes to carry on playing Peter Ridsdale is optimistic about rebuilding a squad which could be argued is long told me: "There's a number of vacancies that Paul [Heckingbottom] is excited about being able to fill."The expectancy is that summer incomings could total 10 or more. Despite the remaining members of the squad being under contract, departures could still take place. Danish midfielder Jeppe Okkels, who has been on loan at Aberdeen since the winter transfer window, is one who can look for pastures arrival came between permanent managers last summer. It's a deal that could potentially have been stopped by North End, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Had he hit the ground running, his signing wouldn't have come under any real fact is, it's not worked out, and it's one that they're highly likely to take a substantial financial hit it's over to Paul Heckingbottom's judgement, along with the recruitment team headed by James Wallace to find the new pieces of the return of goalkeeper Daniel Iversen has been "doing the rounds" for some time. It's a signing that makes great sense. A terrific shot stopper who has the fanbase on his side from day come the other areas in need of addressing. Full-backs, or wing-backs as referred to by Peter Ridsdale are required on both sides. A right-sided centre-back to rival Jordan Storey. Left-footed midfielders, with former Stoke and Blackpool man Jordan Thompson an imminent arrival and replacements for Riis, Evans and Layton Stewart in the front line. In total, there is a lot to do, but it is something the club should area that screams out as needed to me is a maverick-type player, someone who can get the crowd on their feet. The likes of Liam Millar, Paul Gallagher and Aiden McGeady have all provided that spark over the last decade of second-tier promises to be an interesting close season at the Euxton training ground.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
No current ownership talks at Preston
Preston North End have met with six potential new owners over the past year, according to chief executive Peter Lilywhites finished 20th in the Championship this season, securing their status on the final day with a draw at Bristol City, as well as reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals."We're not currently talking to anybody, I've probably met half a dozen people over the past 12 months - but as we are today none are at the table," Ridsdale told BBC Radio Lancashire."I think most are shocked by how much it takes to invest in a Championship club."Preston have spent the past 10 seasons in the Championship and have been owned by the Hemmings family since 2010 when the late businessman Trevor Hemmings bought the club following a winding up petition by HM Revenue and Customs. "The days when the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker locally could afford to own clubs are long gone," said Ridsdale."To be honest the days when millionaires could afford to own a Championship club are also long gone."To push towards the Premier League the former Leeds chairman admitted North End will need significant outside investment."If we are to match the aspirations of our supporters then we need to be attracting some of the people who are buying into clubs in the Premier League or more recently Birmingham," he said."Outside investment of a minority stake doesn't work - if you're going to buy a club you want to make the decisions."Peter Ridsdale was talking to BBC Radio Lancashire's Andy Bayes.
