The press stated that both had been offered 18 month contracts which in footballing terms seemed quite odd due to the brevity of the contract. Brown clarified that in fact both had signed a 12 month rolling contract and not an 18 month contract.
Billy Davies was on a similar type of contract which proved difficult when he tried to leave for Derby as the level of compensation owed to Preston was difficult to work out (typically it would just be the amount left on the contract).
The reason behind a 12 month rolling contract is probably more from the club's point of view in that having been stung once by offering Ferguson a lengthy contract and then termination payment, should things go wrong with Brown then Hemmings will most likely only have to pay up the equivalent of a one year salary.