Nugent goes back to Bury

Bury may be even more in need of pre-season games than North End, having made many changes in the close-season. The assistant manager, former PNE man Kelham O'Hanlon, left the Coca-Cola League Two side at the end of last term and no fewer than seven players have been shipped out - and drafted in - changes that the club has been forced to undertake in an attempt to balance the books.

Followers of North End have their own special reason to be glad of the money-troubles at Gigg Lane as the promising England U-20 international striker David Nugent was one of the players to be sold at knock-down price. This friendly game between the two clubs was part of the deal to bring Nugent to Deepdale, the expected gate takings providing much-needed cash for the Bury kitty. Whites everywhere must be thinking it was cheap at the price.

Another former Bury player making a return to Gigg Lane is the Preston skipper Chris Lucketti, while facing him will be one of the summer signings, another former PNE player, Allan Smart, whose stay at Deepdale was not a great success but who has had more luck since moving on, notably with Watford.