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Lancashire

Latest Updates

  1. Tom Lawes

  3. 'A rebuilding opportunity to be relished'

    Andy Bayes
    BBC Radio Lancashire Sport Editor

    Paul Heckingbottom and Peter Ridsdale talk Rex Features

    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 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 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 g 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 g 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.

  4. A middle-aged woman wearing a blue dress and hijab sits smiling on a sofa.

  5. Jimmy Anderson's picture from Lancashire media day

  6. A fire engine with doors open ready to attend a fire

  7. An old tram is covered in red, green and yellow lights travels along Blackpool Promenade at night.

  8. Police mugshots of top left Joshua Oaks; bottom left Jack Lafferty; centre Daniel Hague; top right Marshall Redfern and bottom right Paul Doherty.

  9. Tom Brakewell and Gabby Evans are smiling in a selfie. Tom has brown hair and a beard and Gabby has shoulder length blonde hair.

  10. Shah Hussein holds an International Brigade flag, which has red, yellow and crimson horizontal stripes, along with the words 'No pasaran'. The memorial, which includes the words 'Spanish Civil War 1936 - 1939' can be seen to his left.

  11. Surrey's Alice Capsey pictured holding up her bat

  12. External view of the derelict listed building which was the Old Dog Inn pub until 2018.

  13. Assistant Chief Constable Richard Robertshaw stands next to PC Cassie Barratt, riding PH Lawson, with Inspector Tim Coussens

  14. Google Earth photograph of Pilmuir Road in Blackburn. Cars and vans are parked along the road, with a row of semi-detached houses and more homes at the top of the road. Two grass verges can be seen on either side of the entrance to the road.

  15. Close up image of a sign in white writing on blue saying Accrington Victoria Community Hospital

  16. Six cockerels housed in individual cages constructed out of wire mesh and a corrugated roof

  17. A general aerial view of Blackpool showing the tower and the town to the right, and the beach to the left with central pier. The sky is blue with a few white clouds.

  18. Shaun Whalley in action for Accrington Stanley

  19. Head and shoulders image of Mark Clifford in front of a plain grey wall. He has sandy hair parted in the middle and is wearing a checked suit and pale blue shirt

  20. Accrington Stanley scarf

  21. Clarets academy achieves Category One status

    Progressing into Burnley first team would be 'utopia' for academy players

    Burnley's academy has been awarded Category One status ahead of their return to the Premier League.

    Chris Casper, who was appointed academy manager six months ago and whose own son Charlie is in the academy, says the achievement is a big fillip to the club, shortly after they won promotion under Scott Parker.

    He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It will open a massive door for the games programme, recruitment of players and extra funding, so it's massively important for the club and testament to the staff and to the ownership who have backed us.

    "Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City are all going to rock into town next year. When we were Category One three or four years ago, the atmosphere on a matchday is a different level.

    "The pathway shows what you're trying to achieve and how you're trying to achieve it. It shows productivity, and Burnley's productivity over the last 20 years, with players coming through the academy to play in the first team, hasn't been very good.

    "Scott has been really good with the young players, takes a lot of interest in them, and they train regularly [with the first team], generally on the day before a game so he gets to see them.

    "There's a real desire to produce young players for our first team."

  22. Keaton Jennings

  23. Preston chief executive Peter Ridsdale clapping

  24. A area of peatland scorched and blackened by fire.

  25. A woman walks in a park with a black dog on a lead. Leaves can be seen scattered across the floor, with benches and play equipment seen.