As deadline day looms, there is limited activity in the Preston North End offices. There hasn’t been many rumours all month, and with a large amount of business being done in the summer it wasn’t a surprise too see such a quiet January.
Instead Preston have concentrated on contract renewals for their own players with Ali McCann, Dai Cornell and Ben Whiteman all extending their stay with the club. The one fans are all waiting on is Alan Browne, and there was a surprising link to Salernitana this morning, but it seems as if an approach has been turned down.
There has been some former Preston players involved in late moves in this window however. Joe Garner who has spent the last year with Carlisle United, playing alongside Paul Huntington, Sean Maguire, and Jack Armer, has left to join Oldham Athletic on an 18 month deal.
Garner is still adored by many Preston fans after 57 goals in 151 appearances for the club. His performances helped us to promotion from League One in 2015, and he gave us many memorable moments. You will rarely see someone play with so much passion as he did for The Lilywhites.
The 35-year-old helped Paul Simpson’s Carlisle side gain promotion from League Two last year, but leaves to join and Oldham team looking to get back into the Football League. The Latics are currently in sixth place in the National League.
Automatic promotion is out of reach with Chesterfield a huge 29 points ahead of them but Oldham stand a good chance of finishing in the top seven, with six teams entering the play-offs at that level.
Oldham’s manager is Micky Mellon, having taken over from former Preston coach David Unsworth. Another former North End backroom staff member was interim manager in between. Simon Grayson’s former assistant Steve Thompson had taken charge following Unsworth’s sacking, leading The Latics to three wins and three draws and was unfortunate not to land the job on a permanent basis.
Another former Preston player is in between the sticks for Oldham this season. Matthew Hudson who made a solitary appearance for The Lilywhites in a match against Leeds United in 2015 has been a mainstay in the side.
Hudson made his debut for Preston in a game that saw Jordan Pickford sent off. Since leaving Deepdale in 2022 the 25-year-old spent some time with Buxton before joining Oldham.
Garner will also be playing alongside Ethan Walker who is on loan at Boundary Park from Blackburn Rovers. Walker made his debut professional debut for Preston when he was just 16 in a game against Aston Villa in 2018, some time after Garner had left the club.