Andy Lonergan has suggested that Preston North End were playing ‘silly beggars’ as Everton and Leeds United chased his signature back in 2011.
Lonergan remains a shining light from the PNE academy, certainly in my time watching North End.
There aren’t all that many players who have emerged from the North End ranks to become key first-team players but Lonergan did just that.
The goalkeeper – who is still going at the age of 39 with Premier League side Everton – grew up as a PNE fan and made his debut for the club aged just 16.
Lonergan went on to rack up more than 230 appearances for PNE before things turned a little sour in 2011.
North End were struggling in the Championship relegation zone and Phil Brown decided to bring in Iain Turner in on loan from Everton.
Turner was immediately made first-choice at PNE and ended up signing permanently despite North End dropping into League One.
Lonergan was effectively cast aside despite PNE refusing to sell him in January and it seems that the summer window was a struggle too.
Lonergan has told Mark Howard’s ‘The Yours, Mine, Away Podcast’ that he was a man in demand come the end of the 2010-11 season.
Leeds United had come forward with a bid and PNE were happy to sell, so Lonergan was heading off to Elland Road for a medical.
That’s when David Moyes – former PNE boss – tried to change Lonergan’s mind and take him to Everton; ironic given that Lonergan is now playing for the Toffees.
However, North End seemingly tried to hike up Lonergan’s asking price for a Premier League club, leaving the goalkeeper to suggest that PNE were ‘playing silly beggars’.
Lonergan ended up picking Leeds in search of first-team playing time, a decision he seemingly stands by to this day.
“At the end of the season, Preston went down and they wanted to sell me,” said Lonergan. “Leeds came in for me and as I was driving to Leeds to do a medical, David Moyes rang saying ‘come to Everton’, so I did my medical at Leeds, went to David Moyes’ house, next day I went to Goodison, did a medical.”
“But Preston were playing silly beggars – they were wanting three times as much as Leeds had accepted. In the end – whether it was the right or wrong decision – I chose Leeds because I wanted to play,” he added.