Preston are again being linked with Cole Stockton – a player Ryan Lowe has offered some public praise to this season.
Some players are linked with North End so often it borders on being ridiculous.
Josh Windass springs to mind; this past summer window felt empty without seeing Windass linked with a move to Deepdale.
Another name that is heading onto that list is Stockton.
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Football Insider reported in January that Preston were looking into signing Morecambe hitman Stockton to bolster Ryan Lowe’s attack.
The same outlet returned over the summer, again claiming that North End fancied Stockton.
No deal materialised but just over a month since the summer window ended, Stockton is again being touted for a move to Preston.
This time it’s The Sun’s Alan Nixon reporting the news, claiming that Preston scouted Stockton in action for Morecambe against Cambridge United over the international break.
Stockton, 28, didn’t score in that game and hasn’t actually scored at all this season; hardly a sign that he can solve Preston’s goalscoring woes.
The former Heart of Midlothian striker has enjoyed a purple patch in the last two seasons, racking up 41 goals in 99 games for Morecambe in form he just hasn’t hit at any other point in his career.
Stockton played with both Lowe and chief scout James Wallace during their time together at Tranmere Rovers.
That adds some credence to the repeated Preston links and Lowe has actually praised the striker this season.
Speaking to Mark Clemmitt on The Official EFL Podcast in August, Lowe highlighted that there were some ‘fantastic’ players at Morecambe, Cheltenham Town and Burton Albion, specifically name-checking Stockton as a player who is ‘especially’ impressive.
Lowe may have just been appreciating what Stockton has been doing at Morecambe; any time a player racks up goals like that, they’re going to be praised.
Yet if Preston really are watching Stockton ahead of a potential January move, Lowe’s comments will explain just why North End are keen.