2007/08 Season Review - July
The North End squad reported back for pre-season training at the start of July ready to put the final day Play-Off disappointment behind them and prepare for another testing Championship season.
Although the first game of the 2007/08 was still over a month away, the arduous task of a demanding pre-season lied in wait as they looked to iron out the kinks in fitness following the summer break.
The close season had the usual transfer comings and goings with Michael Ricketts, Pavel Pergl, Franck Songo'o and Seyfo Soley departing Deepdale.
Manager Paul Simpson had already added Billy Jones and Karl Hawley to the ranks before Kevin Nicholls completed his move to Preston from Elland Road on 5th July following a delay caused by Leeds United's administration problems.
Another transfer target was American midfielder Greg Dalby, with North End seemingly moving closer to acquiring his services when the former University of Notre Dame player agreed personal terms over a deal at Deepdale. 
Although Dalby couldn't qualify for a work permit through the normal measures as he hadn't had the required games at full international level, it was hoped that he could be given a permit on the 'exceptional talent' ruling which saw Manchester United capture Brazilian youngster Anderson. Those claims fell on deaf ears at the Home Office and North End were forced to give up on the chase to sign 21-year-old.
The interest surrounding England International David Nugent was also increasing with Sunderland tabling a bid for the striker, however they withdrew from a prospective deal after North End Chairman Derek Shaw received a phone call from Sunderland Chief Executive Peter Walker.
Rob Kelly was officially named as the new Assistant Manager of the Club on 10th July although the former Leicester City boss had spent a couple of months at the club already in various capacities. 
Following much speculation, Nugent eventually put pen-to-paper on a £7m deal at Fratton Park after agreeing a move to Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth. PNE Chairman Derek Shaw admitted at the time that David Nugent's move to Portsmouth was 'a sad day for the Club' but completed what had been an amazing two-and-a-half years for the young striker and the football club.
Nugent himself thanked the PNE fans for being behind him from the start and even hinted that one day he may return to the Club that turned him from a League Two rookie to a fully fledged England hero.
In the middle of the month it was announced that long-serving midfielder Paul McKenna faced surgery on a groin problem, an injury which ruled him out for the opening few months of the season whilst Kelvin Wilson departed Deepdale for his native Nottingham where he joined Forest in a £300k deal.
On the field, North End opened up their pre-season campaign with the annual double header against Bamber Bridge and Chorley on Friday 13th July. Paul Simpson opted to split his squad, taking half to Irongate with the remaining contingent travelling to Victory Park where they were overseen by his Assistant Rob Kelly.
North End despatched the Magpies 5-2 to lift the Jack Kirkland Memorial Trophy for the fourth consecutive season, however the Lilywhites succumbed 6-2 against Brig - the scoreline unfairly reflecting on Preston, who had fielded a side compromising entirely of the Youth squad in the second half.
Five days later came a more glamorous challenge when David Moyes returned to Deepdale with his Everton team. Preston put in a very creditable performance claiming a 1-1 draw against the Toffees in front of over 8,000 spectators. Simon Whaley had put North End ahead in the first period with a neat finish from the edge of the box before Victor Anichibe levelled with ten minutes remaining.
With confidence gained from the strong performance against a top-six Premiership club, the squad departed on their pre-season tour to America where they would play three games in the space of a week against Seattle Sounders, Monterrey and Portland Timbers whilst also taking the opportunity to put in some hard graft on the training pitches in the West Coast heat.
The results didn't fall in Preston's favour as Seattle got the better of Paul Simpson's men with a 2-1 win, which included a goal for Patrick Agyemang. Neither did the game against the Mexican outfit Monterrey in Sacramento where Danny Pugh saw red in an ill-tempered 2-0 defeat. The trend continued on Portland's artificial surface as Brett Ormerod's goal wasn't enough to prevent Preston from going down 2-1 in the final fixture.
The gruelling schedule continued on the return to home soil as Forest Green Rovers proved to be another stern test in Jim Harvey's Testimonial on the final day of the month. Preston travelled to Morecambe's Christie Park only a day after travelling back from the States, but managed to put tiredness and jet-lag to one side and battle through for a 1-1 draw. Neil Mellor had put PNE in the lead before Lee Dodgson levelled for their Blue Square Premier League opponents.
Log onto PNE.Com on Wednesday for the August instalment of Preston North End's 2007/08 season review.
