Morgan backing for PNE boss

Since replacing Phil Brown in the Deepdale hotseat last month, Westley has plunged himself into the transfer market with the addition of nine new faces to the North End squad.

Immediate gains have not been experienced with a return of one point from three games, but while Morgan admits the ongoing long-term injury absence of strike duo Iain Hume and Neil Mellor has hurt the Lilywhites, he insists they must aspire toward the squad competition that is benefitting League One's leading lights.

"I think that all teams would miss their top two strikers," said Morgan. "They could play beyond this level because they're great players.

"But if we can develop as a squad and get to the stage when Iain and Neil are competitors to other strikers and they're all on the same playing field then we're going to go far.

"The gaffer has said that he wants to get a squad together where you're not dependant on certain people. When you get that - like your Sheffield Wednesday's and your Charlton's - you become the winning side week-in, week out."