North End announce cuts

Alexander: New head of youth development

Preston have announced a "small number of job losses" at Deepdale after carrying out a review of the club's off-field finances.

The Lilywhites have also installed former midfielder Graham Alexander as the club's new head of youth development as part of the process.

Chairman of football Peter Ridsdale said: "Since the end of season 2011/12 we have taken radical steps to overhaul our playing squad both in terms of quality, but also in keeping with having a payroll consistent with our turnover.

"These changes have reinforced our desire to get back to the Championship while at the same time ensuring that this is a business that is being run properly. The next stage of this process has been a fundamental review of our off-field organisation structure.

"This has been done to ensure that the money that we spend is focused on maximising our revenues and giving the right level of service to all of supporters (customers) while at the same time matching income and expenditure of a League One football club. It is with regret that these changes will result in a small number of job losses which have been communicated to our staff."

Ridsdale added: "In keeping with the above objectives I'm delighted to announce that Graham Alexander, who has just retired having made over 1,000 competitive appearances in professional football, is appointed to the position of head of youth development, Preston North End Football Club with immediate effect."

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