PRESTON CAN GET ALONG WITHOUT KING JOE

LOSING Joe Garner is a devastating blow for my old club Preston – but there’s no reason why it should prove terminal.

I really felt for Joe. By all accounts, his tendons became detached from his knee and I know from experience that knee injuries are deeply unpleasant. With 11 goals already this season, it has also knocked him down when he was flying.

Preston will miss him, but when you look at their squad, there’s still a huge amount of attacking quality. In fact, with everybody fit, I often felt they had too many centre-forwards.

They’ve got Jermaine Beckford on loan from Bolton, a guy Simon Grayson knows and trusts. He hasn’t scored the goals over the last couple of seasons, but he’s ripped it up in League One before so will be confident of doing it again.

Kevin Davies has all the experience in the world. A couple of years ago, those two alone would have been a Premier League strikeforce.

Then you’ve got Paul Gallagher, who for me is the man who makes the team tick, a No10 who creates a huge amount.

Most of the teams in League One would kill for those three, so I don’t think Preston fans have too much to worry about. I’VE already spoken about young players need-ingthe right attitude

but the same goes for older guys too. And if Darren Bent

– who this week Brighton on loan joined Championship from Aston Villa

– thinks the is going to be easy, nasty surprise. he’s in for a With 185 goals,

the guy obviously net is. He’ll be raring knows where there’s to play and if the

no doubt he’ll he’s at his best, If they be a force for that

get the Darren Brighton side. he’s more than five years

Bent of four or capable of turning ago, appointing season. around a very

disBut it’s a very tough,

very relentless And he won’t get division.

anywhere near he gets in the Premier

as much time as for the battle? be up

League. Will he Just like those

young lads, he’s prove himself – got to

inside the dressing room and out on

the pitch.