Preston North End midfielder knows exactly what to do to get back into the starting XI

The 24-year-old has foudn game time hard to come by at times under Lowe since his appointment last December, in large part due to the quality on offer in the middle of the park.

Arguably the strongest area of the pitch for PNE, it boast three former players of the year – one being Ledson – as well as regular Ben Whiteman and Northern Ireland and Wales internationals Ali McCann and Ben Woodburn.

Ledson is up for the fight to regain his spot in the side, having been a key player the season before last, and whilst he admits he find it hard watching on, he knows how to get back into the starting XI.

He said: “It is tough, I think everyone knows I like to play and I want to play, but so does everyone. I'm sure there will be opportunities for me to play, some games I might not play, but I've got to be ready.

"I have to just be me. I don't think we have got a midfielder who is like myself, we're all different.

"It's been the same since I've come to the club, this midfield area has always been strong.

"We've had Ben Pearson, Paul Gallagher, Alan Browne, Daniel Johnson. We've had them all ever since I've come here, I'm going into my fifth season now, I know all about the competition.

"I'll carry on doing what I do. Of course I can get back there. When I play I'll just do the best that I can do and try my hardest, hopefully I can perform and do well.”

Ledson missed a chunk of the end of last season with a long-term knee injury, that should have ended his season early.

Eager to impress and not keen on the idea of being sidelined, the Liverpudlian was playing through an injury before going to see a specialist.

He came back ahead of schedule from his ailment however to be a part of the feel-good atmosphere around PNE.

He said: “I had a pain in the outside of my knee which was a build up of cartilage from when I had an operation when I was like 18.

"It formed up and I couldn't really straighten my leg properly but I was playing through it because I wanted to play and didn't want to be out. I knew it was probably the right thing to do, to get it looked at, and I needed it.

"I went and saw the specialist and he said there's a ball of stuff in there that we need to get out. He did that and we wrote the season off.

"I always wanted to get back and play even if it was for 10 minutes in the last game, I worked so hard in the gym to get back and luckily enough I did.

"It's so hard being out injured and especially when you're going to the games. I missed the Blackpool game which I was gutted about. We were on a good run, there was a good feel about the club and I just wanted to get back and be a part of it.”