Preston North End have received a “number of expressions of interest” in the club since the death of their owner towards the end of last year.

The Championship side issued a statement on their website following “rumours with regards to ownership of the club”.

The Lilywhites added that they have also received expressions of interest in the club “in recent weeks”.

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The news comes after Trevor Hemmings, who was also one of National Hunt racing’s greatest supporters and the owner of three Grand National winners, died in October 2021.

He rescued Preston in 2010 when he bought a controlling stake in the Lancashire club.

Mr Hemmings, a director at Preston in the 1970s, acquired 51 per cent of the club’s shares in 2010 through his Deepdale PNE company, soon after the Lilywhites had been served with a winding up petition by HM Revenue and Customs.

A statement posted on the club’s website said: “In response to today’s rumours with regards to ownership of the club, we can confirm that since Mr Hemmings’ untimely death we have had a number of expressions of interest in the club, including in recent weeks.

“Unless or until there is anything more definitive to say, we will not make any further comment.”