JOSH Brownhill is set for a first taste of Championship football when Preston North End's season starts next month.

The Warrington teenager featured 18 times in League One for the Deepdale outfit as they secured promotion via the play-offs to English football’s second tier last season.

However it hasn’t all been straightforward for the former Birchwood Community High School student, who was released after nearly 10 years in Manchester United’s academy having been signed at five-and-a-half years old.

But Brownhill bears no grudges, instead understanding his release led to joining Preston where he made his debut as a 17-year-old.

Now 19, the midfielder hopes one day to realise a dream of playing in the Premier League.

“I was released at United when I was 15 but it’s helped me to get where I am today really,” said Brownhill.

“As much as they let me go and it’s not very nice, I got the move to Preston.

“That’s the main aim for me; to play in the Premier League. It’s where the big boys play, and as a youngster you always set goals like wanting to play at the highest level.

“Hopefully I’ll make that happen.”

First Brownhill, who lives in Cinnamon Brow, has to force his way back into Simon Grayson’s play-offs-winning side.

“I got quite a lot of playing time before Christmas and up until January I was involved in every game,” he explained.

“Then we had a bit of a dip in form in January and I found myself out of the team.

“They found a line-up that was winning games and didn’t lose until the last game of the season against Colchester, so he stood by that team – it’s hard to change a winning side.

“Last year I scored in pretty much every game in pre-season and then got myself the shirt for the first game of the season.

“I hope I can do the same again as we’ve got Middlesbrough on TV.”

 


The former Warrington Schoolboys’ star is excited at the calibre of sides he will be facing this year.

“I can’t wait for the season to get started,” he added. “It’s not kicked in yet that I’m in the Championship and won’t until that first game comes around.

“When the League One stuff comes up on Sky Sports I still look at that and not the Championship.

“Every game I look forward to; Bolton, Blackburn, Burnley, then there’s QPR and Derby, all these teams that have been up there in the Championship and higher as well.”

 

Brownhill is confident Preston can consolidate their league spot.

“We want to be comfortable in the table,” he said. “We haven’t set ourselves any goals yet, as he (Grayson) wants us to play without any pressure.

“We beat Norwich 2-0 in the FA Cup and just got beat by Middlesbrough last year. It’s always great to play against teams like that because it gets us ready for when we make the step up like we have done.

“We’ve kept a similar side to last year, we’ve confidence in ourselves to do well with maybe a few additions, but I think we’ve got a good squad and with a few more we’ll be looking a lot stronger.

“We’re not expected to do very well in this league because we’ve only just come up, but we’re confident and Wolves did it last year – they were up there in the table, so I don’t see why we can’t be.”