PNE downbeat ahead of City clash?

Coventry City travel to Deepdale on Saturday to face a side, like the Sky Blues, facing up to the sale of one of their star players amid the current financial constraints affecting a host of Championship clubs.

Central defender Sean St Ledger has joined Middlesbrough on loan, ahead of a permanent move in January, for a fee which could total £4.5m altogether.

His absence looked to have been keenly felt on Tuesday night as PNE went down to defeat at Scunthorpe.

Chairman Derek Shaw told the Lancashire Evening Post: ‘I’m as disappointed as anyone to lose Sean.

‘I know the manager is disappointed and I know the player really liked it here.

‘The facts are that this club needs to bring in a large amount of money.

Every couple of years we will probably have to sell to balance the books.’