Lonergan has made 162 appearances for Preston

Preston goalkeeper Andrew Lonergan has signed a new three-and-a-half year contract with the Championship club.

The Preston-born 25-year-old has signed the extension which will keep him at Deepdale until 2013.

The ex-England Under-21 man told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I didn't take any persuading. I knew what I wanted.

"I was always going to stay. It was just a case of getting the financial stuff sorted, and that's been done quickly. I'm delighted."

Lonergan made his debut at 16 in the League Cup defeat by Coventry in 2000 and has made 145 league appearances for North End, scoring once at Leicester in October 2004.

He has admitted that manager Alan Irvine was a major factor in his decision to agree a new deal after starting all 98 matches under the Scotsman.

Lonergan said: "He's a brilliant manager. I am happy to play for him, I am more than happy and that's why I've signed my contract. He's probably the main reason."

Having won the club's players' player of the year award last season, he said he is relishing the added responsibility of captaining the team in the absence of club skipper Callum Davidson.

"It's the best thing that's ever happened to me on a football pitch. It's a great honour and something I want to have permanently," he said.

"I understand that it's Callum's now but he's not going to go on forever and hopefully one day I can take it on permanently."

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