Preston North End chairman defends Darren Ferguson

Ferguson has faced pressure to resign from some Preston supporters

Preston chairman Maurice Lindsay has defended manager Darren Ferguson after Friday's 2-0 loss to Hull saw them drop to the bottom of the Championship.

North End have won just four league games this season.

Lindsay told BBC Radio Lancashire: "He's had a lot of injuries. About six players have not performed all year because they have niggling problems.

"We're in trouble. Darren knows it and I know it, but you have to work your way out of these things."

Lindsay added: "We know what hard work has to be done and we'll be doing it."

Friday's defeat by the Tigers left some fans calling for Ferguson to resign.

The 38-year-old Scot was appointed as North End boss at the start of 2010 after Alan Irvine was sacked.

In November 2009 Ferguson left his previous post as manager of Peterborough when they were rooted to the foot of the Championship after gaining promotion the previous season.

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But Lindsay claims Preston are suffering from a hangover from the previous Deepdale regime before owner Trevor Hemmings's takeover in June.

He said: "The club has been on the slide for four years. The playing strength has gone down, the support has gone down. But we can't just snap our fingers or wave a magic wand and everything's okay.

"The club was in a dreadful financial situation when Trevor Hemmings bought it and he has unfortunately had to pile in money just to sustain the losses.

"He's still contributing to contracts that we inherited effectively, so it's a difficult situation. But you'd rather see the club stay alive rather than throw the towel in and allow the club go to the wall like it nearly did.

"We've gradually eased out a few players who weren't in the first team but were on sizeable contracts."

And Lindsay suggested new players could be brought in to steady the ship.

"We're working as hard as we can - with Darren - to get as competitive a side as we can on the pitch," he said.

"Even after I've finished this interview I'm back on the phone trying to strengthen for the weekend."

"The harder you work, the luckier you become. We'll get it right - I'm sure of that."