Preston North End captain Ryan Ledson will lead Huddersfield Town out at Goodison Park for their Carabao Cup tie, a surreal return to his former home. Ledson, who spent 12 years at Everton's academy, made his debut at Goodison 12 years ago and nearly 400 games later, he's going to be playing back there against the club where he spent the majority of his career.
What happened?
The decision to switch the game to Goodison was taken after consultation with the EFL and Huddersfield Town. The playing surface at Deepdale is being relaid, and Goodison will host a competitive men's football match for the first time in 15 months.
Why it matters for Preston
Ledson expressed his motivation to return to Preston in 2026-27 as a Championship player, allied to a desire to turn them over. He readily admitted that his exit from Preston was tough to take, having made 215 appearances for the club.
What comes next?
The Carabao Cup tie is a significant moment for Ledson, who will be playing at Goodison for the first time since leaving Everton. He's looking forward to the day and still has the utmost respect for Preston and all the lads there.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 14th in Championship, 60 pts, 15W-15D-16L from 46 games, recent form LWLLW.
