Andy Lonergan eyeing Carl Ikeme's starting spot for Wolves

Lonergan made his full league debut for Wolves during the 3-2 defeat to Derby last weekend and made a number of outstanding saves.

But with Ikeme – who missed the game with a side strain – heading towards a return to action, Lonergan is sweating on keeping his place.

If he does feature at Deepdale it will be the first time Lonergan has played at the home of the club that gave him his debut as a 16-year-old.

The goalkeeper went on to play 232 for his hometown club before leaving for Leeds in 2011. He returned to Deepdale as a substitute with Fulham last season but didn't get on the pitch.

The 33-year-old said: "I've only been back once to Deepdale as a player, with Fulham last season as a substitute.

"Before that, in my season at Leeds and in three years at Bolton, we didn't play Preston.

"It will be nice to come back and be able to play."

Lonergan has made five appearances in Wolves colours since moving from Craven Cottage in the summer, with three in the EFL Cup and two in the league.

It was clear he would be coming to Wolves as back-up to Ikeme, but Lonergan now hopes to stake a claim for the number one jersey.

"When Wolves played at Blackburn the other week Carl Ikeme got a niggle and had to come off at half-time," he added.

"It was a bit of a strange atmosphere because some Blackburn fans boycotted part of the game.

"I stayed in the team in the last game against Derby and hopefully I will do again on Saturday.

"That's up to the manager and I rate Ikeme as the best keeper I have worked with."

Lonergan was with Preston for 11 years and made many happy memories along the way.

Do any in particular stand out?

"There were plenty of highlights and probably a game which stands out is when we won 2-1 at Birmingham in April 2009," he added.

"We needed a win to keep us in play-off contention, while Birmingham only needed a point to get promoted.

"It was a Saturday tea-time kick-off on TV and we scored late on to win.

"The week before we had beaten Cardiff 6-0 and on the final day, we pipped them to a play-off place by one goal.

"When the time came to leave Preston, I just felt it was the right time to move.

"The summer before, the PNE chairman of the time had turned down a bid from West Bromwich which was a little bit frustrating.

"Looking back, I do wish I could have stayed for all of my career, it would have been nice to have been a one-club man."

The Wolves keeper will know a familiar face in the Preston dugout in the form of boss Simon Grayson, who took him to Leeds five years ago.

Lonergan said it was no surprise Grayson had guided Preston to 11th in the Championship table. "I like Simon a lot, he is a proper genuine guy, a good manager," he said.

"There is nothing complicated about him and I enjoyed the time that he was my manager at Leeds.

"I had other offers when I was getting ready to leave Preston but Simon was always on the phone, persuading me to go to Leeds.

"I'm not surprised to see North End doing so well under him, he's got a proper side of hard-working lads."