Jim Bentley explains Ryan Lowe influence in loan deal for Preston North End youngster

Southport manager Jim Bentley jumped at the chance to sign Preston North End forward Mikey O’Neill - having worked with him briefly during his time at Rochdale.

Former Morecambe boss Bentley managed the Dale from August to March last season. During that spell, O’Neill was invited to train with the League Two side following a request from PNE manager Ryan Lowe. In the end, O’Neill went to sign on loan for Grimsby Town in January, but Bentley enjoyed his time working with the player.

And so, when the opportunity to make him his first signing at Southport arose, Bentley took it. O’Neill started in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Scarborough Athletic and Bentley believes the youngster can play an important role for the Yellows. His versatility appealed to the Liverpudlian, along with the fact Southport is his hometown club.

"I know Ryan Lowe very well and I'd like to thank Preston for their help with it," said Bentley. "Ryan rang me last season when I was at Rochdale and asked me to take him and a lad called Lewis Leigh in to train for a week - just to have a look and see what they are like, with a view to potentially taking them in. It didn't materialise for one reason or another, but what I did realise in that time was that he is a decent kid and decent player. When he went back to Preston, I thought: 'What a good kid he is'.

“He went on to Grimsby, but I think he only started two games and came off the bench nine times. When you are coming into a job and looking at areas we can improve, you're looking to tick boxes. Mikey can cover a couple of positions, is mobile, has played for Preston's first team, at League Two level last year and is highly thought of. The big thing, in my opinion, is that he lives three minutes from the ground. He is a Southport lad, so it's his hometown club. He went to League Two last year, so has come down a couple of levels.

“But, as I say, I noticed in those four sessions at Rochdale that he is a good kid. I thought he grew into the (Scarborough) game and obviously he's going to gas out, because he's not played proper, men's football so to speak. But, he pushed himself, had a go, grew into it and got better as he went on. He showed some good touches and I think he'll go from strength to strength. It puts pressure in areas because we want competition and players who are going to push themselves and have a go."