PRESTON-born Scott Barron has signed a new two-year extension to his current contract that was to have expired in the summer.Barron was looking forward to returning to his roots but the game at Preston was called off after a 3pm pitch inspection yesterday due to a frozen pitch.

By Derek Davis

PRESTON-born Scott Barron has signed a new two-year extension to his current contract that was to have expired in the summer.

Barron was looking forward to returning to his roots but the game at Preston was called off after a 3pm pitch inspection yesterday due to a frozen pitch.

That will suit Billy Davies' Preston, who would have had three players suspended and are missing skipper Chris Lucketti through injury, while striker Patrick Agyemang only returned from international duty in Mexico with Ghana in the early hours of this morning.

With Plymouth up next for them, the Lilywhites have the chance to extend their lead over Ipswich to eight points.

The Deepdale pitch has suffered from the especially cold weather in the north-west with temperatures dropping to almost minus eight centigrade on Thursday night and it was not much warmer last night.

Other games in the area were also victim to the freezing conditions.

With North End playing a midweek game against Plymouth, a new date has not yet been arranged.

The postponement does give Alan Lee more time to get back to fitness, although it means Ricardo Fuller has to wait another week to wait before he can play as he will now miss the Millwall game through suspension.

Blues boss Joe Royle last night said: “We would not have risked Alan at Preston as his hamstring is still not fully healed. We now have another week and that will help.

“Jimmy Juan and Fabian Wilnis came through okay and would have had a chance. It is a shame the game is off but I know the north-west has been hit badly and Preston was probably the coldest place in the country so I'm not surprised.”

Royle also denied that skipper jim Magilton was heading for Oldham Athletic after reports that Ronnie Moore had made an enquiry about signing him.

Royle said: “Ronnie asked about Jim when I was at Oldham for the celebration of our League Cup final against Nottingham Forest night recently but it was not a firm enquiry and I have heard nothing from Oldham since.”

There was no doubt that Barron would have played after showing such good form since the return of the year.

The 20-year-old has established himself as a first-team regular since recovering from a double hernia operation that forced him onto the sidelines for a year.

After making his league debut at Stoke City on January 2, Barron has not missed a game since at left back.

That form convinced the Blues that the academy graduate was worth a new deal and Barron never had any doubts that he would sign.

He said: “I knew it was a big season for me, what with me being out of contract in the summer but always felt that if I could break in to the side then a new deal would follow.

"Obviously being out injured for virtually the whole year last season didn't help me progress but this season has been great for me.

"I am getting a regular run in the side and am learning all the time from the players around me."

All the Academy games scheduled to be played this weekend, at Playford Road, have been postponed due to frozen pitches.