Preston North End boss Alex Neil explained why he allowed Andre Green’s loan spell at Deepdale to be cut short.

Charlton’s new signing was half-way through his season long loan at the Lillywhites before his parent club, Aston Villa, re-called the 21 year-old and sent him to The Valley in search of first team football.

Addicks boss Lee Bowyer revealed Green had been a target in the summer before the Yorkshire club landed the star.

For many it was a surprise the Villa Park Academy graduate wasn’t a success at Preston, appearing only six times for the outfit, the last outing being in October as Neil explained why he felt Green struggled.

"Andre is a good lad,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“We brought him in hoping to get him game time and see what he could do.

"Unfortunately he found it difficult to get into the team.

“The start the players had to the season made it extremely difficult for him.

"Sometimes I think the more that you are not in the team the more you drift and the more difficult it becomes at that point.

"Obviously your fitness levels drop, even the motivation in terms of trying to get himself to show what he can do.

"Particularly when you are on loan, sometimes that can be be tough because you know this is not your permanent club.

"So when players are not in the team it can be a bit more difficult."

Preston currently sit one point outside the top six despite a poor festive period where they picked up just two points from a possible 12.

Early season form, including a 1-0 win over Charlton in October, made Neil’s outfit real contenders for a play-off spot.

READ: Charlton sign Aston Villa's Andre Green on loan