Preston manager Alan Irvine hailed departing skipper Paul McKenna after he completed his long-awaited move to Nottingham Forest.
McKenna made his North End debut in 1997 and scored 32 times in 476 games for the Lilywhites, placing him fourth on the club's all-time appearance list. At Forest, McKenna will be reunited with former Preston boss Billy Davies.
Irvine told the club website: "Paul McKenna has been a fantastic servant for this club. We cannot criticise him in any way for deciding to join Nottingham Forest at this time. I don't think anyone could feel that Paul hadn't given everything for this club and been very loyal."
He added: "His record is phenomenal and anyone who could play more games than Sir Tom Finney for Preston has obviously been a fantastic player for this club. It was very difficult to stand in his way once Forest came up with what we thought was the right sort of figure.
"He's been a model professional. The whole time I have been here he has been fantastic on and off the pitch and that continued right up until the day he left. I wish him well and I hope that Preston North End fans feel the same."
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