PRESTON striker Joe O'Neill will this week join Third Division Bury on loan for the season - on the day his new Deepdale deal takes effect.

The Blackburn-born 20-year-old, brother of Burnley youth team star Matty, will start at the Gigg Lane club tomorrow after the loan was agreed by Preston.

O'Neill, who made just one appearance on the bench with Preston's first team last season, signed a new two-year deal with Preston, and that kicks in tomorrow.

Opportunities to break into the first team at Preston appear to be slim, with five other players ahead of him in the pecking order at Deepdale.

Jamaican striker Ricardo Fuller - who showed his pace with two goals against Burnley last season - returns from a long-term injury and should partner Richard Cresswell up front when the new season starts.

And with Canadian-born Scottish U21 international Simon Lynch, former Manchester United youngster David Healy and Polish under-19 Pawel Abbott all competiting for places up-front, O'Neill hopes the move to Bury will provide him with more chance of first team action.

He said: "It is hard at Preston because there are so many centre forwards so it will good to go somewhere and get some games in.

"Hopefully I will impress there and give myself a chance for when I come back to Preston."

North End sent Abbott on loan to the Shakers last season, and O'Neill added: "He says they are a good team and they can do well.

"Hopefully, they'll have another good season and I can be part of that."

O'Neill missed the end of last season after undergoing an Achilles operation and is keen to get some match fitness with the Shakers.

He has been training during the summer to get back up to full speed and says he is ready to return to full training.