PRESTON boss David Moyes has vowed to stand by skipper Sean Gregan despite his relatively poor start to the season.

As well as conceding the unnecessary corner which led to Michael Jackson's own goal on Sunday at Watford, Gregan has already had a one match suspension for clocking up five yellow cards.

And even though North End notched up their best performance of the season - 4-0 at home to Norwich - without Gregan, the long-term captain automatically won a place back in the starting line-up for last Sunday's game.

Even Gregan has admitted his form has not been great of late, writing in a recent match programme that he isn't sure what to do with the ball when it comes towards him at the moment.

Gregan's quick return to the squad was raised by the press following Sunday's draw at Watford - a game North End looked certs to win until the bizarre chain of event led to the own goal - and Moyes was quick to put the record straight.

He said: "I felt it was important to have Sean in the side for that match.

"I wanted him to do the same job he did at Birmingham, which was to captain the team well on the field which is something he did for me. He adds to the team.

"It is just the way it is that we won so well when he wasn't in the team. It happens."

Moyes also refused to blame Gregan solely for the own goal. Some 52 minutes into the game, Gregan headed out a ball for a corner - even though the ball was almost certainly going out of play anyway.

Michael Jackson claims he was shoved as the ball came into the area from the corner, causing him to head it into his own net.

Moyes added: "That goal was, well, rubbish.

"The ball was almost out of the park when it was headed. But all the lads have voices, they could have shouted. It is about communication."

Gregan said this week: "I didn't get a shout for the corner. The ball was coming across me and because no one said anything I didn't know there wasn't someone running in who was going to score so I had to put it out.

"It was obviously disappointing that they scored from this, but these things happen sometimes."