THE arrival of Steve Robinson at North End was proof that David Moyes does have some sort of war-chest at his disposal.
The announcement that the club intend to collect £7.5 million from a new shares issues, with a "considerable" amount of that going to Moyes' signing kitty proves that North End are determined to be a force to be reckoned with in Division One.
Moyes already has £1 million at his disposal, and is keen to get spending.
"The days of the manager getting £75,000 here or £100,000 there are long gone," revealed deputy chairman Derek Shaw to the Citizen.
"People have accused us of not backing David in the past, but no one can say that now.
"We have always made cash available in the past and nothing is going to change now."
That will be music to the ears of the PNE fans who have suffered, often not in silence, as talented players have come and gone.
But the extra funds are unlikely to stop Moyes from adopting his favourite "try before you buy" policy on targets he is unsure about. However, the extra funds being discussed openly this week do mean that deals for Brett Angell and Iain Anderson are a lot more likely.
Toulouse have frustrated Moyes so much with their demands for a fee for Anderson that he has washed his hands of the affair, leaving it up to the directors to haggle it out.
Angell, meanwhile, is determined to hold out for a two-year deal instead of the 12-month offer currently on the table.
The club continue to be linked to new players and potential signings, particularly from abroad as Moyes goes in search of a Continental bargain after slamming sky-high prices in Britain.
The revelation by chairman Bryan Gray that more money is on the way won't help North End if they are after a bargain.
Speaking on Radio Lancashire, the chairman said: "We will be giving a considerable amount of that share issue money to David Moyes to spend on squad strengthening.
"I cannot say how much but it will be considerable."
And, by all accounts, Moyes is ready to spend.
Shaw added: "David has a few targets in mind. We can't name them, but suffice to say we can expect at least two or three new faces before the new season starts."
With that £1 million burning a hole in Moyes' pocket, we are guaranteed a summer full of speculation before Moyes gets his man or men.
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