 Nowland joined Preston North End on a free transfer on 27 August 2005.His debut came on 16 September in 1–0 home defeat by Stoke City.He made a good start for the club, scoring three goals in nine starts, but then suffered a broken leg on 2 January 2006 in a 3–0 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road after a bad challenge by Dickson Etuhu – a player still on loan from Preston at the time.