Preston North End - Deepdale

Preston North End FC

Deepdale
Sir Tom Finney Way
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 6RU

0870 442 1966
Official Website

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Ground Number: 187
Saturday 14th January 2012
Preston North End 3-2 Wycombe Wanderers
nPower League 1

TEN FACTS ABOUT PRESTON NORTH END

1:  Preston North End was founded in 1863, originally as a cricket club. They adopted rugby as a winter sport in 1887 but made the sensible decision to switch to football in 1880, giving the club that year as the formation date.

2:  They were founder members of the Football League and are one of only ten clubs to play every season in the competition. They were champions in the first two seasons, a feat that has not been repeated since. Their worst season came in 1986 when they finished second-bottom of Division 4.

3:  Preston have won the FA Cup twice. In 1889, they beat Wolves 3-0 in a game played at the Kensington Oval. Then in 1938, they left it to almost the last minute of extra time to beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 at Wembley Stadium. They've also been runners-up five times, most recently in 1964. On the flip side, they have been giant-killing victims a number of times. In 1984 they were thumped 4-1 at home by Telford United and then in 1989, they lost 2-0 at Whitley Bay. They also lost 1-0 at Kidderminster Harriers in 1994.

4:  In the League Cup, the best progress has been to the 4th Round, a stage reached on six occasions. They've also reached the area final of the Football League Trophy twice - losing to Burnley in 1988 and Walsall in 2015. 

5:  Other local competitions won include six Lancashire Senior Cups and the Football League War Cup in 1941. They were also Charity Shield runners-up in 1938, losing 2-1 to league champions Arsenal.

6:  In 1996, Preston's Third Division title made them the third club to have been champions of each of the top four professional leagues in English football. This feat was previously achieved by Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1988, and Burnley in 1992, and has since been achieved by Sheffield United and Portsmouth both in 2017.

7: In games between the two sides, Wycombe have won four encounters and Preston nine whilst five games have been drawn. The most significant game between the two sides came at Wembley Stadium in 1994. Wycombe Wanderers beat Preston North End 4-2 in the Division Three playoff final. The Lillywhites included future Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth and David Moyes in their lineup.

 8: Players to have played for both Preston North End & Wycombe Wanderers include Gareth Ainsworth, Adam Reach, Stuart Beavon. Matt Carmichael and Andy Lonergan. Other player connections include: John Halls, Paul Hayes, Wayne Henderson, Daryl Horgan, John Mousinho, Fola Onibuje, Barry Richardson, Mark Stallard, Iain Turner and Tom Williams. Former Wycombe man Peter Murphy is part of the coaching staff at Deepdale.

9:  Famous Preston fans include former cricketers Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff, and ex-footballers Mark Lawrenson & Kevin Kilbane.

10: Preston North End are the only club to have a song written for them by the Lancashire Hotpots. The Lancashire Hotpots are a comedy folk band from St Helens, (historically part of Lancashire), England, formed in 2006. They adapted their 2007 hit 'Chippy Tea' to record 'PNE' - a song in support of the team.

MY FIRST VISIT

I was down to 12 grounds to do to complete the 92 and had, in fact, had this journey planned in as soon as our promotion and Preston's relegation was confirmed at the end of last season. I had previously been to the Football Museum located at the ground in the early 2000s and taken some pictures of the outside of the ground, which at the time was three-quarters completed compared to how it is today. For once I wasn't driving and was getting this courtesy of my mate Danny, Paul being the other passenger in the car. We set off just before 9am and after a quick stop at services were up in Preston just before 12:30. After going to a shop to get some drinks, we went round to some mates who are students up that way and it was great to catch up with old friends. It was then only a short walk to the ground. Sadly we passed two chippies on the way, but neither was open, so bang went my usual North West meal of Steak Pudding, Chips and Gravy.

Wycombe had lost 6-0 at home to Huddersfield in the previous game and morale amongst the fans was at the lowest I have ever seen it. Still, a decent amount of fans made the way up. And they were rewarded when Marcello Trotta gave the Chairboys the lead after just 8 minutes. We played as well as we had done all season and had chances for many more goals, even having one unfairly chalked off for an unknown infringement. As well we were playing in the middle of the park and going forward, our old defensive frailties reared their ugly head once again. A corner just before halftime was missed by the normally reliable Nikki Bull and an unmarked Harry Bunn was left with an easy chance to head the ball into an empty net. Still, 1-1 at halftime was a lot better than I had envisaged and as Wycombe were well on top I was actually looking forward to the second half. Sadly the second half was not so easy, Preston were playing a lot better and took the lead on 58 minutes. Again from a corner, this time Jake Jervis was the beneficiary as Wycombe failed to clear their lines despite having the opportunity to cut out passes on several occasions. They fell further behind after the otherwise excellent debutant Anthony Stewart gave away the penalty which was expertly converted by Paul Parry. Preston then had a man sent off but it wasn't until late on that Wycombe started to rally, Trotta again getting the goal. But it was too little, too late as Preston soaked up the 6 minutes of injury time without being really threatened by the Wycombe attack. All in all a good day, a much better performance by Wycombe and some positive signs for the future. Apart from a brief delay on the M40 near Oxford, the journey home was hassle-free and we were back home at around 9.30pm, after leaving Preston just before 6.

MY SECOND VISIT

I was pretty pleased when the draw came out in the FA Cup 4th Round as Preston North End v Wycombe Wanderers. In footballing terms, it was not that exciting nor would it be a money spinner. Therefore, it easily dodged the TV cameras and tickets were released at a bargain £10. Although it was not on my priority list of grounds to visit, it was still thirteen years since I'd been. My blog could certainly do with an update and having seen a game in every round of the FA Cup so far this season, something I was keen to continue. My first choice of method of transport would have been the Independent  Supporters Club coach. They stop at a local pub which is usually quite good. My second choice would have been an overnight stop and game on Friday. However, the nearest unvisited game was Llandudno and that was a 130-mile detour. The third choice it was then, the official supporters coach. At £42 for the journey, it was a lot cheaper than driving or getting the train. The only downside was stopping at services and arriving too close to kickoff for my liking. I bought my ticket and booked my coach travel nine days before the game thanks to their friendly service by email and payment by bank transfer. My first research was to check how far away the Wetherspoons I needed was, a bit of a stretch at 25 minutes so I looked for closer options in the event of a late arrival.

It had been a boozy old Saturday for me, eight pints in total as I needed to blow off the cobwebs after a disappointing start to February. So much for my New Year's intention to take it easier on the booze. I felt fine though and for once was glad of work on Sunday. I needed to get back on the straight and narrow and also recharge my bank account. A taxi was a reasonable £12 although I was keen to avoid doing that too often. Sadly, I would have to wait a bit longer. Around lunchtime, my phone kept ringing so much that I had to put it on Do Not Disturb while I was working. I came out to the news that my mobile tyre fitting had been put back a day due to stock issues. No apology whatsoever and they had already taken the money when I placed the order. I did have a look around for other options that only fit the same timeframe or cost a lot more. All that hassle was caused by a pothole of which there are far too many as hitting them is a common occurrence.  As well as the shoddy service from the RAC, the deal I was getting as a motorist was a poor one. All this meant that I was unable to do my planned groundhop to Mendip Broadwalk although, to be honest, I was erring against the idea anyway due to work in the morning.

It was a very busy Sunday afternoon for me, catching up on my blog, putting in a complaint to the RAC and moving some money to make sure I could cover upcoming bills. As expected, the RAC admitted they had let me down but stopped short of compensation or even an apology. Tuesday was my day off, and although I enjoyed the rest, it was my first midweek without football since June. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the only candidate for a game - Mendip Broadwalk - suffered a last-minute call-off due to a waterlogged pitch. My tyres were finally sorted on Wednesday, which was a relief as I'd had to spend £12 on a taxi to work three days running and that was with our local taxi firm being very reasonably priced. The week started to drag on Thursday with no Tuesday game to break up the grind. With no Friday night games within a reasonable distance, it would be relaxing with a few drinks. There was naff all worth watching on TV. Manchester United Reserves v Leicester City Reserves was on but the Leicester fans were charged an outrageous £71 for tickets. All for a seat in a dirty rat infested shack with leaking roofs. I initially fancied a revisit to Old Trafford should we progress but not at those prices.

 

The day of the game came and I woke up at 6.30, well before my alarm. I got dressed, had breakfast and watched TV before leaving at 8.20. I was at the ground in less than 20 minutes, seeing several friendly and familiar faces on the coach. As lovely as the people were, I was reminded why I avoid the coaches. A 20 minute wait at Cherwell Valley services due to some late passengers and a scheduled stop at the unutterably dull Norton Canes was not my idea of fun. It became apparent after half an hour at the soul-destroying hellhole that I'd not have time to go into Preston for the Wetherspoons I needed but that could be ticked later this month when I stay at the Travelodge there. Despite the booze ban on supporters and coaches that I was perfectly willing to respect, I wish I'd brought my own cans for a couple when I got there. As it stood, Home Bargains was probably my best bet of the limited options, though there were several decent-looking takeaways. Scores of games were being postponed down south due to the continuing wet weather, so at least I didn't have that to contend with. We eventually got to the ground at 1.45. A dash to Home Bargains for a couple of cans, one of them an 8.4% Colliers which took the edge off. Smash 44 was closed so off to Grill Shack it was for a £6.50 Mexican Burger and chips. It took its time but it was excellent, washed down with a can of 99p Urban Orchard. I visited the overpriced club shop buying nothing on the way to the ground, arriving five minutes before kickoff. It had been a rushed but pleasant pre-match before I met Colin in the ground.

 

Preston North End had beaten Charlton Athletic 2-1 to get this far. The tie could be traced back to the 4th Qualifying Round when Southend United won 1-0 at Eastleigh. Wycombe had beaten York City 3-2 in my absence but I had been present as they won 2-0 at Wealdstone and beat Portsmouth 2-0. This tie could be traced all the way back to the Extra Preliminary Round as Andover New Street beat Hythe & Dibden 4-1. This would be my 14th FA Cup game of the season, and I'd seen a game in every round so far. A dull first half saw Preston edge it and it took some great defending from Wycombe to keep things level. I was going to get a Jerk Chicken Pie at half time but the service was so dire that the queue hardly moved in ten minutes. I gave up and returned to watch the second half. This saw both sides have half chances, it took a great save from debutant Will Norris to take Wycombe into extra time. A predictably boring period of extra time saw Colin leave halfway through to get his 18:01 train but it dragged on to penalties. Preston were very clinical and although there were no bad penalties in the shootout, they went through.

THE GROUND - 2012

DEEPDALE is a smart modern stadium and is a great place to watch football. The stands are all really steep so you get a fantastic view. Three of the stands are named after Preston legends, namely Tom Finney, Alan Kelly and Bill Shankly. Away supporters are given half of the Bill Shankly stand. All stands are uniform in height and size. The one remaining stand, The Invincibles Stand is the newest of the four and looks smart. The food in the ground is the usual bland offerings at a premium price and you are better off eating and drinking outside. I didn't get much time to explore but there are plenty of mobile catering vans and also a retail park nearby.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL MUSEUM

Between 2001 and 2010 the National Football Museum was located in the Bill Shankly Kop stand at Deepdale. The project started in 1995, was partly funded by a National Lottery Heritage grant. Including items such as the match ball from the 1966 World Cup Final and a cap from the world's first-ever football international, the museum attracted around 100,000 visitors a year. A proposal to move to Wembley Stadium in 2008 was resisted, but the removal of external funding led to the museum's relocation to Urbis in Manchester in 2010.

Pictures from my visit on 16th October 2002.

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