Watch Out – Billy Tops Championship Tissot Table
North End boss Billy Davies may not get the manager of the month accolades that he so rightly deserves but the Scot is making a mark where it matters in the Tissot League Table of Managers’ Performances.

Davies has consistently been in the top ten of the most trusted and respected indicator of good football management. The league which is published each week on the League Managers’ Association website takes into consideration not only the outright results of matches but also aspects such as clean sheets, away wins and consecutive games without defeat.

Billy currently has plenty of ground to make up on the likes of Paul Jewell, Joe Royle and Mick McCarthy for the overall award, but then they have had a couple of month’s head start on Davies. But things are looking quite good for the North End boss in the third quarter of the season, he currently sits six points clear of his nearest Championship rival Mick McCarthy and is rated as the seventh best manager in the country for the period up to 1^st March. Macclesfield’s Brian Horton is currently rated the best manager in the country following six wins and one draw form their last seven games.

McKenna, Lonergan And Sedgwick Are The Best
Paul McKenna is the 15^th best player outside of the Premiership according to a survey conducted in 4-4-2 magazine. The North End midfielder is ahead of the likes of Ade Akinbiyi, Nicky Barmby and Tom Huddlestone in the list which is topped by Reading’s Steve Sidwell. Andy Lonergan is rated as the best goalkeeper outside of the Premiership coming ahead of Derby pair Lee Camp and Lee Grant in 19^th place. But the list is being talked about more for the players who have not made the top 50 rather for the ones who have.

Two of Preston’s star performers for the 2004/05 campaign have not even got a mention on the list, although it will probably please North End fans that Eddie Lewis and Youl Mawene remain a closely guarded secret.

Elsewhere North End’s Chris Sedgwick was recognised last week for his performance against Burnley. The former Rotherham man was recognised by the club sponsors as the man of the match for the 1-0 win over our local rivals and that was followed up by a place in the Football League’s Championship team of the week.

It looks like people are slowly starting to take notice of PNE!

Reading Switch From Blind Date To Dads Army
After signing two players with a combined age of 76 in Les Ferdinand and Martin Keown many may be wondering what is going on at the Madejski Stadium, especially as the Royals have been on something of a slump in form in recent weeks.

But if former Preston winger David Eyres is anything to go by, Reading could still get four or five more years from their investments in Ferdinand and Keown. Deepdale legend Eyres is still earning rave reviews at Boundary Park and was recently quoted as saying that he wants a new contract at the end of the season. Eyres celebrated his 41^st birthday last week and if Mr Eddie Lewis doesn’t sign a new deal with Preston could we be looking to tempt the flying winger back to Preston?