Wednesday 21st September
North End boss Billy Davies is struck with a double injury blow after Adam Nowland and Youl Mawene both pick up injuries in a behind closed doors friendly with Crewe. Nowland (groin) and Mawene (calf) are both rated doubts for Palace following the 2-0 win over Dario Gradi’s men at Deepdale.

Liverpool’s European Cup winning boss Rafa Benitez is a target for Spanish giants Real Madrid according to reports.

Thursday 22nd  September
Claude Davis tells the press that he may pull out of the Jamaica squad for their forthcoming friendly with Australia at Craven Cottage in order to rest after 12 months of continuous football. “I don’t mind in the least – I could do with the rest,” Davis tells the LEP.

Steve McLaren signs a new deal with Middlesbrough which puts his credentials as potential future England boss in doubt.

Friday 23rd September
Billy Davies tells pne.com that Matt Hill and Lewis Neal are both available for selection for the game at Crystal Palace. Davies said: “We are delighted to have Matty and Lewis back. The balance has not been right and we don’t need to be rocket scientists to understand the situation.”

West Ham boss Alan Pardew compares Chelsea to snooker legend Steve Davis saying that they are so good that they are boring.

Saturday 24th September
The Lilywhites grab a point at Palace but it should have been all three as they concede an equaliser in the fifth minute of injury-time. Danny Dichio and Claude Davis are both given their marching orders reducing the Lilywhites to nine men after Chris Lucketti had put North End into a first half lead.

Arsene Wenger puts Chelsea’s start down to ‘good luck’ and claims that the reall test will comes when Jose Mourinho’s side suffer their first defeat.

Sunday 25th September
Billy Davies tells pne.com that he will definitely appeal the two red cards handed out at Selhurst Park. Dichio was sent off for allegedly raising his arms in a scrum of players, whilst Davis is accused of serious foul play following an acrobatic clearance. The PNE boss also has a go at comments from referee Steve Tanner in the Crystal Palace programme.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger wants Premiership clubs to be awarded extra points for scoring goals as a way of making football more exciting.

Monday 26th September
Preston North End Chairman Derek Shaw is fuming after the club are slapped with a £1,000 fine and a suspended ban on making transfers after making a payment to Michael Brown’s lawyer during contract negotiations. Shaw said: “What are we expected to do, work with a registered agent who would probably have charged thousands rather than hundreds of pounds to negotiate a deal?”

Tottenham boss Martin Jol promises to stick with the attacking brand of football which has made the club famous over the years.

Tuesday 27th September
Preston North End suffer a 3-0 defeat to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. Matt Hill deputises for the suspended Claude Davis in the centre of defence whilst Dickson Etuhu comes in for Adam Nowland. David Hibbert makes his debut as a second half substitute but by this time goals from Feeney, Brkovic and Howard have done the damage.

Portsmouth Chairman Milan Mandaric is set to jet back from the United States to discuss his club’s poor start to the Premiership season.

Wednesday 28th September
PNE boss Billy Davies can’t hide his disappointment following the defeat to Luton. He said: “That’s the worst I’ve seen us play in the first half. Our first 20 minutes of the game were apalling, we didn’t win the battles or the 50/50 balls and I thought they out-muscled us all over the pitch.”

Sam Allaradyce tells The Independent newspaper that modern day football management is a constant battle against the sack.
Dates For Your Diary…
Happy 22nd birthday to Thomas Harrison, happy 18th birthday on Monday 3rd October to Ben Adams, happy 21st birthday to Joe Anyinsah next Saturday. Thursday 13th October – Chris Sedgwick to visit Pius and Sherwood schools as part of sponsorship deal with MCK Partnership, David Nugent to St Gregory’s Primary as part of deal with Forbes Solicitors,  Andy Lonergan to visit Walton Le Dale High as part of his deal with Travelwise.