Gary Peters has a lot to answer for, if it wasn’t for the former PNE boss, three young lads from the local area might never have worn the proud Lilywhite of Preston North End and may not even have become professional footballers.

Within the space of just over a year in the mid-1990s Peters handed those three young lads their professional football debuts, the fact that the three remain firm friends and follow each other’s career is testament to what they came through to reach their goal.

Kevin Kilbane, David Lucas and Paul McKenna were all products of the PNE youth system, all three made their debuts between October 1996 and December 1997 – McKenna actually made his league debut coming on as a sub for Kilbane.

But it was Kilbane who was the elder of the three, he was the first to make his debut, the first to get a big money move and remains the only one to play in the Premiership. The Everton midfielder looks back on his time as a youngster with PNE fondly.

“It was great for me,” Kilbane told the matchday programme.

”I was brought up within half a mile of the ground, so to play for the club I supported as a boy was terrific. Paul was a year younger than me but I had known him since I was 10 or 11 years of age.

”I made my Preston debut during the promotion season of 1995/96 against Torquay United and it was obviously a big thrill. David and Paul weren’t far behind me, we had some good times together and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.”

Kilbane, a member of the 1995-96 Third Division Championship winning squad, was soon thrilling the crowds at Deepdale and it wasn’t long before some of the bigger fish in league football were soon coveting his services and in June 1997 West Bromwich Albion paid North End £1.25 to take him to the Hawthorns. It was a record fee received for the Lilywhites and a big move for the 20-year-old but he never forgot his roots or his mates.

“I keep an eye out for the results of all my previous clubs, especially Preston. Personally I always like to see Paul McKenna and David Lucas do well and I keep a watch out for Lucas doing well at Sheffield Wednesday.

“It would have been great to see Preston in the Premiership, they were unlucky to lose twice in the Play-Offs, it would have been great to see Paul display his skills in the Premiership.

“McKenna is a wonderful player with a great touch and he is a terrific passer of the ball, hopefully Preston will be there or thereabouts again this year because I would love to come up against Paul in the Premiership.”

Kilbane should get a chance to test his wits against McKenna tonight though, he’s only come up against the Lilywhites once before, for Sunderland in August 2003, it was one his last games for the Black Cats before switching to his present employers.

”I have only been at Deepdale once since leaving the Club and that was for Sunderland. It is always great to get back and I am really looking forward to the game.

”I really hope that Paul gets a good turnout because he deserves it for the loyalty that he has shown to Preston North End,” added the Preston born maestro.