Category: Preston North End Editorial

Almost a decade spent managing the editorial out in both print and digital for a top performing Championship Football Club and one of the most historic names in the game.

Fans Favourite: Michael Hughes

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Whilst many Eagles fans will be sporting the name Andy Johnson on the back of their shirts, for Palace fan Karl Cresswell it’s the name of a Northern Ireland international that he always looks for on the team sheet. Michael Hughes is the latest fans favourite.

My favourite player is Michael Hughes and I like him because he is fiery. He’s a classic midfielder who always gets yellow carded, for example in that game against Wales when he squared up to Robbie Savage. He can stand up to the most provocative of them and he likes to get stuck in so I like him for his tenacity.

Other than that he is a skilful midfielder as well, he is one of those players who can pass the ball about. He’s the sort of player who if ever I could be a player it would be him. He’s a bit of a journeyman, he’s not a primadonna, if your are playing on a cold January day in Preston then he would be the type of player to turn up, unlike some of these European players.

He scores some cracking goals and I remember him scoring one at Liverpool in the Premiership at Anfield last season. I went to watch it and he scored the equaliser with a header to make it 2-2. He’s one of those players who has been around the Premiership for a long time, he played at Wimbledon, Birmingham and also a spell at Manchester City, so he’s been around but he has never played for a big club. He’s the type of player that would work for you whatever side he was in.

My favourite goal from Michael Hughes would be the one he scored at Anfield. We were up there and they were playing really well and we were 2-1 down and the ball got swung in, he’s not a big man, but he scored a really powerful header running onto it from about the penalty spot. It was a good header and it summed up what type of player he is, making late runs into the penalty box.

The thing at Selhurst is that the fans favourite is always going to be Andy Johnson, but I think Hughes is a player who doesn’t always start but when he is fully fit he will get a game, a lot of time he will come on as a sub and get a yellow card. I would say that Hughes is a fans favourite because he gets stuck in, he works hard but he is also a clever player. The thing with Palace is that their midfield is full of young kids who are full of energy but they can’t put their foot on it and pass it, they tend to hit the ball away a lot which he doesn’t.

If I had to compare him to a better know player I would say that he’s a bit of a Robbie Savage or a Roy Keane, maybe a more skilful version, Hughesy can take free-kicks though, he’s a very clever footballer.

Karl Cresswell

THE DEEPDALE DIARY: 20th January 2006

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Friday 20th January
Preston North End will once again be without the services of Brian O’Neil and Matt Hill for the trip to Burnley’s Turf Moor. Both players are nursing mid-term injuries, as is Frenchman Eric Skora who limped off from reserve duty at Tranmere in midweek.

West Brom are linked with a move for former PNE striker David Healy who is now at Leeds United.

Saturday 21st January
It’s Saturday but there is no third signing. Despite this Billy Davies is hopeful of more signings: “We’ve got one or two transfer irons in the fire and we’re making one or two enquiries.

“You think you’re nearly there and then something happens and you get knocked back so we are very much active at the moment trying to bring in a new face or two.”

Crystal Palace are reportedly keen on Wolves’ Scottish midfielder Colin Cameron who has been told that he can leave Molineux on a free transfer.

Sunday 22nd January
Preston boss Billy Davies praises his side after a training ground move breaks the deadlock in the 2-0 win over local rivals Burnley.

“It’s nice to get a set-piece working. We work very hard at set-pieces and it was a tremendous goal,” said Davies.

“The lads work so hard and they actually listen, apart from Nugent who doesn’t listen from time to time! They’re a great bunch.”

Norwich City are supposedly keen on Coventry City’s Gary McSheffrey as a replacement for West Ham bound Dean Ashton.

Monday 23rd January
Davies is pleased with the progress his side are making in what has been a season of transition for the Lilywhites. He said: “There have been lots of changes, lots of players missing through illness and injury, the short rest period in the summer didn’t help us but I think the achievement so far has been excellent, considering what we’ve been through but there’s a long way to go.”

Newcastle are close to sacking Graeme Souness according to reports with Bolton’s Sam Allardyce the man tipped to take over.

Tuesday 24th January
Paul McKenna reckons that North End need nine more league victories to secure themselves a place in the Championship Play-Offs. The midfielder says: “We’ve spoken about it and we’re looking at nine wins to guarantee ourselves in the play-offs. The sooner we can get them the better.”

Tottenham’s Irish defender Stephen Kelly says he may have to quit Spurs if he doesn’t get a regular starting spot, Kelly has previously been linked with a move to PNE.

Wednesday 25th January
PNE boss Billy Davies admits that he may have to play some of his youth team in the FA Cup tie with Crystal Palace after several players are ruled out of contention for the game. Preston could have up to six players missing through injury suspension or being cup-tied.

Real Madrid are the first club to be linked with Sven Goran Eriksson, the England manager departs his job with the FA after the World Cup.

Dates For The Diary
Paul McKenna’s Testimonial Boxing Night

Following on from the success of his golf day, McKenna is holding a War of the Roses Boxing tournament on Wednesday 8th February at Preston Guild Hall.

Tickets are just £50 per person and include a three course meal, sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information contact Trish Brockbank on 07901 857141.

THE DEEPDALE DIARY: 17th January 2006

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Tuesday 17th January
Billy Davies is sweating on the availability of striker Patrick Agyemang after the former Gillingham man was a surprise name on Ghana’s stand-by list for the African Cup of Nations. Agyemang qualifies through his Ghanaian parentage.

Everton boss David Moyes is once again linked with David Nugent as well as moves for Robbie Earnshaw and Lee Trundle.

Wednesday 18th January
North End are linked with moves for Derby striker Paul Peschisolido and Southampton man Brett Ormerod. Peschisolido is in fine form for the Rams scoring five goals in his last four games whilst Ormerod is a former Blackpool and Blackburn forward.

Norwich tell West Ham United that it will take a bid of £8m to prise England Under-21 striker Dean Ashton away from Carrow Road.

Thursday 19th January
PNE’s latest signing Brian Stock is confident that his new side can make a push for promotion. The midfielder admits that there is a real confidence amongst his new team-mates: “There is definitely a buzz and you only have to look at the league table and see the quality of the squad, even if there are a few injuries.”

Saints striker Theo Walcott is poised for a £12m move to Arsenal, the 16-year-old will link up with boyhood hero Thierry Henry.

Friday 20th January
David Elebert’s fledgling Preston North End career is over after the club decide to cut-short his contract with the club. The Republic of Ireland defender failed to make an impact at Deepdale and is expected to sign for Hamilton Academicals.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Andy Reid is reportedly ready for a sensational return to League One side Nottingham Forest on loan from Spurs.

Saturday 21st January
Preston North End make it 19 games unbeaten with a solid 2-0 victory at local rivals Burnley. Nugent opens the scoring with a well worked free-kick before Graham Alexander fires home his 50th career penalty to wrap things up late on.

Former North End striker David Healy pleads with his Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell not to sell him after he linked in a swap deal for WBA’s Jason Koumas.

Sunday 22nd January
Lilywhites boss Billy Davies refuses to get carried away following the latest victory. The Scotsman tells the press after the Burnley win that there is still a long way to go before they can start celebrating: “In this league it’s a very good run but you don’t win anything at this time and we’ve got to continue looking to the next match.”

Birmingham winger Stan Lazaridis is a target for Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie after the Eagles lost the services of Marco Reich through injury.

Monday 23rd January
Preston will be without at least four of their first team stars for their FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Crystal Palace. David Nugent and Paul McKenna both picked up one-match suspensions after their fifth bookings of the season at Burnley whilst Simon Whaley and Brian Stock are both cup-tied.

German clubs Nuremburg and Kaiserslautern are linked with a move for Hibs’ Scottish starlet Derek O’Riordan with a price of £300,000 quoted.

Tuesday 24th January
David Hibbert posts a timely reminder to the North End management that he is ready and waiting to fill Nugent’s boots should he be called into action for the Cup clash. The former Port Vale man continued his rich vein of form with another goal in an assured display against Shrewsbury in the reserves.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley could be set to swoop for Norwich’s England keeper Robert Green with Dean Kiely tipped to leave the Valley.

Dates For The Diary
Thursday 9th February – Youl Mawene teaches French at Preston College. Tyrone Mears and Andy Lonergan take part in an Alcohol Awareness event at Queens Drive Primary.

Club Legend: Joe Broadfoot

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Millwall v Ipswich Town - Sky Bet Championship

This week’s legend is a player who grew up watching the likes of Stanley Matthews and Sir Tom Finney. Joe Broadfoot played almost 300 games for the Lions during the 1960s and was part of a famous side that broke the record for home league games unbeaten.

Was you a fan of Sir Tom Finney then?
He was like me, I used to score goals, I got nearly one hundred league goals but he was some player. I saw a video of myself on television the other night and I got a great goal with my left foot, I was two-footed but he was the dogs.

How did your career start at Millwall?
I started in the Youth Team in 1957, I signed pro around about the time of the Munich disaster in February 1958 and I played for them for five years, got promotion when we won the Fourth Division Championship in 61/62 and I got 17 goals in the first year in the Third Division and I got them goals from the wing which Finney would have been proud of. It was pretty tough, it was a level playing field, you didn’t have all the Russian billionaires buying up all the best players, obviously the top teams had the best but there were a lot more shocks in the FA Cup.

The following season there was an exodus of players, a bit like this year, we got rid of all our senior pros and brought in a lot of new faces. There was only Alex Stepney who ever got anywhere and we were bottom of the league, similar to this year, and I thought I wanted to play in the First Division, asked for a transfer and they sold me to Ipswich.

I went to Northampton after that but we got relegated so I went back to Millwall, the manager at the time didn’t want to play me on the wing, he said we had just won the World Cup without wingers, so I had to run about in midfield and I was shattered all the time and I couldn’t sprint which I was good at.

We went 58 or 59 home league games undefeated which was the record at the time, we took the record off Liverpool and they have got the record back now funnily enough. I fell out with Mr Fenton the manager and I went back to Ipswich to finish my career.

My career ended prematurely because I had an operation and the surgeon said that I had knees like a man of 90.

Were you a Millwall fan? You were born quite local.
I was born in Lewisham, it was local boy makes good and I never really wanted to leave. I was a London cabbie and I was happy at Millwall but we were going back down to the Fourth Division and when you have played over 200 games for a club you want to go up, not down.

Who were your heroes as a boy?
My heroes were Sir Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews, I was a winger. I used to spend all my time playing football and I used to love the continentals and when I was about 14 Hungary beat England at Wembley, and they were the people we used to idolise as kids.

What do you remember of your debut?
My debut was against Carlisle and the first thing I remember is that they never turned up! I’m sitting there waiting to make my debut, the dream of all kids, I’m eighteen years old, I’m all nervous and I haven’t slept for two days, but there’s no Carlisle, they got stuck in traffic. So I’m sitting there at 3 O’clock and they came and told us that they weren’t there and I thought that it was a bad dream. They eventually turned up and I crossed one and somebody whacked it in the net and the crowd and the noise, I went dizzy with excitement, I got the adrenalin and I couldn’t stop running after that. It was a wonderful debut for me.

What’s your main memory of your time at The Den?
My fondest memory would have been when we beat the record for number of home games unbeaten, the crowd swarmed on the pitch and we were drinking champagne afterwards, it didn’t last long because we lost the following week. Winning the Fourth Division was good but to go 59 games without losing in any kind of football is good, Millwall did that and it was a record for a while.  That would probably be my favourite memory, I was 27, we had just won the World Cup and when you get older you savour those memories.

You finally got to meet one of your heroes when you took a visit to Deepdale a few seasons back.
It was the last game of the season a few years ago when Preston had won the Second Division and while I was waiting in the reception in comes Tom Finney and I just had to get up to shake the great man’s hand. I had never actually seen him play in the flesh but his record was phenomenal and as I winger myself he was the ultimate legend.

You do a bit of media work for Millwall so you’ll know all about Danny Dichio?
I thought he was underated by the Millwall faithful, what people don’t realise is how good he is in defence. We never conceded goals from corners or free-kicks when he was there and when we got to the Cup Final he didn’t play in the next game against Coventry and we were 2-0 down at half-time from two corner kicks and we never recovered from that and missed out on the Play-Offs.


Millwall’s Last Three League Visits To Deepdale
13th November 2004
PNE 1-1 Millwall
Danny Dichio comes off the bench for the Lions and inspires Millwall to scrap for a point after Eddie Lewis had put PNE one up.

21st February 2004
PNE 1-2 Millwall
A rare Claude Davis goal is not enough to rescue a point for North End as Paul Ifill and Tim Cahill get the goals for Dennis Wise’s side.

8th February 2003
PNE 2-1 Millwall
First-half goals from Eddie Lewis and Lee Cartwright do the job and despite a late effort from Christophe Kinet, Craig Brown’s side take all three points.

Fans Favourite – Brian Deane

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Exiled Blades fan Emma Gilks follows the fortunes of Sheffield United from afar these days, but even though she lives in Toronto she has plenty of good memories of a player who earned himself an England cap after his exploits for the club.

My favourite United player of all time would have to be Brian Deane. Even though he defected to that other team in Yorkshire I would have to say his goals helped secure promotion and I don’t think his partnership with Agana has been matched since.

We got him from Doncaster Rovers and although he was a little bit rough around the edges when we first got him he developed into one of the most feared strikers outside of the top flight and continued to be prolific with the Blades when we got in there. He’ll go down in history as the first man to score in the Premiership when he scored after four minutes or so against Manchester United.

Don’t forget he played for England and after he failed to get the goals at Elland Road we got him back for almost half the price we received when he went up the road and he continued to score the goals for us, in total I think he managed to get 119 Blades goals.

Deano was also part of the side that played in my favorite game as a Sheffield United fan and it would have to be my most memorable moment. That would have to be United gaining promotion to the old First Division – last day of the season at Leicester and we won 5-2 which guaranteed promotion. After each of the five goals, Blades would invade the pitch with their fancy dress costumes. I hope this moment can be experienced again at the end of this season!

Brian didn’t score my favorite goal though, that has to be Paul Peschisolido’s against Forest in the 2003 Play Off Semi-Final.  At half time we were 2-0 down everybody was so low and thoughts of getting through to the final were slim.  However we got back to 2-2 and then Peschy scored a fantastic goal to make it 3-2, the ground went wild and I think his celebration reflected how much the goal meant to him and the Blades.

Emma Gilks

You’ve Got Mail – Callum Davidson

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Have you got a pair of Nugent’s shooting boots on loan?
Stephen Hollinghurst, Farington
I don’t think so but I think he is getting a bit worried that I am going to catch him soon so I think he will stop passing to me.

Can you recommend a good night out in Scotland?
Mike Scully
To be honest with you, I’m married with two kids and I don’t really know.

If you were to choose another profession what would that be?
Christine Falconer
A professional golfer or it would have to be something to do with sport, there’s nothing else I can do really.

When you play on the Playstation what is your favourite game?
Dave Ralph
Never played on it and I never will.

After your recent purple patch, do you think you can steal the boots from Dave Nugent at the end of the season?
Ben Gooderham
Absolutely no chance, I think I will leave that one for him.

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If you had to go on karaoke what would you sing?
Scott Mould
Considering I can’t sing a single note and I don’t know a single song I would probably have to sing Flower of Scotland as it is the only one I know the words to.

Do you prefer to play left-back or left-wing?
Adam and Alan Kenyon
To be honest with you I don’t really mind, I’ve played left-back all of my career but I am quite enjoying playing on the left-side of midfield at the moment, obviously getting the goals is not too bad either.

What song did you choose as your first dance at your wedding?
Alan Myers
Have I Told You Lately by Van Morrison

What do you think of the new song which was sung to you at Crewe?
Mike
I thought it was great. To be honest with you I didn’t realise we had that many supporters there I thought we just had the one end and then we had all of one side as well, it was great, a good atmosphere, especially when we went 2-0 up, the fans were that close that I actually enjoyed it.

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How frustrating is it seeing Grezza playing in your position for Scotland?
Emma Baldock
Not frustrating at all, Graham has done fantastically well, especially when he has been playing for Scotland he has been brilliant. It would be nice to get on the bench and play a few games and push him but I think Graham has done excellent there, maybe he can move to the right and I can go on the left, that would be better.

Why are you scoring so many goals
Sean, Bacup
And what’s it like being a goal machine?
Charlie Yates
I have absolutely no idea why I am scoring so many goals but long may it continue.

Do you think Scotland can qualify for the World Cup ever again?
Caaren Loten
Of course, if we get England, Wales and Ireland in the group then I think we will qualify.

Are you in favour of Celtic and Rangers playing in the Premier League?
Dan Shaw
It’s a difficult question. I think it would ruin Scottish football if they joined the Premier League but on the other side of it I think they are too big for Scotland. They get 60,000 fans per game and the rest only get 10,000, the gap is massive but I think if they left then it would be very difficult for teams in Scotland to survive.

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What does it feel like to walk out of the tunnel at Deepdale?
Matt Carr, Preston
It’s a great feeling walking out on any tunnel at any game, playing a game is a great feeling in front of the fans on the pitch. Deepdale is a great footballing surface so it is really good.

Who in your opinion is Scotland’s greatest ever player?
Ed Monkey
I think it is Kenny Dalglish. He played for his country all through his career, over 100 caps and 30 goals and he never let his country down. There may have been better players but he was always there playing for Scotland whenever he could and did it all for Liverpool as well.

Where would you prefer to live Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Andy Fishwick
Neither, I’d prefer to live in Dunblane where I am from. I actually lived in Edinburgh for two and a half years so I would probably go with that one.

Who is the trickiest winger you have ever had to play against?
Gary, Walton-le-Dale
Brian Laudrup because he was so quick and strong, I couldn’t really get near him when he was playing for Rangers. Also a young Iain Anderson when he was 17 years old playing for Dundee he was absolutely on fire, he was another player I had difficulty against.

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You have obviously been very successful throughout your career, but does coming north for the Spicy Cup every summer and going home empty handed every year mean that you find it hard to motivate yourself for the long season ahead?
Gary Gruber, Head Greenkeeper, The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle
I’m sure that will change this year when we go north. I’ll need to get practicing a bit more and my team-mate Ian McCallum has got to improve but we will go into it with full of confidence and we are going to absolutely dust you!

What is your favorite thing on television?
Gabriel Malherbe
The TV series 24.

If you had to choose anyone to leave Preston who would it be?
Josh Gardner
It would probably be the Gaffer going to AC Milan and then he could take me with him.

Have you got any over the top celebrations planned if you keep on scoring?
Paul, Morecambe
No chance, I’ll be lucky if I score another one!

Can you cook haggies, neeps and tats?
Warren Haddy
Of course, all Scots can.

Have you ever played golf at St Andrews and if so what is your best round?
Ian Whittel
I’ve played all the courses except the old one but I can’t remember what my best round is there.

What is the highlight of your career so far?
Bernadette Pye
Winning the leagues with St Johnstone and Leicester and coming second and getting promoted with Leicester and beating England at Wembley.

Do you agree that PNE are better than Blackburn Rovers?
B Pye
I don’t think that league tables lie, at the moment Blackburn are better but hopefully in a couple of years time Preston will be better.

As a youngster starting out in the the game you tried to be a physical player but were a bit weedy and had to rely on your older brother to look out for you on the pitch if you upset other players with your reckless tackling.
Who, at Preston, have you got that special relationship with where they will step in to help you when you get yourself into trouble with some of the bigger players in the league like, Dennis Wise.
Royal Dornoch Professional Shop
I have probably to say that I looked after my older brother but at Preston any of the big guys I will try and be friendly with. Cressy was always one that would stick up for me, I would probably have to get my travelling partner Danny Dichio to stick up for me, he’s 6ft 6 inches.

Do you think you could win one of the celebrity reality TV shows like Big Brother, I’m A Celebrity or Celebrity Love Island?
Jamie HartI would probably only go on one of those if my career started to fall.

Which of your team-mates is most likely to pull on a night out?
Kate Fallows
Any of the single lads.

I hear you were a pretty good golfer. But due to being hen pecked you no longer play. Is there any chance of you selling your driver?
Andy Davidson
That’s my brother. No doubt if I go up the road he will probably take it off me.

Jordan once rated you as the ugliest player in the Scottish Squad, in fact
compared you to Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars how do you feel about this
and is there anything you would do plastic surgery wise to improve or are
you happy with your lot?
Duncan, Dunblane
Well Duncan I think you would have to take a look at yourself first and try and stay off the pies.

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If you had to be a tag team in WWE wrestling which player would you take as your tag-team partner?
Laraine Atkinson
I’d probably take Brian O’Neil, ‘Big Chunky’, he’s my big chunky team-mate and I think that he’d be pretty good in the wrestling ring.

Could you still play in the Premier League?
Paul G
Yes I think so if I can stay fit and hopefully I will have a chance to do it with Preston.

Do you consider that you are now playing some of the best football of your career? Stephen, Penwortham
I wouldn’t say so. I would say that I have been pretty consistent throughout my career. I feel that I am the fittest I have been for three or four years and hopefully that is beginning to come through in the games and hopefully I can keep going the way I am going and maybe bang in a few more goals.

If you could ask a question to any player in the squad who would it be and what would you ask them?
I’d probably ask Brian O’Neil where he got his clothes from and Danny Dichio has he got a car?

Press Release – Footballs For Schools

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Preston North End Set To Launch Second Phase Of Mini Whites Initiative – Footballs For Schools

Following on from last season’s flagship success of Preston North End’s Mini Whites scheme, the club are now set to launch phase two, ‘Footballs For Schools’.

The Mini Whites initiative which saw thousands of under eights attend PNE games last season absolutely free was an unqualified success, the scheme had almost 1000 members in its first full season and 69 per cent of youngsters no longer eligible for the scheme this season graduated to junior season ticket holders.

The thinking behind the Mini Whites is to get local fans supporting their local club and that is a process which has now been adopted by the Football League with the game’s authorities encouraging all clubs in the Football League to allow kids into games for free.

Following on from last season’s groundbreaking success Preston North End are now taking the scheme one step further by giving out thousands of free Preston North End footballs to Primary schools in the local area.

As part of the Club’s Deepdale Duck Roadshow, Preston North End will be giving five PNE branded Mitre footballs to the 300 Primary schools in the area. Not only that, but if and when the balls are worn out, Preston North End will replace them free of charge!

The Deepdale Duck Roadshow took the Preston North End message to almost 40,000 young fans last season and it aims to repeat that this season. This year the scheme has been sponsored by Total and it promises to be bigger and better.

Not only will North End be giving out the footballs to all schools but all children in attendance will receive a goody bag which includes Preston North End wristbands, posters, fun books and car stickers.

The scheme will be launched this coming Monday 5th December at Preston’s Holme Slack Primary School where Preston North End captain Chris Lucketti and winger Chris Sedgwick will giving out the first set of footballs to the youngsters while the Deepdale Duck will also be performing his Roadshow.

Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said: “Preston North End have been hugely influential in the development of our Fans of the Future initiative, their Mini-Whites scheme helped set the template for clubs across The Football League to follow.

“I know that their scheme has been tremendously successful in encouraging more and more young fans to watch games at Deepdale and I hope that other clubs enjoy similar results.”

Preston North End’s Community Development Manager Andrea Troake said: “The success of the Deepdale Duck Roadshow and the Mini Whites scheme last season exceeded expectations, with 69% of graduates of the scheme purchasing season tickets.

“This season we wanted to reward the schools for their help in promoting the scheme and allowing the Deepdale Duck Roadshow into their schools yet again. By giving each school five PNE branded Mitre footballs it is hoped that the pupils will take an interest in physical activity as well as Preston North End FC.

“Already attendances this season have shown an increase on previous seasons and we hope this continues as more children join the Mini Whites following a visit by Deepdale Duck to their school.”

Ends

Chris Lucketti, Chris Sedgwick and Andrea Troake will all be available for interview at Holme Slack Primary School, Manor House Lane, Preston, PR1 6HP from 2.00pm on Monday 5th December. Photo opportunities with the players, Deepdale Duck and the PNE branded balls will also be available.

For more information contact the Press Office on 0870 442 1964; by fax on 01772 693366 or by email media@pne.com

Editors Notes

  • Number of expired mini whites (children registered under the mini whites scheme, not necessarily mini whites season ticket holders) 118. Number of expired mini whites who are now registered as junior season ticket holders 82. This equates to a massive 68.88% of new paying junior season ticket holders through the mini whites scheme.
  • In only 10 months the `Mini Whites’ scheme saw the club’s number of registrations under the age of 8 grow from 86 to 948 – with approximately 80% attending matches on a regular basis.
  • 69% of youngsters who have graduated from the scheme went on to buy a season ticket.
  • The Mini-Whites scheme is free to join and once a member children can attend all home league games for free by either getting tickets on a match by match basis or by getting a season ticket at the start of the season.
  • Being a member of the Mini Whites scheme saves the child up to £6.50 on a match by match ticket or £125 on a season ticket. This is available for as many children in the family as are eligible. Therefore a family with 3 children under 8 years will save £375 per season.
  • Total’s sponsorship of the Deepdale Duck Roadshow is one of a number of partnerships involving Preston North End including work with the Playing For Success scheme and also sponsoring the Club’s Community Stand.

THE DEEPDALE DIARY – 9th November 2005

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November
Preston North End secure the services of long-serving midfielder Paul McKenna on a new and improved three-and-a-half year deal. The local born player is currently celebrating his testimonial year and joins Brian O’Neil, Chris Lucketti and Graham Alexander in signing new deals.

Blackpool boss Colin Hendry looks set for the sack after defeat to Doncaster in the FA Cup and PNE in the Lancs Cup.

Thursday 10th November
Billy Davies says that his side have lacked the killer instinct in the opening few months, this despite his side now being unbeaten in seven and with only four defeats in 18 games. He said: “Due to little breaks and things not going for us and not getting that little killer instinct, we’ve been unfortunate to draw a number of games that we should have won.”

Birmingham City are the latest club to be linked with a big money move for Sheffield United captain Phil Jagielka.

Friday 11th November
A double departure at Deepdale as Dickson Etuhu and Eric Skora both leave on loan deals. Etuhu joins Norwich for two months with a view to a permanent deal whilst Skora moves down the M6 to link up with League One Walsall in search of first team football.

Argentinean defender Roberto Ayala says that in Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen England have the best strike partnership in the world.

Saturday 12th November
Eric Skora makes a dream start to life at the Bescot Stadium with a goal on his debut. The local papers are comparing him to Christoph Dugarry and Walsall boss Paul Merson tells the press that the Frenchman is destined for the Premiership if he continues in the same vein of form.

It’s reported that Manchester United’s dressing room was bugged and conversations recorded during their recent win over Chelsea.

Sunday 13th November
Preston North End are in a ‘transition period’ according to PNE boss Billy Davies. The loss of Cresswell and Lewis as well as the temporary loss of David Nugent have hit Preston hard: “Those players were good for 49 goals between them last season so once they were gone that was our cutting edge gone too.”

Spurs are waiting in the wings should Arjen Robben be given the boot at Stamford Bridge after falling out with Jose Mourinho.

Monday 14th November
Norwich boss Nigel Worthington confirms that the Dickson Etuhu deal is likely to be a permanent one. Meanwhile the midfielder tells Norwich’s website that he can’t wait to get started: “I’m very impressed with the facilities here and I’m looking forward to using them now.”

The Mirror reports that Bryan Robson is set for a £2m raid on former club Manchester United to get Kieran Richardson.

Tuesday 15th November
PNE boss Billy Davies says that competition for places ahead of the game with Cardiff is ‘fierce’. He said: “we’ve got guys coming back into full fitness, which is vital for us, and competition will again become very fierce.”

Sheffield United are set to offer Neil Warnock a £300,000 wage rise to stop him from joining Portsmouth according to the Daily Star.

Wednesday 16th November
PNE include Adam Nowland and Jemal Johnson in their reserve line-up to take on Bury at Deepdale. Nowland has been out of action since limping off with a groin strain at Bury and Johnson was unlucky to miss out at Leeds United a fortnight ago.

Everton insist that their manager David Moyes will not be leaving the club to take charge of Scottish giants Rangers.

Dates For Your Diary
Wednesday 23rd November – Patrick Agyemang and Claude Davis join Liberty X in turning on the Preston Christmas lights.

Thursday 24th November – David Nugent, Chris Sedgwick and Tyrone Mears sign autographs at pneshop.com from 6.30pm.

Friday 25th November – Ned Kelly is over the hill as he celebrates his 40th birthday!

Wednesday 30th November – Paul McKenna’s Testimonial Bingo Night at Deepdale Labour Club – Eyes Down 7.30pm admission £2.

THE DEEPDALE DIARY – 21st October 2005

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Friday 21st October
Billy Davies is boosted by the news that Youl Mawene and Dickson Etuhu are set to return to the first team fold for the trip to Molineux. Both players missed out on the trip to Cardiff with a virus.

Tony Adams tells the Daily Mirror that he is ready to take over at Middlesbrough or Southampton if the jobs become available.

Saturday 22nd October
Dickson Etuhu returns to action with a goal at Wolves one season after he was sent-off at Molineux. The big midfielder comes on as a substitute for the injured Adam Nowland and powers home a header within minutes in the 1-1 draw with Glenn Hoddle’s side.

According to The Sun, Manchester United’s coaching staff fear that Sir Alex Ferguson will quit the club next season.

Sunday 23rd October
North End boss Billy Davies tells the press that the Lilywhites should have won their Championship clash with Wolves. He said: “In the second half we controlled the game but then we hit the post and that was the turning point because if that had gone in, it would have been game over”

Depending on which newspaper you read Arsenal’s Thierry Henry may or may not be signing a £200,000 a week deal with Chelsea next season.

Monday 24th October
Billy Davies says that he hopes to have more firepower for the forthcoming game with Leicester City. North End have a full week to prepare for the fixture and that should give the injured Lilywhites players more time to recover.

West Ham boss Alan Pardew is poised to move for Ipswich Town’s Dean Bowditch for £1m according to the Daily Mirror.

Tuesday 25th October
Crewe boss Dario Gradi says that his club have no interest in pursuing a swap deal with PNE for striker Steve Jones. Billy Davies however tells pne.com that he has made no offer of such a deal and that he only expressed an interest in Jones.

Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele is confident that he and his team-mates can break Arsenal’s record of 49 unbeaten games.

Wednesday 26th October
Youl Mawene tells Whites World that it is the small details that make the difference in the Championship as his side look forward to the Leicester game. The Frenchman says: “We all know what this league is all about. Sometimes it’s the little details and if you lose the small detail, you lose the game.”

West Ham boss Alan Pardew is rewarded with a new five year deal at Upton Park following the Hammers’ encouraging start to the Premiership season.

Thursday 27th October
Billy Davies has five injury worries ahead of the Leicester City game with Adam Nowland, Lewis Neil, Chris Lucketti, Brian O’Neil and David Nugent all facing a race against time to be fit for the weekend.

West Ham are targeting Glenn Johnson and John Hartson to return to Upton Park during the transfer window.

Friday 28th October
It’s a busy day at North End as the club announce four deals. The first is a one-month loan deal for Blackburn’s Jemal Johnson, a 20-year-old American born striker who has scored six goals in nine starts for Rovers’ reserves.

At the other end of the spectrum North End’s experienced trio of Graham Alexander, Chris Lucketti and Brian O’Neil all sign one-year extensions to their contracts.

Dates For Your Diary – Season Ticket Holders Fans Forum Event
First of 4 events in The Great Room at Preston North End FC on Wednesday 16th November 2005 from 7pm – 8.30pm.  Doors open at 6.30pm and the topic for discussion  will be retail (shop, tickets, mypne). Put your questions to the General Manager – Ben Rhodes, Shop Manager – Warren Bennett, Ticket Office Manager  – Karen Bentham  and Marketing Manager – Andrew Pomfret.

Entry strictly by ticket only. Tickets available in exchange for relevant voucher in the back of season ticket book from PNEShop.com. Tickets limited and issued on a first come first served basis

Fans Favourite – Billy Whitehurst

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The next time you hear somebody say the words ‘Billy’ and ‘Whitehurst‘ in the same sentence, be sure to pay close attention to how they say them. Chances are if spoken by a former player you’ll see a shaking of the head followed by an audible sigh. If it is someone who observed Billy from the terraces then a look of wild excitement will invariably race across their face as they steam headlong into an anecdote that you couldn’t possibly think true. Such reactions say a lot about the man.

It is customary in pieces such as this to state that the term legend is grossly overused and you’ll hear no argument from me there. Indeed, increasingly so it seems any skinny player with long sleeves and an even longer fringe that produced a back heel or two receives the accolade. Billy Whitehurst, or Rambo Billy as he was gloriously named by then Tigers’ Chairman Don Robinson for his physical likeness to the Sylvester Stallone character, was different. He represented what all football fans could achieve if they worked at their game…. all football fans blessed with a huge gorilla-like frame and fearless mental attitude, that is.

Plucked from the building site and semi-professional football with Mexborough Town, Tigers fans soon learned to overlook the fact he didn’t possess the skills normally associated with football legends. Indeed, he was what can only be described as ‘uncompromising’ and his second touch was often a tackle – and oh how we loved him for it. We loved the way he picked up the ball with his back to goal, turned and rampaged his way through a backpeddling opposition defence before smashing the ball past the bewildered keeper (69 goals in 252 games in a City shirt). We loved the fact that when the opposition viewed our teamsheet and saw his name, the game was won there and then and we had another victory during what was a golden period. But we especially loved the tales from colleagues old and new about his astonishing off-field antics.

My own abiding memory of Sir William centres around him returning to the Tigers via a long list of clubs in 1988 as part of the deal that took wonderkeeper Tony Norman to Roker Park (Billy originally left in 1985 to Newcastle Utd for a then record fee for both clubs). I eagerly entered Boothferry Park to witness his second debut versus Ipswich (1-1, Whitehurst scored, naturally) but my eyes were elsewhere than the hallowed turf. I looked up at the opposite end of the stadium in wonderment as my eyes fixed upon the huge spray-painted letters proclaiming the legend  ‘Rambo Billy’. Word had it that an inspired group of the citizens of Hull had broken into the stadium in the dead of night to let Billy know what his return home meant to us. The very same graffiti remained visible until the day we left our famous old home for pastures new, some15 years later. The signing of no player before or since has provoked anything like such a reaction among the City faithful. Billy Whitehurst – legend indeed.

Gary Bolton

‘Alan Shearer’s got my shirt: the Billy Whitehurst story’ by Rob Finch is released in November 2005.