PRESTON NORTH END
• Preston North End formed 150-years ago in 1863. They currently play in the third tier of English football, Sky Bet League One.
• PNE were founding members of the Football league and completed in the inaugural season, going unbeaten and thus becoming the first league champions.
• In the same season they also lifted the FA Cup, without conceding a goal, to become the first club to achieve the English football double.
• Preston’s unbeaten league and cup season remains an unequalled feat in English football.
• The Lilyhwhites’ most recent major trophy success came in 1938 when they lifted the FA Cup.
• Based on results achieved during the 112 seasons in the Football League from 1888-89 to 2010-11, Preston were the fourth most-successful team of all time domestically.
• Only Notts County have played more Football League matches than Preston North End.
Stadium
• PNE’s stadium, Deepdale, was built in 1875 and was first used for association football in 1878.
• The biggest attendance seen was 42,684 for a Division One clash with Arsenal in April 1938.
• The stadium currently has a capacity of 23,404 seats following a complete reconstruction between 1996 and 2009.
• The stadium was also chosen as the location for the National Football Museum due to the club being the first-ever winners of the Football League.
• Having been one of the largest football stadiums in the world when it closed in 2010, it was moved to Urbis in Manchester in 2012.
• Outside the Sir Tom Finney Stand is a statue of the former player himself, this is known as ‘The Splash’ or the ‘Tom Finney Splash’.
Play-Off Heartbreak
• Preston have made the play-offs for a record eight times, spanning across all three league divisions, but they have not yet been promoted via this route.
• In the fourth tier they lost 4-2 in the 1994 final to Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley stadium. A year later they were beaten in the semi-final stage by Bury.
• Their next play-off appearance was in the third tier in 1999 where they were beaten by Gilligham in the semi-final. They were promoted automatically the following season and during their first season in the Championship they were beaten in the final by Bolton Wanderers at the Millenium Stadium.
• In 2005 they reached the play-offs once more overcoming Derby County to reach the final where they were beaten by West Ham United. The following season they were beaten in the semi-finals by Leeds United.
• Preston last reached the play-offs in 2009 after narrowly overtaking Cardiff City on the final day of the season. Their elation was short-lived however as they were beaten in the semi-finals by Sheffield United via a Greg Halford goal at Bramall Lane.
History
• Barnet have faced Preston a total of five times and incredibly they hold the edge with three victories to the Lilywhites’ two.
• The last meeting between the two sides came on 10 February 1996 in the Football League Division Three where a Paul Wilson goal gave the Bees a 1-0 away win.
• The Bees did the double over the Lilywhites that season, winning the reverse fixture by the same scoreline with Paul Wilson again grabbing the goal.
• Two years earlier the Bees again defeated their northern opponents at Underhill as goals from Lee Hodges and Dougie Freedman secured a 2-1 win.
• The first ever meeting between the two sides came on January 30th 1965 in the FA Cup. PNE secured a 3-2 win at Underhill but the spirit and fight shown by the Bees ensured a memorable day for all.
• It was supporter John Williams’ first Barnet match and he described it as the day as ‘the day he fell in love with Barnet FC’. Hear all about his experience by clicking here.
Famous Managers
• Preston North End’s first-ever manager was Charlie Parker.
• Manchester United and England legend Bobby Charlton managed Preston for one season following a 17-year spell as Manchester United manager.
• World Cup winner Alan Ball’s father, Alan Ball senior, manager Preston North End between 1970 and 1973.
• Former Celtic, Preston North End, Arsenal and Chelsea man Tommy Docherty had a brief stint in charge of the Lilywhites in 1981. ‘The Doc’ also managed Manchester United, for seven-years, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Porto, Scotland, Queens Park Rangers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
• Current Manchester City assistant-manager Brian Kidd took charge of Preston North End for a brief spell in 1986.
• Current Manchester United manager David Moyes began his managerial career with Preston North End. Moyes spent four-years in charge at Deepdale, winning the second division in 1999-2000, his only honour to date, excluding the 2013 Community Shield.
• Liverpool legend Bill Shankly, who is widely considered as one of the greatest managers of all time, played for the Lilywhites but never managed them. Shankly has a stand named after himself at Deepdale – The Bill Shankly Kop.
Current Manager
• PNE are currently managed by Simon Grayson.
• Grayson was appointed manager in February 2013 and he went unbeaten in his first four matches in charge.
• During his first season he guided the Lilywhites clear of the drop with four matches to play.
• Grayson enjoyed an impressive playing career with the likes of Leicester City, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday, among others.
• Grayson’s first venture into management was with Blackpool, who he ended his playing career with, and he lifted the League One Play-Off title during the 2006/07 season.
• His promotional record continued as Leeds United manager as he finished second and was thus promoted to the Championship once more in the 2009-10 season.
• He was promoted to the Championship for a third time in five-years with Huddersfield Town during the 2011/12 season via the play-offs.
• In total Grayson has been promoted to the Championship three times, twice via the play-offs, which bodes well for PNE who currently play in Sky Bet League One and have never been promoted via the play-offs during eight attempts.
