|  Nickname:
The Lilywhites
Year formed: 1881
Ground: Deepdale
Capacity: 22,225 2006/07
average: 13,862
For visitors: 3,000 in the Bill
Shankly Stand, can be doubled to meet
demand.
Record attendance:
42,684
Position last season: 7th in
the Championship
Manager: Paul Simpson (June
2006)
Players in:
Billy Jones (Crewe), Karl Hawley (Carlisle),
Kevin Nicholls (Leeds).
Players out: David Nugent (Portsmouth),
Michael Ricketts (Oldham), David Hibbert
(Shrewsbury), Kelvin Wilson (Nottingham
Forest), Chris Neal (Morecambe, loan),
Ben Hinchcliffe (Derby), Carlo Nash,
Pavel Pergl, Ashley Parillon.
Key man: Karl Hawley
Record transfer fee paid:
£1.5m (David Healy, Manchester
United, 2000)
Record transfer fee received:
£6m
(David Nugent, Portsmouth, 11 July
2007)
Ticket office: 0870 442 1966
Official website: www.pnefc.co.uk
How to get there: Exit M6 at junction
31. At the roundabout take the first
exit (sign-posted Preston A59). At
the roundabout after a mile take the
second exit (sign-posted Ring Road,
Blackpool A583) onto the Blackpool
Road A5085, passing Hesketh Arms on
the left. Carry on for just over a
mile and you come to a set of traffic
lights. Turn left (sign-posted town
centre) and the stadium will be in
view.
Best place to park: Numerous
car-parks around Deepdale however
the main car park behind the Sir Tom
Finney stand is for permit holders
only and the Bill Shankly Stand for
season-ticket holders. Plenty of street
parking.
Best place to eat: Try Clare’s
Pantry on the corner of Sir Tom Finney
Way and St Stephen’s Road for
a traditional Lancashire meat and
potato pie. There is also a vegetarian
menu on offer inside the stadium.
Best place to drink: Away fans
tend to congregate in the Toy Soldier,
10 minutes’ walk from the ground
at the Deepdale Shopping Park.
Safe to wear scarf: Definitely.
Canaries’ fans can be sure of
a hospitable Lancashire welcome.
Return journey:
470 miles
Journey time: 9hrs
Best League Win:
10-0 v Stoke City 14/09/1889 Division
1
Last meeting:
Preston North End 2, Norwich City
1 (February 20, 2007): Norwich slipped
deeper into the Championship relegation
mire at promotion-chasing Preston.
Peter Grant’s rag tag army paid
a heavy price for a lacklustre opening
period as North End went for the jugular
at Deepdale. Jason Shackell’s
goal signalled a concerted second-half
rally after Pavel Pergl and Danny
Dichio had cashed in before the break.
Dion Dublin’s first-half exit
only deepened the gloom for the depleted
visitors. Full
Match Report
Last Norwich
away win: 28/09/2002 Preston 1
(Cresswell), Norwich 2 (Nielsen, McVeigh)
Chances: An awkward
summer for North End and boss Simpson
as the Nugent transfer dragged on.
Since then he has been unable to make
much headway in the transfer market
and the side does not look as strong
as last year when they were in play-off
contention but fell away badly and
missed out on the last day. Season
could hinge on goalscoring ability
of Nugent’s replacement Hawley.
The signing of Billy Jones from Crewe
could be a useful acquisition and
the Deepdale side will be in the promotion
mix at the end of the season.
Prediction: 13th
For Directions to the Ground click
here.
For an unofficial Guide to the Ground
click
here.
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