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Wow methought the national media are actually paying PNE attention for once. But 4 quotes does not constitute an interview and most of it doesnt concern PNE but is bigging up Huddersfield! With a cursory sentence at the end just to show what the article was about. The only suprising thing in the end was that it wasnt written by our friend Claridge.

Why was KT causing chagrin? Most fans I speak to say he stated he wanted to leave and Burnley rumours had been around for a while. A mercurial player with off field issues. Why not get the money?

Paul, the line "North End were a modest outfit who often punched above their weight in the Championship, twice reaching the play-off final." is the biggest myth in north west football.

PNE only 'punched above their weight' because 'benefactor' Trevor Hemmings was playing casino financing of the club, and was loaning between £16 - £20million depending on who you believe to get in the Premier League. Sadly, despite lots of warnings from their own fans, as well as others, most PNE fans never thought that the loans would stop and they could continue to live beyond their means ad infinitum. He's built up the debt to a level that say many 'ordinary' PNE fans who had shares in PNE Ltd, having to sell them to him at 5p a share - so they've lost their club and they've lost money too meanwhile TH continues to paid interest on the loans and gets a club for less that it used to be worth.

He's appointed Chairmen who have either misled their supporters or have been incompetent - or both. Chairmen for example who were unable to grow the National Football Museum which has had to relocate to make it sustainable losing PNE much needed rent along the way.

He's also overseen the appointment of some poor managers who have given average players OTT contracts and when it came down to it, couldn't instill a winning mentality to get them into the top division (although it shouldn't be a surprise as PNE have been in the play-offs (across the divisons) 8 times and never won them).

This season has seen the loss of some 'high earners', with only Traecy (who ironically wasn't a high earner) getting a 'decent' return; that said there are plenty of PNE fans who think Burnley have stolen him - they also doubt that the money will be reinvested into the team, but back into paying down the debt.

TH has stated through Maurice Lyndsey that he will only subsidise the club to the tune of £3million per year, so the 7000 ST holders who have got a bargain basement ST (in recognition of the division they are now in) will need to boosted by walk on fans and away fans to make the club that bit more sustainable. The good news is PNE benefit from the well known Blackpool effect; in that they get higher numbers of away fans going to the game than a 'city' of its credentials merits as it's got the Blackpool factor. Loads of away fans make a day/weekend in Blackpool and take the game in at Preston as part of that. It's why PNE will get higher numbers of away fans this year than say this seasons derby rivals Rochdale.

The really scary thing for PNE fans is that TH won't put them into administration as it will mean HE will lost HIS money - and there isn't a chance he will do that providing he can get a return on the loans which I understand are at commercial rates of interest. It's a bit of a vicious circle, won't invest anymore, continue to take money out, wont write the debts off, can't sell the club.

In some respects, PNE are an example of what happens the sugar daddy realises that the 18 year old virgin from the suburbs he thought he was getting was an overweight hag from the sink estate down the road and decided to stop putting his hand in his wallet but put it in his pocket and found he preferred it.

Phil Brown has always been one to believe he's an alchemist (to match his tan) and will of course say PNE will be top of the league but there are far bigger clubs, with far better players and resources at their disposal in the lower leagues and a long stay in the lower divisions looks inevitable. From what i've seen this is being realised by the more football savvy and longstanding PNE supporters - some of their younger fans have a lot of readjusting to make in respect of being back to their natural level.

Meanwhile at the other end of the M55.......

Rochdale and Bornemouth could also surprise us. I'd love to see them promoted. MK DOns didn't do too badly last season either. will be a very interesting league and not a walkover for the Sheffield clubs by any means

First

Meanwhile at the other ends of the M55 another club got relegated. And your point? That's just childishly hijacked an article to fly another plane over Deepdale. tsseasider, why let the truth spoil a good argument! Fool

Huddersfield will go up for sure, I see PNE joining them. Play offs I think Notts County, SHU and Rochdale and possibly Stevenage (my dark horses).

As #3 says, Bournemouth will be there as well.

I really really fear for the Ginger Mourinho's squad. I just don't think they will even compete for the playoffs. I have them finishing just outside the relegation zone in my table.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

What he's said isn't wrong though Boardrider. TH put a lot of money into PNE chasing Premier League football. It got frittered away, and now he wants it back.

It only takes a brief glance at PNE messageboards to realise there are some very unhappy punters out there - primarily with the stewardship of Hemmings and Lindsay.

tsseasider, It sounds like you're more interested in our club than your own?? Maybe that's why our attendances will be greater than yours, because we're getting our very own Donkey Lashers coming down watching North End. Thought so. With or without this 'Blackpool Effect', I'm certain we will have more fans at Deepdale than Bloomfield Road. How many stands is it now? 4? Wow! Congratulations on that.

As a Town fan, it's weird to see everyone tipping us for promotion - Martin Allen did so at the weekend, now Les Parry has, and we're tipped to win the league by every season preview I've seen so far! We've strengthened greatly and in Danny Ward and Donal McDermott I think we've made the 2 signings of the summer in the league, so we should really have a chance now that Southampton and Brighton aren't in our way. I do think we'll finish in the top 2, but the teams that worry me most in terms of competition are Preston and Charlton, as Phil Brown will no doubt get Preston flying and Charlton have signed some real quality.

Last time Bury got promoted to League 1 (or Division 2 as it was at the time) we went straight up again after winning the league. Can't say I see that happening this time round, there are some pretty strong teams in the division this year. I think I'd settle for lower midtable, but given our small squad and low budget I think it's going to be a real struggle. I'm behind the mighty Shakers all the way though, Richie Barker's Barmy Army!

Always raises a smile with me when preston and blackpool fans have a go at each other about who's the bigger club.

As a fan of PNE for over 50 years and season ticket holder for the last 16 seasons[previously played sat. league football for 36 years] I can honestly say I've no idea what to expect this year. I'd obviously like us to win every match but of course it won't happen. I like watching other teams and appreciate tactics and skill. I'd like to forecast the leading scorers in the division. Huddersfield's Rhodes, Sheff U's Slew, Pne's Hume. [Slight bias] It seems really childish to keep badmouthing other clubs as though you are a superior being because you support a team that is currently higher up the pyramid. Relegation and promotion are all part of the equation every season. All you can do is get behind your team and hope it's your year, hope the chaiman picks the right manager, hope the manager picks the right players, hope the players don't get injured, and when it doesn't work out, come back optimistic for the next season.

I think Brown was given a very hard time by all and sundry in his time in the premiership. For my money, he is a talented bloke , and I would not be surprised to see him back in the Premiership in a couple of years...

Makes me chuckle Blackhole fans criticising our stewardship. I suppose Owen/Karl Oysten are a credit to their profession? Lets look at your current state, +£40 mill ish last year, where has this been spent? Not on players, certainly not that much on the ground, training facilities still a beach.....However the Latvian's got a nice car etc. The only people who have been whingeing about TH/ML are moaners in general and dont grasp that even though TH is worth millions it's not liquid and he has his limits. If you had a vintage car worth £30k you wouldnt keep on paying £5k/year upkeep. He has metaphorically, but at least he's a fan and one who saved us from winding up last year.

Charlton r the team to watch this season very well organised with plenty of attacking flair rather than last seasons play the ball sideways approach.Chris Powell and Alex Dyer have one word on there lips PROMOTION

Fair comment tsseasider.

It's not hard to see where we have gone wrong, but what is pleasing(?) is that at least we are doing something about our financial situation and not burying our heads in the sand so to speak.

I don't think we will be a top 6 side next season, but I do appreciate that there needs to be a period of adapting to the new financial restrictions and we simply do not have money to throw at trying to get promotion.

I fully expect an established side like Huddersfield to be up there along with both Sheffield clubs and possibly Charlton. Perhaps we will see Bournemouth or even Orient pushing for a pray off place?

I wonder if either club makes it to the premiership how many more comments will be on a blog about them?

I think Phil Brown will do well at Preston this year.

He likes a challenge and I'm sure he really does believe that Preston will finish top, his ego wouldn't allow him to think any other way.

Being in a lower division suits Brownie as there is much less media attention so he doesn't get carried away with himself which was his biggest problem towards the end at Hull. He believed his own hype from when we did well in our first Prem season and so hopefully dropping back down the leagues will have done him a world of good and he will be a better manager for it.

I will certainly have my eye on what he does there this season. If Preston manage to get a bit of momentum going Phil Brown is the right man to keep it going.

Like the majority of PNE fans, I'm looking forward to getting back on Deepdale this Saturday. Phil Brown's enthusiasm and positivity is infectious and he (along with Brian Horton, of course) is probably the most valuable commodity we have had at the club in years.

If he believes the squad is good enough to challenge for promotion, I have no reason to doubt that.

I would be surprised if Sheff Wednesday are pushing for automatic promotion as I don't rate Megson, and in Danny Wilson, Sheff Utd have a manager who had recent difficulty in the league. I would expect Huddersfield to be right up there all season though!

I thought post no.2 was quite a reasoned assessment. As usual the average PNE moron jumps up and down and throws his toys out.

It's like when you started frothing at the gills over the 'plane stunt'.........it said 'We are superior' and no pointing out that we got relegated will make that statement incorrect. Try and master English first and then start having a go.

#2 "The good news is PNE benefit from the well known Blackpool effect; in that they get higher numbers of away fans going to the game than a 'city' of its credentials merits as it's got the Blackpool factor. Loads of away fans make a day/weekend in Blackpool and take the game in at Preston as part of that. It's why PNE will get higher numbers of away fans this year than say this seasons derby rivals Rochdale....."

Which cloud do you live on? One thing is for certain, those (and there aren't as many as you imply) that do visit blackpool before or after the game won't REvisit as its a ****hole, an embarassment for Lancashire.

Good post #14.

We believe in Phil Brown, good luck lads. Onward & upward PNE, come on you whites !!!!!!

Anyone who knows Division 1 will know how unpredictable it can be. It is the most level division of the top 5 tiers. Bottom teams can and will beat those at the top and you can be in the play off's one season and relegated the next.

Unfancied teams will low budgets can be deceptively well organised and effective as a "Team", and experts at picking out cheap gems from the lower divisions. Last season Orient were a good example of this and narrowly missed out on a play off place.

Much as one admires' Brown's confidence his words could come back and bite him.. hard. I have seen many former Premiership sides come down to the "Division 3" and the weight of instant promotion and their asumption that their "Rightful position" is somewhat higher can often be their undoing.

Without doubt there will be a couple of surprise packages who will condemn two at least of the more fancied sides to a longer spell in the lower divisions... I fancy Preston to be one of them.

Many of us North End fans were content to accept that this would be team building season with youngsters given a chance to prove themsleves, and accordingly promotion may not be on the cards this season. Now there is massive excitement in some quarters because Graham Alexander, a 40 year old former defender, who can't tackle, is 'coming home'. Sadly this seems to be an orchestrated move by Mr. Hemmings to lessen the disappointment and dismay at Treacy being sold to Burnley.
What sort of message does this send to youngsters like the promising Conor McLaughlin, who we presumed would be at right back, should he have to sit on the bench and watch a 40 year old fill the spot? Phil Brown talks of promotion - he's in dreamland. The team was not good enough to survive the Championship last season and it's been weakened this season not strengthened, so just where the challenge is coming from is a mystery to me.

#24. Graham Alexander has been brought in to play in central midfield (as cover for Ashbee). Conor/Gray are not under threat by his signing. He loves PNE and will die for the cause. Get behind the Team & Manager (for the time being at least) and enjoy your football. You probably think Craig Brown did a good job!

On Paper I could quite comfortably say we have a team that would compete easily in the championship. But obviously off the paper contributions of poor management and loanees from Timbuktu led us to league 1.
What I can see is good quality signings, the likes of Turner/Carlisle/Alexander have Premier League experience. With what we have already and the promotion of youth seems to have worked in pre-season with Proctor the highlight finding the net in every start.
What we have in PB is that same experience of the Premier League, that will put the frame of mind for the biggest games.
The biggest threat for other teams is Iain Hume if this fella is in the mood we could be fighting teams off him in January but with the addition of Mellor and the rise of Proctor I think with the right service we could be quite daunting to play against.

If we hit the ground running as PB states we could well have ourselves a bounceback season. If we get fans onside behind the team home and away we won't be liked very much but we wont care.
I see the biggest threat from the Steel City especially United their home crowd is one of the most intimidating crowds for the opposition but they are as quick to jump on the backs when things aren't going well.
Our starting 11 (Turner, McLaughlin, Carlisle, Morgan, McLine, Alexander, Nicholson Coutts, Barton , Mellor and Hume) is Championship Standard but behind that is not much substance so fitness will be the key to our season.

I'm not going to say we will win it because that's arrogant. We have one intention and that's Championship football next season.

Good Luck to the rest

UTW

League One? Huddersfield and Preston with a surprise package possibly being Chesterfield. Unlikely either Sheffield side will do much this term but a good bet next time

Then come 6th August and Col U turn up...

2-4 away win.

Welcome to League 1 PNE ...and thanks for the three points!

Col U rule ok!

A blip or back to the drawing board for Mr Brown?...not so easy this league 1 thingy.

Well saturday didn't go to plan. Thought we was the better team but some really bad defensive mistakes cost us.
A couple of positives though:
Graham slotted well back into the team (and should have been captain), he looked up for it and played well with coutts (goal of the season)
Hopefully with 2 full backs playing in that team will help balance the defence out.
It's not all doom and gloom yet it's only one game.
Keep the faith
Up the whites.