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Set for important Deepdale derby
On the other hand we are looking for our first win in seventeen league games and if we could leave Deepdale having increased our lead above the bottom three to more than four points then it will have been a good day for us.
Preston stepped into 2007 in second place in the league having just beaten RK Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. They had lost just five games out of twenty-six, but more inconsistent form since the turn of the year has seen them double that number of defeats.
That's seen them drop out of the play off positions a couple of times but the midweek results went in their favour, not one of the other promotion chasers won and they are right back in there and still in with a good chance of going up automatically.
Unlike some of the other clubs at the top, notably Birmingham, Derby and RK Sunderland, Preston weren't able to splash the millions during the January transfer window although they were able to bring in four new players.
Only one of them cost a transfer fee, goalkeeper Wayne Henderson from Brighton, and that became a necessity following Carlo Nash's decision to ask for a transfer. Manager Simpson has said Nash won't play for them again and he's just extended the goalkeeper's loan to Wigan for a further month.
Czech Republic defender Pavel Pergl arrived on a free transfer from Sparta Prague whilst Gambian Seyfo Soli signed from Genk. The fourth January signing is someone familiar to Burnley fans although apparently there is not quite so much of him now. Michael Ricketts left Southend earlier in the season, went and lost the excess weight, and after a successful trial was signed until the end of the season.
Last week they took Portsmouth's Frank Songo'o on loan and he made his debut as a substitute last Saturday at Hull before starting in the Ipswich game.
That midweek 1-0 win against Ipswich saw Michael Ricketts score his first goal in over a year, since he scored for us at Ipswich and was a much needed win following the defeat at Hull when Simpson said they had played worse than at any other time this season.
It's expected to be virtually a full house for this important game, and how the Clarets could do with a win to restore some confidence and start a move away from the bottom of the table.
Team News
Much of the debate over the home team centres on influential midfielder Paul McKenna. He's been out after having surgery for a hernia and this was the game earmarked for his return. Simpson describes his chances of being touch and go.
Pavel Pergl and Kelvin Wilson haven't trained and it is unlikely they will feature whilst Michael Ricketts is struggling with a calf injury that forced him off at half time on Tuesday. Definitely out are Simon Whaley and Lewis Neal with long term injuries.
If Ricketts doesn't make it expect Preston to line up: Andy Lonergan, Graham Alexander, Sean St. Ledger, Liam Chilvers, Matt Hill, Frank Songo'o, Chris Sedgwick, Callum Davidson, Danny Pugh, David Nugent, Danny Dichio. Subs: Wayne Henderson, Seyfo Soli, Brett Ormerod, Paul McKenna, Patrick Agyemang.
The problems for Burnley are going to be at the back. Wayne Thomas is recovering from knee surgery and although he was out on the pitch at Southend warming up he is not expected to be available for selection until the Luton game at the earliest.
John McGreal went off with a groin injury early in the game and his replacement Stephen Foster didn't make it to the end after suffering an achilles injury. Neither is likely to make it and with Alan Mahon also on the injured list it leaves us with virtually just enough players again.
Michael Duff also ended the game at Southend with an injury but I expect him to be fit and back in the right back position in a Burnley team that could be: Danny Coyne, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Chris McCann, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, Joey Gudjonsson, James O'Connor, Steve Jones, Ade Akinbiyi, Andy Gray. Subs: Graham Branch, Garreth O'Connor, Eric Djemba-Djemba, John Spicer, Kyle Lafferty.
Last Meeting
The Clarets were struggling for results last time we went to Deepdale early last season. We'd won just one of our first seven league games and were just two places above the drop zone whilst North End were just outside the play off positions.
It ended without a goal but it was a good game that perhaps we came closest to winning. Preston never looked as though they would threaten us with John McGreal at his best and Keith Lowe enjoying a good first start alongside him. In front of them the two central midfielders James O'Connor and Micah Hyde were in excellent form with Hyde getting the man of the match vote from most.
In the end we had to settle for a point and honours were also even on the touchline after Billy Davies had decided to start a fight with his then neighbour Steve Cotterill with fourth official Tony Leake having to separate them.
The teams were;
Preston: Carlo Nash, Graham Alexander, Chris Lucketti, Claude Davis, Callum Davidson, Chris Sedgwick (Tyrone Mears 66), Dickson Etuhu, David Jones, Paul McKenna (Patrick Agyemang 75), Danny Dichio, David Nugent. Subs not used: Andy Lonergan, Youl Mawene, Adam Nowland.
Burnley: Danny Coyne, Michael Duff, Keith Lowe, John McGreal, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (Graham Branch 64), Micah Hyde, James O'Connor, John Spicer, Gifton Noel-Williams, Ade Akinbiyi. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Duane Courtney, Chris McCann, Karl Bermingham.
Burnley: Danny Coyne, Michael Duff, Keith Lowe, John McGreal, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (Graham Branch 64), Micah Hyde, James O'Connor, John Spicer, Gifton Noel-Williams, Ade Akinbiyi. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Duane Courtney, Chris McCann, Karl Bermingham.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1986/87 | 4 | h | 1-4 | 5,974 | James(pen) |
| . | . | a | 1-2 | 10,716 | Parker |
1987/88 | SV | h | 0-0 | 15,680 | . |
| . | . | a | 3-1aet | 17,592 | Oghani Hoskin Comstive |
1989/90 | LD | a | 0-3 | 5,241 | . |
1990/91 | LD | a | 1-6 | 12,016 | Bray |
1992/93 | 2 | a | 0-2 | 7,209 | . |
| . | . | h | 2-0 | 12,648 | Heath(2) |
1993/94 | LC | a | 2-1 | 6,283 | Davis Eyres |
. | . | h | 4-1 | 9,346 | Deary Eyres Francis Russell |
. | AG | a | 1-2 | 4,485 | Eyres |
1996/97 | 2 | a | 1-1 | 12,652 | Nogan |
| . | . | h | 1-2 | 16,186 | Barnes |
1997/98 | 2 | h | 1-1 | 13,809 | Cooke |
. | . | a | 3-2 | 12,263 | Payton Cooke N Moore |
. | AW | h | 1-0 | 10,079 | Payton |
1998/99 | 2 | a | 1-4 | 15,888 | Eastwood |
| . | AW | h | 0-1 | 3,366 | . |
| . | . | h | 0-1 | 11,561 | . |
1999/2000 | 2 | a | 0-0 | 13,708 | . |
| . | . | h | 0-3 | 22,310 | . |
2000/01 | 1 | a | 1-2 | 17,355 | Moore |
| . | . | h | 3-0 | 16,591 | Moore Ball Little |
2001/02 | 1 | a | 3-2 | 20,370 | Gnohere(2) Little |
| . | . | h | 2-1 | 18,388 | I Moore Johnson |
2002/03 | 1 | a | 1-3 | 16,046 | Taylor |
| . | . | h | 2-0 | 12,245 | Blake Papadopoulos |
2003/04 | 1 | a | 3-5 | 18,802 | I Moore Gnohere Blake(pen) |
| . | . | h | 1-1 | 15,837 | Blake |
2004/05 | C | h | 2-0 | 15,318 | Blake(2) |
| . | . | a | 0-1 | 18,202 | . |
2005/06 | C | a | 0-0 | 17,139 | . |
| . | . | h | 0-2 | 17,220 | . |
2006/07 | C | h | 3-2 | 14,871 | J O'Connor St. Ledger(og) Gray |
Click HERE
to see all our results against Preston, and our first league meeting was our very first Football League game.