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Sky here for derby game

Last updated : 17 March 2007 By Tony Scholes
Sean St Ledger
We're the longest serving clubs too, we've both been here for six seasons prior to this one, and this is the eleventh consecutive season we have both been in the same league.

Tonight's game couldn't have been better timed for Sky, we are riding high in fifth place in the league, having been second just a couple of weeks ago, whilst Preston have now taken that second spot after a run that has seen them unbeaten in the league since the first midweek of the season. That defeat was at Norwich, and is their only defeat of the season in the league, and no other club can boast that sort of record.

There have been big changes at North End since we last met in January, starting with the departure of manager Billy Davies to Derby. It was an unhappy episode with Davies calling in his legal people to get away and he has since poached a number of the staff from Preston.

His replacement is Paul Simpson, who had just won successive promotions with his home town club Carlisle, and he went into the new season without two of their defenders from last season Claude Davis and Tyrone Mears, both of them moving into the Premiership with Sheffield United and West Ham respectively. The good news for Simpson is that, one way or another, they were able to hang on to striker David Nugent.

He set about strengthening the squad and has already brought in four new players. Jason Jarrett was already on his way from Norwich in a deal agreed after his loan signing last season, and Simpson quickly added Danny Pugh from Leeds.

He followed that up with the capture of Sean St Ledger from Peterborough, a player who has since become very well known for his starring role as the stroppy kid who wouldn't do as he was told in the Sky programme featuring Peterborough United, Ron Atkinson and the incredible Steve Bleasdale.

St Ledger has become part of a Preston defence alongside another new signing Liam Chilvers who moved from promoted Colchester United. The 24 year old had been with Colchester for two years, following two loan spells, after starting his career with Arsenal.

Neil Mellor signed on the dotted line just before the transfer deadline, but the injury prone forward from Liverpool hasn't kicked a ball for them and has suffered another injury setback which has meant further surgery.

They weren't thought to be promotion contenders but they not sit five points above us after a better start than either of the two previous seasons when they reached the play offs. They are going to provide us with a tough game tonight, of that there is no doubt.

Click HERE to see all Preston's results this season.

Team News

One player definitely ruled out for Preston is much sought after striker Nugent, he collected another yellow card a week last Tuesday and that has resulted in him receiving as one match suspension from the FA.

It is up front where Simpson has his worries, neither Danny Dichio nor Patrick Agyemang are certain to play. Dichio, who has finally started scoring league goals for Preston, has an ongoing back problem whilst Agyemang is returning from a hip injury that has kept him out for four weeks.

I think both will play, and I suspect Agyemang for Nugent will be the only change from the side that beat Hull City 2-1 last week at Deepdale and that would see Preston line up: Carlo Nash, Graham Alexander, Sean St Ledger, Liam Chilvers, Matthew Hill, Simon Whaley, Chris Sedgwick, Paul McKenna, Danny Pugh, Patrick Agyemang, Danny Dichio. Subs from: Andy Lonergan, Callum Davidson, Kelvin Wilson, Lewis Neal, Brett Ormerod, Joe Anyinsah.

Click HERE to see the full Preston squad.

The two big decisions for Steve Cotterill will surround the central defensive places and also the striker positions. We know we will be without the injured John McGreal but the manager has a decision to make with Wayne Thomas, sent off some five weeks ago against Southampton, now available again.

Will he restore Thomas to the team and if so will he still be captain, Cotterill said he had a decision to make on that one. He's sure to be in the sixteen tonight but I have a hunch he'll have to bide his time on the bench with Stephen Foster continuing at the back and Frank Sinclair wearing the
captain's armband.

Up front it rests with the fitness of Gifton Noel-Williams, there's little been said since he went off at Plymouth with a groin injury, but it has been said he is doubtful. It will be a blow, he's been in such good form since winning his place back in the side. Should he be absent, it will probably be either a straight change with Kyle Lafferty coming in, or Steve Jones moving up front and Alan Mahon returning.

I think the team could be something like: Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair, Michael Duff, Stephen Foster, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, James O'Connor, Micah Hyde, Alan Mahon, Andy Gray, Steve Jones. Subs from: Wayne Thomas, Chris McCann, Garreth O'Connor, John Spicer, Graham Branch, Kyle Lafferty.

Last Meeting

Burnley were without the suspended Ade Akinbiyi and we opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Gifton Noel-Williams and Graham Branch up front and it is fair to say the partnership didn't work.

We conceded an early goal, Nugent scoring following an inventive free kick, and late in the game suffered the usual penalty decision that seems to go our way in these games, although this time the decision did look to be a correct one. Needless to say it was converted by Alexander.

There was no doubting the result, Preston were the better side and they were heading upwards. We'd been told by our Chief Executive that we couldn't expect any more with the word City not in our name whilst Steve Cotterill was unhappy over the speculation linking Ade with a move to Sheffield United.

All in all, not a good time for the Clarets.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair, Wayne Thomas (Michael Duff 54), John McGreal, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, Micah Hyde (John Spicer 84), James O'Connor, Garreth O'Connor (Danny Karbassiyoon 68), Gifton Noel-Williams, Graham Branch. Subs not used: Duane Courtney, Chris McCann.

Preston: Carlo Nash, Tyrone Mears, Youl Mawene, Claude Davis, Graham Alexander, Chris Sedgwick, Paul McKenna, Brian Stock (Chris Lucketti 45), Callum Davidson, Danny Dichio, Dave Nugent (Patrick Agyemang 73). Subs not used: Gavin Ward, Simon Whaley, Lewis Neal.

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

.

Click HERE to see all our results against Preston, and our first league meeting was our very first Football League game.


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