Preston North End - Preview

Deepdale , 18/02/2007 - 1.10pm - live on the bbc

Just over 5 years and a week to the day since our last meeting we renew hostilities with PNE in tomorrows 5th Round FA Cup tie , due to be played in front of a capacity Deepdale crowd.

Despite a 4 game run between 1998-2002 the clubs have rarely crossed paths. in fact you have to go back to 1965-66 season to begin to see any history between the teams, the same year incidentally that Preston last made the FA Cup quarter finals ! And just to add salt to the wound they have failed to knock out top flight opposition since 1979.

To the present day however and Preston currently lie around 8 places behind City, sitting 4th in the Championship and with many pundits backing them for an FA Cup 'shock'.
On the injury front both Teams are missing Strikers, Samaras is likely to come in for Darius Vassell, whilst Preston must choose between Dichio and Mellor to replace Brett Ormerod.

I remember, too well for something the happened the best part of a decade ago, City been given a real chasing in our dark division two days by a Preston Team with Gregan, Eyres, and Basham giving us a bit of a football lesson that day.

I have a feeling we may be handing out the lessons this time.

Predicition - 0-2