The Official Preston North End v Bristol City Match Day Thread

[havanatopia]

 

Good day everyone,

Will divine intervention be required in order for City to remain in the Championship? I am sure the vast majority of us know full well that no such mythical inspiration can save the club from such an ignominious end to a campaign that promised so much but has delivered absolutely nothing. In fact worse than that, the club has gone backwards and the owner spent millions in order to do so. Perhaps the only divine inspiration was the variety that went off in somebody's head when Steve Lansdown decided to give a job to a Championship virgin and then repeat the feat with Dean Holden. We know from Mr Lansdown himself that he had many reservations about the first of those decisions.

The name Preston means Priest Town so perhaps we can hope, on a wing and prayer, that the players will decide to turn on their undoubted talent juices this evening because no supposed inspirational team talk from the coaches is going to cut it. Of course God may have overlooked Preston in Lancashire and instead bestowed his good fortune on another settlement called Preston, now Prestonpans, in East Lothian. Legend has it that the settlement was founded by a Viking named Althamer who became shipwrecked on the Scottish lowland shores, survived with his crew, remained and created a settlement back in the 11th century. This painting of his viking ship with his oarsmen rowing into Scottish waters certainly does not convey an image of treachery or stormy waters that night. More one of a group of hapless footballers unknowingly walking into a cataclysmic disaster.

Monks arrived in later years and gave the settlement their own name, Prieststown or Prieston. Because of the salt manufacturing carried out by the monks using pans on the sea shore, the town’s name would later develop into Salt Prieststown and Salt Preston, and finally Prestonpans.

The image above shows Althamers ship passing Bass Rock, near Dunbar, as the sun sets over the River Forth, on the evening before their hard landing on Scotland’s shores.

The simile between this vessel and City seemingly sleep walking into Division One I thought was beautifully depicted; Tranquility before the impending doom. Titanic in miniature perhaps. Of course with Altamer he has no control over the weather less knowing when it is coming. In the case of BCFC it seems the vast majority around the club, such as us fans, probably a majority of people within the club and those looking in from afar, such as other clubs, can seemingly see what is slowly yet inexorably unravelling before our eyes. So perhaps this comparison is less of a simile and more a parable. Either way you get the point.

Deepdale is a rather nice stadium I always think; i visited in our title winning season where we garnered a reasonably satisfactory 1-1 draw. We played rather nervously that day I thought yet there was a warm glow about the club, about the players, fans and the manager; a glow that essentially told us all that we were heading for inevitable promotion. The glow may have, in part, been assisted by a pint of the excellent local brew in the Preston Working Mens club where we had been invited to enter by the jolly friendly locals. That day is clear in my mind and yet it may as well be a lifetime ago such is the change in fortunes of the club we have signed up to support for a similar duration.

I will keep my fingers crossed the magnificent travelling fans return from Lancashire with something to feel good about.

UTC

p.s. My thanks to pongo88 for asking me to include Prestonpans in this match day thread. I hope i have done so to a satisfactory fashion Pongo. 

And also my thanks to Andrew Hillhouse who is the clever fella who painted the viking ship. Go check him out for his work here:- www.andrewhillhouseprints.co.uk 

 

 

[blackthorn slice]

Promised herindoors a night away so just broke the news we off to temple meads to catch train to preston.

City win and i might treat her to a bargain bucket in all.

Oh well , everything crossed for a massive reaction from the players after that on saturday!!

You reds

 

[reddogkev]

Great work, Hava, fascinating historical look at Priestown with your usual sprinkle of informative detail.

As much as I'd kill for a win tonight, I can see a 1-1 draw as the most likely result.

COME ON YOU REDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

 

[BigTone]

27 minutes ago, havanatopia said:

 

Good day everyone,

Will divine intervention be required in order for City to remain in the Championship? I am sure the vast majority of us know full well that no such mythical inspiration can save the club from such an ignominious end to a campaign that promised so much but has delivered absolutely nothing. In fact worse than that, the club has gone backwards and the owner spent millions in order to do so. Perhaps the only divine inspiration was the variety that went off in somebody's head when Steve Lansdown decided to give a job to a Championship virgin and then repeat the feat with Dean Holden. We know from Mr Lansdown himself that he had many reservations about the first of those decisions.

The name Preston means Priest Town so perhaps we can hope, on a wing and prayer, that the players will decide to turn on their undoubted talent juices this evening because no supposed inspirational team talk from the coaches is going to cut it. Of course God may have overlooked Preston in Lancashire and instead bestowed his good fortune on another settlement called Preston, now Prestonpans, in East Lothian. Legend has it that the settlement was founded by a Viking named Althamer who became shipwrecked on the Scottish lowland shores, survived with his crew, remained and created a settlement back in the 11th century. This painting of his viking ship with his oarsmen rowing into Scottish waters certainly does not convey an image of treachery or stormy waters that night. More one of a group of hapless footballers unknowingly walking into a cataclysmic disaster.

Monks arrived in later years and gave the settlement their own name, Prieststown or Prieston. Because of the salt manufacturing carried out by the monks using pans on the sea shore, the town’s name would later develop into Salt Prieststown and Salt Preston, and finally Prestonpans.

The image above shows Althamers ship passing Bass Rock, near Dunbar, as the sun sets over the River Forth, on the evening before their hard landing on Scotland’s shores.

The simile between this vessel and City seemingly sleep walking into Division One I thought was beautifully depicted; Tranquility before the impending doom. Titanic in miniature perhaps. Of course with Altamer he has no control over the weather less knowing when it is coming. In the case of BCFC it seems the vast majority around the club, such as us fans, probably a majority of people within the club and those looking in from afar, such as other clubs, can seemingly see what is slowly yet inexorably unravelling before our eyes. So perhaps this comparison is less of a simile and more a parable. Either way you get the point.

Deepdale is a rather nice stadium I always think; i visited in our title winning season where we garnered a reasonably satisfactory 1-1 draw. We played rather nervously that day I thought yet there was a warm glow about the club, about the players, fans and the manager; a glow that essentially told us all that we were heading for inevitable promotion. The glow may have, in part, been assisted by a pint of the excellent local brew in the Preston Working Mens club where we had been invited to enter by the jolly friendly locals. That day is clear in my mind and yet it may as well be a lifetime ago such is the change in fortunes of the club we have signed up to support for a similar duration.

I will keep my fingers crossed the magnificent travelling fans return from Lancashire with something to feel good about.

UTC will support us tonight.

 

p.s. My thanks to pongo88 for asking me to include Prestonpans in this match day thread. I hope i have done so to a satisfactory fashion Pongo. 

And also my thanks to Andrew Hillhouse who is the clever fella who painted the viking ship. Go check him out for his work here:- www.andrewhillhouseprints.co.uk 

 

 

Condensed Version

Preston

Abandoned by God who we hope will support us tonight.

Pic attached of new BCFC team transport for away games.

1-1

[Inactive user]

I'm expecting us to bounce back tonight. 2 nil to the Cider Reds.

[Septic Peg]

Gut feeling says 2-1 loss but hoping for 1-1 draw... oh and Greg will score for Preston...

[City_USA]

Looking forward to meeting up with some fellow Reds tonight. Wish I felt more enthusiastic about the actual game itself after watching that mess on Saturday. But that's what we need to do right? Dust ourselves off, still believe and hope that the thousands of miles travelled and the hundreds of $ spent to get here will be worth it......COYR!

[42nite]

Didn't take long to get nasty did it?

 

Anyway,  hoping for a 2-1 win for us tonight.

 

[daored]

53 minutes ago, Septic Peg said:

Gut feeling says 2-1 loss but hoping for 1-1 draw... oh and Greg will score for Preston...

Also Robinson who from what I've seen is also having a good season for Preston.

Home win , 2-0

[AshtonGreat]

3-1 Preston

[RedM]

Not a clue about the score, but I'm making the journey so I'll post a photo from inside the ground on here if you want?

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Predict another gutless defeat to add to the ever growing list of gutless defeats.

LJ will preach to his disciples with tales of turning water into wine post match and they will be verily satisfied and proclaim that he is the son of GJ and regail us with verses of excuses for I say LJ is not too blame, everybody else is, amen.

On a personal level on a break in sunny Devon, views overlooking Dartmoor, just witnessed a barn owl hatching, busy day ahead, in the words of the kaiser chiefs I predict a fry up.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Esmond Million's Bung

[havanatopia]

23 minutes ago, RedM said:

Not a clue about the score, but I'm making the journey so I'll post a photo from inside the ground on here if you want?

Yes please.

[reddogkev]

1 hour ago, Thatch35 said:

Will you start another told you so thread if City win? Your a joke of a City 'follower'.

Thatch35, you come across on here as a nasty piece of work, is that your intention?  Why the need for such angst, what's going on with you?

[reddogkev]

49 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

Predict another gutless defeat to add to the ever growing list of gutless defeats.

LJ will preach to his disciples with tales of turning water into wine post match and they will be verily satisfied and proclaim that he is the son of GJ and regail us with verses of excuses for I say LJ is not too blame, everybody else is, amen.

On a personal level on a break in sunny Devon, views overlooking Dartmoor, just witnessed a barn owl hatching, busy day ahead, in the words of the kaiser chiefs I predict a fry up.

How do you define a gutless defeat?  If our well-worked chances had been taken, we could've drawn 2-2 on Saturday.  There seems to be a myth that the City players aren't trying to win games, aren't trying to compete.  This is nonsense, the truth is, as shown by the League Table - the City team just isn't that good compared to the rest of the Championship.  We are capable of the odd surprise result (4-0 to Huddersfield, decent away draw to Newcastle etc) but on the whole, we are a bottom 5 team. 

I've not seen evidence of gutless defeats, just a struggling team, who for 45 minutes on Saturday couldn't compete with an aggressive, quick, Brentford team who pressed us into mistakes and kept us pinned into our own half.  The second half performance was much better, and had Tammy and Taylor scored their inviting chances, we could be here on the back of an excellent point.

Edited April 4, 2017 by reddogkev

[Esmond Million's Bung]

17 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

How do you define a gutless defeat?  If our well-worked chances had been taken, we could've drawn 2-2 on Saturday.  There seems to be a myth that the City players aren't trying to win games, aren't trying to compete.  This is nonsense, the truth is, as shown by the League Table - the City team just isn't that good compared to the rest of the Championship.  We are capable of the odd surprise result (4-0 to Huddersfield, decent away draw to Newcastle etc) but on the whole, we are a bottom 5 team. 

I've not seen evidence of gutless defeats, just a struggling team, who for 45 minutes on Saturday couldn't compete with an aggressive, quick, Brentford team who pressed us into mistakes and kept us pinned into our own half.  The second half performance was much better, and had Tammy and Taylor scored their inviting chances, we could be here on the back of an excellent point.

Your comment about Brentford says everything that we are not and never will be consistently under LJ imo.

We are not unlucky 39 matches and counting we have mainly been second best, we have a midfield and full backs unfit for purpose and that has been the case for well over a year.

As for my definition of gutless watch Brentford's first goal and the part played by our left back and moments like that have defined our season.

The only myths are that LJ is a competent manager and that some fans have high expectations, my expectation and that of the vast majority of fans was mid table no relegation battle AGAIN, is that too much to ask?.

 

Edited April 4, 2017 by Esmond Million's Bung

[Kid in the Riot]

19 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

How do you define a gutless defeat?  If our well-worked chances had been taken, we could've drawn 2-2 on Saturday.  There seems to be a myth that the City players aren't trying to win games, aren't trying to compete.  This is nonsense, the truth is, as shown by the League Table - the City team just isn't that good compared to the rest of the Championship.  We are capable of the odd surprise result (4-0 to Huddersfield, decent away draw to Newcastle etc) but on the whole, we are a bottom 5 team. 

I've not seen evidence of gutless defeats, just a struggling team, who for 45 minutes on Saturday couldn't compete with an aggressive, quick, Brentford team who pressed us into mistakes and kept us pinned into our own half.  The second half performance was much better, and had Tammy and Taylor scored their inviting chances, we could be here on the back of an excellent point.

Reading home, Cardiff home, Forest away, Fulham home, Brentford away...just off the top of my head.

The players do not respect or trust their manager, they are not playing for him and haven't been for approx 6 months.

Brentford are not world beaters, they have a tiny budget at this level and an average home record. This was one of our most winnable games between now and the end of the season and we lost convincingly. Getting a point there would not have been 'excellent', we have 7 games left to save our skins and WINS are required, especially against average outfits.

[Tears in rain]

27 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

How do you define a gutless defeat?  If our well-worked chances had been taken, we could've drawn 2-2 on Saturday.  There seems to be a myth that the City players aren't trying to win games, aren't trying to compete.  This is nonsense, the truth is, as shown by the League Table - the City team just isn't that good compared to the rest of the Championship.  We are capable of the odd surprise result (4-0 to Huddersfield, decent away draw to Newcastle etc) but on the whole, we are a bottom 5 team. 

I've not seen evidence of gutless defeats, just a struggling team, who for 45 minutes on Saturday couldn't compete with an aggressive, quick, Brentford team who pressed us into mistakes and kept us pinned into our own half.  The second half performance was much better, and had Tammy and Taylor scored their inviting chances, we could be here on the back of an excellent point.

 

10 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

Your comment about Brentford says everything that we are not and never will be consistently under LJ imo.

We are not unlucky 39 matches and counting we have mainly been second best, we have a midfield and full backs unfit for purpose and that has been the case for well over a year.

As for my definition of gutless watch Brentford's first goal and the part played by our left back and moments like that have defined our season.

The only myths are that LJ is a competent manager and that some fans have high expectations, my expectation and that of the vast majority of fans was mid table no relegation battle AGAIN, is that too much to ask?.

 

Forgetting about us not taking our chances and being unlucky etc etc.

You have to look at it from the reverse side... Brentford should have been home and dry by half time! If Frank Fielding hadn't been in goal we would've been no way near even with Tammy, bobby, and mattys goals. 

So yeah gutless does make sense really.

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

I agree with the suggestion that we need four points from tonight and Saturday.  My worry is that I don't think we'll beat Wolves, so we need a good performance tonight.  The players need to step up to the plate.  We have got the ability to do it.

[Ska Junkie]

I hope we win but I expect a defeat. PNE are a good side, as their league position suggests.

3-1. It will be the floodlights fault tonight.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

4 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

I agree with the suggestion that we need four points from tonight and Saturday.  My worry is that I don't think we'll beat Wolves, so we need a good performance tonight.  The players need to step up to the plate.  We have got the ability to do it.

And I agree with your view for a change, the ability is there but the organisation is not, tonight as usual we will get skinned on both flanks and the midfield will be surrendered like the vast majority of this season.

[Super]

14 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

I agree with the suggestion that we need four points from tonight and Saturday.  My worry is that I don't think we'll beat Wolves, so we need a good performance tonight.  The players need to step up to the plate.  We have got the ability to do it.

Wolves and Helder Costa will rip us apart.

[BobBobSuperBob]

Noticed this - watched it and cheered me up

Also made me shake my head thinking how can we be staring relegation with this lad up,front 

Think the montage shows , give this lad any sort of decent service and he will deliver - a goal scorer for sure , has the skill of right place right time

Cmmmmmon boys feed Tammy tonight as I have  a feeling he will deliver at Deepdale 

Enjoy

 

 

[cityloyal473]

2 hours ago, AshtonGreat said:

3-1 Preston

My prediction too.  I think we'll take the lead early though. Then be behind by HT and the rest will be history.

[Fiale]

1 hour ago, reddogkev said:

How do you define a gutless defeat?  If our well-worked chances had been taken, we could've drawn 2-2 on Saturday.  There seems to be a myth that the City players aren't trying to win games, aren't trying to compete.  This is nonsense, the truth is, as shown by the League Table - the City team just isn't that good compared to the rest of the Championship.  We are capable of the odd surprise result (4-0 to Huddersfield, decent away draw to Newcastle etc) but on the whole, we are a bottom 5 team. 

I've not seen evidence of gutless defeats, just a struggling team, who for 45 minutes on Saturday couldn't compete with an aggressive, quick, Brentford team who pressed us into mistakes and kept us pinned into our own half.  The second half performance was much better, and had Tammy and Taylor scored their inviting chances, we could be here on the back of an excellent point.

 

In all fairness then we should also grant Brentford the same rose tinted glasses and say if they had converted their well worked chances they could have beaten us 4-0 , or 4-2 

 

[Inactive user]

2 hours ago, Thatch35 said:

Will you start another told you so thread if City win? Your a joke of a City 'follower'.

Thanks. Very kind.

[Mortis]

Cannot help but feel you will get at least a point tonight , my last day in work today for 2 weeks so a great start will be under the floodlights at Deepdale tonight , 1-1 has been my gut feeling all week but 2-1 either way would not surprise me in the slightest , anyway enjoy the game for those travelling and watching on the tele at your place and hopefully see you next season 

[The Nest Egg]

2-1 Preston

Hugill and Cunningham, with Cotterill getting a consolation

[reddogkev]

12 minutes ago, Fiale said:

 

In all fairness then we should also grant Brentford the same rose tinted glasses and say if they had converted their well worked chances they could have beaten us 4-0 , or 4-2 

 

In all fairness, you may well be right.  Truth be told, Brentford were good for the win, and we were absolute crap in the first half.

But going into that second period, having somehow kept them down to the 2 goals (mainly due to FF) a 2-2 draw was definitely there for us.

Still on to this evening; just hope the players start quicker and cut out the sloppy defending.

[Ska Junkie]

Just now, Mortis said:

Cannot help but feel you will get at least a point tonight , my last day in work today for 2 weeks so a great start will be under the floodlights at Deepdale tonight , 1-1 has been my gut feeling all week but 2-1 either way would not surprise me in the slightest , anyway enjoy the game for those travelling and watching on the tele at your place and hopefully see you next season 

Hi Mortis, CIU from your forum here.

You are overestimating us mate, it should be a very comfortable home win. We won't spoil your holidays, at least I certainly don't expect us to.