Match Day Thread Preston North End v Sheffield United Deepdale 18/1/2022

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LAST TIME OUT

FORM GUIDE

PNE 10 BLADES 13

The Boss

Barnsley
Heckingbottom took the opportunity to gain an academic understanding of football coaching, to set his CV apart from other managers competing for jobs. He completed his BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2013, followed by an MSc in Sport Coaching in 2016, by which point the university had been renamed Leeds Beckett University.[28]

He went on to work as a coach with professional club Barnsley's development squad, and was appointed caretaker manager of the first team after Danny Wilson was sacked in 2015. He was not appointed on a permanent basis in favour of Lee Johnson, though was appointed in the caretaker manager role once again the following year after Johnson left to manage Bristol City. During the latter spell, he guided Barnsley to a 3–2 win against Oxford United in the Football League Trophy final[29] and promotion to the Championship by beating Millwall 3–1 in the League One play-off final.[30] His success as caretaker, leading Barnsley to their first cup final victory since 1912 and promotion to the Championship, led to his being appointed head coach on a permanent basis.[31]

The good form and results continued for the first half of the 2016–17 Championship season, as the club ended 2016 in ninth position. Heckingbottom was awarded Sports Hero of the Year by The Yorkshire Post.[32] Heckingbottom signed a new rolling contract at Barnsley on 2 February 2018,[33] but he left the club days later to take a similar position with Leeds United.

Leeds United
On 6 February 2018, Heckingbottom was announced as the new head coach of Leeds United on an 18-month contract.[34] In his first match as head coach, Leeds lost 2–1 to Sheffield United,[35] and finished 13th in the 2017–18 EFL Championship league table. Heckingbottom blooded youngster Bailey Peacock-Farrell as first-choice goalkeeper and also gave debuts to academy players Tom Pearce, Paudie O'Connor, Hugo Díaz and Ryan Edmondson.[36] Heckingbottom integrated further academy players with the first team during a controversial post-season tour of Myanmar.[37][38] Heckingbottom was sacked by Leeds on 1 June 2018, after just four months with the club, and was succeeded by Marcelo Bielsa.[39]

Hibernian
Heckingbottom was appointed head coach of Scottish Premiership club Hibernian on 13 February 2019.[40] The club went on an unbeaten league run, and Heckingbottom won the Premiership Manager of the Month award for March 2019.[41] Two days later, Heckingbottom won his first Edinburgh derby match as Hibs manager against Hearts at Tynecastle.[42] Hibs finished in fifth position, but Heckingbottom was unhappy that the team "downed tools" in the last few matches of the season.[43]

Hibs won only one of their first eleven league matches in the 2019–20 season. Heckingbottom was sacked on 4 November following a 5–2 defeat by Celtic in a League Cup semi-final, with the team sitting in 10th place in the league.[44]

Sheffield United
Heckingbottom was appointed as under-23s lead coach at Sheffield United in July 2020.[45] After first-team manager Chris Wilder left the club by mutual consent in March 2021, with the team bottom of the Premier League and 12 points adrift of safety, Heckingbottom took interim charge until the end of the season.[46][47] United lost 5–0 to Leicester City in his first match in charge,[48] and relegation to the Championship was confirmed after four more defeats.[49] Sheffield United won three of their last six matches, and Heckingbottom was reportedly shortlisted for the permanent position, but former Fulham manager Slaviša Jokanović was appointed instead, with Heckingbottom returning to his previous role as the under-23s manager at the club.[50]

On 25 November 2021, Heckingbottom was appointed manager of Sheffield United on a four-and-a-half year deal following the sacking of Slaviša Jokanović.[51] In his first game in charge, the Blades beat Bristol City 2–0.[52]

Famous Fan

Richard Sharpe

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PNE Team News

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First Team News


Ryan Lowe confirmed in his pre-match interview with iFollow that Josh Earl will miss out for the second game in a row with an ankle injury.

Ryan Ledson also missed the Birmingham City game through injury, but he is back in training and is expected to be available for selection.

Tom Barkhuizen will also be hoping to be included again after making his return from injury at the weekend following a month and a half on the sidelines.

The Opposition

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Sheffield United come into this fixture level on points with PNE, with goal difference seeing the Blades just a position ahead of Ryan Lowe’s men.

Like North End, they have recently seen a change in management, with Paul Heckingbottom replacing Slavisa Jokanovic at the end of November.

He made an immediate impact, winning his first three games in charge of the side where he was previously U23s boss, but they arrive at Deepdale having lost their last two in all competitions.

Key Stats

Both Ben Whiteman and Daniel Iversen could make their 50th appearance in all competitions for PNE in this fixture.

Sheffield United are one of the top ball-keepers in the division, averaging 59.5% possession per game, with only Swansea City and Fulham bettering that number.

Top of the scoring charts in the league so far this season for Sheffield United is Billy Sharp, who has six to his name, and he is now just one goal behind all-time Championship top goalscorer and former PNE man David Nugent.

Our Last Meeting





Emil Riis scored a last-gasp equaliser in the reverse fixture between these two earlier this season, firing home a volley to make it 2-2 in the 95th minute.

Daniel Johnson scored his 50th goal for Preston North End that night to make it 1-1 early in the first half, but it looked as though Sheffield United would take all three points as they went ahead on 84 minutes, but up popped Riis to earn a point.

Man In The Middle

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Experienced EFL official David Webb will take charge of his second PNE game of the season, with the previous fixture being North End’s 2-1 victory away to AFC Bournemouth earlier this campaign.

Webb’s first time refereeing the Lilywhites came back in 2009, when goals from Neil Mellor and Billy Jones earned victory for Alan Irvine’s side over Peterborough United.

So far this term, Webb has shown 71 yellow cards and one red.

 

A plucky draw. United the better team in the first halh but with being 0-2 up and a man advantage, they must have taken their foot off the gas! 2 things come to mind. Firstly, playing an off form Sinclair instead of Evans and Maguire. Secondly, the omission of McCann is a mystery. Well, at least NE are above the Lashers!

 

Preston North End 2 Browne Riis Sheffield United 2 Bogle Sharp pen

PNE line-up: Iversen; van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes; Potts (Rafferty, 45), Whiteman, Browne, Johnson, Barkhuizen (Evans, 65); Riis, Sinclair (Cunningham, 39). Subs not used: Ripley, Lindsay, McCann, Maguire.

Sheffield United line-up: Foderingham; Basham, Egan, Robinson; Bogle, Norwood, Hourihane, Ndiaye (Berge, 84), Stevens (Norrington-Davies, 84); Brewster (McGoldrick, 70), Sharp. Subs not used: Eastwood, Burke, , Slater, Gordon.

Attendance: 12,954 (2,510 away).

Referee: Mr D Webb.

Well what a night, late in January back in 22, at the end of the game the atmosphere was as good as it has been for many a while, as good as the fightback was the game still highlighted we still have a long way to go, as for long period in the first half United showed us what we need to achieve after the first 15 minutes the Blades were excellent pass and move at pace caused us immense problems which in a way was down to an oddish team selection with Barky playing left wing back.
An entertaining game started with chances at both ends Hughes early effort easily saved, a series of early of corners from the visitors led to a period of 30 seconds when both sides could have scored, a wicked bounce of the ball from a United corner led to a Riis 60 yard run, the ball to Sinclair should have scored didn't the ball went down the other end and Ndiaye effort was well saved by Iversen.
United started to dominate and took the lead Iversen saved the corner the ball fell to Bogle 20 yards out shot through the legs of defendersn past an unsighted Iversen possibly getting a nick on the way
The rest of the half way United the second came for the spot, Brewster brought down by Hughes was a penalty but the red card was harsh to say the least genuine attempt to play the ball, Sharp did the rest. Just about hung on until half time.
Rafferty on for Potts at half time nearly three down Ndiaye decent save from Iversen, Briowne denied by Wes at the other than it became the Brewster could hit a cow's arse with a banjo time, he missed three the last from six yards. 23 million well spent that money.
Couple of efforts from Riis but on 65 minutes on comes the Ched.
Six minutes later Evans and Johnson combine, Browne 12 yards out game on. Evans rampaging around causing havoc and lo and behold level with a minute to go, Browne to Evans ball across six yard box Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssssssssss
.At this time the roof came off the stadium could have won it as well three on two break, Browne denied by a good tackle denied him, United pressed but we didn't fold, tremendous

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I'm more pleased with the character and the resilience and the desire of the boys.

"It's a tough scoreline for you to go in 2-0 down, but it's also a tough scoreline for the opposition - it's happened to me on many occasions.

"I just asked the lads to give it everything they've got. We changed one or two bodies at half-time, changed a couple of things around and when we got that goal back we felt we'd get another couple of chances because they were always on the ascendency wanting to kill the game off.

"I always felt we'd get an opportunity to go down the other end, so it's that never-say-die attitude in terms of what we're trying to do and what we're trying to build.

"It is a penalty, it is a foul, but I was a bit disappointed in terms of the sending off because I felt the two of them had arms together, but what a fantastic reaction from the group.".

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We threw it away. We've undone so much good work at both ends of the pitch.

"It could have, would have, should have been three, four or five. There were some good chances from some good play and then two killer blows at the end.

"While there's one goal in it, it doesn't matter if there's 10, nine or eight men, they're going to take risks and take chances.

"We had more than enough experience on the pitch at the end to see it out, so it's a sucker punch, a tough one to take and undone in terms of performance exactly what we're talking about and what we want to see."

 

A soft penalty. Brewster had lost control and took a tumble when touched by Hughes. Seen many like that not given.