After 11 years Preston's championship run comes to an end sometime around 2.30pm on 7/5/2011. It began on a blistering hot Saturday afternoon in Grimsby with a 2-1, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster here are some of my memories. Please feel free to add your own comments. Moyes era Dreamland, back at a level we hadn't played at for years, had a forward line that dreams were made of Macken, McBride and Healy, astonishingly made the final of the play offs. The Town End saw it's last match against Wolves winning 2-0, Lonners played in the televised win over Watford after Lucas pulled up injured in the warm ups. The two play off games against Brum, lost the first 1-0 slightly lucky to be still in the tie. However the return was to be a night to be remembered. Healy blasted us back into the tie, Alexander missed a penalty and they equalised through I think it was Marcello(may be wrong on that though) Then came the match turning moment. Papa Lazarou beat the entire North End side took the ball round Lucas and slotted the ball towards goal. It travels along the goalline missing the post and crucially doesn't go out of play, within 30 seconds Gregan, Macken and Shabba combined for Shabba from an offside position to put the ball into the Brum net. Battered Brum in extra time and then penalties. Trevor throws his toys out of the pram demanding the penalties be taken at the building site end. He doesn't get his wish, Lucas makes a couple of great saves McKenna finishes them off and we are Cardiff bound. The final well that was just a good day out never expected them to win was proved right as Bolton cruised to an easy victory. Always knew that Moyes would eventually depart and when Walter Smith got potted at Everton the writing was on the wall. That season didn't start well, a brawl in a club between Teppi and McKenna which involved the boss as well followed by a 5-0 stuffing at Gillingham, however things started to improve and in my view one of the most complete 45 minutes I've ever seen a team in white play. Norwich were the unlucky side as we absolutely destroyed them being 4 up at half time, absolute perfection. All too soon Moyes was gone, Kelham was caretaker and we narrowly failed to make the play offs. Then came Craig Brown to be continued.
Amazing times maclad and good post. I think that last 30 seconds of normal time in that Birmingham game will live forever in the memories of all that were there..Trevor Francis included! The Norwich game was amazing (the only other time i remember a performance like that was when we beat Wrexham 5-0 away from home in the division below) The Watford game with Lonners in goal...how nervous were us Northenders with a 16 year old lad in goal that day? He had a good day that day and we won 3-2 to keep the pressure up at the top end of the table. I think one game, other than the Brum game, stands out for me. It was Bolton away (its a ten minute walk to The Reebok from where I live) and my Grandad was a Northender all his life but due to a bad accident in 1979 he had never been to watch the whites as he was wheelchair bound. Earlier in that season we lost my Grandma, leaving my Grandad devastated and having to move into a care home. He was 90 yrs old and I got him a ticket for the Bolton game. He borrowed my replica shirt (the blue away one with the luminous yellow trim) We were beaten and outplayed that day but he loved every minute. The Bolton fans were absolutely fantastic with him that day and it's one I remember fondly. We lost him a year later and he took that blue shirt to his grave with him. It was a truly memorable last game for my Grandad and Moyes can take some of the credit for that.
Also forgot about Macken's wonder goal against Man City. There's a guy who sits behind me in the STF who is 99 years of age, he's not been too many times but was there on the day we went down
Very good article Maclad.. You cover the ground very well and bring back the memories over our period in the Championship. There are so many with the mixture of good and bad, but mostly good. Yes the Birmingham play off game was one that easily and readily comes to mind among several others of course.
