Off Topic The Friendly thread

Preston North End will kick off the 2022/23 pre-season schedule with a trip to Bamber Bridge on Saturday 2nd July.

The annual fixture at The Sir Tom Finney Stadium will kick-off at 3pm on Saturday 2nd July, with the game the first chance to see Ryan Lowe's side in action ahead of the new campaign.

A second pre-season fixture can also be confirmed with North End set to take on Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium on Saturday 16th July.

 

Preston North End will welcome Heart of Midlothian to Deepdale for a pre-season friendly on Wednesday 20th July.

North End will take on the Scottish Premiership side for a 7.45pm kick-off, with the Jam Tarts arriving at Deepdale following a positive 2021/22 campaign.

Hearts finished third in Scotland's top flight, while also narrowly missing out on the Scottish Cup title, losing to Rangers in extra-time of the final.

 

Off to Alicante for 1 week's training and possivle match against a well known Spanish team. PNE not me!

 

Preston North End will take on Leicester City in a friendly at Deepdale on Saturday 23rd July.

The Lilywhites will welcome Brendan Rodgers’ side to Lancashire for a 3pm kick-off as part of a pre-season double header at Deepdale, with Hearts visiting earlier in the week on Wednesday 20th July (7.45pm).

Leicester City, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, last came to face North End in pre-season of 2014, when a Tom Clarke header ensured the game finished 1-1.

 

How did NE miss Jamie Vardy?

 

Blame the late Maurice Lindsay, didn't think he was good enough

 

As part of the pre-season camp in Spain, PNE will take on La Liga side Getafe on Tuesday 12th July.

The fixture will kick off at 10.45am local time (9.45am UK time) and will take place at the Real Club de Golf Campoamor Resort in Alicante. A full address for the venue can be found below.

Av. Conde de Barcelona, 12, 03189 Dehesa de Campoamor, Alicante, Spain

Supporters are welcome to attend the game free of charge and it would be great to see as many of you there as possible!

Please note, this match is not taking place at a football stadium and therefore there is no seating available at the venue, but there is plenty of space on the side of the pitch to house standing supporters.

Refreshments will be available for supporters, but unfortunately there are no parking facilities on-site.

Due to logistical reasons, we will be unable to stream this fixture live, however there will be coverage across our social media channels.

Our opponents Getafe, managed by former Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores, are preparing for a sixth successive season in the Spanish top flight, after finishing 15th in the table in the 2021/22 campaign.

The most eye-catching of their results from last season came in January 2022, when they defeated eventual La Liga and European champions Real Madrid.

 

please log in to view this image

please log in to view this image

Bamber Bridge Football Club is a football club based in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and play at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium. The club is fully owned by a community organisation that represents supporters of the club.[3]

Following the 1974 merger, the club played at the King George's Playing Field.[2] In 1983 they purchased a plot of derelict land to build their own ground, with the name Irongate taken from the local area.[2] The first game was played in August 1987.[7] The ground was officially named the Sir Tom Finney Stadium after Finney's death in 2014.[8] It currently has a capacity of 3,000, of which 554 is seated and 800 covered.[1]

The record attendance of 2,300 was set for a friendly match against the Czech Republic national team shortly before Euro 96, as the Czechs were using Irongate as a training ground;[7] the result was a 9–1 win for the Czechs.[6] The ground has also hosted the home games of the Preston North End women's team and is currently the home of Blackburn Rovers Ladies.[9]

 

Preston North End get their pre-season schedule underway on Saturday afternoon with the annual trip to face Bamber Bridge.

Ryan Lowe will take his side to the Sir Tom Finney Stadium for the first time, but it’s certainly not a new fixture to supporters and some of the players.

It’s become tradition for PNE’s preparations to kick off with a game against Brig, however last season’s meeting proved slightly different to normal.


The Lilywhites were all set to head to Irongate before a downpour of rain and a waterlogged pitch meant the fixture had to be moved behind closed doors at Euxton, where North End came out 8-3 winners.

All being well though, this time it will be Brig to play hosts, and fans are of course welcome to attend, with tickets available on the turnstiles for £10 for adults and £5 for any concessions. Kick-off is 3pm.

Payment on the turnstiles can be made by cash or card, and supporters are advised to arrive at the ground in plenty of time ahead of kick-off due to the expected crowd.

Gates will be open from 12 noon, with the clubhouse bar and outdoor bar both open to supporters. Refreshments will also be available on the day.

Please note, there is no parking for spectators at the ground, and supporters driving to the stadium have been asked by Bamber Bridge to be considerate of their neighbours and nearby houses.

It could be a first opportunity for North End fans to lay their eyes on new signings Freddie Woodman and David Cornell, while many of the scholars and young professionals who have been training with the first team may also get a run-out.

PNE will play in their 2021/22 red third kit on Saturday afternoon, while the home strip for the new season is set to arrive ahead of the Getafe game in Alicante on 12th July.

Bamber Bridge enjoyed a positive campaign last term, pushing for the Play-Offs all year long in the Northern Premier League, however they missed out by a matter of two points.

Jamie Milligan’s side will take on some strong Football League opposition before their new season starts, with Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers also heading to Irongate in July.

 

Bit of a stroll in the park, winning 0 - 3 against Bamber Bridge at the Tom Finney Stadium.. The young pro played well. Good that PNE supports BB every year Whiteman (pen), Woodburn and O'Neill scorers.

 

Bamber Bridge 0 Preston North End 3 Whiteman pen, Woodburn, O'Neil

please log in to view this image

In the end a comfortable win at Bamber Bridge although it has to be said the younger team that played in the second period probably performed better than the stronger first half team
Decent crowd just over 2000 saw North End lose Maguire too injury which will probably keep him out for the next 3 years, O'Neil replaced him. Early chance for the Brig but the forward tripped over the ball, saying that Woodman rarely troubled.
Ledson flattened everyone in midfield and we had some joy down both flanks with Potts and Coulton looking dangerous, the latter looked decent. Should have lead but O'Neill hit the bar instead of the net, should have led at the break but got 45 minutes for most of them.
Nine changes at half time Coulton played the entire match and O'Neil stayed on.
Early chance again in the second period Cornell saved well, before Evans brought down in the area, Whiteman did the rest and from then on in, virtual control, the second came after good play down the right hand side, Woodburn scored and the third was the goal of the game, neat interchange of passing down the left, O'Neil flicked the ball home. O'Neill unlucky to hit the woodwork again but useful workput.
Thought Coulton had a decent game and a surprisingly decent performance from the lesser spotted Olasunde

 

Next up

please log in to view this image

please log in to view this image

As is it is we are playing at a golf resort so it will be a training pitch


Getafe Club de Fútbol (Spanish pronunciation: [χeˈtafe ˈkluβ ðe ˈfuðβol]), or simply Getafe, is a professional football club based in Getafe, a city in the Community of Madrid. The team competes in La Liga, the highest tier of the Spanish football system. The club's home stadium (owned and operated by the municipality) is Coliseum Alfonso Pérez which was opened in 1998 and can hold 17,393 spectators. The club was founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.

Since promoting to La Liga for the first time in 2004, Getafe participated in the top level of Spanish football for twelve years between 2004 and 2016, and again since 2017.

The club's main rivalry is against neighbours Leganés, who are based near the town of Getafe, and a friendly rivalry against Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid.

History
Beginnings
Sociedad Getafe Deportivo was founded in 1923,[1] only playing in lower divisions from 1928 to 1932. After the Spanish Civil War, in 1945 five Getafe locals – Enrique Condes García, Aurelio Miranda Olavaria, Antonio Corridor Lozano, Manuel Serrano Vergara and Miguel Cubero Francés – while meeting at La Marquesina bar, decided to form a local team. Officially founded on 24 February 1946, the club was named Club Getafe Deportivo.[2]

The club originally played in the Campo del Regimiento de Artillería, which lacked goal posts. Shortly after, the club moved to San Isidro, housed in the current Municipal Sports Center of San Isidro. Here, Club Getafe was promoted to the third division following their victory against Villarrobledo in the 1956–57 season. Getafe was nearly promoted to the Segunda División in 1957–58, but was defeated by CA Almería.[3]

On 2 September 1970, the club inaugurated its own stadium after being promoted back to the Tercera División. Presided by chairman Francisco Vara, Las Margaritas won a 3–1 victory over Michelín. The team survived in the third level that season, and six years later gained their first promotion to the second division.[4]

Second Division
Club Getafe Deportivo played six seasons in the Segunda División, with little success. From 1976 to 1982, they placed below tenth level all six years.

please log in to view this image

Pedro León with Getafe in 2013
In 1978, the club advanced to play against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey round of 16. Playing at home in the first leg, Getafe drew with a star-studded Barcelona team 3–3, before traveling away for the second leg and being thrashed 8–0 at the Camp Nou.

At the conclusion of the 1981–82 season, players having not been paid, Getafe was automatically relegated and subsequently liquidated.

Meanwhile, on 1 September 1976, a new club was founded in the National Sports Council and the Regional Federation of Castille. The club was called Peña Madridista Getafe (the "Real Madrid supporters' club of Getafe"). This club played for four seasons in various divisions, until taking the name Club Deportivo Peña Getafe, and played under this name for a further two seasons. On 10 July 1982, they joined forces with the much older Club Getafe Promesas, and were registered again in the Regional Federation of Castille.[5]

Present existence
Based on the merger the previous year, the present Getafe Club de Fútbol was officially founded on 8 July 1983, after passing through assembly.[5]

Starting in the regional leagues in 1983–84, Getafe was promoted for four consecutive seasons until reaching the Segunda División B. The club started a new period with its promotion into Segunda in 1994–95, staying only two years.[6] Threatening absolute disappearance just a few years later in 1997, Getafe survived relegation into the fourth level Tercera División following a two-legged playoff victory over Huesca.

Meanwhile, Getafe's current stadium, the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, was inaugurated on 1 January 1998.[7]

Returning to the second division for 1999–2000, Getafe lasted another two seasons. However, one year later, they would return following an amazing promotion in 2001–02 during which one of their players, Sebastián "Sebas" Gómez, was murdered, and controversy regarding unpaid payments of players following a debt of €3 million.[8]

Consolidating their position after one year, Getafe had a fantastic season in Segunda. At the top of the table for most of the year, the side travelled to the Canary Islands on the final matchday needing a win to assure a historic promotion to La Liga, the top-flight. Amazingly, they defeated Tenerife 5–3 with five goals from Sergio Pachón,[9] thus becoming along with Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Rayo Vallecano the fourth team from the Community of Madrid – and the first of them from outside of the capital – to ever play in La Liga.[10] With this promotion, Getafe had ascended the whole Spanish football pyramid, achieving this feat in only 20 years.

La Liga

please log in to view this image

Getafe Club de Fútbol vs. FC Barcelona.
The club started 2004–05 poorly, lying at the bottom of the table. Home wins over Espanyol, Athletic Bilbao, Valencia and Real Madrid,[11] followed by a sole away win of the season over Athletic Bilbao,[12] saw Getafe climb to finish 13th, being the only promoted side to avoid relegation. At the end of the season, the club lost head coach Quique Sánchez Flores and several players to rival clubs.[13] In Getafe's next season, the club briefly topped the table[14] before slipping to finish ninth.[15] During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Argentine-born Mariano Pernía became Getafe's first ever Spanish international,[16] before moving to Atlético Madrid.[17]

In 2006–07, Getafe again finished ninth in the league,[18] conceding only 33 goals in 38 matches and goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri was awarded the Zamora Trophy, having recorded 12 clean sheets. The highlight of the club's season was reaching the 2006–07 Copa del Rey final, a competition in which Getafe had never reached the quarter-finals before. The run included a two-legged semi-final against Barcelona in which Getafe lost the first leg 5–2 at the Camp Nou[19] before producing a 4–0 rout in the second leg at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.[20] Getafe lost their first ever major final 1–0 to Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.[21] Through this, the club qualified for the following season's UEFA Cup qualification, as Sevilla had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League through their league position.

The following season, coach Bernd Schuster left after two seasons to become head coach at Real Madrid,[22] and Getafe appointed Michael Laudrup as his replacement.[23] Under Laudrup, Getafe again finished the league mid-table. In the UEFA Cup, the team managed to progress to the quarter-finals after finishing top of Group G, only losing once,[24] setting up a tie against four-time European Cup winners Bayern Munich. Getafe drew the away leg 1–1,[25] thanks to an injury time equaliser from Cosmin Contra. In the second leg, Rubén de la Red was sent off after six minutes. Contra put Getafe ahead just before half-time, but in the 89th minute, Franck Ribéry equalized to send the match into extra time. Two quick goals from Javier Casquero and substitute Braulio gave Getafe a 3–1 lead, but Bayern pulled a goal back from Luca Toni, before Toni again scored seconds before the end of extra time, giving Bayern an away goals win.[26] Getafe also had successful run in the Copa del Rey, reaching the final for a second year running. In the final, at the Vicente Calderón Stadium, Getafe were beaten 3–1 by Valencia.[27]

In the 2015–16 season, Getafe were relegated to second division after spending 12 years in first campaign. However, in 2016–17, the club immediately returned to La Liga after defeating Huesca and Tenerife to gain promotion via the play-offs. In the 2017–18 season Getafe finished in the 8th position, easily avoiding the relegation back to Segunda División.[28]

2019–present
In the 2018–19 season Getafe finished 5th, their highest finish in the first division, and qualified for the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League group stage. They finished 2nd in their group, with 12 points from 6 games, which allowed them to advance to the next round. They managed to beat Ajax 3–2 on aggregate in the Round of 32. Due to that win, they faced Inter Milan in the round of 16, where their European dream ended with a 2–0 loss.

MANAGER

please log in to view this image

Coaching career
Beginnings
Flores began his coaching career by taking charge of Real Madrid's youth teams in 2001. After earning plaudits during his three seasons at the youth teams he caught the eye of the newly promoted Getafe CF, also in Madrid.[13]

Valencia
After the 2004–05 campaign with Getafe, in which they finished in 13th place, Flores was given the opportunity to coach his former club Valencia, succeeding Claudio Ranieri.[14] In his first year, he guided them to third place and thus qualified for the UEFA Champions League where the team went on to reach the quarter-finals, being knocked out by Chelsea.[15]

In May 2007, the Che achieved a top-four league finish and consequently a place in the next Champions League. On 29 October, however, the board of directors dismissed Flores after a string of poor results.[16]

Benfica
Flores was appointed as manager of S.L. Benfica on 24 May 2008.[17] On 8 June of the following year he left the Primeira Liga side by mutual consent, after a third place in the league and winning the domestic league cup.[18]

Atlético Madrid
On 23 October 2009, Flores signed for Atlético Madrid following the dismissal of Abel Resino,[19] penning a contract until 30 June 2010.[20] At the end of the campaign, he led the team to the ninth position in the domestic competition, but also to two cup finals: the UEFA Europa League against Fulham (2–1 win)[21] and the Copa del Rey, lost to Sevilla FC.[22]

Frequently clashing with star player Diego Forlán during 2010–11,[23][24] Flores announced his departure from the Colchoneros before the season ended, with the team finally qualifying to the Europa League.

Al Ahli
In early May 2011, Flores was linked with a move to FC Spartak Moscow.[25] On 8 November, however, he was named new coach of UAE Pro League team Al Ahli Dubai FC, replacing Ivan Hašek.[26] He left on 11 June 2013.

Al Ain
On 28 September 2013, only three months after leaving the country, Flores returned to the United Arab Emirates, being appointed at Al Ain FC.[27] However, his tenure was brief as he was dismissed on 8 March 2014 due to poor results.[28]

Return to Getafe
After nearly nine months without a club, Flores returned to Getafe on 5 January 2015 to succeed Cosmin Contra as the new manager following the latter's departure to China.[29] His first match in charge took place two days later, and it ended with a 1–1 away draw against UD Almería for the domestic cup;[30] on 26 February, however, citing personal reasons, he resigned.[31]

Watford
On 5 June 2015, Flores was appointed the head coach of newly promoted Premier League side Watford, replacing Slaviša Jokanović and being the fifth man to hold that position in twelve months.[32] In December, the team won three and lost only one of their league matches, earning him the Premier League Manager of the Month accolade; his forward Odion Ighalo earned the equivalent award for his five-goal haul that month.[33]

However, despite going on to lead the team to a comfortable mid-table position and the semi-finals of the FA Cup, it was announced on 13 May 2016 that Flores would be leaving at the end of the season.[34]

Espanyol
On 9 June 2016, Flores returned to Spain, signing a three-year deal to replace Constantin Gâlcă as manager of RCD Espanyol.[35] His second signing was José Antonio Reyes, with whom he had previously worked at Benfica and Atlético.[36]

Flores was dismissed on 20 April 2018, after achieving poor results towards the end of the season.[37] In July, he was on a four-man shortlist for the vacant Egyptian national team manager job.[38]

Shanghai Shenhua
On 25 December 2018, Flores was appointed manager of Chinese club Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC.[39] The following July, he left.[40]

Return to Watford
Flores returned to Watford on 7 September 2019, replacing his compatriot Javi Gracia who was dismissed the same day.[41] His team completed a comeback from 2–0 down to draw 2–2 with Arsenal at Vicarage Road in his first game back on 15 September.[42] However, one week later, they were defeated 8–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium by Manchester City, with the opposition scoring five goals in the first 15 minutes for their biggest ever Premier League win.[43]

On 30 November 2019, Watford went away to Southampton and lost 2–1. The next day, Flores was sacked after securing only a single victory in his second stint in charge.[44]

Third Getafe spell
On 6 October 2021, Flores was presented as Getafe manager for the third time.[45]

 

Lost behind closed doors game to Tranmere 1-0

 

please log in to view this image

 

1 up Ledson

 

1 all

 

1-2

 

Match Report: Getafe 2 PNE 1
2 Hours ago

please log in to view this image

@pnefc

Hundreds of PNE fans were in attendance in Spain as Ryan Lowe’s side were beaten 2-1 by Getafe.

North End had gone ahead inside the opening two minutes of the game through Ryan Ledson, but two goals from Gastón Álvarez Sosa in the second half turned the tie around.

The PNE fans were still arriving in their numbers from Benidorm when Ledson turned the ball home, with Robbie Brady’s cross from the right being met at the back post by the central midfielder to open the scoring early.

Brady was involved again on five minutes, sending in another great cross, which Brad Potts sliced over the crossbar.

Republic of Ireland international Brady went into the book on 31 minutes after one of his challenges led to a bit of a melee by the North End touchline, in a half where decisions didn’t go the way of the side in red.

Getafe created a couple of chances after the hydration break just after the half-hour mark, with Carles Aleñá being denied by Freddie Woodman, before Sosa headed over in injury time.

Sosa scored early in the second half, though, as a Getafe free-kick was blocked but not cleared, and the central defender slammed home when the ball fell to him.

PNE made wholesale changes on the hour mark, with everyone but Ben Woodburn and Ben Whiteman being replaced.

Getafe came close to taking the lead just a couple of minutes later, with a flicked header from a corner going across the face of goal and bouncing back out off the post, before being cleared.

Sosa then scored the winner for his side six minutes from time, winning the header from the corner and beating Cornell.

PNE thought they’d got an equaliser late on through Alan Browne with a clever backheeled finish, however he was flagged offside.

PNE line-up: Woodman (Cornell, 60); Storey (Diaby, 60), Lindsay (Bauer, 60), Hughes (Cunningham, 60); Potts (Olosunde, 60), Whiteman (Amaral, 73), Ledson (McCann, 60), Brady (Coulton, 60); Johnson (Browne, 60), Woodburn (O’Neill, 73); Riis (Evans, 60).

 

One impoves by playing teams better than you. A competitive game that brought some characters out: Ledson and Brady in particular.