..........we had something to play for at Hillsborough didn't quite go to plan - remember?
It was around 2009 and Dai Jones took the lads up there for the last game of the season needing a point for a playoff spot. Preston had just stuffed us 6-0 and were just behind us in the table.
Dai - in all his wisdom - decided to leave McCormack on the bench rather than playing him out wide left alongside Bothroyd and Chops in the belief we could go up there, sit back, soak them up and come away with the point we needed.
The rest is history. We lost it 1-0 and I think Preston won their game to get level on points that same day. The result was we finished behind them in 7th place, equal on points and equal on goal differences but (I think) they'd scored 1 more goal than us to take 6th spot.
That 6-0 drubbing at Deepdale a week or so before was blamed but there were a lot of us thinking we'd gone to Hillsborough with the wrong attitude for that last game. We should have taken the game to them and forced the issue.
7 years on and no doubt about it, we shouldn't make the same mistake again. I know this time it's different and we need to win it - a point just wont do. They're a very good side and will be set up to preserve a point because that's all they need.
This is **** or bust time - take it to them and if we lose it, no big deal. I'd rather get beat 4-3 than come away with a 0-0 draw trying to pinch a goal at the death.
It was around 2009 and Dai Jones took the lads up there for the last game of the season needing a point for a playoff spot. Preston had just stuffed us 6-0 and were just behind us in the table.
Dai - in all his wisdom - decided to leave McCormack on the bench rather than playing him out wide left alongside Bothroyd and Chops in the belief we could go up there, sit back, soak them up and come away with the point we needed.
The rest is history. We lost it 1-0 and I think Preston won their game to get level on points that same day. The result was we finished behind them in 7th place, equal on points and equal on goal differences but (I think) they'd scored 1 more goal than us to take 6th spot.
That 6-0 drubbing at Deepdale a week or so before was blamed but there were a lot of us thinking we'd gone to Hillsborough with the wrong attitude for that last game. We should have taken the game to them and forced the issue.
7 years on and no doubt about it, we shouldn't make the same mistake again. I know this time it's different and we need to win it - a point just wont do. They're a very good side and will be set up to preserve a point because that's all they need.
This is **** or bust time - take it to them and if we lose it, no big deal. I'd rather get beat 4-3 than come away with a 0-0 draw trying to pinch a goal at the death.



