SKY BET CHAMPIOnSHIP
2019-20
LASTSEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP14thFACUPThirdRoundLEAGUECUP
ThirdRoundTOPSCORERCallumRobinson(13)LASTSEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP 19th FA CUP Fifth Round
LEAGUE CUP Third Round TOP SCORER Nahki Wells (9)54 Season Preview 2019-20 FourFourTwo
PRESTOn nORTH EnD QUEEnS PARK RAnGERS
FFTVERDICT
12TH FFT VERDICT
22nD
After a poor start last time around,
Alex Neil eventually guided North
End to a comfortable mid-table
position. Having signed defender
Patrick Bauer, Preston should have
enough about them to be there
again – too classy to struggle, but
not quite ready to challenge yet.Which QPR will we get in 2019-20?
The woeful QPR who started last
term by losing 7-1 at West Brom,
the brilliant QPR who flew up the
league mid-season, or the dismal
QPR who ended the campaign? If
they’re anything like the side from
January-May, they’re in trouble.The big talking point among the fans
is the need to support Alex Neil with
funds to strengthen. Our record fee
was spent on David Healy... in 2001.
This season will be different because
we’ll hopefully have a full squad. Last
season’s injury record was so bad
that the club held a full-scale audit.
I won’t be happy unless there’s
a clear desire to challenge for the top
six rather than just avoid relegation.
Our most underrated player is
Andrew Hughes. He was one of our
top performers before getting injured.
Look out for forward Ethan Walker –
ran teams ragged in the FA Youth Cup
and made his first-team debut at 16.
The best away ground is Sheffield
Wednesday’s. Hillsborough is looking
a bit worn but that’s part of its charm.
The best away fans are Leeds’. Easy
answer, but they always sell out.
The player I’d happily drive to
another club is Graham Burke. Why
did we spend any money on him?
The pantomime villain will be Ben
Pearson [below] because almost every
fanbase loathes him. In 116 matches,
he’s had 48 yellow cards and four reds.
The one change I’d make to the club
would be to introduce some incentives
to bring lapsed fans back.
Save the date for Blackburn away on
January 11. Without Blackpool and
Burnley, the rivalry has ramped up.
The best PNE social media account
is @ProfoundValley.
The best thing about the matchday
experience at PNE is a welcoming
stadium where rival fans interact.
The signature local dish is butter pie.
Like the town, it’s unfancy but beloved.
The other recommendation for
away fans is the Harris Museum.
Did you know that Deepdale is
modelled on the Stadio Luigi Ferraris,
the home of Sampdoria and Genoa.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that he has improved our style and
we can take on anyone.
If he left, he should be replaced by
our ex-player Michael Appleton, or
Barnsley’s impressive Daniel Stendel.
We’ll finish top half... hopefully 6th,
probably 11th.This season will be different because
it’ll be even tougher. With parachute
payments gone, budgets are being
cut further. Mark Warburton [below]
speaks well but faces a huge rebuild:
almost the entire first team will go.
They weren’t very good, but even so...
Our most underrated player is Ryan
Manning. A box-to-box midfielder,
talented with a prodigious work rate.
Look out for Ilias Chair, who ran his
own Goal of the Season competition
on loan at Stevenage last term. But
we do tend to overhype youngsters.
The best away ground is Ashton
Gate or Hillsborough. Anything older
with a bit of character.
The opposition player I secretly
admire is Ben Pearson for his brass
neck. But seriously, Preston scout and
sign really well on meagre resources,
while we often do the opposite.
The pantomime villain will be Keith
Stroud, if the PGMOL insist that he’s
still fit to referee football matches.Our best celebrity fan is comedian
Seann Walsh, who provided a bigger
talking point than the team last term.
Michael Gove jogging in that old QPR
top does neither of us any favours.
The one change I’d make to the club
would be scouting and recruitment.
The best R’s social media account is
journalist @davidmcintyre76.
The one recommendation for away
fans is treasure our cramped, dark,
extortionate, under-equipped away
end with its restricted views. Soon
we’ll all play in identikit monstrosities.
Did you know that we now play at
The Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
Read up on it before taking the piss.
Our key player will be whoever plays
upfront. We’ve struggled to score for
three seasons now.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that he was the best candidate from
a proper hiring process with a lousy
list. His stock has fallen since Brentford
so he needs this to go well. So do we.
If he left, he should be replaced by
Gareth Ainsworth, maybe? Everyone
gets a turn, so it might be my go next.
We’ll finish 16th or so, as we usually
do, but even that looks optimistic.FAn FILE
CLIVE WHITTINGHAM
@LoftforWordsFAn FILE
OLLY DAWES
@DeepdaleDigest