1) Who are you; where are you from and how long have you supported your club?
I'm James Black, I live in Manchester and I've been supporting North End since the early 80s.
2) What was your first game?
My first North End game was an away match at Port Vale in the mid 80s but my first game at Deepdale was PNE 2 Exeter City 1 in 1986.
3) Describe the most memorable and worst game you've seen and why?
The most memorable game was probably our play-off semi final win over Torquay in the old Third Division. We won 4-1 with a late extra time goal that sealed the aggregate victory and sent us to Wembley. It was the last ever game on the plastic pitch and everyone ran onto the pitch at the end and started ripping it up. The play-off semi against Birmingham a couple of years ago was equally memorable but the Torquay match just shades it.
There have been loads of bad games over the years so it would be hard to single out the worst! Probably a shocking home defeat against Mansfield under John Beck which all but relegated us to Division Three.
4) If North End were a Celebrity, who would they be and why?
Dr Who - an old favourite who has been reinvented and is making a comeback.
5) Who do you consider as your current local rivals, and why?
At the moment it would probably be Burnley since we haven't played Blackpool for ages. I'm afraid the likes of Wigan, Bolton and Blackburn don't really stir up much rivalry in Preston.
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The best players are probably in our team at the moment - the likes of Youl Mawene and David Nugent. Again it would be hard to pick the worst because there were so many bad ones in the mid 80s and early 90s!
7) Which current or former Latics player impressed you most?
I always hated seeing Stuart Barlow play against us but at the moment I'm
more worried about Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington.
8) What do you think of The Latics?
Probably the second best team in the division; I'd be surprised if they don't go up. Obviously Whelan's money has helped but Paul Jewell has proved himself to be a very good manager.
9) How did you fare last season?
I can't remember much about last season, I think I was asleep for most of it...
10) How did you expect to fair this season?
We'd have been happy with a mid-table finsih and right at the start we were even fearing a relegation battle.
11) Playoffs, is that a success for a first season in the Championship?
If we get in the play offs it will be an absolutely amazing achievement by Billy and the players. Up to a couple of months ago we'd never have dared to hope that we would finish in the top six. The players deserve every credit for a brilliant season.
12) Nugent - Bargain of the season?
Definitely. Bargain of the century in fact. Considering he's only 19 he's an amazing talent - probably the most natural goalscorer I've seen playing for North End. A future England international!
13) Which North End players should we watch out for?
Nugent and Cresswell are obviously the main goal threats but the rest of the team will be working hard and making life difficult. Our success has been an all-round team achievement.
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Everyone would have thought he was mad if he said he could get us to the play offs when he took over. But he's not mad, just a footballing genius on a par with David Moyes.
15) Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
It's hard to complain when we've done as well as we have this season. We've not got much money to spend but the board have backed Billy Davies and he's spent it wisely.
16) Which team do you want to beat the most this season and why?
Wigan on Saturday - not because of any local rivalries, but because it would guarantee a play-off place.
17) What sort of line-up can we expect from you?
The only question mark is who will fill Eddie Lewis's position on the left - hopefully Callum Davidson will be fit.
Apart from that, the team will be: Nash - Alexander, Lucketti, Mawene, Hill - Davidson, O'Neil, McKenna, Sedgwick - Nugent, Cresswell.
18) Predicted score and scorers?
Well Wigan will probably score 4 or 5 like usual, but I'll settle for a 5-4 North End win, with a Dave Nugent hat-trick!
19) Who's going up with Sunderland?
Wigan and North End.
20) Who's going down with Rotherham?
Crewe and Forest.
Cheers,
James
www.wtjotp.co.uk