The Preston Journal
Friday 18 March 2011
PNE look for blue sky as Coventry come to town By Andrew Smith
PNE celebrate Hume’s goal
Photo: Action
Smiles all round: Phil Brown gained his first win as North End boss against Scunthorpe
dale, where Brown has shocked fans by terminating the contract of club captain Callum Davidson after seven years and 166 games for the club. Goalkeeper Wayne Henderson, who only played nine games in four years, has also left Deepdale. There is speculation that Wayne Brown could also leave the club in the near future.The centre back played under Phil Brown at Hull and was deemed surplus to requirements at the Tigers. The Lilywhites do not have any fresh injury concerns but hope to welcome back David Gray as well as Barry Nicholson, who came off the bench against Scunthorpe. Leon Cort will face a late fitness test if he is to replace Craig Morgan.
Coventry have no new injury worries and will be looking to Aron Gunnarsson and Lee Carsley to control their midfield. But Coventry’s main threat will probably come from their forwards. Gary McSheffrey and former Everton man Lukas Jutkiewicz both scored against Burnley and will look to trouble North End’s defence. PNE will be looking for Keith Treacy and Iain Hume to threaten Coventry’s defence. Both of them scored against Scunthorpe and as they can both create and score goals North End will be relying on them tomorrow. The Lilywhites need a run of good results if they are to have any chance of staying in the Championship and pulling off the great escape.
Test cricket coming back to Lancashire By Andrew Smith
Photo: ANP Images
Andrew Flintoff bowls Shane Warne at Old Trafford in 2005
AFTER a long running court case Test cricket looks set to return to the North West. Lancashire County Cricket Club have been given permission by Trafford Council to go ahead with the £32m redevelopment of their Old Trafford ground. The plans had been previously approved but the decision was challenged by Derwent Holdings, who own a nearby retail park, who claimed the inclusion of a new Tesco store in the plans was unfair. Matt Colledge, the leader of Trafford council said: “By dismissing this action the Court has paved the
way for these ambitious regeneration plans to finally come to life.” Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes said: “This is a historic moment for Old Trafford, as it will ultimately secure the future of international cricket in the North West”. Following the High Court ruling, the club are set to increase the ground’s capacity to 25,000. The stands and players’ area are also both set for a complete rehaul. Mr Cumbes said the club are looking to attract international cricket back to Old Trafford as soon as possible. “We can now turn our attention to the work that needs doing to enable us to submit our bid for an Ashes
Photo: Tom
ON THE back of their first win of the year Preston North End face Coventry at home tomorrow looking for another positive result. After 15 games without a win The Lilywhites thrashed Scunthorpe in midweek and now have a real chance of winning again against a struggling Coventry side. The Sky Blues have won just once in their last 17 matches and the run spelled the end for manager Aidy Boothroyd who was sacked on Monday. On December 11 Coventry were in fifth place and pushing for promotion. Since then the Sky Blues have only won one game and dropped down to 19th while North End have failed to drag themselves off the bottom of the league. Despite their poor form, Coventry also enjoyed a good night on Tuesday, having battled back to take a draw from high-flying Burnley. Manager Phil Brown was delighted with the performance in midweek. He said: “I thought that first half performance was probably our best of the season so far. We got that bit of quality in the final third which I’ve been asking for and we got that on numerous occasions in the first half.” Brown claimed the win gives PNE a chance to start climbing up the table. “If you’re separate from the pack and adrift at the bottom nobody respects you. In two games we could get a little bit of respect and something from the games as well,” he said. Caretaker managers Andy Thorn and Steve Harrison are expected to take charge of Coventry for the encounter while former Premier League bosses Roberto Di Matt e o and Chris Hughton have been linked with the post. One of the other front runners is former North End manager Alan Irvine who could well make a return to Preston sooner than expected. Similar upheaval has taken place at Deep-
Test Match in 2013,” he said. Eight other grounds are all bidding to host an Ashes Test match. Lord’s, the Oval and Riverside are all guaranteed one of the five matches leaving Old Trafford with a slim chance of hosting one. A return to Old Trafford would be the first Ashes test since the dramatic draw with Austalia in 2005. Lancashire will be relying on money made from holding Test matches. Mr Cumbes has described the club’s finances as ‘frightening’ and with a further £32 million to be spent, the Red Rose county need Test match cricket to return to Old Trafford.