Halloween is upon us and with North End dropping out of the Play-Off spots since last weekend's admirable draw against Middlesbrough the Club are hoping the day's fancy dress theme will help the lads scare off the Eagles and get a useful three points.
If the fancy dress theme and the promise of an entertaining afternoon of footy isn't enough to tempt you along then consider the fact this is our last home game in almost a month.
Both teams have similar records going into this game with only one win in five to mention although PNE's superior start to the season means they stand six points ahead of Saturday's opponents in the table.
But Palace and PNE have earned impressive draws against four of the division's most highly-fancied teams during that run - Palace squaring matters with Forest and Cardiff and North End doing the same against WBA and Middlesbrough.
Last season the new Invincibles Pavilion made it's debut while Barry Nicholson and Richard Chaplow fired home to send North End to a 2-0 victory, a similar result for PNE on Saturday would be just the tonic ahead of the tough trip to Watford a week on Saturday.
Preston North End v Crystal Palace
Coca-Cola Championship
Saturday 31st October, kick-off 3pm
Deepdale
Gaffer's Team News
"Callum's trained this week, without any problem, he had a little bit of setback prior to last Saturday but he's trained very hard on Monday and Tuesday, he trained again yesterday and he'll train today so we'll have a look at him at the end of training today and see what we think.
"We know they're a test, we know they possess some players who are capable of scoring and creating chances against you and we know that they are very hard working and well-organised and have a physical presence all over the pitch. It'll be a tough game and I think anybody turning up thinking it won't be is probably not fully aware of the strengths of Crystal Palace and after a decent start they seem to have found some form."
Alan Irvine tells the pre-match press conference how close Callum is and his thoughts on Palace. You can watch a full interview with the Gaffer now on PNE Player - it's free for 14 days, click on the logo at the top of the screen to find out more.
The Opposition
It's been a week of two of headlines for Crystal Palace both on and off the pitch. The alleged racism incident at Cardiff two weeks ago was followed by
a much-publicised bust up between Neil Warnock and Billy Davies last weekend and then this week they were rumoured to be subject of a potential takeover by former Birmingham honcho David Gold.
The eagle-eyed (excuse the pun) reader will note that the Selhurst Park side's owner Simon Jordan had a much publicised tete-a-tete with the multi-millionaire businessman when Steve Bruce cut short his stay in South London and moved north to St Andrews.
Meanwhile on the pitch Neil Warnock could welcome back on-loan striker Freddy Sears from West Ham Utd following an injury sustained against Nottingham Forest.
Warnock's assistant MIck Jones told Crystal Palace's official website: "Freddie has trained well this week and was put through his paces by Nigel Cox and his team to see if he will be ready to face Preston.
"We are confident that he will be travelling with us to Deepdale, but if not he should be available for the QPR game on the Tuesday."
The Gaffer
"You don't get many harder runs in this league and I think this next week is as tough as it comes, Preston is always a tough place to go and QPR are the in form team in the division at the moment. But I've like what I've seen in training recently and we do like it when our backs are against the wall.
"If we finish like that again it will be very hard for us to pick up any points from these two games. I was delighted with how we played against Forest but the finishing is letting us down badly at the moment."
Neil Warnock tells The Croydon Advertiser that when the chips are down is team usually respond but his strikers need to start taking their chances.
The Player
"Overall I thought we deserved the three points. Personally I enjoyed myself. I played on the right, and I like to drift in and get on the ball in the middle but I did enjoy myself.
"I had the beating of the full back in the second half and I got a few crosses in and the goal was a bonus. But as I said before we're disappointed that we didn't come away with the three points. It was a good game in the first half, but we edged it second half and we should have got all three points."
Palace's top scorer Darren Ambrose expresses his disappointment at coming away with only a point from last week's game against Forest.
Head-to-head
Overall record: PNE Wins 13 Draws 11 Lost 16
League record: PNE Wins 11 Draws 10 Lost 15
Last Meeting
Crystal Palace 2 Preston North End 1
Jones 29, Stokes 32, Danns 34
Coca-Cola Championship
Saturday 7th March 2009
Deepdale
PNEBetting.com Odds
PNE Win 1/1 Draw 12/5 Palace Win 11/4
PNEBetting,com Selected Bet
Neil Mellor to score first and PNE to win 2-1 - 30/1
PNE Player
We'll have a special guest commentator to join us for our regular broadcast on PNE Player. It kicks off on PNE Player and Central Radio 106.5FM from 2pm and will also include the thoughts of North End legend Sean Gregan. Listeners in the PR1 area can listen in on central whereas those elsewhere can sign up and listen for free on PNE Player. Click here to find out more about the 14 day free trial.
Any other business?
Saturday is Halloween and we have got pre and post-match entertainment of the scariest kind planned for you, click here to see who's coming to Deepdale and make sure you get down early as Haze and co. will kick off around 2.30pm. It's family day as well which means kids coming with an adult get in for the ridiculously low price of £1 and why don't get into the spirit of things by dressing up as well.
PLEASE NOTE THE £1 JUNIOR OFFER IS AVAILABLE FROM THE TICKET OFFICE ONLY AND IS NOT AVAILABLE ON THE TURNSTILES.
