With the Clarke brothers set to go head-to-head on Saturday, North End’s Tom is hoping for a different outcome to their one and only previous meeting.
That day Tom was on the losing side against his older sibling, but he is hoping to be the one smiling come Saturday evening.
In an exclusive interview with PNE.Com, Tom said: “It will be a good day for the family; we have done it once before and unfortunately I was on the wrong end of the result, so hopefully things will be a bit different this time.
“We have got a couple of cousins who live in London so they will be coming to it, my mum and dad unfortunately can’t make it but my dad will have one ear to the radio I imagine.
“We have been giving each other a little bit of stick in the build-up to the game but we have kept it quiet really.
“We have been joking around, he has been ringing me and asking what footed some of our players are, having a joke, so it is all fun and games and I’m just looking forward to the game now.
“It was one of the first games that I looked for and I am looking forward to it, I can’t wait to get the game underway now.
“Brothers aside, it is a massive game for the Club, it is a game that we want to win and we are going there full of confidence.
“They have started well but hopefully we can put it to an end.”
So far on their travels this season, the Lilywhites have only suffered one defeat in Sky Bet League One and with Leyton Orient having faced a midweek Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match, Clarke is hoping that he
and his team-mates can rack up their third successive away victory.
“We have done well away from home and that is something we do need to take to the home form, but we are away and the pressure is on them really,” continued Clarke.
“They are in front of their own fans and they have to entertain, we don’t.
“We are just going there to get a result and to come back with three points is the main thing.
“They have had a tough game at Stevenage, they lost that game and they did rest a few but it will be a tough game whoever plays.
“They will be full of confidence so we need to go there and do what we do.”
With the match heading towards a full house at the Matchroom Stadium, Clarke is hoping to hear a very vocal following from Lancashire, with around 1,000 fans expected to make the trip south.
And he is hoping an atmospheric occasion will make for a good game in League One’s undoubted match of the day.
“The away games have been special,” stated Clarke.
“You get the diehard fans to the away games and they make a lot of noise.
“I remember at Peterborough they were unbelievable and we are heading towards selling it out, so it will be a great atmosphere and that bodes well for a good game.”