We visit the New Den for the tenth time since our first visit in 1997, following 20 previous trips to Cold Blow Lane.
We are seeking a rare win, with only six successes to date, together with four draws. Our hosts have outscored us by almost two goals to one, with 58 to our 30 so far but having said that, we have won on two of our last four attempts in New Cross.
Our 2-1 defeat in 2002 was to prove to be David Moyes’ last game in charge before he was lured to Goodison Park, but the connections do not finish there (see below).
There have been several high scoring games in south London between our two sides but nothing compares with our 12 goal thriller in 1930. We had already beaten Southampton 5-0 on the opening day, won 4-1 at Reading, overcome Wolves at Deepdale by the odd goal in nine and put another five past Stoke the previous week when we turned up at the original Den.
By the end of the game, Millwall had scored five times at home, but still lost, as doubles from Alec Reid and Tussy Owens, plus a Tom Scott hat-trick, saw us end a remarkable game as 7-5 winners.
This was only the second time we had scored seven times in an away league match (the previous one was at Notts County in 1888) and we have not repeated the feat since.
North End team-mates in the 1950s, Angus Morrison and Fred Ramscar, both moved to Millwall from Deepdale, Fred playing for Northampton in between his spells with North End and Millwall. Angus played 280 games for North End, scoring 74 goals including the equaliser in the 1954 FA Cup Final.
On This Date
This is only the fourth time we have played an away league match on this date, but we have won two of the previous three, 2-1 at Bury in 1990, thanks to first half goals from Waren Joyce and Brian Mooney and 1-0 at Barnsley in 2007, Liam Chilvers sealing the points with a 55th minute goal.
We have played more FA Cup ties than league games on this date, with nine in all and seven of these being away from Deepdale. Again, we have a good record with four wins, one draw and only two defeats.
A notable victory was back in 1923 when we overcame Aberdare Athletic 3-1 away during the Welsh club’s brief spell as a Football League club. Aberdare are one of only six Welsh clubs to appear in the Football League and they did so for six seasons, from 1921/22 to 1926/7. They were a mid-table side until 1926/27 when they finished bottom of division three south and failed to gain re-election and were replaced by Torquay United.
Marnick Vermijl is 25 on Saturday, whilst former centre half Steve Holmes celebrates his 46th birthday today.
North End won an AWS tie at Macclesfield Town on this date in 1998 – David Moyes’ first game in charge.
Last Five Games At The Den
Millwall 1 (Feeney) Preston North End 0, 5th January 2013
Millwall 4 (Purse, McQuoid, Marquis, Henry (pen)) Preston North End 0, 23rd April 2011
Millwall 1 (Hutchinson) Preston North End 2 (Jones, Agyemang), 10th September 2005
Millwall 2 (Sweeney, Hayles) Preston North End 1 (Nugent), 24th April 2005
Millwall 0 Preston North End 1 (McKenna), 14th October 2003