Three popular North Enders are celebrating their birthdays today, so a happy birthday to each and every one of them, plus anyone else connected with the club who is celebrating today.
The first of those is a player in his second spell with the Lilywhites currently, David Nugent, who today turns 35.
Nuge made 107 appearances and scored 37 goals in his first spell at the club, after being signed by Bury in late 2004, before joining Portsmouth in 2007, where he went on to get an FA Cup winners’ medal.
He returned to Deepdale in the summer and has scored once in 21 games so far this season, to provide the winner against Fulham back in December.
Celebrating his 66th birthday today is Mike Elwiss. Often referred to in the combination of ‘Bruce and Elwiss’ due to his formidable partnership with Alex Bruce, Mike joined from Doncaster Rovers in February 1974 for a then club record £70,000 fee.
He scored both goals in a 2–2 draw against Carlisle United in his debut on 2nd March 1974. He was twice named as the club's Player of the Year, and his strike partnership with Bruce helped the club to promotion to the second division in 1978.
After 60 goals from 192 league appearances, he joined Crystal Palace for a club record fee of £200,000. He played 20 games for Palace, scoring seven goals, and helped them to promotion to the first division in 1979, but a knee injury effectively finished his career. He returned to Deepdale on loan in March 1980, making a further ten appearances and scoring three goals, before his injury forced his retirement at the age of 27.
The final former player celebrating his birthday today is world superstar David Beckham.
The future England captain joined the Lilywhites on loan from Manchester United in early 1995, going on to make five appearances, with two goals – one directly from a corner and another trademark free kick - before heading back to Old Trafford where he would go on to be a globe-trotting footballing star.
Our final memorable moment on this date, came in 2001, when tenacious young Irish midfielder Michael Keane made his debut.
Keane was born in Dublin and started his career in 2000 at Deepdale. He came to prominence in the 2001/02 season, having made his debut in a game where Blackburn Rovers gained promotion.
After twice breaking his foot, and only making one start during the 2002/03 season, he was made available for loan and joined fellow first division side Grimsby Town on the transfer deadline day in March 2003.