PNE will face Lancashire rivals Blackpool on Saturday for the first time in league action since February 2010.
Match Information
Venue: Bloomfield Road
Date: Saturday 23rd October, 3pm kick-off
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 14/46)
Kit: Home kit – available to order here!
Supporter Information
Tickets for this game are sold out and there will be none available on the day, but supporters can watch the game live at Deepdale via a beam back.
Two large screens will be located pitchside, with supporters sitting in the Bill Shankly Kop for the price of just £5, and there will also be free parking available on the Sir Tom Finney, Alan Kelly Town End and Invincibles Pavilion car parks.
The fan zone will be open from 1.30pm for drinks and refreshments, with turnstiles 22 to 25 then opening from 2pm for pre-match build-up. The fan zone will also reopen after the game, with further details here.
Deepdale will be the only place in the UK and Ireland where supporters can watch the game live, if not at Bloomfield Road, but fans overseas will be able to watch on iFollow PNE.
PNE Team News
After picking up injuries in the defeat against Queens Park Rangers prior to the international break, both Sean Maguire and Ali McCann have been back in training with North End ahead of this fixture.
Frankie McAvoy said that the rest of the squad which faced Coventry City on Wednesday night would be assessed on Thursday.
The Opposition
Blackpool head into Saturday’s game after coming from behind to beat Reading on Wednesday evening, with three goals in the second half turning around a two-goal deficit.
They currently sit 12th in the table in their first season back in the Championship since being relegated in 2015.
In the dugout for them is Neil Critchley, in his first senior managerial role after previously being in charge of Liverpool’s U18s and U23s.
Key Stats
Striker Jerry Yates, joint top scorer this season in the Blackpool squad, comes into this encounter in fine form, having scored four goals in his last three games.
PNE have much the better of the head to head record against their rivals, winning 45 of the 94 games, compared to Blackpool’s 30 victories.
The Seasiders sit third in the form table, taking 13 points from a possible 18, with the only defeat in that run coming against Huddersfield Town at home.
Our Last Meeting
Not many will need reminding of the last time these two sides faced each other back in League Cup action in 2013.
The game looked set to be heading into extra-time, but captain Tom Clarke popped up with a famous 87th-minute winner, heading home Lee Holmes’ free-kick, cuing huge celebrations in the home stands.
The Weekend Warm Up
Get into the pre-match mood by watching the latest episode of The Weekend Warm Up!
This week, we were joined by Chris Brown and Neil Mellor as they look back on a famous victory. Micky Conroy talks to us from Australia about his winner in this fixture back in 1994, while current skipper Alan Browne chats to presenter Simon Crabtree in the studio.
Man In The Middle
Tim Robinson will take charge of his second PNE game of the season at the weekend, with the first being the goalless draw away at Bristol City back in September.
Robinson is an experienced EFL official, with his first season in the Football League coming in the 2012/13 campaign.
He will be assisted by Andrew Fox and Matthew McGrath, while Bobby Madley will be fourth official.
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