Championship action is back this weekend as Preston North End kick off the new campaign with a trip to Ashton Gate to take on Bristol City.
North End will wear the newly-launched 2023/24 third kit for the curtain raiser in the South West and more than 1,250 PNE supporters will be there to see in the new season.
Match Details
Date: Saturday 5th August, 3pm
Venue: Ashton Gate
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Kit: Third kit – available to buy in-store and online from 9am Friday!
Ticket Information
Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale online from www.mypne.com until 3pm on Friday, while sales will continue in person from the Deepdale ticket office and over the phone on 0344 856 1966 until 5pm.
Collections can be made from the ticket office until 6pm on Friday, while those uncollected can be picked up from the away turnstiles at Ashton Gate on matchday.
Please note, there will be no tickets available to purchase on the day.
Who’s Available?
There could be competitive debuts for a number of North End’s summer signings this weekend, with Duane Holmes, Jack Whatmough, Layton Stewart, Mads Frøkjær and Will Keane all in contention.
Calvin Ramsay is still getting up to match speed so may have to wait until Tuesday’s Carabao Cup round one tie against Salford City to make his PNE bow.
Ben Whiteman and Robbie Brady are still sidelined as they recover from their respective injuries, but both aren’t too far off according to manager Ryan Lowe, meanwhile Ched Evans and Emil Riis remain out with longer-term issues.
Pre-Match Chat
Get ready for Saturday's match by reading or watching pre-match interviews with manager Ryan Lowe and goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.
Opposition Focus
Since being promoted alongside PNE in 2015, Bristol City have consolidated themselves as a Championship club and will now be looking to make a push towards the Play-Off places under Nigel Pearson.
The experienced manager has been building a Robins squad since his appointment in 2021 which he hopes will be capable of reaching those top six places, but the chances of them doing so this season may be influenced by the future of midfielder Alex Scott.
The England U20 international is the subject of huge speculation regarding a big-money move to the Premier League but, whether a transfer is sealed before the weekend or not, Scott may be unavailable as manager Pearson told the press earlier in the week that he has picked up a knock in training.
A Recent Clash
A thrilling end at Deepdale in January 2022 as an incredible volley from Emil Riis in the fifth minute of injury-time earned a point against the Robins.
Follow The Action
Supporters overseas will be able to watch the season opener live on iFollow PNE, with £10 match passes now on sale.
Fans in the UK and Ireland unable to make it to Ashton Gate can listen to the match live with a £2.50 match pass, while audio monthly passes are also available for £4.49.
Supporters can also follow live updates of everything that’s happening on our social media channels, with post-match reaction to follow on PNE.Com.
Match Officials
Referee: David Webb
Assistant Referees: Rob Smith and Graham Kane
Fourth Official: Carl Brook
Referee David Webb took charge of two North End matches last season. He was the man in the middle for the 2-1 away victory over Reading before overseeing PNE beat Cardiff 2-0 at Deepdale in March 2023.