West Lancashire derby
Encyclopedia
The West Lancashire derby (sometimes also known as the M55
derby) is a local derby
in English football
, between Lancashire
neighbours Blackpool F.C.
and Preston North End F.C.
The derby has taken place across all four tiers of the Football League
, but not yet in the Premier League. Blackpool were promoted to the Premier League in 2010; Preston North End have yet to reach it.
The first West Lancashire derby took place on 23 November 1901, at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road
. In front of a crowd of 6,000, Preston won 4–1. There have been 95 meetings between the two clubs in all competitions, with North End winning 45 to Blackpool's 32. The remaining 18 matches have been draws.
and city of Preston
are at either end of the M55 motorway
. The clubs' stadiums — Bloomfield Road
and Deepdale
, respectively — are seventeen miles apart. In the 2003 The Football Fans Census, fans of both clubs listed the derby as being the main derby, with both sets of fans agreeing that the other club is their main rival. It is one of only 44 such rivalries in England.
Preston player Tom Finney
, who played for the Lilywhites from 1946 to 1960, said: "We always saw Blackpool as our main rivals and we had some great matches against them. But there was none of the current nastiness from some fans." While Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield
, who played for the Seasiders from 1954 to 1971, said: "The rivalry is mainly between the fans. It started with arguments over whether Stanley Matthews
was better than Tom Finney in the '50s."
Ahead of the first derby of the 2008–09 season at Bloomfield Road on 15 November 2008, which Preston won 3–1, Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston
said: "As chairman I get excited. It's difficult not to. I feel like telling the manager to feed the players on raw meat all week. I absolutely understand the rivalry, I am probably the person with the fiercest tribal views you can get. It's not to be under-estimated how strongly I feel about this game."
Preston fans refer to Blackpool and their fans as Donkey Lashers, in reference to the walking of donkey
s along Blackpool beach. Likewise, Blackpool fans refer to Preston and their fans as Nobbers using a simplistic-but-deliberately-insulting amendment of the word North from Preston North End, which is changed to Nob and sometimes Knob
. Gary Peters
, who was Preston manager from 1994 to 1998, took the rivalry so seriously that he would not use the word "Blackpool" in public, always referring to the club as "that lot with the tower
".
In 2008, journalist Andy Mitten's book, Mad for It: From Blackpool to Barcelona: Football's Greatest Rivalries, included the derby as one of a number of "classic football derby matches".
championship, edging out Woolwich Arsenal.
In 1912–13, Preston won the Division Two championship (and fellow Lancastrians Burnley
were also promoted) while Blackpool finished bottom of the table. The Seasiders, however, were successful in their re-application to the League.
On 4 May 1921, Blackpool played a benefit match against Preston, with the proceeds going to the widow of Seasiders defender Horace Fairhurst
, who died in February after suffering on-field head injury, and to the children of his partner at full-back, Bert Tulloch
, whose wife had died the same weekend as Fairhurst.
It was until November 1925, at the sixth attempt, that Blackpool recorded their first home success against Preston. A brace by Bert Fishwick
, together with a goal by Billy Meredith
, gave the Seasiders a 3–1 victory.
Between 1946 and 1961, the derby took place in the top flight of English football for all but two seasons, with both clubs playing in the First Division
. In the 1947–48 season
both clubs were joint-favourites to win the FA Cup
; however, Preston lost 4–1 to Manchester United
in the quarter-finals while Blackpool made it to the final
, in which they lost 4–2 to Manchester United.
On 1 May 1948, at Deepdale, Blackpool inflicted what still remains Preston's record loss in the Football League: 7–0. Jimmy McIntosh
scored five goals and Alex Munro
and Walter Rickett
scored one apiece. The 1950s saw eighteen matches between the two clubs in what was then the top flight in English football.
A record attendance at Bloomfield Road was set for the 9 October 1954 meeting of the two clubs. 36,204 witnessed a 2–1 victory for the visitors.
On 29 October 1955, in a 6–2 victory for Preston North End, George Farm
became one of the few goalkeepers to score a goal. He injured a shoulder and replaced Jackie Mudie
at centre-forward, where he proceeded to open the scoring with his head.
Blackpool ruined Preston North End's Christmas of 1958 with a festive double in the space of twenty-four hours. The Seasiders inflicted a 4–2 Christmas Day defeat on their neighbours at Bloomfield Road. When the two sides met again, on Boxing Day
at Deepdale, the visitors were 3–0 victors.
During the first half of a friendly between the two clubs on 15 August 1966 came the news that Alan Ball had been transferred to Everton
for a fee of £112,000. Ball was left on the bench, alongside Emlyn Hughes
. Blackpool won this match, plus the two other meetings played inside seven days.
One of the most significant West Lancashire derbies took place on 13 April 1970, at Deepdale. Blackpool won the Second Division
match 3–0, a result which saw them promoted back to the First Division
, which was then the top flight, while the result later assisted in Preston's being relegated to the Third Division
for the first time in the club's history. Blackpool striker Fred Pickering
scored a hat-trick
in front of a crowd of over 34,000 — over 15,000 of whom travelled from Blackpool, with another 3,000 Tangerines fans locked outside the stadium. Jimmy Armfield later said of that night: "The real rivalry started that night. It was such a significant result for both teams. Many [Blackpool fans] walked back to Blackpool and our bus passed them on the way home, dancing and singing by the road." Blackpool's joy was short-lived, however, as they spent just one season in the First Division before being relegated the next year.
In the 1972–73 season, Alan Ainscow
scored his only hat-trick when Blackpool won 3–0 at Deepdale on 19 December 1972.
Alan Suddick
scored his 100th League goal, a penalty, in Blackpool's 3–0 victory at Bloomfield Road on 23 March 1974. It was the last West Lancashire derby to take place at Bloomfield Road for fourteen years.
The two clubs met at Deepdale in the Anglo-Scottish Cup
on 4 August 1979. With Preston leading 3–1 in the final minute, North End goalkeeper Tom McAlister
saved Ricky Thomson's penalty, tipping the ball onto the bar. It bounced down over the line, but by then the referee Ashley had blown his whistle to signal the end of the game. The goal did not count, but the spectators went home in the belief that the scoreline was 4–1. The official explained to Thomson and McAlister that the moment the ball had stopped travelling forwards the game was over and ruled it had ended the moment McAlister touched the ball. They met on two other occasions in the same competition: on 2 August 1978 at Deepdale (Preston won 4–2) and on 5 August 1980 at Bloomfield Road (Blackpool won 1–0).
In the Football League Group Cup at Deepdale on 15 August 1981, Preston won 2–1.
In the Lancashire Manx Cup, the two clubs met on several occasions. Firstly, on 17 August 1982, Blackpool won 2–1 at Bloomfield Road. 364 days later, the fixture was repeated, this time with the visitors winning 3–2. Two years later, on 3 August 1985, Blackpool won 2–1 at Deepdale. They did not meet again until 9 August 1988, when the teams drew 1–1 at Bloomfield Road. The following season, on 8 August 1989, Blackpool won 2–0 at home in the final meeting of the two clubs in the competition.
With both clubs languishing in the lower tiers of the Football League, some consolation came for Preston in the 1992–93 season, when they won 3–2 at Bloomfield Road, with Tony Ellis
scoring a hat-trick.
On 17 April 1999, Brett Ormerod
scored an injury-time winner for Blackpool at Deepdale.
The following campaign, after Preston's 3–0 Division Two victory over Blackpool at Deepdale on 18 December 1999, Nigel Worthington
resigned as Blackpool manager.
The 1999–2000 season
was also significant for Preston, who were then under the management of David Moyes
. Their draw at Bloomfield Road in April 2000 assisted in their promotion from Division Two to the second tier of English football for the first time in twenty years. Later that month, Preston were crowned champions, while by the end of the season Blackpool were relegated to Division Three, the bottom division of the Football League, leaving two divisions between the clubs. The two clubs did not play each other for another seven years, during which time Preston finished fourth in their first season in Division One
and reached the play-offs, losing out on promotion to the Premier League to Bolton Wanderers
in the final. Two further play-off appearances followed, in 2004–05
, when they again reached the final, and the following season
, when they reached the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Blackpool languished in the bottom two divisions, before finally winning promotion back to the second tier in the 2006–07 season
.
, with Preston winning all three matches. It is only in the League Cup
that Blackpool have won more matches: three to Preston's one.
Current as of 13 February 2010. Statistics obtained from Soccerbase.
, who had two spells with Preston, in 1987–1989 and 1992–1994, and was Player of the Year
in his final two seasons with the Lilywhites. During his second spell at the club, he scored a hat-trick for Preston at Bloomfield Road
in a 3–2 Preston victory. However, after a much-publicised fall out with Preston manager John Beck
over a new contract and his role within the club, Ellis signed for Blackpool for £165,000.
Players moving directly between the two clubs was more prevalent in the first half of the twentieth century. Albert Brown moved from Preston North End to Blackpool in 1905, and Benny Green
did the same in 1913. Billy Tremelling
moved in the opposite direction in 1930, as did Jimmy McIntosh
and Dickie Watmough
in 1937. As part of the same deal, Frank O'Donnell
exchanged the white of Preston for Blackpool tangerine, and his brother, Hugh
, followed him two years later. In 1967, Ray Charnley
moved from Bloomfield Road to Deepdale. Gerry Ingram
, in 1968, was the final player to move between the clubs for a period of 26 years, when he moved from Blackpool to Preston.
Most recently, Brett Ormerod joined Blackpool from Preston in 2009, beginning a second spell with the Seasiders.
Players who have moved directly between the two clubs:
Note: Andrew Lonergan
joined Blackpool on loan from Preston North End in 2003, but he did not make any appearances for them.
Players who have appeared for both clubs at some point during their career:
Four players who played for one club went on to manage the other:
Prior to the 4 April 1958 derby at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool manager Joe Smith commented: "Every time we play Preston, something nearly always happens. This was one weekend when we wanted something like a full-strength team. Still, I expect the two youngsters[ Starkey
and Gregson] to play with enthusiasm." Preston won 2–1, but one critic wrote: "The good thing in the match from Blackpool's point of view was the showings of Starkey and Gregson. Starkey showed just what hard grafting can achieve, while his application of the game was most promising. Both can be developed."
in Preston, a young man from Preston was stabbed to death during clashes between Preston and Blackpool fans. In 1996 there were 70 arrests when serious disorder broke out when the clubs met at Deepdale and pubs were trashed in Preston.
Another fan died, this time of natural causes, on 17 April 1999. Kevin Halliwell, a 47-year-old lifelong Blackpool fan, collapsed just minutes before kick-off at Deepdale and died before reaching the Royal Preston Hospital.
Despite there being no match between the two clubs since 2000, the rivalry between the two sets of fans reignited itself on 2 September 2006, when a mini-riot broke out on Preston railway station
between Blackpool fans returning from their match at Millwall
and local Preston fans returning from an England
match in Manchester
. Bottles, cans and signs were hurled as the two sets of fans fought each other, and two British Transport Police
officers were injured in what the police described as a large-scale disorder.
Blackpool were promoted to the Championship
at the end of the 2006–07 season, winning the play-off final at Wembley. Promotion ensured that the rivalry with Preston North End would once again happen on the pitch with each club being in the Championship in the 2007–08 season. In June 2007, following threats from Blackpool and Preston hooligans to cause mayhem when the two clubs meet, Preston's top police officer, Chief Superintendent Mike Barton, warned that "The history of these derbies means we will have to have a significant policing operation both at Deepdale and Bloomfield Road
." This led to the police making plans for "significant operations" at the two matches involving the clubs. In November 2007 Blackpool police warned football hooligans not to attend the match in Preston on 8 December 2007. The Blackpool Gazette
reported on 17 November 2007, how comments on a message board used by the Blackpool Muckers hooligan firm claimed that Blackpool fans were planning to infiltrate the home stands at the Deepdale stadium in Preston, with members of the Preston hooligan firm also posting threats. The match had already been moved forward to a 12:30pm kick off at the request of the police in an attempt to avoid violence and local pubs told not to open until 12:00pm and not to serve alcohol until 12:30pm, the same time as the kick off.
Blackpool won the match 1–0. However, the day saw outbreaks of violence in both Preston and Blackpool. A huge police operation saw 300 police officers on duty outside Deepdale and in Preston city centre while 19 people were arrested. Blackpool fans arriving at Preston railway station
went through airport-style security scanners to check for potential weapons. Blackpool hooligans went on a rampage smashing windows and ripping seats out of specially chartered buses laid on to transport them from the railway station to Deepdale, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Nine people were arrested. Later that same day, a group of about 30 Preston hooligans attacked a pub in Blackpool in "revenge" throwing bins and bottles at the pub while staff and customers were inside.
The return fixture on 15 March 2008 at Bloomfield Road, was marred by racist and homophobic chanting. Nine Blackpool fans were immediately banned from the stadium for twelve months. Two fans were arrested at the match on suspicion of racial disorder. Blackpool F.C. and the police said they would be investigating whether to ban any additional fans. Some Preston fans were accused of homophobic chants and some Blackpool fans accused of racist chants. The Football Association
stated that they were awaiting the Referees report before making a decision about whether to take any action.
Three Blackpool fans were arrested at Deepdale on 13 February 2010, when two flares were lit on the Kop during the 0–0 draw.
By contrast to the violence that sometimes surrounds the West Lancashire derby, fans of both clubs have joined together to raise money for local charities. In March 2007, Blackpool and Preston fans joined together for a seventeen-mile sponsored bicycle
ride between Deepdale and Bloomfield Road in aid of the Brian House Children's Hospice
in Bispham, Blackpool
, and Derian House Children's Hospice in Chorley
. Dubbed as "To Hell and Back", about 140 cyclists took part.
While Blackpool fans travelled to Wembley for their 2010 play-off final with Cardiff City
, Preston fans hurled a banner over a flyover on the M55 motorway
, and in May 2011
, a plane flew over Deepdale with trailing banners mocking Preston's relegation from The Championship. In an episode of the Channel 4
quiz show Countdown
on May 12 2011, the conundrum 'PNECRISIS' appeared at the show's conclusion, an apparent deliberate reference put in by the show's producer, Damian Eadie, who is said to be an avid Blackpool fan.
ran a four-page article about the derby, entitled "Sheep Shaggers vs Donkey Lashers". The article concentrated on events around the match at Deepdale in December 2007, and the history of the derby.
The derby was mentioned in passing as the subject of a £1 or quid bet by Tantivy in Thomas Pynchon
's postmodern
novel, Gravity's Rainbow
.
M55 motorway
The M55 is a motorway in Lancashire, England, which can also be referred to as the Preston Northern Bypass. It connects the seaside resort of Blackpool to the M6 at Preston. It is 11.4 miles in length.-Route:...
derby) is a local derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
in English football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
, between Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
neighbours Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
The derby has taken place across all four tiers of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, but not yet in the Premier League. Blackpool were promoted to the Premier League in 2010; Preston North End have yet to reach it.
The first West Lancashire derby took place on 23 November 1901, at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
. In front of a crowd of 6,000, Preston won 4–1. There have been 95 meetings between the two clubs in all competitions, with North End winning 45 to Blackpool's 32. The remaining 18 matches have been draws.
Background
The derby is also known as the M55 derby because the town of BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
and city of Preston
City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district in Lancashire, England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
are at either end of the M55 motorway
M55 motorway
The M55 is a motorway in Lancashire, England, which can also be referred to as the Preston Northern Bypass. It connects the seaside resort of Blackpool to the M6 at Preston. It is 11.4 miles in length.-Route:...
. The clubs' stadiums — Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
and Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
, respectively — are seventeen miles apart. In the 2003 The Football Fans Census, fans of both clubs listed the derby as being the main derby, with both sets of fans agreeing that the other club is their main rival. It is one of only 44 such rivalries in England.
Preston player Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
, who played for the Lilywhites from 1946 to 1960, said: "We always saw Blackpool as our main rivals and we had some great matches against them. But there was none of the current nastiness from some fans." While Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield
Jimmy Armfield
James Christopher "Jimmy" Armfield, CBE, DL is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at Blackpool, usually at right back...
, who played for the Seasiders from 1954 to 1971, said: "The rivalry is mainly between the fans. It started with arguments over whether Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
was better than Tom Finney in the '50s."
Ahead of the first derby of the 2008–09 season at Bloomfield Road on 15 November 2008, which Preston won 3–1, Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston
Karl Oyston
Karl Oyston is an English businessman and the chairman of Blackpool F.C.-Background:Up until 1999, Oyston spent much of his time involved in running the Oyston family businesses including property management, farming interests and publishing....
said: "As chairman I get excited. It's difficult not to. I feel like telling the manager to feed the players on raw meat all week. I absolutely understand the rivalry, I am probably the person with the fiercest tribal views you can get. It's not to be under-estimated how strongly I feel about this game."
Preston fans refer to Blackpool and their fans as Donkey Lashers, in reference to the walking of donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
s along Blackpool beach. Likewise, Blackpool fans refer to Preston and their fans as Nobbers using a simplistic-but-deliberately-insulting amendment of the word North from Preston North End, which is changed to Nob and sometimes Knob
Knob
Knob may refer to:* A rounded handle that one pulls or twists:** Doorknob, a round handle one turns to open any door** Control knob, controls a device** Brodie knob on the steering wheel...
. Gary Peters
Gary Peters (footballer)
Gary David Peters is an English former professional footballer and now manager. He is currently Director of Football at Hereford United.-Playing career:...
, who was Preston manager from 1994 to 1998, took the rivalry so seriously that he would not use the word "Blackpool" in public, always referring to the club as "that lot with the tower
Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower Eye is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire in England which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. . Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it rises to 518 feet & 9 inches . The tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers...
".
In 2008, journalist Andy Mitten's book, Mad for It: From Blackpool to Barcelona: Football's Greatest Rivalries, included the derby as one of a number of "classic football derby matches".
Matches
Matches between the two clubs have at times had significant consequences. For example, on 30 April 1904, Blackpool visited Deepdale for the final game of the season, and the home side's single-goal victory gave them the Division TwoFootball League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
championship, edging out Woolwich Arsenal.
In 1912–13, Preston won the Division Two championship (and fellow Lancastrians Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
were also promoted) while Blackpool finished bottom of the table. The Seasiders, however, were successful in their re-application to the League.
On 4 May 1921, Blackpool played a benefit match against Preston, with the proceeds going to the widow of Seasiders defender Horace Fairhurst
Horace Fairhurst
Horace Fairhurst was an English professional football player. He played as a defender.After playing for Darwen for a number of years, Fairhurst joined fellow Lancashire club Blackpool in May 1919 after previously playing for them during the 1916-17 and 1917-18 World War I wartime...
, who died in February after suffering on-field head injury, and to the children of his partner at full-back, Bert Tulloch
Bert Tulloch
Albert "Bert" Tulloch was an English professional footballer. He played as a full-back, and spent his entire ten-year professional career at Blackpool....
, whose wife had died the same weekend as Fairhurst.
It was until November 1925, at the sixth attempt, that Blackpool recorded their first home success against Preston. A brace by Bert Fishwick
Bert Fishwick
Albert Edward "Bert" Fishwick was an English footballer.-Playing career:Fishwick played for Leyland, Hamilton Central, Chorley and Plymouth Argyle before joining Blackpool in 1925. He made his debut for Frank Buckley's team on 24 October, in a 4–0 victory over Wolves at Bloomfield Road...
, together with a goal by Billy Meredith
Billy Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
, gave the Seasiders a 3–1 victory.
Between 1946 and 1961, the derby took place in the top flight of English football for all but two seasons, with both clubs playing in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. In the 1947–48 season
FA Cup 1947–48
The 1947–48 FA Cup was the 67th staging of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup...
both clubs were joint-favourites to win the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
; however, Preston lost 4–1 to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the quarter-finals while Blackpool made it to the final
1948 FA Cup Final
The 1948 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Blackpool at Wembley Stadium on 24 April 1948. United, who had not appeared in an FA Cup Final for 39 years, won 4–2, with two goals from Jack Rowley and one apiece from Stan Pearson and John Anderson. Eddie Shimwell and Stan Mortensen...
, in which they lost 4–2 to Manchester United.
On 1 May 1948, at Deepdale, Blackpool inflicted what still remains Preston's record loss in the Football League: 7–0. Jimmy McIntosh
Jimmy McIntosh
James McLaughlin "Jimmy" McIntosh was a Scottish professional footballer and manager. As a player McIntosh was a fast, strong, stocky, forward.-Blackpool :...
scored five goals and Alex Munro
Alex Munro
Alexander Dewar "Alex" Munro was a Scottish professional football player.-Club career:...
and Walter Rickett
Walter Rickett
Walter Rickett was a professional footballer who played as a winger for Sheffield United, Blackpool, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United and Halifax Town.-Blackpool:...
scored one apiece. The 1950s saw eighteen matches between the two clubs in what was then the top flight in English football.
A record attendance at Bloomfield Road was set for the 9 October 1954 meeting of the two clubs. 36,204 witnessed a 2–1 victory for the visitors.
On 29 October 1955, in a 6–2 victory for Preston North End, George Farm
George Farm
George Neil Farm was a Scottish professional football goalkeeper and manager.Born in Slateford, a suburb of Edinburgh, Farm represented his country on ten occasions, the last three of which occurred after a gap of five years....
became one of the few goalkeepers to score a goal. He injured a shoulder and replaced Jackie Mudie
Jackie Mudie
John "Jackie" Knight Mudie was a Scottish international footballer who played as a forward. He won seventeen caps for his country, helping the Scots to qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup....
at centre-forward, where he proceeded to open the scoring with his head.
Blackpool ruined Preston North End's Christmas of 1958 with a festive double in the space of twenty-four hours. The Seasiders inflicted a 4–2 Christmas Day defeat on their neighbours at Bloomfield Road. When the two sides met again, on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
at Deepdale, the visitors were 3–0 victors.
During the first half of a friendly between the two clubs on 15 August 1966 came the news that Alan Ball had been transferred to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
for a fee of £112,000. Ball was left on the bench, alongside Emlyn Hughes
Emlyn Hughes
Emlyn Walter Hughes, OBE was an English footballer who captained both the England national team and the much-decorated Liverpool F.C. team of the 1970s.- From Blackpool to Liverpool :...
. Blackpool won this match, plus the two other meetings played inside seven days.
One of the most significant West Lancashire derbies took place on 13 April 1970, at Deepdale. Blackpool won the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
match 3–0, a result which saw them promoted back to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, which was then the top flight, while the result later assisted in Preston's being relegated to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
for the first time in the club's history. Blackpool striker Fred Pickering
Fred Pickering
Frederick "Fred" Pickering is an English former professional footballer. He played as a forward.-Domestic career:...
scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in front of a crowd of over 34,000 — over 15,000 of whom travelled from Blackpool, with another 3,000 Tangerines fans locked outside the stadium. Jimmy Armfield later said of that night: "The real rivalry started that night. It was such a significant result for both teams. Many [Blackpool fans] walked back to Blackpool and our bus passed them on the way home, dancing and singing by the road." Blackpool's joy was short-lived, however, as they spent just one season in the First Division before being relegated the next year.
In the 1972–73 season, Alan Ainscow
Alan Ainscow
Alan Ainscow is an English former professional footballer.-Playing career:Bolton-born Ainscow began his career with Blackpool as an apprentice, making his debut when then-Seasiders manager, Bob Stokoe, picked him to play in the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup...
scored his only hat-trick when Blackpool won 3–0 at Deepdale on 19 December 1972.
Alan Suddick
Alan Suddick
Alan Suddick was an English professional footballer who played at inside-right. He was known for his "banana" free-kicks.-Newcastle United:...
scored his 100th League goal, a penalty, in Blackpool's 3–0 victory at Bloomfield Road on 23 March 1974. It was the last West Lancashire derby to take place at Bloomfield Road for fourteen years.
The two clubs met at Deepdale in the Anglo-Scottish Cup
Anglo-Scottish Cup
The Anglo-Scottish Cup was a tournament arranged for teams in the English and Scottish football leagues during the summer for several years during the 1970s...
on 4 August 1979. With Preston leading 3–1 in the final minute, North End goalkeeper Tom McAlister
Tom McAlister
Thomas Gerald "Tom" McAlister is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in The Football League. He is principally remembered for making over 150 league appearances for Rotherham United between 1975–1979, and as West Ham's second choice goalkeeper to Phil Parkes...
saved Ricky Thomson's penalty, tipping the ball onto the bar. It bounced down over the line, but by then the referee Ashley had blown his whistle to signal the end of the game. The goal did not count, but the spectators went home in the belief that the scoreline was 4–1. The official explained to Thomson and McAlister that the moment the ball had stopped travelling forwards the game was over and ruled it had ended the moment McAlister touched the ball. They met on two other occasions in the same competition: on 2 August 1978 at Deepdale (Preston won 4–2) and on 5 August 1980 at Bloomfield Road (Blackpool won 1–0).
In the Football League Group Cup at Deepdale on 15 August 1981, Preston won 2–1.
In the Lancashire Manx Cup, the two clubs met on several occasions. Firstly, on 17 August 1982, Blackpool won 2–1 at Bloomfield Road. 364 days later, the fixture was repeated, this time with the visitors winning 3–2. Two years later, on 3 August 1985, Blackpool won 2–1 at Deepdale. They did not meet again until 9 August 1988, when the teams drew 1–1 at Bloomfield Road. The following season, on 8 August 1989, Blackpool won 2–0 at home in the final meeting of the two clubs in the competition.
With both clubs languishing in the lower tiers of the Football League, some consolation came for Preston in the 1992–93 season, when they won 3–2 at Bloomfield Road, with Tony Ellis
Tony Ellis
Anthony Joseph "Tony" Ellis is an English former professional footballer who commanded combined transfer fees of nearly £750,000 and scored 185 league goals in 518 league games during a sixteen-year Football League career....
scoring a hat-trick.
On 17 April 1999, Brett Ormerod
Brett Ormerod
Brett Ryan Ormerod is an English professional football player who plays as a forward for Blackpool. He is the only player to have scored in all four divisions for the club.-Early career: Accrington Stanley and Blackpool:...
scored an injury-time winner for Blackpool at Deepdale.
The following campaign, after Preston's 3–0 Division Two victory over Blackpool at Deepdale on 18 December 1999, Nigel Worthington
Nigel Worthington
Nigel Worthington is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager.He was manager of the Northern Ireland national team from 2007 until after their final Euro 2012 qualifying campaign match against Italy in October 2011.As a player, he was a left full back and occasional left...
resigned as Blackpool manager.
The 1999–2000 season
1999-2000 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World...
was also significant for Preston, who were then under the management of David Moyes
David Moyes
David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
. Their draw at Bloomfield Road in April 2000 assisted in their promotion from Division Two to the second tier of English football for the first time in twenty years. Later that month, Preston were crowned champions, while by the end of the season Blackpool were relegated to Division Three, the bottom division of the Football League, leaving two divisions between the clubs. The two clubs did not play each other for another seven years, during which time Preston finished fourth in their first season in Division One
2000-01 in English football
The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
and reached the play-offs, losing out on promotion to the Premier League to Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in the final. Two further play-off appearances followed, in 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, when they again reached the final, and the following season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
, when they reached the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Blackpool languished in the bottom two divisions, before finally winning promotion back to the second tier in the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
.
Head-to-head record
Preston have won 12 more West Lancashire derbies than Blackpool, with 45 wins compared to Blackpool's 33. There have been 19 draws. The teams have met just three times in the FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, with Preston winning all three matches. It is only in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
that Blackpool have won more matches: three to Preston's one.
| Competition | Played | Blackpool | Draw | Preston North End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| League English football league system The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing... |
86 | 30 | 18 | 38 |
| FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Other | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Totals | 97 | 33 | 19 | 45 |
Current as of 13 February 2010. Statistics obtained from Soccerbase.
Players and managers
At least 40 individuals have represented both Blackpool and Preston North End at some point in their careers. 26 of these moved directly between the two clubs. One such example is Tony EllisTony Ellis
Anthony Joseph "Tony" Ellis is an English former professional footballer who commanded combined transfer fees of nearly £750,000 and scored 185 league goals in 518 league games during a sixteen-year Football League career....
, who had two spells with Preston, in 1987–1989 and 1992–1994, and was Player of the Year
Preston North End Player of the Year Award Winners
Winners of the official Preston North End F.C. Player of the Year Award since its inception in 1967–68:...
in his final two seasons with the Lilywhites. During his second spell at the club, he scored a hat-trick for Preston at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
in a 3–2 Preston victory. However, after a much-publicised fall out with Preston manager John Beck
John Beck (footballer)
John Alexander Beck is an English former footballer and manager. As a player he made nearly 500 league appearances between 1972 and 1988....
over a new contract and his role within the club, Ellis signed for Blackpool for £165,000.
Players moving directly between the two clubs was more prevalent in the first half of the twentieth century. Albert Brown moved from Preston North End to Blackpool in 1905, and Benny Green
Benny Green (footballer)
Benjamin Haigh "Benny" Green was an English professional footballer who played as an inside-forward. He made nearly 200 appearances for Small Heath in all competitions...
did the same in 1913. Billy Tremelling
Billy Tremelling
William Reuben "Billy" Tremelling was an English professional footballer. He played as a forward at the beginning of his career, but was later played as a defender...
moved in the opposite direction in 1930, as did Jimmy McIntosh
Jimmy McIntosh
James McLaughlin "Jimmy" McIntosh was a Scottish professional footballer and manager. As a player McIntosh was a fast, strong, stocky, forward.-Blackpool :...
and Dickie Watmough
Dickie Watmough
Richard "Dickie" Watmough was an English professional footballer and cricketer. He played as a midfielder in the former sport.-Football:...
in 1937. As part of the same deal, Frank O'Donnell
Frank O'Donnell
Francis Joseph "Frank" O'Donnell was a Scottish professional footballer. He was the older brother of fellow footballer Hugh O'Donnell. The siblings stayed together for the first sixteen years of their careers, both playing concurrently for Celtic, Preston North End and Blackpool...
exchanged the white of Preston for Blackpool tangerine, and his brother, Hugh
Hugh O'Donnell (footballer)
Hugh O'Donnell was a Scottish professional footballer. He was the younger brother of fellow footballer Frank O'Donnell...
, followed him two years later. In 1967, Ray Charnley
Ray Charnley
Raymond Ogden "Ray" Charnley was an English professional footballer. He was a centre forward and was one of the most prolific scorers for Blackpool, with whom he spent ten years, including all but one season in the top flight of English football.With 193 goals in 363 league games, Charnley is the...
moved from Bloomfield Road to Deepdale. Gerry Ingram
Gerry Ingram
Gerald "Gerry" Ingram is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Active in both England and the United States between 1966 and 1980, Ingram made nearly 500 professional league career appearances, scoring nearly 200 goals.-Career:Born in Beverley, Ingram began his career...
, in 1968, was the final player to move between the clubs for a period of 26 years, when he moved from Blackpool to Preston.
Most recently, Brett Ormerod joined Blackpool from Preston in 2009, beginning a second spell with the Seasiders.
Players who have moved directly between the two clubs:
- Tom BradshawTom Bradshaw (footballer born 1879)Thomas Dickinson "Tom" Bradshaw was an English professional footballer. He played for several Football League clubs, but never spent more than two years at any of them.-Career:...
: Blackpool (1896), Preston North End (1896 and 1902) - Laurence Halsall: Blackpool (1897), Preston North End (1897–1899)
- Wilf GillowWilf GillowWilf B. Gillow was an English professional association football player and manager. Gillow also played cricket at county level.-Football career:Gillow played club football for Blackpool, Preston North End, Fleetwood and Grimsby Town....
: Blackpool to Preston North End - Lawrence CookLawrence Cook (footballer)Lawrence Cook was an English professional footballer. A centre forward who could also play at outside right and right back, he played in the Football League for Blackpool, Preston North End and Gainsborough Trinity. He scored three League goals in his short career, all for Gainsborough...
, Blackpool (1904), Preston North End (1905–1906) - Albert Brown: Preston North End (1904–1905), Blackpool (1905–1906)
- Herbert CrossthwaiteBert CrossthwaiteHerbert "Bert" Crossthwaite was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper.Born in Preston, Lancashire, he began his football career as a youth with home-town club Preston North End...
: Preston North End (1905–1906), Blackpool (1906–1907) - Benny Green: Preston North End (1911–1913), Blackpool (1913–1915)
- Billy MercerBilly Mercer (footballer born 1896)William "Billy" Mercer was an English footballer. He made over 100 Football League appearances for Preston North End.-References:...
: Preston North End (1919–1924), Blackpool (1925) - Peter QuinnPeter Quinn (footballer)Peter Quinn was an English footballer. He made over 150 Football League appearances for Blackpool in the early 20th century. He also played for Preston North End and Bury, amongst other clubs.-References:...
: Blackpool (1910–1920), Preston North End (1920–1922) - Bobby CrawfordBobby Crawford (footballer)Robert "Bobby" Crawford was a Scottish professional footballer. A left half, he played in the Football League for Preston North End, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers.-References:...
: Preston North End (1921–1932), Blackpool (1932–1933) - Billy Tremelling: Blackpool (1925–1930), Preston North End (1930–1937)
- Jimmy McClellandJimmy McClellandJames "Jimmy" McClelland was a Scottish footballer. His regular position was as a forward. He was born in Dysart. He played for Rosslyn, Raith Rovers, Southend United, Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End, Blackpool, Bradford Park Avenue, and Manchester United.-Blackpool:Dysart-born...
: Preston North End (1929–1930), Blackpool (1930–1933) - Albert ButterworthAlbert ButterworthAlbert Butterworth was an English professional footballer. An outside right, he played in the Football League for Manchester United, Blackpool, Preston North End and Bristol Rovers.-References:...
: Blackpool (1932–1933), Preston North End (1933–1935) - Jimmy McIntosh: Blackpool (1935–1937), Preston North End (1937–1946), Blackpool (1946–1948)
- Dickie Watmough: Blackpool (1934–1937), Preston North End (1937)
- Frank O'Donnell: Preston North End (1935–1937), Blackpool (1937–1946)
- Hugh O'Donnell: Preston North End (1935–1939), Blackpool (1939–1946)
- Billy McIntoshBilly McIntoshWilliam Dowling "Billy" McIntosh was a footballer who played in his native land for St. Johnstone, and in England for Blackpool, Preston North End, Stoke City and Walsall.-References:...
: Preston North End (1946–1948), Blackpool (1948–1951) - Kit NapierKit NapierChristopher Robin Anthony "Kit" Napier is a Scottish former professional footballer who scored 119 goals from 379 appearances in the Football League playing as a forward for Blackpool, Preston North End, Workington, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Blackburn Rovers.-Career:Napier was...
: Blackpool (1960–1963), Preston North End (1963–1964) - Ray CharnleyRay CharnleyRaymond Ogden "Ray" Charnley was an English professional footballer. He was a centre forward and was one of the most prolific scorers for Blackpool, with whom he spent ten years, including all but one season in the top flight of English football.With 193 goals in 363 league games, Charnley is the...
: Blackpool (1957–1967), Preston North End (1967–1968) - Gerry IngramGerry IngramGerald "Gerry" Ingram is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Active in both England and the United States between 1966 and 1980, Ingram made nearly 500 professional league career appearances, scoring nearly 200 goals.-Career:Born in Beverley, Ingram began his career...
: Blackpool (1967–1968), Preston North End (1968–1971) - Andy McAteerAndy McAteerAndrew William "Andy" McAteer is an English former professional footballer. He played in the Football League in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s.-Preston North End:...
: Preston North End (1977-1986), Blackpool (1986-1988), Preston North End (1988-1989) - Tony EllisTony EllisAnthony Joseph "Tony" Ellis is an English former professional footballer who commanded combined transfer fees of nearly £750,000 and scored 185 league goals in 518 league games during a sixteen-year Football League career....
: Preston North End (1987–1989 and 1992–1994), Blackpool (1994–1997) - Gary ParkinsonGary ParkinsonGary Parkinson is a retired England|English footballer who played as a right-back.In 2006 he was appointed Head of Youth at his former club Blackpool, a role he occupied until he suffered a severe stroke in September 2010....
: Preston North End (1997–2001), Blackpool (2001–2002) - Brett OrmerodBrett OrmerodBrett Ryan Ormerod is an English professional football player who plays as a forward for Blackpool. He is the only player to have scored in all four divisions for the club.-Early career: Accrington Stanley and Blackpool:...
: Preston North End (2006–2009), Blackpool (2009–present)
Note: Andrew Lonergan
Andrew Lonergan
Andrew Michael "Andy" Lonergan is an English football goalkeeper currently playing for Leeds United. He is a former England U21 international and is also eligible to play for Republic of Ireland...
joined Blackpool on loan from Preston North End in 2003, but he did not make any appearances for them.
Players who have appeared for both clubs at some point during their career:
- Fred GriffithsFred Griffiths (footballer)Frederick John "Fred" Griffiths was a Welsh association football player of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A goalkeeper, he won two caps for the Welsh national team. He was killed in action during the First World War.-Career:Born in Presteigne, Griffiths began his career with the...
: Blackpool (1899–1900), Preston North End (1902) - James MitchellJames Mitchell (footballer)James Frederick Mitchell, also known as Jim Mitchell, and sometimes Fred Mitchell, was an English footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a goalkeeper...
: Blackpool (1914–1915), Preston North End (1920–1922) - Gordon MilneGordon MilneGordon Milne is an English former footballer and football manager.-Personal life:Gordon Milne, was born in Preston, Lancashire, England and is the son of the former Preston player Jimmy Milne, and son to Jesse Milne...
: Preston North End (19??-1960), Blackpool (1967–1970) - Mel HoldenMel HoldenMelville George "Mel" Holden was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward. Active in both England and the Netherlands, Holden made nearly 150 career League appearances, scoring nearly 50 goals....
: Preston North End (1972-1975), Blackpool (1978-1979) - Barry SiddallBarry SiddallBarry Alfred Siddall is an English former professional football goalkeeper. When he retired from the game he had made 614 appearances to his name over a 21-year career in the Football League, playing for numerous clubs....
: Blackpool (1983–84 and 1986–1989), Preston North End (1992–1993) - Mike ConroyMike Conroy (footballer born 1965)Michael Kevin Conroy is a Scottish former professional footballer. He played as a striker.Conroy began his career with Coventry City in 1983. Unable to break into the first team, he moved back to his native Scotland in 1984 to sign with Clydebank on a free transfer...
: Preston North End (1993–1995), Blackpool (1998–1999) - David EyresDavid EyresDavid Eyres is an English former professional footballer.-Career:A relative latecomer to the professional game, Eyres began his career at Welsh non-league side Rhyl before signing, in 1989 at the age of 25, professional terms with Blackpool for a fee of £10,000...
: Blackpool (1989–1993), Preston North End (1997–2000) - Mike FlynnMike Flynn (footballer)Michael Anthony "Mike" Flynn is an English footballer who made more than 650 appearances in the Football League playing for Oldham Athletic, Preston North End, Stockport County, Stoke City, Barnsley and Blackpool...
: Preston North End (1989–1993), Blackpool (2003–2004) - Colin GreenallColin GreenallColin Greenall is an English former professional footballer who made over 600 Football League appearances between 1980 and 1999...
: Blackpool (1980–1986), Preston North End (1992–1993) - Michael JacksonMichael Jackson (footballer)Michael James Jackson is a retired English professional football defender.-Career:Jackson started his career as a trainee at Crewe Alexandra in 1992. During his development at Crewe, Jackson went on to play for his home town club Runcorn FC, during a loan spell and played several key games for...
: Preston North End (1997–2004), Blackpool (2006–2008) - Adam NowlandAdam NowlandAdam Christopher Nowland is an English footballer who currently plays for Washington Crossfire in the USL Premier Development League.-Early career: Blackpool and Wimbledon:...
: Blackpool (1998–2001), Preston North End (2005–2008) - Brett OrmerodBrett OrmerodBrett Ryan Ormerod is an English professional football player who plays as a forward for Blackpool. He is the only player to have scored in all four divisions for the club.-Early career: Accrington Stanley and Blackpool:...
: Blackpool (1997–2001, 2009–present), Preston North End (2006–2009) - Marlon BroomesMarlon BroomesMarlon Charles Broomes is an English professional footballer. His natural position is at centre-back or as a sweeper , although he can also play at left-back as well...
: Preston North End (2002–2005), Blackpool (2008–2009) - Matt Hill: Preston North End (2005–2008), Blackpool (2011–present)
Four players who played for one club went on to manage the other:
- Sydney BeaumontSydney BeaumontSydney Beaumont was an English professional footballer and football manager. He played at both half-back and left-wing during his career....
, who played one league game for Preston North End in 1911–12, was manager of Blackpool for the 1927–28 season - Sam AllardyceSam AllardyceSamuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
, who played for Preston North End from 1986 to 1989 and also in 1992, was manager of Blackpool from 1994 to 1996 - Paul SimpsonPaul Simpson (footballer)Paul David Simpson is an English former footballer and manager. His son Jake is also a professional footballer.-Manchester City:...
, who played for Blackpool from 2000 to 2002, was manager of Preston North End from 2006 to 2007 - Phil Brown, who played for and coached Blackpool under Allardyce between 1994 and 1996, was named manager of Preston North End in January 2011.
Prior to the 4 April 1958 derby at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool manager Joe Smith commented: "Every time we play Preston, something nearly always happens. This was one weekend when we wanted something like a full-strength team. Still, I expect the two youngsters
Malcolm Starkey
Malcolm Starkey is an English former professional footballer. He played in The Football League with Blackpool, Shrewsbury Town and Chester and later worked as secretary at Shrewsbury.-Playing career:...
and Gregson] to play with enthusiasm." Preston won 2–1, but one critic wrote: "The good thing in the match from Blackpool's point of view was the showings of Starkey and Gregson. Starkey showed just what hard grafting can achieve, while his application of the game was most promising. Both can be developed."
Supporters
On 6 May 1978, at a concert by The VibratorsThe Vibrators
- Early career:The Vibrators were founded by Ian 'Knox' Carnochan, bassist Pat Collier, guitarist John Ellis, and drummer John 'Eddie' Edwards. They first came to public notice at the 100 Club when they backed Chris Spedding in 1976. On Spedding's recommendation, Mickie Most signed them to his...
in Preston, a young man from Preston was stabbed to death during clashes between Preston and Blackpool fans. In 1996 there were 70 arrests when serious disorder broke out when the clubs met at Deepdale and pubs were trashed in Preston.
Another fan died, this time of natural causes, on 17 April 1999. Kevin Halliwell, a 47-year-old lifelong Blackpool fan, collapsed just minutes before kick-off at Deepdale and died before reaching the Royal Preston Hospital.
Despite there being no match between the two clubs since 2000, the rivalry between the two sets of fans reignited itself on 2 September 2006, when a mini-riot broke out on Preston railway station
Preston railway station
Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
between Blackpool fans returning from their match at Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
and local Preston fans returning from an England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
match in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Bottles, cans and signs were hurled as the two sets of fans fought each other, and two British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
officers were injured in what the police described as a large-scale disorder.
Blackpool were promoted to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
at the end of the 2006–07 season, winning the play-off final at Wembley. Promotion ensured that the rivalry with Preston North End would once again happen on the pitch with each club being in the Championship in the 2007–08 season. In June 2007, following threats from Blackpool and Preston hooligans to cause mayhem when the two clubs meet, Preston's top police officer, Chief Superintendent Mike Barton, warned that "The history of these derbies means we will have to have a significant policing operation both at Deepdale and Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
." This led to the police making plans for "significant operations" at the two matches involving the clubs. In November 2007 Blackpool police warned football hooligans not to attend the match in Preston on 8 December 2007. The Blackpool Gazette
Blackpool Gazette
The Blackpool Gazette is an English evening newspaper based in Blackpool, Lancashire. Published every day except Sunday, it covers the towns and communities of the Fylde coast...
reported on 17 November 2007, how comments on a message board used by the Blackpool Muckers hooligan firm claimed that Blackpool fans were planning to infiltrate the home stands at the Deepdale stadium in Preston, with members of the Preston hooligan firm also posting threats. The match had already been moved forward to a 12:30pm kick off at the request of the police in an attempt to avoid violence and local pubs told not to open until 12:00pm and not to serve alcohol until 12:30pm, the same time as the kick off.
Blackpool won the match 1–0. However, the day saw outbreaks of violence in both Preston and Blackpool. A huge police operation saw 300 police officers on duty outside Deepdale and in Preston city centre while 19 people were arrested. Blackpool fans arriving at Preston railway station
Preston railway station
Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
went through airport-style security scanners to check for potential weapons. Blackpool hooligans went on a rampage smashing windows and ripping seats out of specially chartered buses laid on to transport them from the railway station to Deepdale, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Nine people were arrested. Later that same day, a group of about 30 Preston hooligans attacked a pub in Blackpool in "revenge" throwing bins and bottles at the pub while staff and customers were inside.
The return fixture on 15 March 2008 at Bloomfield Road, was marred by racist and homophobic chanting. Nine Blackpool fans were immediately banned from the stadium for twelve months. Two fans were arrested at the match on suspicion of racial disorder. Blackpool F.C. and the police said they would be investigating whether to ban any additional fans. Some Preston fans were accused of homophobic chants and some Blackpool fans accused of racist chants. The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
stated that they were awaiting the Referees report before making a decision about whether to take any action.
Three Blackpool fans were arrested at Deepdale on 13 February 2010, when two flares were lit on the Kop during the 0–0 draw.
By contrast to the violence that sometimes surrounds the West Lancashire derby, fans of both clubs have joined together to raise money for local charities. In March 2007, Blackpool and Preston fans joined together for a seventeen-mile sponsored bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
ride between Deepdale and Bloomfield Road in aid of the Brian House Children's Hospice
Trinity - the hospice in the Fylde
Trinity – the hospice in the Fylde is a purpose built hospice in Low Moor Road, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It is set in landscaped gardens and it has a central courtyard. It was opened in 1985 after several years of planning and fund raising led by Dr David Cooper...
in Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography and administration:...
, and Derian House Children's Hospice in Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
. Dubbed as "To Hell and Back", about 140 cyclists took part.
While Blackpool fans travelled to Wembley for their 2010 play-off final with Cardiff City
Cardiff city
Cardiff City may refer to:* Cardiff city centre* Cardiff City Council* Cardiff City F.C.* Cardiff City L.F.C.* Cardiff City Stadium...
, Preston fans hurled a banner over a flyover on the M55 motorway
M55 motorway
The M55 is a motorway in Lancashire, England, which can also be referred to as the Preston Northern Bypass. It connects the seaside resort of Blackpool to the M6 at Preston. It is 11.4 miles in length.-Route:...
, and in May 2011
May 2011
May 2011 was the fifth month of the current year. It began on a Sunday and ended after 31 days on a Tuesday.- Portal:Current events :This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from May 2011....
, a plane flew over Deepdale with trailing banners mocking Preston's relegation from The Championship. In an episode of the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
quiz show Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
on May 12 2011, the conundrum 'PNECRISIS' appeared at the show's conclusion, an apparent deliberate reference put in by the show's producer, Damian Eadie, who is said to be an avid Blackpool fan.
Popular culture
In April 2008, football magazine FourFourTwoFourFourTwo
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket. Published monthly, costing £4.50, and at about 164 pages long, it published its 200th edition in February 2011...
ran a four-page article about the derby, entitled "Sheep Shaggers vs Donkey Lashers". The article concentrated on events around the match at Deepdale in December 2007, and the history of the derby.
The derby was mentioned in passing as the subject of a £1 or quid bet by Tantivy in Thomas Pynchon
Thomas Pynchon
Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. is an American novelist. For his most praised novel, Gravity's Rainbow, Pynchon received the National Book Award, and is regularly cited as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature...
's postmodern
Postmodern literature
The term Postmodern literature is used to describe certain characteristics of post–World War II literature and a reaction against Enlightenment ideas implicit in Modernist literature.Postmodern literature, like postmodernism as a whole, is hard to define and there is little agreement on the exact...
novel, Gravity's Rainbow
Gravity's Rainbow
Gravity's Rainbow is a postmodern novel written by Thomas Pynchon and first published on February 28, 1973.The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military, and, in particular, the quest...
.
External links
- "Police give blessing to 'tangerine' pub" – Blackpool GazetteBlackpool GazetteThe Blackpool Gazette is an English evening newspaper based in Blackpool, Lancashire. Published every day except Sunday, it covers the towns and communities of the Fylde coast...