Originally Posted by
OwlsFan
((Just did 40 minute post and then posted it and got a message about lack of security authentication and lost it - aagggggrrrhh - will try again))
Back from the front after 3 days in Preston. Flew over (3.45 am start) on Friday to Manchester (a few kids on the plane in Man City colours) and then train to Preston. Sheffield Wednesday team stayed in the same hotel which was a bonus and had a few photos taken and even got on their bus. They came down to the lounge on the Friday evening as I ate sub-standard nachos and a terrible bruschetta and they drank tea and played on their phones. Interesting that the management and their various flunkies keep their distance from the players.
Kieren Westwood: the wife (I didn't have the nerve) asked could she take the photo of the players and Westwood got all the players to stand up and he beckoned me over to join them for the photo. I told him I thought he should be starting for Ireland to which he replied "fair dues". He had a quiet game and wasn't tested much with only a couple of saves to make but he did go the wrong way for the peno.
Deepdale: Nice but soulless ground with 4 square unlinked sides. Owls’ fans sold out their end amounting to 6k of the 18k attendance. Nice to see an Alan Kelly Snr Walkway. Had the misfortune to be sitting (on my hands) in front on one of those totally myopic fans who never sees any foul by their own side and questions every referee decision which goes to the opposition. He thought referee and one lineman were from Sheffield and continued on that basis even though PNE got a penalty. His chant of “You dirty Yorkshire basta*d” to an Owls player from Argentina said it all.
Corporate: I did a corporate so I could get a ticket for the game. Interesting to see who goes to these. We were at a table for 10. While there were no prawn sandwiches in evidence (beef or chicken tikka masala), our table was me, the wife (no interest in football), a friend from way back who lives in Durham but who went to school in Preston for a year when he left Ireland (rugby man with an interest in football) and his partner (she had no interest in football). The 6 locals were very friendly even though one insisted on telling me bad Irish jokes, but they do this once a year but had no great interest in the game. So out of a table of 10, one who was genuinely bothered about the result Cost £80.00 for the privilege.
Kevin Kilbane: Kevin was one of 3 ex-PNE players introduced to us. He was not impressed when introduced by the slimy compere as a "local lad and a token Irishman". "Is that what I am now?" replied Killer in not too friendly a manner but he then went on to say how delighted he was to see so many Irish at PNE and how the League of Ireland was "very under-rated" and mentioned that Dan McDonell was at the game from the Irish Independent. I grabbed KK for a second and told him, within earshot of the compere, to pay no heed to that "sh*t" about being a token Irishman and by the way would be mind taking a selfie with me to which he obliged. Before I could go through each of his 100+ caps with him, he was wisked away to some other duty.
Seani Maguire: reminds me of Shaun Maloney – small, compact, busy and with an eye for goal. Had the only shot on target in the first half. Subbed in the second half to a standing ovation. I would worry about his lack of height in a league where physicality is often the order of the day but it looks as if he’ll be given a chance.
Alan Browne: to be honest, didn’t notice him much and was subbed also in the game.
Gregg Cunningham: On the cover of the programme and 3 page article inside under the title “Captaen na Foirne”. He is currently the captain of the side due to an injury to the existing captain. He is delighted to see the Irish at PNE and the 3rd strip is now green apparently because of the influx. He keeps an eye on Galway Utd in the LoI and is happy to welcome the competition from Kevin O’Connor (not in squad). The programme describes “the wealth of talent in the Airtricity League”. In a defence dominated game Cunningham played well.
Daryl Horgan: was an unused sub.
Post match: walked in to the city centre. First pub we stopped in had signs warning about the use of illegal drugs. Next we thought of grabbing a McDonalds but there was a man mopping some blood on the pavement outside with 8 policemen and a police dog in attendance. We got the next taxi back to the hotel.
Conclusion: nice to see KK, the Alan Kelly walkway, photo with Kieren Westwood, the lots of mentions of the Irish PNE connection, 4 Irish on the field but 0 pts for the journey was the botton line.
