Preston N.E. (H) F.L.Trophy area final 2nd leg, 27 Jan 7.45

[kshammer]

Superb. Football is about memories and Smith and his team are giving us one at Wembley.

[JAL-WFC]

Since when did we play in white?! Thought we were very static tonight. But defence was solid as a pillar.



Well, at least thats all I saw thanks to the tickets my old man and I were given!

Been going regularly for 10+ years, couldn't get our usual season ticket seats so were given 'the next best' even though we got them well before they sold out.

Were not even told that the view was blocked. Don't care if we need to make as much money as possible, you shouldn't be selling tickets with a view like this without even mentioning you have a big bloody pillar in the way.

Oh well, my neck muscles are strengthened and we are going to Wembley.

UTS

[Exile]

Better than my view of the livescore page on my phone!

Congrats to Deano and the lads. Look forward to seeing them at Wembley.

[Guest]

Since when did we play in white?! Thought we were very static tonight. But defence was solid as a pillar.



Well, at least thats all I saw thanks to the tickets my old man and I were given!

Been going regularly for 10+ years, couldn't get our usual season ticket seats so were given 'the next best' even though we got them well before they sold out.

Were not even told that the view was blocked. Don't care if we need to make as much money as possible, you shouldn't be selling tickets with a view like this without even mentioning you have a big bloody pillar in the way.

Oh well, my neck muscles are strengthened and we are going to Wembley.

UTS

Best seats in the house - for those who couldn't bear to watch...

[TheSwift]

Still over the bleemin' moon. Just want to stay at home today to soak it in more, but a bit of bragging won't hurt to compensate :D .

UTS!

[heather]

Just coming down to earth :D

Problem now, how do I get to Wembley from New Zealand without breaking the bank?!

[Guest]

Just coming down to earth :D

Problem now, how do I get to Wembley from New Zealand without breaking the bank?!

I've found a flight from Hong Kong for under HKD6500 (£550/NZD1120) if that's any help.

[heather]

Is that return?

If so, I'll look at flights to HK

But I know to go cattle class to the UK via HK is around$5000 £2500 :(

Maybe we NZ fans could get together here?

[MILO5]

We did it !!!

I think it was a very impressive performance ...disciplined and you simply couldn't have asked for more commitment .

Smith is no tactical genius but last night he got it spot on ...we kept our shape and plenty of bodies back but at the same time retained an attacking threat . The ball was in our box far too much for my heart but it was only truly backs to the walls for the last ten minutes . I am surprised Grayson allowed things to go so long before throwing caution to the wind .

It's great to be so proud of a team:

ROD ... 9 This bloke is starting to show real class . Solid handling , commanding his box , and great shot stopping . Preston must have felt over 2 legs that they were playing against Gordon Banks . It just wasn't going to go in. Cutler deserves a mention for such progress

O Connor - 6 Given a torrid time first half by Reid but hung in there . Distribution average at times but fair play to the bloke , a good game of football by a rugby prop forward .

Taylor 9 - My MOTM . Like a really good Taylor performance but on speed . He was even dribbling down the wing.

Downing 9 - What a night to pull out that performance ! Didn't put a foot wrong. And there were a lot of feet to be put in the right place .

J Chambers - 9 Superb also. A real calming presence and showed his class.


A Chambers 9 A captains performance - he was the first to really settle and seemed to be everywhere all night .

You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off - 7 - took a while to settle but gradually found his game after too much gifting possession. Probably the biggest game and atmosphere he has experienced .

Forde - 8 Apart from one woeful free kick , another solid hard working display with good use of possession.

Cook - 8 Good I thought . Attacked any spare space he had and his pace worries people. Great skill before being scythed down. Needs shooting practice but will let him off as the Barnsley half volley is still fresh in the memory .

Sawyers 8 Poor start with poor ball retention and inthink ear marked as the one to watch but hats off to him , he just got better and better and imposed himself more and more and predictably bossed our forward play when a bit more space opened up 2nd half. Clearly very much in love with the cheeky reverse ball , giving the defenders the eyes.

Bradshaw 8 Terrific work rate and perseverance . A proper handful for the defenders .


Fans 9 - A real wall of sound throughout apart from where nerves were being shredded . Am not allowing the morons who ran on the pitch early to tarnish a great night in which players and fans pulled together just like the good old days of cup runs gone by.

Where's the next round played ?

[Holbeach Saddler]

I'm fairly satisfied :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[Mazza01]

For me we never looked in any danger from the first whistle, lumping Davis upfront on his own was music to our ears and played into our hands :D

Wembley and the Green Man here we come!

[Cheesebag]

Anyone up for a private plane charter? :mrgreen:

[Exile]

Is that return?

If so, I'll look at flights to HK

But I know to go cattle class to the UK via HK is around$5000 £2500 :(

Maybe we NZ fans could get together here?

You're looking at minimum $5k return plus connections. Check with Flight Centre for best current specials. Europe "on sale" again (I.e. Fuel costs down). I'm looking at emirates to Brum then air NZ from London, leaving NZ Friday 20 leaving UK Monday 23. Best long weekend ever!

[philthesaddler]

Got the result we needed, and it's fantastic to be going to Wembley, but my god we did it in true Dean 'Mediocre' Smith style leaving a rather hollow feeling.

We were amazing at the back - solid. Lost count of the amount of times our offside trap worked.

As a spectacle, it was poor, two very average sides, and not a lot of 'football' on show. Shame to have 5000 floating fans at the game who barely saw us have a shot and string more than 3 passes together.

On a big pitch at Wembley I fancy us to win it.

[scott_powell]

Got the result we needed, and it's fantastic to be going to Wembley, but my god we did it in true Dean 'Mediocre' Smith style leaving a rather hollow feeling.

We were amazing at the back - solid. Lost count of the amount of times our offside trap worked.

As a spectacle, it was poor, two very average sides, and not a lot of 'football' on show. Shame to have 5000 floating fans at the game who barely saw us have a shot and string more than 3 passes together.

On a big pitch at Wembley I fancy us to win it.

Yawn

[Holbeach Saddler]

we did it in true Dean 'Mediocre' Smith style leaving a rather hollow feeling.

Not worthy of you Phil. You need to chill out
Best night in over a decade.

(And I do like the fact you are consistant)

[aaaae]

I think you are being too harsh Phil. Cook, Bradshaw & Sawyers all had very good chances, which with a little composure they could have scored and in the second half the ref might as well have put on a Preston shirt.

[Tom_1992]

At the end of the day we're there it doesn't matter about the performance last night, this was a two legged tie where we did the hard work in first leg and then shut them out at home! Over the 180 minutes we completely deserved to progress and let's not forget we have beaten Sheff Utd, Rochdale and now Preston during this run all who are pushing for the play offs!

It's also worth remembering that over 3 games this season we've beaten Preston (who have one of the best squads in the division) 5-1 on aggregate!

And Phil, I've read a lot of your posts and your obsession you have with getting rid of Dean Smith but seriously what more do you think another manager could achieve? I'm genuinely interested, as Deano has got us playing reasonably attractive football on a mediocre budget, he's developed and sold on three of our best talents in recent years (Grigg, Brandy and Paterson) and then rebuilt the squad to a level where we can be competitive! There's a 'philosophy' that everyone can see, from the youth team right the way through the club, and now we're going to have a fantastic day out at Wembley! Obviously we all want to be playing at a higher level, but realistically the way the club is set up at the moment we've given ourselves the best chance of achieving that goal since Graydon was here.

Personally I think Dean Smith, and his management style, and Walsall F.C. are the perfect fit...

[SWS1]

D'you know what? I'm glad now I painted our garages with Johnstone's paints last year :mrgreen: (sourced locally!). :mrgreen:
I'm still in the well-known American State of Euphoria, at the State University of Euphoria (known affectionately as Euphoric State). (For afficionados of novelist David Lodge). :D

[Leatherman]

I wonder if PNEThor attended - or maybe the curfew times on his tag stop him going to night games?

In any case, it was good of him to lend O'Connor his 'special' hat.

[Leatherman]

Got the result we needed, and it's fantastic to be going to Wembley, but my god we did it in true Dean 'Mediocre' Smith style leaving a rather hollow feeling.

We were amazing at the back - solid. Lost count of the amount of times our offside trap worked.

As a spectacle, it was poor, two very average sides, and not a lot of 'football' on show. Shame to have 5000 floating fans at the game who barely saw us have a shot and string more than 3 passes together.

On a big pitch at Wembley I fancy us to win it.

It's nice that you finish on a positive note. More of this please :)

[SWS1]

BTW - fair play (Welsh expression for credit due) to PNE. They gave it their best shot and, in truth, it would not have been a great injustice if they had won the first leg. (I'm feeling very magnanimous and forgiving - not to say smug - today). But we were clinical (not to say a trifle fortuitous) up at their place and, it appears, played a canny and effective game in the return. Oh, and it appears we have a star goalie on our hands, judging by the first leg and reports on here. :D
Chuffed to bits! :D
When will tickets go on sale? :D

[Leatherman]

BTW - fair play (Welsh expression for credit due) to PNE. They gave it their best shot and, in truth, it would not have been a great injustice if they had won the first leg. (I'm feeling very magnanimous and forgiving - not to say smug - today). But we were clinical (not to say a trifle fortuitous) up at their place and, it appears, played a canny and effective game in the return.
Chuffed to bits!
When will tickets go on sale? :D

Abou a week I think. Initial allocation about 20k.

[Tom_1992]

BTW - fair play (Welsh expression for credit due) to PNE. They gave it their best shot and, in truth, it would not have been a great injustice if they had won the first leg. (I'm feeling very magnanimous and forgiving - not to say smug - today). But we were clinical (not to say a trifle fortuitous) up at their place and, it appears, played a canny and effective game in the return.
Chuffed to bits!
When will tickets go on sale? :D

Abou a week I think. Initial allocation about 20k.

Hopefully we can sell the initial allocation! How many will we take? Is 25k a bit optimistic! :D

[Valiant]

Vale fan in peace.Many congratulations to you all long suffering fans.Delighted for Dean Smith and Richard O'Kelly( both ex- Vale).We got to Wembley for the first time in the 90s.Such an exciting time.Whatever happens ,don't let the day pass you by.See you in a few weeks.I hope your lads are still celebrating. :)

[IHTC.]

BTW - fair play (Welsh expression for credit due) to PNE. They gave it their best shot and, in truth, it would not have been a great injustice if they had won the first leg. (I'm feeling very magnanimous and forgiving - not to say smug - today). But we were clinical (not to say a trifle fortuitous) up at their place and, it appears, played a canny and effective game in the return.
Chuffed to bits!
When will tickets go on sale? :D

Abou a week I think. Initial allocation about 20k.

Hopefully we can sell the initial allocation! How many will we take? Is 25k a bit optimistic! :D

6th Feb

[JonnyOwen]

Still can't believe it.

Had an exam this morning at Wolvo Uni and I couldn't help but sing loudly on my own QUE SERA SERA as I left :lol: :lol:

I'm going insane :mrgreen:

[Guest]

Is that return?

If so, I'll look at flights to HK

But I know to go cattle class to the UK via HK is around$5000 £2500 :(

Maybe we NZ fans could get together here?

Yes.

Emirates (via Dubai) just under HKD 6500
Qatar (via Doha) slightly more.
Virgin (direct) just under HKD 7000.

All for flying out on Friday, returning on Monday or Tuesday from London.

[Guest]

More details of HKG-LHR flights.

At emirates.com
Depart HKG Fri 20 Mar Depart LHR 23, 24 or 25 Mar HKD 6759 (It's gone up since I looked earlier!)

At qatarairways.com
Depart HKG Fri 20 Mar Depart LHR Tue 24 Mar HKD 6523
If you depart HKG on the Saturday (arriving 07.15 on Sunday) it's HKD 6783.

At virgin-atlantic.com
Depart HKG Fri 20 Mar Depart LHR on 23 or 24 Mar HKD 6971
dep23.35 arr04.55 dep21.30 arr17.40

Prices are much higher if you return later than the dates above.

[Super Gabor]

Where is Sallian when you need him/her/it?

We scored zero goals last night - surely a trigger for Sallian to give us the lowdown on football tactics to address that problem? :D