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Key information about Deepdale Stadium

Deepdale Stadium was built in 1875 and is now Preston North End’s safe haven. The ground is located in the Deepdale area of Preston in England, on a land that was once known as Deepdale Farm.

The stadium’s official capacity stands at 23,404 and has a pitch with the proportions of 100m x 70m. There is no running track surrounding the field and the surface has no undersoil heating installed as of right now.

So far, the record league attendance at Deepdale Stadium was set on 23 April 1938 when 42,684 supporters watched Preston North End square against Arsenal in the First Division.

A history of Deepdale Stadium

Needless to say, the Deepdale Stadium is dripping with history and significance since it is still recognised as the oldest professional footballing site in the world in continuous use. And Preston North End have been loyal to their ground since it was erected back in 1875 and leased by the club’s members. At first, however, it would only be used for cricket and rugby.

Deepdale Stadium hosted its first league match on 8 September 1888 as Preston smashed the visiting locals, Burnley, 5-2. In the 1890s, the club built the West Stand Paddock that ran along the touchline and that would stand for almost 100 years before it was demolished in the 1990s. But at the turn of the century and especially in the 1920s, football was booming in Preston and the club had to further expand to accommodate the ever-surging crowds.

Numerous improvements ensued as the Spion Kop was built and the West Paddock extended to meet the Kop end. Following that, the pitch was removed so they could construct the Town End, which was completed in 1928, but, unfortunately, only to be destroyed by a huge fire five years into the future and subsequently had to be rebuilt.

In 1934, the Pavilion Stand, a relatively small stand of two tiers with the changing rooms and some offices, was also constructed. It was around that time that Preston North End recorded their highest ever attendance with 42,684 watching their game against Arsenal in 1938.

After that, only smaller renovations were done as the club added a roof and even decided to put an artificial, plastic pitch in 1986 but that proved to be a highly disliked idea, resulting in Preston ripping it up in 1994, by which time it was already the last remaining plastic pitch in the English league.

Around that time, the club embarked on their biggest improvements to date, inspired by the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa. This would result in the entire reconstruction of Deepdale Stadium as the Sir Tom Finney Stand was built in place of the old main stand – it would also have press areas and restaurants – and was followed two years later by the new Bill Shankly Kop, located behind the goal.

In 2001, the Alan Kelly Town End replaced the Town End terrace and some years later, in 2008, a 25-metre screen was also erected on the roof of the Bill Shankly Kop. Finally, the old ‘Pavilion’ stand was replaced by the ‘Invincibles Pavilion’ in the 2008/09 campaign, as tribute to their invincible season from 1888/89.

The stadium is now an all-seater with a capacity of 23,404.

Tickets to watch Preston North End at Deepdale Stadium

All the tickets to watch Preston North End at Deepdale Stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The price varies on multiple factors but the most expensive adult ticket in the Premium section costs £30.

Season tickets and half-season tickets are also available and Preston North End offer discounts for the disabled as well as youngsters wanting to watch some of their very first games of football. All information can be found on the aforementioned site.

Related links

https://www.pnefc.net/ – Official website of Preston North End

Chelsea could have a transfer battle on their hands as Inter Milan have registered their interest in Olivier Giroud.

The Serie A side are reportedly eyeing up the Frenchman as well as Emerson Palmieri as they look to strengthen their squad this summer (according to Tuttosport, via Sport Witness).

Ex-Blues boss Antonio Conte is seemingly planning to raid his former club to fulfil his transfer window wish list. The Italian has ‘accelerated’ his pursuit for Palmieri as the club look to bolster their options in defence.

Giroud is reportedly a long-term target of Inter and, following the 33-year-old’s recent form, it’s understandable why the Serie A giants are keen.

Since the restart, Giroud has netted four of Chelsea’s goals, including the vital winner against Norwich in a cagey 1-0 victory on Tuesday (via Sofascore). Should Frank Lampard’s side secure Champions League football next season, the France international should be lauded for his efforts to help nudge his side over the line.

With Timo Werner arriving at Chelsea this summer for a reported £48m, it’s not up for debate that the German will probably start almost every match under Lampard.

However, this would not be a wholly new situation for Giroud. Only since the Premier League resumed has he been the manager’s first choice – prior to the break, the 33-year-old spent 20 league games sidelined or on the bench in favour of Tammy Abraham (via Transfermarkt).

His goal-scoring ability will be hugely beneficial for Chelsea moving forward, especially if injury strikes for Werner or Abraham. BBC pundit Gary Lineker has lauded Giroud’s talent and has branded him as an ‘underrated’ player following his performance against Norwich.

Whilst Chelsea look to re-establish themselves and challenge for next season’s Premier League title, they should look to hold onto the striker for as long as they can.

How would you rate Olivier Giroud’s time at Chelsea so far, Blues? Have your say in the comments below…

Leeds United are back in the big-time after an arduous 16-year absence and they could kickstart their ambitions with a swoop for a player that’s done it on the biggest stage.

What’s the word?

According to Phil Hay at The Athletic, the Yorkshire giants have ‘cast their eye’ over AS Roma star Alessandro Florenzi with the Italian expected to leave the Serie A outfit this summer.

He also claims that he’s a player that would suit Marcelo Bielsa due to his versatility – being able to play both right-back and in central midfield.

Although the Whites face a battle to secure him as Florenzi would prefer to stay in his native country with the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Sampdoria all keen on signing him too.

Shades of Dallas

Florenzi, who is valued at £14.4m by Transfermarkt, has endured an indifferent season in the Italian capital playing just 14 times before a loan switch to Valencia.

But he’s a player that the Premier League newcomers should absolutely be looking at as he’d bring a wealth of experience which has seen him competing on the international stage and across Europe for several years.

The 29-year-old has been capped 35 times by Italy and has notched 42 appearances across the Champions and Europa League.

A move for Florenzi would certainly feel very similar to that of Stuart Dallas as the 5 foot 8 ace is deft in multiple positions – other than being a goalkeeper or a striker, he’s played in just about every other role imaginable.

Javier Zanetti once lauded the right-back as his heir, admiring his attitude to the game, whilst Brazil legend Dani Alves described Florenzi as a “fantastic player” who’s “got quality in abundance and a wonderful touch.”

Whilst it remains to be seen exactly how much the Roma ace would command, Victor Orta and co should absolutely try to land him given his versatility and experience in the top-flight.

AND in other news, Orta can resolve huge Bielsa headache if he lands £15m target…

Coventry City goalkeeper Marko Marosi has heaped praise on the club’s new summer signing Gustavo Hamer.

The 23-year-old became Coventry boss Mark Robins’ first signing ahead of their much anticipated return to the Championship after gaining promotion as League One champions this year.

The Dutch youth international arrived at the Sky Blues for a fee of £1.5m and has a good amount of experience in Dutch football, having made his professional first team debut for Feyenoord against Ajax back in 2017.

Following a short loan spell with Dordrecht in the Eerste Divisie, Hamer joined PEC Zwolle and it was his performances there which gained a move to the Midlands based side.

Shot-stopper Marosi has now handed fans some optimism over Hamer’s signing by touching on his impact and character since joining the Sky Blues.

“Gustavo is unbelievable,” he told Sky Blues Extra podcast as quoted by Coventry Telegraph. “He is a funny guy as well and a great character.

“All of them have been great to be fair, it is nice to have Callum [O’Hare] and [Ryan] Giles back. They’re nice, old faces.”

Joining Hamer at Coventry this summer is Julien Dacosta, who joined from Chamois Niortais on a free transfer and they have since been joined by three more players.

Callum O’Hare was next to be announced as a Coventry signings, agreeing a permanent move from Aston Villa, whilst Marcel Hilssner and Ryan Giles then came on board.

Gustavo Hamer has made quite the impression since joining Coventry behind the scenes it seems, and fans will be excited to see him play his first league game at for the club.

Mark Robins has made some excellent signings this summer and more could follow as the new Championship season gets closer and closer.

How much of an impact do you think Hamer will make at Coventry? Let us know in the comments section below…

Talk about potentially one of the shock transfers of this summer. Despite their north London rivalry, it appears Tottenham are very keen on luring a player from arch-rivals Arsenal as they look ahead to Jose Mourinho’s first full season in charge at the club.

The Sun claim that Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been told he can leave the Emirates despite starting in the FA Cup final, with Mikel Arteta having to sacrifice the home-grown star in order to raise funds for new signings.

The report suggests the Gunners will be looking to get around £30m for the Englishman, and that within days of being put on the market, every Premier League side in London except Chelsea registered their interest.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…



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Whether Maitland-Niles would consider crossing the north London border remains to be seen, but the 22-year-old did prove that he can be a valuable asset to any team.

He started both the FA Cup semi-final and final as a make-shift left wing-back, and performed admirably, keeping the likes of Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount in check.

Described as having “great quality” by former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, Maitland-Niles has even been compared to ex-Spurs hero Gareth Bale.

After watching his performance in a Europa League away win against Napoli, Tony Cascarino said: “I saw the next Gareth Bale on Thursday — and he was wearing an Arsenal shirt. Sorry, Spurs fans. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is a full back who is not really a full back, just like Bale when he joined Tottenham in 2007. He has fierce pace and gets in great positions to score and create chances.”

That may be a bit of a stretch, but Spurs could get someone in Maitland-Niles who offers Jose Mourinho’s side some versatility and another home-grown player to fit the quota.

With AFC Bournemouth going down to the Championship for the upcoming 2020/21 season, the Cherries were always well aware of the fact other Premier League sides might raid their squads entirely.

And this is exactly what could happen pretty soon if the reports from The Sun are to be believed. The outlet says that David Moyes is planning a double-swoop of Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson.

Of course, the transfer for the latter player would cost him around £18m but Fraser would then come for free, making the raid cost only that amount and meaning West Ham are in for a two-for-one kind of deal.

But this is not exactly set in stone. Crystal Palace are also said to be interested in Fraser and Moyes will first have to ensure the player actually chooses them instead of the Eagles.

Palace have reportedly tabled the 26-year-old a £50,000-a-week deal but West Ham should be able to match that amount and convince him to join them instead.

Wilson could also be a difficult case since he, just like Fraser, is not short on admirers and the queue for his signature might be even longer. The Sun mentions the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Newcastle United as clubs who are looking to snatch him up.

However, the player himself seems to be leaning towards a move to the Hammers. Now it’s all about sealing the deal and bringing the player in.

That, of course, is often easier said than done.

Verdict

There have been concerns about Moyes not exactly having his priorities straight in the ongoing summer transfer window. West Ham need defensive reinforcements so splashing the cash on other areas first is a weird move.

However, getting two quality players for £18m does sound like a step in the right direction. They can’t spend much so they have to spend smart and this is exactly the way to do it.

Aston Villa’s latest move should strike shades of Stewart Downing into the Midlands if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mirror, Dean Smith’s side are leading the charge to sign Liverpool misfit Harry Wilson this summer but the Premier League champions refuse to budge on their £20m valuation.

It’s claimed that Villa would be prepared to offer up to £12m and are waiting to see if the Merseysiders ‘blink first’.

The likes of Leeds United, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Southampton have all also shown interest in the 23-year-old.

Shades of Downing

Wilson has struggled to break into Jurgen Klopp’s senior line-up since making his debut in 2017, and it has seen him go out on loan four times with the latest coming at relegated AFC Bournemouth last term.

Per WhoScored, the Welsh international scored seven times in 31 appearances whilst averaging 1.8 shots, 0.5 dribbles and 0.5 key passes per game.

He’s also widely known as a set-piece specialist, which earned high praise from his German boss earlier in the season, he said: “I am happy he cannot play against us! Each free-kick is a proper threat. We were never in doubt about Harry’s shooting abilities, his skills in that part of the game are incredible – world-class, for sure.”

Having someone who can deliver a decent ball in is something that Villa have lacked for several years, perhaps dating back to Downing’s time at Villa Park.

The club splashed £12m on the veteran winger back in 2009 after a very encouraging spell at Middlesbrough but there are clearly similarities between the two with the pair being dead-ball experts.

Smith does indeed have a few options out wide, but Wilson would undoubtedly be an upgrade on Jota and perhaps, a nice squad option to have going into the new campaign.

AND in other news, Smith must land 1-2 sucker-punch with a swoop for £20m sensation…

Leeds United have a number of talented young players on their books, but with the club now battling it out in the Premier League, some of these players have had to be loaned out in order to earn some first-team experience.

Robbie Gotts is tipped to join Huddersfield or Hull in the coming days, while Alfie McCalmont and Jordan Stevens have already departed on a temporary basis.

Stevens made his first start for Swindon Town on Saturday, and his career for the Robins got off to the best possible start.

Seven minutes into his first game Stevens scored an absolute cracker that would have certainly caught Marcelo Bielsa’s eye.

In a very Bielsa-esque phase of play, Stevens showed exactly what he’s about sliding in to win the ball back high up the pitch before playing a one-two that saw him free on the edge of the Burton box.

The winger then took aim, firing the ball low towards the far post, with the ball nestling in the bottom corner to put his new side 1-0 up.

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The move had Bielsa’s fingerprints all over it with Stevens’ pressing intensity and work-rate directly leading to the goal.

Unfortunately, things quietened down after that goal, with the 20-year-old not having another shot for the rest of the game.

However, his defensive stats throughout the whole match do stand out, especially when you consider he was playing on the wing.

The youngster made two tackles and one interception during the match, and with Bielsa emphasising pressing and defensive output from his attackers, it’s good to see that his influence has seemingly rubbed off on Stevens.

It’s a long season, but if the Leeds loanee can keep this form up throughout the campaign he could be one to watch.

All in all, it has been a rather fantastic transfer window for Everton and the deprture of Sandro Ramirez put the icing on the cake for some fans.

The Toffees made three major signings earlier on in the window, with Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and James Rodriguez coming in – all three have made a huge difference, with Carlo Ancelotti’s men currently sitting at the top of the table having won all four of their opening Premier League fixtures.

They also dipped into the market on deadline day too, bringing in Ben Godfrey and Robin Olsen. Not only that, they were also able to shift Theo Walcott on loan, whilst Sandro Ramirez left the club permanently.

Since signing in 2017, Ramirez made just 16 appearances, scoring one goal – such was the lack of impact he made, the club did not even announce on their Twitter page that he had departed.

The Toffees fans, though, were absolutely delighted that he has left the club, and commended sporting director Marcel Brands for the deal. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

Leeds United have had some transfer shockers over the years.

A club that has been on the brink of going out of business in the not so distant past are bound to have had some awful signings along the way, and while there have been some huge blunders, the signing of Jean-Kevin Augustin may end up going down as their biggest error ever if things don’t go their way.

At the moment, the top contender for worst Leeds signing ever is probably Seth Johnson, a transfer we have covered before, but the long and short of it is that Leeds’ chairman inadvertently offered him a wage almost three-times higher than he wanted, and he then went on to underperform massively.

He made just 54 league appearances after signing for £7m, which works out to almost £27m in today’s money according to the transfer inflation model.

However, Augustin may blow this blunder out of the water if Leeds end up losing their court case against RB Leipzig.

The German club are still chasing the €21m (£18m) that United agreed to pay for Augustin if they got promoted, but with the pandemic extending the season, the club believe they have a way out of that.

Meanwhile, Augustin has just signed for Nantes on a free transfer, so if United lose their case against Leipzig, they may pay £18m for a player that isn’t even theirs.

It’s an absolute mess and it’s a completely unprecedented situation, so we can’t even compare it to another deal to predict what the outcome will be.

Leipzig aren’t letting this one go easily with Florian Scholz saying that they still want their money and it’s all in the hands of their lawyers.

It wouldn’t be such a big deal if Augustin had helped Leeds get promoted, and it may have even been seen as money well spent, but after three substitute appearances and zero goals, all while picking up £90k-a-week, which Leeds fully paid, this will undoubtedly go down as one of the worst transfers in the club’s history should they have to pay £18m for a player that hasn’t contributed to the club one bit.