View From The Town End: Preston North End

This week's Town End view comes from Preston fan Steve who posts at PNEFC.net

How would you sum up Preston's season so far?

Steady away at the moment. While criticised by many fans for so called negative tactics our manager is slowly winning supporters over, especially in the last few weeks thanks to a couple of decent away performance. A good draw away at Fulham was followed by great 2-0 victory at high flying Burnley which now sees us on 21 points from 19 games - a total a lot of us, myself included would have taken at the start of the season. In saying that, you also feel there is more to come from this Preston side.

Do you think the Championship changed much since you were last in it?

The Championship has always been a tough league. Everybody has always been capable of beating anybody and it's exactly the same this time around. Every game is a tough game to win, yes there are sides who've spent a few quid but that as always been the case in this league and it doesn't guarantee you're going to win every game. I personally don't think there is a more competitive league with the same quality than the Championship.

Any fond memories of games between the two sides?

Fond memories? Phew! Always interesting games when you play Reading we've had some real battles over the years. Been to Reading loads of times and even seen us play at Elm Park where we lost 6-1. It's a decent away trip is Reading but can't say got many fond memories!

Any not so fond ones?

Not so fond ones is a different story, I think I could write a book. The 3-2 defeat at yours in 2003 when we were into the 96th minute before you scored a winner is one I'll never forget. I talked to one of your players in the return fixture about that day and he said "that's football". He could say that again! That game had everything, pens missed, pens retaken, playing on well over the 90th min mark but as the player said to me he felt basically we were playing on till you scored. That was one long train journey home and I was gutted all the way back.

As for the debacle at our place when Alan Pardew and Martin Allen were in charge is another game nobody inside the ground that day will forget. Obviously it was a wind up from you guys but in the end you could say it worked. For anybody who wasn't there, your players on instructions from Martin Allen (you can read his side of it here)decided to "warm up" on our side of the pitch in front of our home fans. It wasn't long before it got nasty. Then we had the sight of David Moyes bursting out of the players tunnel running onto the pitch to see what the heck was going on. Stewards were now getting involved. It's one of the most surreal things I have ever seen. I had actually gone in early that day to show a couple of friends around who had never been on a football match to have a look at the ground and to sample the pre-match atmosphere. To say they were amazed was an understatement! But if you were a Reading fan you could say it paid off, we were flying at the time but Reading scored two goals that day from Butler and Forster to earn a 2 2 draw.

Who should Reading fans be wary of come Saturday?

Reading are catching us in form. We've started to create chances but more importantly started to put them away. Joe Garner will wind you up, Daniel Johnson will be ghosting outside your penalty area looking for an half chance and Will Keane the Manchester Utd loanee will size you up before adding a touch of class to the proceedings. All three will be a threat to you.

Score prediction?

Our home form as the stats show is not the best but we are due a win. I really rate Reading as you're a good side and fancy you to be in the play-offs but as it stands at the moment this could be the right time to play you guys so I'm going 2-1 Preston

Any tips for Reading fans making the trip up?

If you're like me and like to get to away games in decent time for a few beers and a look round, then Preston has a lot to offer. Plenty of decent real ale pubs, plus two Wetherspoons and if you would like a bit of culture after you go the Pub Museums is bang in the centre of the City. The walk to the ground is not the worst with a walk through the park to the stadium.