Preston North End were originally a cricket club – the club’s base being in the north end of the town.
The club first took up football in 1878 as a winter fitness activity for locals, and decided to focus on it as a sport in May 1880. As one of the founding members of the Football League – and the first-ever winners of both the League and the FA Cup – Preston North End is a club steeped in a rich history.
Preston North End vs. Fulham
English Championship March 2018
Deepdale, Preston
Preston North End moved to Deepdale in 1875 originally as Preston Nelson.
The club that followed was Preston North End and they were one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888.
The name ‘North End’ came about to reflect the fact that the team played their fixtures in the north end of the town.
Deepdale has been a football location since 1875.
It has though changed greatly in recent years and bares little comparison to the Victorian era ground.
Dick Kerr Ladies F.C. were one of the earliest known women’s association football teams in England and played matches at Deepdale from 1917 to 1965.
Today a large mosaic to the Dick Kerr club is located outside the stadium.
Even by the 1890’s Deepdale was known for its ‘big’ and ‘small’ stands. Dressing rooms and seated pavilions were added as was a grandstand.
The original plans for the redeveloped Deepdale stadium had been inspired by the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa, Italy.
The similarities in terms of symmetry are evident.
Regeneration of Deepdale began in 1995 when the old West Stand was demolished to make way for the new £4.4 m Sir Tom Finney Stand. Outside the Sir Tom Finney Stand is a statue of the man himself while a mosaic of one of English football’s greatest appears on the seats within the stadium.
The next stand to be developed was the Bill Shankly Kop in 1998, followed by the Alan Kelly Town End in 2001 – which replaced the popular Town End terrace.
The old ‘Pavilion’ stand, was replaced by the ‘Invincibles Pavilion’ for the 2008–09 season. This stand was named after the 1888–89 team who were the first English League champions.
One of the most noticeable symbols of Preston NE is the club crest.
The crest with the ‘PP’ offers one of the most interesting stories from the club’s past.
When it comes to the Preston North End badge, it has remained largely unchanged since the football team was founded.
However, the meaning behind the symbols has been subject to debate.
The football club’s first ever badge depicted a lamb holding a cross, taken from the Borough’s coat of arms.
Referred to as a Paschal Lamb, it symbolizes the ‘Lamb of Saint Wilfrid’, the Patron Saint of Preston since the seventh century. The Paschal Lamb is one of the most widely known images that symbolizes the message of Christianity.
It is also a symbol of Preston and Lancashire’s turbulent religious past.
As well as the Paschal Lamb, the lettering ‘PP’ has also remained relatively constant throughout the club’s history. The letters are taken from the Latin phrase ‘Princeps Pacis’, which means ‘Prince of Peace’.
However, some believe that the PP has another meaning and the double ‘P’ stands for ‘Proud Preston’.
Of course Preston would not be North End without an association with one man.
A figure synonymous with Preston North End, club legends don’t come much greater than Sir Tom Finney.
Born in 1922, a stone’s throw from Deepdale, Tom went on to join the club as an amateur firstly in 1937.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Tom Finney stayed loyal to his hometown club throughout his entire career – despite offers from abroad.
A versatile and skillful winger, who could also operate as a center forward, Sir Tom scored 210 goals in 472 games for North End, as well as netting 30 times in 76 England caps.
He died in 2014 at the age of 91.
He was one of England’s all-time greatest players scoring in two FIFA World Cup tournaments at Switzerland 1954 (vs. Uruguay) and in Sweden 1958 (vs. USSR).