[Archived] Play-offs

[Kremmin]

Wigan up ... be kind of fun to have the Nob Enders there too wouldn't it?

Little Burnley would feel well and truly in the outer.

Or do you guys all want Preston to fall over?

I'd like to see one of the smaller clubs go up too ... more chance we'll have them covered next campaign.

[seahawkdad]

I want PNE to make it. Two reasons. The first is that one of my great-grandmothers is from Preston...so there are family ties.

Second, being a proper Yank, I like Eddie Lewis, and I'd like to see him in the Premiership.

[neekoy]

Nob End for sure, just to mess with Bumley even more

[Hypo-Luxa]

Preston for me. Gets another Lancashire club in the mix and gives us a good derby that will MAYBE fill the sits for at least one fixture....maybe.

[Ninjathunder]

Preston. More local competition.

[Cocker]

Preston for me. Gets another Lancashire club in the mix and gives us a good derby that will MAYBE fill the sits for at least one fixture....maybe.

Good point. With Preston and Wigan up there with us (and even Sunderland) we sould be able to get a few more seats filled up than when we played Southampton Norwich and Palace.

[Darth Paul]

North End - No way. We are Lancashire's Premiership Club and if we had a larger fan base I could stand the competition but as it is we need all the help we can get, from a marketing perspective.

From a footballing point of view it would be great - the more local derbies the better, but Rovers need to increase their gate and the fact is our catchment area needs to improve...as is often stated our percentage of attendees from the local population is very high, its the population figure that is the problem.

I dont imagine for one minute that North End Fans will ever come and watch Rovers but there are plenty of peripheral towns and villages between and around us both where people have a choice. That is why we need to be the only local Premier club...

[philipl]

I agree with Darth Paul. Whilst it would be fun to relive 61/2 or whaenever it was with 9 Lancashire clubs in the top division, having Wigan and Preston provide a counter attraction to the area round Chorley which has traditionally been good Rovers supporting area would not be good.

I expect Ipswich will have a bit too much for PNE in the play-off final.

[key76]

I see where you're coming from philip but if the fairweather fans around this area aren't going to watch Rovers, I can't see them suddenly deciding to watch Preston simply because they are in the Premiership.

Granted Rovers marketing hasn't been too spectacular (ever) to draw in the extra 'drifiting' fans but I can't see Preston doing anything out of the ordinary to entice them to Deepdale.

[youandwhosearmy]

I want Preston because I had some great times when I went there for uni. My only dissapointment would be that they were not in the Premiership when i was there.

[roversmum]

Preston 'cos we'd have no trouble beating them

[Eddie]

PNE or Ipswich for me.

[waggy]

PNE

SHEFF WED

SOUTHEND

FOR ME

[jobo380]

preston and ipswich, because they are the 2 strongest teams that havent got promotion yet.

[Krillin]

I'd like Preston to earn the honour of relegation from The Premiership in 2005/06

I appreciate what has been said regarding the 'poaching' of fans from similar areas, but that has been a problem over the last few seasons with Bolton and, to a further extent, the Manchester and Liverpool clubs.

Wigan/Preston could be some of our better attendances...I'll bet Fulham (for example) are ecstatic that Wigan have been promoted and totally joyous at the thought of the Nob End coming up too; they will probably be rooting for West Ham and another London derby to help fill their coffers.

Over the last couple of seasons The Rovers seem to have taken a policy of allowing the visiting support as many tickets as they want.

With more than half of The Premiership 'northern' (3 Birmingham clubs, 3 north east clubs, potentially 8 from 'Lancashire'), Ewood should be a little more full for more games next season, even if it is with more away fans. It's all money over the turnstile at the end of the day.

The Rovers support seemed to be woken from it's slumbers for the burnley games last season, only to fall back to sleep afterwards and dwindle away.

I think our support is there, but needs motivating.

Maybe a season of 'derby games' could be the stimulus needed ?

[pick32]

north end just to make up more numbers

[Gareth]

Like most others on here: Preston

It'd be good to beat 'em twice more - just like in the promotion season.

Also it'd mean that one relegation place will be known at the start...

[ABBEY]

ID RATHER EAT GLASS THAN WANT NOB END TO GO UP ...THEY ARE MORE UP THERE ARSES ABOUT BEING A BIG CLUB THAN THE DINGLES.......ANYONE BUT SCUMMY CITYMYARSE NOBEND!

[The Producer]

Preston would be the worst outcome due to the competition for local fans - it's bad enough as it is. Ideally both them and Burnley will be relegated to Div 1 next season.

West Ham next worst as they would get large crowds in the Premiership and soon be able to splash some cash, and being in London would be a prime target for any future Abramovich.

Ipswich and Derby would both be fine as both have big debts and are never going to be big spenders.

Unfortunately, I think West Ham will be the team to go up rather than Ipswich or Derby.

[FINRover]

I agree Darth Paul message.

I want to see West Ham or Derby next season in the Premier league.

But if Preston play next season in Premier league, I have better change on the spot look at one local derby.

[roverthemoon]

Ipswich

Sheffield Wed

Southend

[colin]

Surely the question of Preston taking fans away from Ewood may be tempered by

(a) I wouldn't be surprised if Rovers & Preston played home matches on different days so there must be a very special type of person who is going to alter their football habits if PNE get promoted. The person will like watching football, but is a neutral, and has decided to watch only premiership games and not championship ones. Can't be many around.

(b)just how many more PNE fans will buy tickets for Ewood that Southampton, Norwich or Palace ever did? Probably more than all three put together

[robbojohnno]

Preston because I live there or Derby because I hate West Ham and Derby are much more "easy easy easy" to beat than Ipswich IMO

[BRFC4EVA]

Its the Nob enders for me, as i much prefer to travel the 10miles or whatever it is there, rather the mission down to east london or ipswich. Both awful journey's and wouldnt bring as many fans as the Nob enders. Might help our average crowd a little bit!

[rog of the rovers]

Preston North End (so we have 14 Local Derbies next season!

Tranmere (Localish club)

Macclesfield (Another Localish club)