The 2013–14 season was Preston North End's 126th year in the Football League and their third consecutive season in the third division of English football, Football League One.
Season overview In Simon Grayson's first summer in charge, he permanently signed 4 players, Tom Clarke, a centreback, Chris Humphrey, a right winger, Kevin Davies, a Centre forward and Alex Nicholson, a right back. He also signed Declan Rudd on a season long loan from Norwich City. He allowed 3 players to leave during the summer, those being Luke Foster, Chris Robertson and Andrew Procter.
The 2013–14 season started off well, unbeaten in their first 9 league games. They also beat local rivals Blackpool in the League Cup, before being beaten by Lancashire rivals Burnley in the second round.
The 9 league game unbeaten run came to an end on 5 October, against Peterborough United, a 2–0 defeat and was followed up with another 2–0 defeat, against Crewe. Preston then went on another 9 game unbeaten league run, winning 5 and drawing 4, including a win against Leyton Orient, only their second league defeat of the season. The unbeaten run came to an end after a 3–0 home defeat to Brentford, but was followed up with 3 more consecutive wins, against Carlisle United, Shrewsbury Town and Port Vale.
Preston's FA Cup campaign started off successfully, with a 6–0 win over Barnet in the first round. That was followed up with a 1–0 over Wycombe Wanderers.
Preston's 2nd game of 2014 was against Wolves, which ended in a 2–0 defeat. In the FA Cup, Preston came up against Ipswich Town in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, drawing 1–1, before winning 3–2 in the replay. In the fourth round of the FA Cup, Preston were drawn against Nottingham Forest. They drew 0–0 before Preston lost 0–2 in the replay.
Following that loss, Preston then went onto a 12-game unbeaten run in the league, their 3rd of the season, which strengthened North End's position in the play off positions, placing them 17 points ahead of 7th placed M.K. Dons, with 27 points available. The unbeaten run was then lost after a 1–0 defeat by Swindon Town, but was followed up with two consecutive wins against Peterborough United and Crawley Town, which all but secured their play off place, being 18 points clear of M.K. Dons, with 18 points to play for. The next game was a 1–1 draw with Bristol City followed up with a 6–1 romp against Carlisle United.
Preston won two and lost two of their final four league games of the season. They lost 1–0 to Brentford Preston then went on to beat Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham, moving them up to 3rd place. The final game of the season was against Crewe, which they lost 2–1, meaning they ended the season in 5th place.
The result meant that Preston would face Rotherham United in the League One play-offs. The first leg ended in a 1–1 draw after top scorer Joe Garner produced a breathtaking equaliser for the home side. In the second leg, Preston took an early lead through Paul Gallagher, but went on to concede 3 goals; losing 3–1 on the night and 4–2 on aggregate.
League One Data
League table
Result summary
Result by round
Kits
Squad No. Name Position (s) Nationality Place of Birth Date of Birth (Age) Club caps Club goals Int. caps Int. goals Date signed Signed from Fee Contract End Goalkeepers1Thorsten StuckmannGKGütersloh570––1 November 2011Free agentFree30 June 201523Declan RuddGKDiss140––18 June 2013Norwich CityLoan31 May 201426Steven JamesGKStockport (age 18)––––1 July 2013AcademyTrainee30 June 2014 Defenders3Scott LairdLB/LM/CMTaunton244––27 May 2012StevenageFree30 June 20144Paul HuntingtonCB/RBCarlisle434––1 July 2012Yeovil TownFree30 June 20145Tom ClarkeCB/DMSowerby Bridge––––22 May 2013Huddersfield TownFree30 June 20156Bailey WrightCB/RB/LBMelbourne593––1 July 2009AcademyTrainee30 June 201516David BuchananLB/LMRochdale380––24 May 2012Tranmere RoversFree30 June 201418Shane Cansdell-SherriffCB/LB/DMSydney221––16 May 2012Shrewsbury TownFree30 June 201420Ben DaviesCBBarrow-in-Furness30––25 January 2013AcademyTrainee30 June 201428Alex NicholsonRB/RWNewcastle upon Tyne––––26 September 2013Free agentFree30 June 201432Scott WisemanRB/CBKingston upon Hull ––1010 January 2014BarnsleyFree30 June 2015 Midfielders2Keith KeaneDM/RBLuton311––1 July 2012Luton Town30 June 20147Chris HumphreyRW/LWSaint Catherine––204 June 2013MotherwellFree30 June 20158Nicky WroeCM/RMSheffield3711––16 May 2012Shrewsbury TownFree30 June 201411Lee HolmesLM/RM/AMMansfield333––29 May 2012SouthamptonFree30 June 201413Joel ByromCMOswaldtwistle272––1 July 2012StevenageFree30 June 201419John WelshCM/RMLiverpool421––14 May 2012Tranmere RoversFree30 June 201421John MousinhoCMIsleworth271––29 May 2012StevenageFree30 June 201422Jack KingAM/CF/CBOxford457––31 May 2012WokingFree30 June 201424Will HayhurstLM/RMLongbridge274––1 January 2012AcademyTrainee30 June 201525Ryan CroasdaleCMLancaster––––1 July 2013AcademyTrainee30 June 201430Josh BrownhillCMWarrington31––1 July 2013AcademyTrainee30 June 201431Alan BrowneCMCork––––1 January 2014Cork CityUndisclosed30 June 201537Neil KilkennyCMEnfield9014014 November 2013Bristol CityFree30 June 2014 Forwards9Kevin DaviesCFSheffield––1010 July 2013Bolton WanderersFree30 June 201510Stuart BeavonCF/RW/AMReading379––31 August 2012Wycombe WanderersUndisclosed30 June 201412Paul GallagherCFGlasgow1911030 October 2013Leicester CityLoan2 January 201414Joe GarnerCF/RWBlackburn150––8 January 2013WatfordFree30 June 201415Graham CumminsCFCork395––31 January 2012Cork City£84,00030 June 201417Craig DaviesCFBurton upon Trent ––7031 January 2014Bolton WanderersLoan31 May 201428Iain HumeCF/RW/AMEdinburgh602238614 September 2010Barnsley£880,00030 June 201429Chris BeardsleyCFDerby223––1 August 2012StevenageFree30 June 2014
Statistics
|colspan=14|Players currently out on loan:
|colspan=14|Players who have left the club:
Play-offs statistics
Captains
Goals record
Rank No. Po. Name League One FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Play-offs Total114FWJoe Garner18500124212MFPaul Gallagher630011035DFTom Clarke41100649FWKevin Davies32000517FWCraig Davies500005Own Goals50000576DFBailey Wright400004810FWStuart Beavon20000211MFLee Holmes30000330MFJosh Brownhill300003112MFKeith Keane2000024DFPaul Huntington2000027MFChris Humphrey20000213MFJoel Byrom20000219MFJohn Welsh20000222MFJack King10000127FWIain Hume20000237MFNeil Kilkenny200002183DFScott Laird10000131MFAlan Browne100001Total721010285
Disciplinary record
No. Pos. Name League One FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Play-offs Total 2MFKeith Keane5000000000503DFScott Laird4010000000504DFPaul Huntington5000000000505DFTom Clarke6010000000706DFBailey Wright80100000201107MFChris Humphrey1000000000109FWKevin Davies41100000106110FWStuart Beavon10010000001111MFLee Holmes20001000003012MFPaul Gallagher41000000105113MFJoel Byrom00001000001014FWJoe Garner80000000008016DFDavid Buchanan20000000002017FWCraig Davies20000000002019MFJohn Welsh1000000001011022MFJack King10000000001023GKDeclan Rudd30000000003024MFWill Hayhurst00100000001027FWIain Hume20000000002031MFAlan Browne10000000001032DFScott Wiseman20000000002037MFNeil Kilkenny420000000042Total68451200050805
Suspensions served
Date Matches missed Player Reason Opponents missed27 November3Joe GarnerSuspended by FABristol City (H), Wycombe (FA), Crawley (A)30 November3 vs Bristol CityWycombe (FA), Crawley (A), Brentford (H)30 November1Bailey Wright5× Wycombe (FA)21 December1Kevin Davies5× Carlisle (A)21 December1Joe Garner5× Carlisle (A)29 December1Paul Huntington5× Port Vale (H)12 January3Kevin Davies vs Coventry CityNott'm Forest (FA), Bradford (A), Notts County (H)5 April2John Welsh10x Carlisle United (H), Brentford (A)
Contracts
Transfers
In
Loans in
Out
Loans out
Fixtures and results
Pre-season
League One
League One play-offs
FA Cup
League Cup
League Trophy
Overall summary
Summary Games played 57 (46 League One, 6 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 League Trophy, 2 Play-offs)Games won 27 (23 League One, 3 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 League Trophy, 0 Play-offs)Games drawn 19 (16 League One, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 League Trophy, 1 Play-offs)Games lost 11 (7 League One, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 League Trophy, 1 Play-offs)Goals Scored 85 (72 League One, 10 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 League Trophy, 2 Play-offs)Goals conceded 58 (46 League One, 5 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 2 League Trophy, 4 Play-offs)Goal difference +27Clean sheets 21 (17 League One, 3 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 League Trophy, 0 Play-offs)Yellow cards 80 (68 League One, 5 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 0 League Trophy, 5 Play-offs)Red cards 5 (4 League One, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 League Trophy)Worst discipline John Welsh (11 , 0 Best result 6–0 vs BarnetWorst result 0–3 vs BrentfordMost appearances Declan Rudd (54)Top scorer Joe Garner (24)Points 85
Score overview OppositionHome scoreAway scoreDoubleBradford City2–20–0Brentford0–30–1Bristol City1–01–1Carlisle United6–11–0Colchester United1–12–1Coventry City1–14–4Crawley Town1–03–3Crewe Alexandra0–21–2Gillingham3–12–1Leyton Orient1–11–0Milton Keynes Dons2–20–0Notts County2–01–0Oldham Athletic2–13–1Peterborough United3–10–2Port Vale3–22–0Rotherham United 3–3 0–0Sheffield United 0–01–0Shrewsbury Town5–21–0Stevenage3–01–1Swindon Town2–10–1Tranmere Rovers1–12–1Walsall2–13–0Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–00–2
References