The 2014–15 season was Preston North End's 127th in the Football League. It was their fourth consecutive season in the third tier of English football, League One, following failure to be promoted by play-offs the previous season for the ninth time."Lee Frecklington believes nerves will be a key factor" – The Football League, 9 May 2014. The season ended with Preston being promoted to the Championship via the play-offs, following a 4–0 win over Swindon Town at Wembley Stadium.
Season overview In his second summer in charge Simon Grayson signed 5 players permanently – Jamie Jones, Calum Woods, Jordan Hugill, Andy Little and Kyel Reid and brought Paul Gallagher in on a season long loan. Preston also signed Callum Robinson on a two-month youth loan in September and Jermaine Beckford on a season long loan in November.
Preston allowed 9 players to leave Deepdale during the summer, those being Chris Beardsley, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Ryan Croasdale, Graham Cummins, Iain Hume, John Mousinho, Alex Nicholson, Nicky Wroe and Stuart Beavon.
Preston started the season strongly, winning 2 and drawing 3 of the first five league games of the season. Preston suffered their first league loss of the season, against Walsall F.C. in their sixth game of the season. Of their next 8 games, Preston won 7 and drew 1. After their first 14 games, Preston were in 2nd place, on 31 points, two points behind league leaders Bristol City F.C., but 5 points clear of 3rd place Swindon Town F.C.
Preston then went on to lose their next 3 league games, against Rochdale, Swindon Town F.C. and Bradford City.
In the midst of the league campaign, Preston were involved in 3 separate cup competitions. Preston found success in the Football League Trophy, reaching the Northern section final – losing 2–0 on aggregate to Walsall. In the League Cup, Preston faced, and defeated Rochdale in round 1, before being beaten by Middlesbrough in the second round. In the opening 3 rounds of the FA Cup, Preston defeated Havant & Waterlooville in the first round, Shrewsbury Town in the second and Norwich City in the third round to put them in the hat for a potentially money-spinning trip to a Premier League side in the fourth round of the cup.
Meanwhile, in Preston's next 10 games, they won 4, drew 4 and lost 2 – although they did go on a 5 match winless run, culminating in a loss against Crawley Town. During this run, Preston also faced Sheffield United in the FA Cup in the fourth Round. They drew 1–1 in the first game, before winning 3–1 in the replay. This set up a fifth round home tie against Manchester United.
Following Preston securing a home tie in the FA Cup against Manchester United, they went on an 18-game unbeaten run, winning 12 and drawing 6 of those games, including notable wins against promotion rivals MK Dons and Swindon Town placed them in prime position for automatic promotion, needing to win against relegation threatened Colchester United on the final day. Preston lost the game 1–0, whilst MK Dons won, meaning that Preston finished the season in 3rd place and were in the play-offs again. Simon Grayson's side had been in the top two since the start of March and had not lost in the league since 31 January. They faced Chesterfield in the semifinals of the playoffs.
In the FA Cup, Preston lost 3–1 to Manchester United, despite taking the lead through Scott Laird. That was Preston's only defeat during their unbeaten run between January and May.
In the first leg of the playoffs, Preston won 1–0, thanks to a goal from Jermaine Beckford. In the second leg they won 3–0 thanks to Joe Garner's penalty and Jermaine Beckford's brace. They won the semifinals 4–0 on aggregate and set up a play off final against Swindon Town. Preston, who had never won in the playoffs in their previous nine appearances – which was a record at the time, beat Swindon Town 4–0 in the play-off final, including a hat-trick by Jermaine Beckford, winning promotion to the Championship."Preston 4–0 Swindon" – BBC Sport, 24 May 2015
Squad No. Name Position (s) Nationality Place of Birth Date of Birth (Age) Club caps Club goals Signed from Date signed Fee Contract End Goalkeepers1Jamies JonesGKKirkby200Leyton Orient1 July 2014Free30 June 201621Thorsten StuckmannGKGütersloh750Free agent1 November 2011Free30 June 201526Steven JamesGKStockport00Academy1 July 2013Trainee30 June 201534Sam JohnstoneGKPreston260Manchester United12 January 2015Loan30 June 2015 Defenders3Scott LairdLB/LM/CMTaunton1047Stevenage27 May 2012Free30 June 20154Scott WisemanRB/CBKingston upon Hull462Barnsley10 January 2014Free30 June 20155Tom ClarkeCB/RBSowerby Bridge1077Huddersfield Town22 May 2013Free30 June 20156Bailey WrightCBMelbourne1408Academy1 July 2009Trainee30 June 201515Calum WoodsLB/RBLiverpool270Huddersfield Town1 July 2014Free30 June 201616David BuchananLB/LMRochdale870Tranmere Rovers24 May 2012Free30 June 201520Ben DaviesLB/CBBarrow-in-Furness90Academy25 January 2013Trainee30 June 201623Paul HuntingtonCB/RBCarlisle12015Yeovil Town1 July 2012Free30 June 201533Nick AndertonLB 00Academy1 July 2014Trainee30 June 2015 Defenders2Keith KeaneCM/RBLuton743Luton Town1 July 2012Free30 June 20157Chris HumphreyRW/RBSaint Catherine1037Motherwell4 June 2013Free30 June 20158Neil KilkennyCMEnfield783Bristol City14 November 2013Free30 June 201611Lee HolmesLM/RM/AMMansfield736Southampton29 May 2012Free30 June 201517Kyel ReidLW/RWDeptford260Bradford City1 July 2014Free30 June 201619John WelshCMLiverpool1283Tranmere Rovers14 May 2012Free30 June 201522Jack KingCM/CF/CBOxford10010Woking31 May 2012Free30 June 201524Daniel JohnsonCMKingston238Aston Villa23 January 2015£50,00030 June 201730Josh BrownhillCMWarrington567Academy1 July 2013Trainee30 June 201531Alan BrowneCMCork404Free agent1 January 2014Free30 June 2016 Forwards9Kevin DaviesCFSheffield856Bolton Wanderers10 July 2013Free30 June 201510Jermaine BeckfordCFLondon3016Bolton Wanderers20 November 2014Loan30 June 201512Paul GallagherCF/RWGlasgow10725Leicester City5 July 2014Loan31 May 201514Joe GarnerCF/RWBlackburn10149Watford8 January 2013Free30 June 201518Andy LittleCF/FBEnniskillen162Rangers21 June 2014Free30 June 201625Jordan HugillCFMiddlesbrough62Port Vale19 June 2014Undisclosed30 June 201627Callum RobinsonCFNorthampton277Aston Villa2 February 2015Loan30 June 201533Jack RyanCFBarrow-in-Furness20Academy1 July 2014Trainee30 June 201540Sylvan Ebanks-BlakeCFCambridge121Ipswich Town1 January 2015Free30 June 2015
Statistics
|colspan=14|Players who have left the club:
Play-off appearances
Captains
Goals record
Rank No. Po. Name League One FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Play-offs Total114FW Joe Garner 25001127210FW Jermaine Beckford 12000618312FW Paul Gallagher 7501013423DF Paul Huntington 520119524MF Daniel Johnson 800008627FW Callum Robinson 40030777MF Chris Humphrey 400105831MF Alan Browne 300003103DF Scott Laird 0101024DF Scott Wiseman 2000025DF Tom Clarke 10010218FW Andy Little 10100225FW Jordan Hugill 00110230MF Josh Brownhill 200002166DF Bailey Wright 1000018MF Neil Kilkenny 0010019FW Kevin Davies 10000122MF Jack King 10000140FW Sylvan Ebanks-Blake 100001Own Goals 100001Total 7883107106
Disciplinary record
No. Po. Name League One FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Play-offs Total 1GK Jamie Jones 1000000000103DF Scott Laird 3010000000404DF Scott Wiseman 3000000000305DF Tom Clarke 6000002010906DF Bailey Wright 3000000000307MF Chris Humphrey 3000000000308MF Neil Kilkenny 4010101000709FW Kevin Davies 20100000003010FW Jermaine Beckford 40000000105012FW Paul Gallagher 50200010109014FW Joe Garner 800000101010015DF Calum Woods 20000010003016DF David Buchanan 20000000002018FW Andy Little 20000010003019MF John Welsh 90000000009021GK Thorsten Stuckmann 00100000001022MF Jack King 20100000003023DF Paul Huntington 70100000008024MF Daniel Johnson 10000000001025FW Jordan Hugill 01000000000131MF Alan Browne 10001000002034GK Sam Johnstone 200000000020Total 70180207040951
Contracts
Transfers
In
Loans in
Out
Loans out
Match details
Pre-season
League One
League table
Matches
Play-offs
FA Cup
League Cup
Football League Trophy
Overall summary
Summary Games played 63 (46 League One, 6 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 6 League Trophy, 3 Play-offs)Games won 36 (25 League One, 4 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 3 League Trophy, 3 Play-offs)Games drawn 16 (14 League One, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, '''2'''''' League Trophy, Play-offs)Games lost 10 (7 League One, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 League Trophy, Play-offs)Goals scored 84 (79 League One, 8 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, 10 League Trophy, 8 Play-offs)Goals conceded 56 (40 League One, 5 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, 6 League Trophy, 0 Play-offs)Goal difference +28Clean sheets 30 (20 League One, 3 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 3 League Trophy, 3 Play-offs)Yellow cards 91 (70 League One, 8 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 7 League Trophy, 4 Play-offs)Red cards 1 (1 League One, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 League Trophy)Worst discipline Joe Garner (11 , 0 )Best result W 5–1 vs Crewe Alexandra (15 Mar 15)Worst result L 0–3 vs Rochdale (1 Nov 14)Most appearances Tom Clarke (45 (1) Chris Humphrey (34 (12) Paul Gallagher (45 (1)Top scorer Joe Garner (27)Points 89
Score overview OppositionHome scoreAway scoreDoubleBarnsley1–01–1Bradford City1–23–0Bristol City1–11–0Chesterfield3–32–0Colchester United4–20–1Coventry City1–02–0Crawley Town2–01–2Crewe Alexandra5–11–1Doncaster Rovers2–21–1Fleetwood Town3–21–1Gillingham2–21–0Leyton Orient2–22–0Milton Keynes Dons1–12–0Notts County0–03–1Oldham Athletic1–04–0Peterborough United2–01–0Port Vale2–02–2Rochdale1–00–3Scunthorpe United2–04–0Sheffield United1–11–2Swindon Town3–00–1Walsall1–01–3Yeovil Town1–12–0
Club staff PositionNameManagerSimon GraysonAssistant managerGlynn SnodinFirst team coachJohn DreyerGoalkeeping coachAlan Kelly, Jr.PhysioMatt Jackson
References