Rivalry
Preston's primary rivalry is with Blackpool F.C. and the Lancashire derby between the two clubs has been contested nearly 100 times across four divisions of league football. A Blackpool-supporting producer of the television show Countdown took a novel swipe at Preston by displaying the letters "PNECRISIS" for viewers to solve in May 2011. This had come after supporters at both clubs took turns mocking each other at the prospect of Preston's relegation to League 1 and Blackpool's relegation to the Championship.
Preston also enjoys local rivalries with Lancashire clubs Burnley, Blackburn Rovers and, to a lesser extent, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic. The club has also had clashes with Derby County, which many fans consider to be its biggest historic rival, along with Carlisle United and Sheffield United. There is still a long-continued rivalry with Leeds United, after many of the first-team players joined Leeds United around 2004, causing a great deal of resentment towards them. There was also an acrimonious 3–1 defeat on aggregate against Leeds in the play-off where United finished the second leg with only nine men. Preston recently defeated Leeds 6–4, in a match during which they came back from 1–4 down, thus becoming the first team ever to score six goals at Elland Road.
Read more about this topic: Preston North End F.C.
Famous quotes containing the word rivalry:
“Sisters define their rivalry in terms of competition for the gold cup of parental love. It is never perceived as a cup which runneth over, rather a finite vessel from which the more one sister drinks, the less is left for the others.”
—Elizabeth Fishel (20th century)
“It seems to me that we have to draw the line in sibling rivalry whenever rivalry goes out of bounds into destructive behavior of a physical or verbal kind. The principle needs to be this: Whatever the reasons for your feelings you will have to find civilized solutions.”
—Selma H. Fraiberg (20th century)