TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Ferguson: Rooney likely sidelined 2-3 weeks Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says Wayne Rooney is likely to be sidelined for two to three weeks because of an ankle injury. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Tony Paley on PNE's incredible win over Leeds The amazing 6-4 victory at Leeds was a rare sweet spot after nearly half a century in the doldrums for the fallen giantsForget England's 44 years of hurt - for Preston North End fans you can add another five years to that figure. Sir Tom Finney's retirement in 1960 resulted in immediate relegation the following year from the old Division One and it's fair to say the fans have been suffering ever since as the club have failed to return to the top flight.Which makes last night's extraordinary goings on at Elland Road all the more sweet as days like that, or of course nights, are rare for a club which has struggled for so long while so many of its neighbouring north-west teams have prospered.Even the hated Blackpool are now having their day in the sun, which made the ignominy of North End's slip to the bottom of the Championship last Friday night when Portsmouth stuck six past Leicester City all the more galling.This season started pretty much how the last campaign ended and the manager Darren Ferguson wasn't doing any better with the team he had put together over the summer. After Preston had lost 4-3 to Burnley on the BBC earlier this month – having led 3-1 till eight minutes to go – I texted a number of friends to say: 'I am retiring from football for now.'This morning I am back in love with the game after an evening few North End fans will forget. 'Where were you when we beat Leeds at 6-4 Elland Road?' is the hot topic on the pne-online website. It's not surprising as last night was the first time any team had put six past Leeds on their home turf while only ancient Preston fans would remember the last time the team scored six on their travels – at Blackpool in 1955 when that man Finney scored.There were tales, maybe apocryphal, of supporters getting in their cars when their team went 4-1 down to Leeds. Me? I was on the bus on the way home from work for the first-half following the match on the Sky Sports app, getting home resigned to another thumping. And then in the kitchen having given up, before joining my son in the sitting room as we listened to the commentary and watched a bewildered Iain Dowie report on the match on Sky.Dowie managed to get the score wrong once which he can be forgiven for but he did say when Leeds were 4-1 up that North End were attacking like crazy and creating chances. That they did was mainly thanks to Jon Parkin, the Beast as he is affectionately known.Parkin, the subject of much ribald comment from opposing supporters, weighs in around the 14 stone mark and when he joined the club a photograph of him in a kebab shop was widely circulated on the fans' websites. "Feed the Beast and he will score" has become the Lilywhites followers' motto though and that was certainly the case last night, his third and Preston's fifth a trademark chest down and volley.His hat-trick laid the foundations but the contribution of loan signing Iain Hume, who got the sixth, was equally as significant according to those who were there.Ferguson said when he arrived in January this year that his teams would play entertaining football. The problem has been that much of that entertainment has been laid on for the opposing fans thanks to a porous defence. At 6-4 with 20 minutes to go last night I was still fearing that they might lose.The manager will be hoping that he can get injured Manchester United loanees Joshua King and Matt James back as soon as possible to supplement the back-to-form Parkin and lively Hume. After that who knows what might happen?The Championship is a mad league this season. High-flying Watford won 6-1 at Millwall last week, then beat Middlesbrough 3-1 but were 3-0 down at home to Swansea last night. Who is going to go up and down is anyone's guess.Meanwhile, my two sons and I are travelling to Deepdale on Saturday where we will be able to buy the DVD of last night's game at the club shop and then watch Preston play Reading. What odds a 0-0 draw?Preston North EndChampionshipTony Paleyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Everton v Liverpool: Fernando Torres declared fit for Merseyside derby Fernando Torres to face Everton on Sunday but strike partner Dirk Kuyt is out for three to four weeks with an ankle problem. telegraph.co.uk |
Rooney denies United's 'injury' claims Manchester United star Wayne Rooney is set for a collision with Sir Alex Ferguson, saying he has been injury-free all season. foxsports.com.au |
Barcelona romp to Clasico victory Barcelona crush Real Madrid 5-0 in El Clasico at Camp Nou to go two points clear of their bitter rivals at the top of La Liga. foxsports.com.au |