[themaclad]

Picture from England Football Online


The joy of Blackburn on a Friday night, above picture of Ewood when it was a proper league ground before Jack came long then they all became Plastic

MANAGER

Photo Tadeas Bednarz

Michael Andrew Martin O'Neill (born 5 July 1969) is a Northern Irish professional football coach and former player who is the manager of the Northern Ireland national team and EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers.

O'Neill started his career with Coleraine, before playing for a number of clubs in England, Scotland and the United States. These included Newcastle United, Dundee United, Hibernian, Wigan Athletic and Portland Timbers. He was capped 31 times at international level by Northern Ireland, scoring four goals.

His first managerial role was with Brechin City from 2006 to 2008. He then joined Shamrock Rovers, where he won two League of Ireland titles and the Setanta Cup. He became Northern Ireland manager for the first time in 2011.[3] Under his management, Northern Ireland qualified for their first European Championship finals, in 2016. In November 2019, O'Neill was appointed manager of Stoke City until his dismissal in August 2022. In December 2022, O'Neill became Northern Ireland manager for a second time.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/

FORM GUIDE





PLASTIC 9 PNE 6
Good win for them last Saturday, they are looking to do the double on us, which would be unthinkable, new manager on a part time basis, bit like most of the fans in the Riverside.

Things to do at night in Blackburn

LEAVE

[themaclad]

Paul Heckingbottom is looking forward to playing Blackburn Rovers in front of PNE’s travelling supporters.

North End’s squad has strengthened tremendously in recent times, with a number of players previously sidelined returning to fitness alongside a few extra additions in the winter transfer window.

The manager touched upon how important this will be for the Lilywhites during the final stages of this season, as well as providing an update on a couple of sidelined members of the team.

“We've got almost a fully fit squad in terms of people on the grass,” revealed Hecky. “Just Liam Lindsay missing, but Robbie and Pottsy have done everything this week, so they're getting closer and closer, fitter and fitter, which is good. It's just Dan, the last little bit for him to get over the line, so in that respect, preparation's been good.

“We saw the impact from the bench at the weekend; we've got a few weeks now where we do have tight turnovers in games. My intention is to use the bench regardless of the state of the game, with the squad, if new players, players coming back, know the roles and want to have an impact.

“Regardless of who starts, using that bench aggressively, winning or losing, hopefully we can keep the intensity of the performance.”

The hosts currently find themselves three points outside of the relegation zone but have won two of their previous three Championship matches.

With new boss Michael O’Neill in the dugout, North End’s manager is expecting a tough test at Ewood Park.
“Their last performance in terms of result was very, very good,” admitted Hecky.

“I know Michael pretty well; he's had some of his players in my squad. Blackburn have turned to someone with a hell of a lot of experience who won't be overawed or distracted with the position they're in; he'll really focus and channel their energy into what's important.

“The majority of games I've seen, I've always seen a dangerous side, I've always seen a side that plays with a lot of energy, and that's what I'm expecting from them tomorrow night.”

PNE will be backed by over 5,700 fans at Ewood Park on Friday, in what has proven to be a fiercely contested fixture in years gone by.

Hecky is hoping that his team will put on a good show in front of the travelling supporters and is looking forward to the occasion.
“We want to generate an atmosphere where our fans are noisy and they get behind our performance,” stated the manager.

“For me, it adds to a derby, a Friday night, big following, I think that always adds to the occasion of a derby. The more you can build the occasion, the better it is to be involved in.

“We're ready to go, big game for us, big derby game, people say it all the time, but it's true, forget league positions, forget form, Friday night, we've sold our allocation out, it'll be a big following.

“It’s a Friday night game on the TV so it'll be a good occasion, hopefully a good performance.”

A landmark for yours, providing I get there this is the 100th league and cup game on the trot, during the run,mucho crapo has been witnessed and of all places to hit the landmark is Ewood, it would have been more of an irony if it had been next Tuesday at Swansea but more about that in that thread.

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Team News​
Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed that the majority of players are partaking in training ahead of the trip to Blackburn, with Brad Potts and Robbie Brady joining in with all sessions.

Daniel Iversen and Liam Lindsay continue to work their way back to full fitness and will hope to make a return to action in the coming weeks.
​
Match Officials​
Referee: Anthony Backhouse

Assistant Referees: Andrew Fox and Mark Stevens

Fourth Official: James Linington

Anthony Backhouse will officiate the clash between North End and Rovers this weekend.

This will be the 17th Championship match he has taken charge of this term, alongside a couple of games in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.

[themaclad]

Referee: Anthony Backhouse

Attendance: 19,792 (6,014 PNE fans)

https://www.fotmob.com/matches/preston-v...tab=lineup

A night of ineptness at the home of those who play in blue and white quarters, lost to a 95th minute goal recycled ball from the left headed back and cross goal by Ohashi it gve the home side the points and a deserved win.
We were shocking spent the evening playing Pep ball at a pace of slow to stop, went absolutely nowhere and the home side just sat back waiting for us to make a mistake, which we did or numerous occasions and pplayed with pace on the break.
Probably the better side n the early stages, hit the bar direct froma Devine corner, nice run by Dobbin, easy save by Toth, they had a coupel of half chances and at times Cornell's handling looked at bit suspect but apart from that it was a soporific first halh, heaven knows what they made of it on Sky.
More of the same in the second period although they looked more likely denied by Cornell a couple of times especially when the defence mysteriously disappeared and he won the race to beat the oncoming player.
Devine free kick hit the post just needed a flick and we would have gone on front, but we were flickless.
Both forwards and wing backs were changed nothing changed apart in the 95th minute when the scoreline changed.
Poor

HECK
Paul Heckingbottom was disappointed to suffer defeat against Blackburn Rovers.

The Lilywhites fell victim to a stoppage-time winner courtesy of Yuki Ohashi, who headed home from inside PNE’s box.

“Tough to take when you lose like that at the end,” admitted Hecky. “It's a shocking goal from our point of view, so I'm angry about that.

“We'd have taken the point, we didn't create enough, we had a lot of the ball, didn't create enough. We had pressure, we had territory. But when you're looking for clear-cut chances, nothing really.”



North End came up against a Blackburn side under new leadership, with Michael O’Neill recently appointed as their boss until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Hecky explained how he wanted to set up against the Northern Ireland national team manager, whilst also praising the 6,000+ travelling PNE fans.

“We wanted to be flexible with the shape,” stated the boss. “So we could play players who have generally played well against that system before. But we didn't carry enough threat.

“We had good moments, we had control of the game in spells, but in the second half, they looked more likely, whether it was on the counter or at the end with the set play.

“The fans were great, they're just as sick as I am now. I think they'd have taken the point at the end.

“Away from home, every Championship game away from home is tough. I didn't feel under too much pressure, and I would have taken a clean sheet, but I'm just angry at how we've thrown the game away.”

O'NEIL

A beaming Michael O’Neill was thrilled to continue his winning start in charge of Rovers following the late, late win over Preston North End at Ewood Park.

A dramatic header from Yuki Ohashi earned O’Neill’s men a 1-0 victory in the 90th minute of the Lancashire derby and sparked great scenes at Ewood.

The 56-year-old has only been at Rovers for a week, but he’s overseen two victories that have propelled the team up the table.

And this one tasted even sweeter for the boss with it being his first experience of the all-Lancashire affair, with Ohashi the hero when he crashed home a header from Eiran Cashin’s deep cross.

“It was a great night for us and a great night for me, personally,” the boss reflected to RoversTV.


“I’m very proud with what the team gave and it was a brilliant way to win.

“I know it’s been tough here for the supporters this season and it’s been good to pay them back a little bit as well.

“I felt like the game was maybe drifting towards that 0-0, we nearly scored off the corner and you perhaps felt like it wasn’t going to fall for us. It just shows you what happens if you keep going and show that perseverance.

“Cash [Cashin] did great to keep it alive, we got the opportunity and it was a brilliant header from Yuki to win it.

“I think he’s a very unselfish player and you can tell that already even though I’ve only been here for seven days," he added, paying tribute to the match-winner.

“I can see what kind of character he is. He always wants to do more after training and he has a big part to play.

“I thought he was good on Saturday when he came on as well, and it’s good that he got the goal.

“Every striker wants to start, but the most important thing when you come off the bench is to make an impact. He did that.

“It’s a great night all round. I’m trying to keep everyone level-headed because things can change very quickly, but we can enjoy tonight and make sure we’re ready for Tuesday."