[themaclad]

Blackburn Rovers
Ewood Park 31/1/2025 20.00 hrs

It's on the TV as about 6700 of us pay our annual visit to the land of the Beverley Hillbillies.

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

MANAGER

https://i.ibb.co/r93r3Jn/Screenshot-2025...080859.png

To be fair rate this fella, decent manager

LAST TIME ON THE PITCH



Form guide

Rovers 3 PNE 11

NOTCHERS



HECK

Paul Heckingbottom feels Friday night’s all-Lancashire clash against Blackburn Rovers has all the ingredients to be a good game.

The gaffer will take his North End side to Ewood Park for an 8pm kick-off, looking to build on their seven-point week and back-to-back victories.

Fans up and down the country will be tuning in live on Sky Sports, while more than 6,000 PNE fans will be crammed into the away end.



Hecky said: “Everyone's looking forward to it. We’re filling our end, which is great. The atmosphere will be good. Night games always have a different feel and I think Friday nights can be different again from a fan's point of view.

“So yeah, we're looking forward to it. It'll be a good game. It's on TV as well. All the ingredients that you think could add to it being a good game are all there.

“It’ll be a great atmosphere because it's a derby and we're taking 6,000 fans there. It's something you should relish and look forward to.

“I think when you throw it all in together, it's one you desperately want to play in, but there's nothing that you want to do differently to prepare.”

North End are facing a Blackburn Rovers side sitting just two points outside of the top six, after enjoying a good start to the season under John Eustace.


They took a point from a goalless draw at Deepdale earlier in the campaign, in a match which saw Sam Greenwood sent off in the first half. Rovers will be looking to get back on track following three successive defeats.

On their league position, Hecky said: “They're up there on merit. We know they probably didn't show their best version against us, I didn't think, at home. I've seen them play a lot better than what we faced the last time.

“We always try and prepare for the best version of whoever we’re playing against. They have dangerous players, especially on the counter. They’re really well organised without the ball and then that lends itself to when they win the ball then being a threat in transition.

“We know we're up against a good side. They've had injuries like us and that's probably taken its toll, but they're welcoming a few back. As I said, all that adds to it being a better game as well.”

THINGS TO DO IN EAST LANCASHIRE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT

WIN THEN LEAVE

The Fitness Test

Jayden Meghoma was forced off with an ankle injury in his home debut last weekend, but manager Paul Heckingbottom expects him to be available for selection come Friday night.

Likewise, Robbie Brady, who finished the Middlesbrough match with a back injury, is also expected to be involved.

Ben Whiteman is the only player definitely set to miss out with an ankle issue which is likely to keep him out “for a while”.

Rovers



Despite a positive start to the season, Blackburn Rovers head into this Lancashire derby after suffering three successive defeats.

John Eustace’s side have spent the majority of the campaign in the top six, with their best string of results so far coming between November and December when they won six on the bounce.

Since then, though, it’s one win in nine in the league. They’ve added Dion Sanderson and the experienced Adam Forshaw to their ranks this month to try and help them in their Play-Off push.

The Officials

Referee: Josh Smith
Assistant Referees: Sam Lewis and Mark Dwyer
Fourth Official: Jeremy Simpson

Josh Smith will referee his second PNE match of the season on Friday, with the first game being the home victory over Coventry City in October.

Smith officiated North End's 4-1 victory at Ewood Park in December 2022, when Ched Evans scored twice and Ben Whiteman and Ben Woodburn were on the scoresheet.

So far this season, Smith has shown 100 yellow cards and one red in 25 matches.

MACS VIEW

Apparently it's our cup final, strange folk those from the East of the County, still living on the fact they won the title 30 years ago mainly because a Frenchman two footed a Crystal Palace fan after being sent off. Seems to be an annual televised game these days usually pours down, depressing place