FAN POWER

The players are ready and so too are the fans . . . so come on you yellows let’s go and do it.

That was the emphatic message being trumpeted from Deepdale today as Preston prepared for the final push back to the Championship.

One match, 90 nail-biting minutes of football in Colchester, and four years of hurt in League One could be over for the famous old club.

And if there is such a thing as fan power, North End will have 3,000-volts of backing as they bid to clinch automatic promotion down in Essex.That is how many supporters will make the long trip to roar Simon Grayson’s side on. But there will be many, many more willing the team to success from afar on TV.

Fans around the globe are planning to stay up late, get up early or drop everything to tune in via satellite or the internet to witness what PNE are hoping will be the start of a huge going up knees-up - the club’s first in 15 years.

Manager Grayson, who has lifted three previous clubs from League One to the Championship, knows how important that support will be as he bids to make it four.

“We will have fantastic support down there,” he told the Evening Post. “We have sold out of our allocation of 3,000.There will be a lot of nerves and tension around the city among those fans who weren’t fortunate enough to get tickets. The ones in the ground who did get tickets will give it their best shot to inspire the team. I can’t thank everyone enough for their support this season.”

Pubs in and around Preston are preparing for a busy afternoon as fans pack in hoping to toast the win that will take North End up. Kick-off is at 12.15.

Lifelong fan John Roper said: “North End will be very, very loud on Sunday, with possibly the nosiest support for a normal league game away from home for many years.”