Mark Lawrenson shares his opinion on Preston North End's season and future
Preston born footballer turned commentator Mark Lawrenson has shared his opinion on Preston North End's season and future.
66-year-old Mark, who grew up in Penwortham, has reflected on how the past year has gone for the football team that means so much to himself and his family.
The former St Teresa's Catholic Primary School and Preston Catholic College pupil started his professional football career at Preston North End back in 1974, when he was 16 - his father, Tom Lawrenson, had also played for the team.
After three years at the club, Mark went on to have a decade long football playing career - with long stints at Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool F.C - before becoming a manager then football commentator and he has remained an avid PNE supporter all that time.
Following the end of the 2023/24 Championship season, which saw the Lilywhites finish in 10th place, the former Preston defender spoke to Best Online Poker Sites about how he thinks his old team fared. Mark said: “I think their legs had gone towards the end of the season to be honest with you. They went unbeaten in their opening seven or eight games and they have a team that’s very interchangeable, yet they finished tenthth in the end – I think that’s poor.”
The former BBC commentator then went on to discuss why he thinks Preston has not yet made into the Premier League before cutting his team some reluctant slack.
Mark continued: “In that division, it’s all about how much money you’ve got and the players that you can attract, and for me that’s the story with Preston. I know the supporters don’t think it’s good enough, but they’ve been in that league for a long, long time and they won’t bankrupt themselves trying to get into the Premier League.
“The problem is for the supporters, though, is that all the teams in the north-west have been in the Premier League at some point, and Preston haven’t. As a fan of Preston, I’d love to see them in the Premier League but I do understand what happens behind the scenes . They’ve lost two from two playoffs, but it is what it is.”
Following the uncertainy surrounding the future of former PNE captain Alan Browne - who is out of contract and yet to accept PNE’s new terms- Mark also offered his opinion.
He told Best Online Poker Sites: “Alan is in a great position. Preston have offered him more money than any other club has. He’s earnt the right to do whatever it is he wants to do yet some of the fans are saying, ‘just let him go, he’s turned his back on us and is only in it for the money’.
“I think he’s been a very, very good player for Preston and if he squeezes a couple more quid and a few more years out of them, then good luck to him!”