PNE strip has traditional look

Preston North End have added another new name to their list of summer arrivals '“ 888sport.
Greg Cunningham models PNE's home kit, with Alan Browne (right) sporting the new navy blue and white away stripGreg Cunningham models PNE's home kit, with Alan Browne (right) sporting the new navy blue and white away strip
Greg Cunningham models PNE's home kit, with Alan Browne (right) sporting the new navy blue and white away strip

The betting company will have their logo on PNE’s first-team shirts and adult replica kits.

However, their name will not appear on junior replica kits and non first-team shirts due to rules on gambling advertising.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rainbow House, who are North End’s official charity partner, will be on the front of those shirts.

Junior kits will also feature the Carers Trust name on the back of the shirts.

North End were among the first four clubs in England to introduce shirt sponsorship in the early 1980s.

Several companies have advertised on the kit since, 888sport replacing Virgin Trains, whose name has been on the shirts for the last two seasons.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

PNE’s kit for the new season will again be manufactured by Nike. The club have signed a new three-year contract with the sportswear firm.

Nike are to open a new club shop in the Sir Tom Finney Stand – next to the ticket office – on July 21.

Adult replica kits will go on sale that day, with a release date for sales of junior strips to be confirmed shortly.

The new kits were unveiled last night, the home kit staying with the traditional combination of white shirts, navy blue shorts and plain white socks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

North End have gone for a change with the away colours, the shirt navy blue with a diagonal white sash.

A yellow third kit will be released at a later date.

PNE chief executive John Kay said: “The club is looking forward to working with 888sport, our new principal sponsor, whose name will adorn the playing shirts in 2016/17.

“We would also like to thank 888sport for agreeing to have Rainbow House on the junior kits.”

North End will sport their new look in tonight’s friendly against Bamber Bridge at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium, kick-off 7pm.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They then face Chorley tomorrow (3pm) as their build-up to the new season starts to gather pace.

Lilywhites boss Simon Grayson will want to see all of his squad get a run out in the two friendlies to follow up a week’s work on the training pitches at Springfields.

The attacking combinations will be interesting, Grayson having five players currently available to play up front – Joe Garner, Jermaine Beckford, Simon Makienok, Jordan Hugill and Eoin Doyle.

Stevie May will be added to the equation in the autumn when he completes his recovery from knee surgery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bolstering the numbers at the top end of the pitch has been a big part of the summer recruitment.

Grayson said: “A big thing for any manager is turning around to your bench to see what there is to change a game.

“You don’t really want to see four or five defensive players on the bench who are not really going to affect things from an attacking point of view.

“That is why we have tried to increase the options going forward, we have given ourselves plenty of choice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If you get a couple of injuries in September/October, there is no emergency loan market to replace players.

“You have got to have a big enough and versatile enough squad which gets you through to January.”

Related topics: