PNE in Numbers: Lukas Nmecha joins exclusive club as latest German-born player to arrive at Deepdale

The top Etihad prospect has joined on a season-long loan and the early indications are that the England Under 21 international will be a good addition to Alex Neil’s squad.

This link has nothing to do with the 19-year-old coming from the current champions of England however.

No, Nmecha’s move to Deepdale saw him become the sixth player to play for North End who was born in Germany.

From Hamburg he came over to England as nine-year-old where his talents were quickly spotted by City scouts.

But how will he stack up against the others from Germany to turn out for the Lilywhites?

Only two are in fact German nationals.

Who could forget Thorsten Stuckmann who played 77 times in goal during a four-season spell from 2011 and earned a reputation as the man to beat from 12 yards after saving a string of penalties?

Born Gutersloh in Westphalia, ‘Stucki’ later played for Doncaster Rovers, Partick Thistle and Chesterfield before returning to his homeland last year.

Frankfurt-born Max Ehmer had a short spell on loan from Queens Park Rangers in 2011-12, making seven starts and two substitute appearances before returning to Loftus Road at the end of the season.

The other former North Enders born in Germany were all the sons of British servicemen stationed in the country at the time of their birth.

Stucki’s fellow goalkeeper Roy Tunks spent two spells at Deepdale, racking up 344 appearances in goal after initially joining from Rotherham in 1974 for his first stint which lasted some seven years.

A further seven campaigns at Wigan followed before he returned to North End in 1988 before retiring two years later. He was born in Wuppertal in 1951.

George Berry grew up in Blackpool after being born in Rostrup in Lower Saxony and went on to become a Welsh international.

He spent a month at Deepdale at the start of the 1991-92 season after making his name with Wolves.

The final member of the German born set at North End was Craig Moylon, who made one substitute appearance in a 3-1 defeat at Leyton Orient in December 1992 before moving into non-league football with Morecambe.

Some memorable, others less so, North End fans will be hoping Nmecha is the former.

With thanks to Martin Atherton for the information