PNE in numbers: Yellow cards for Preston defender Jordan Storey are a rarity

Storey was booked in the 62nd minute of last week’s 0-0 draw with the Blues.

Only twice has he been cautioned in PNE colours, decent going for someone who has played 91 matches.

The 24-year-old’s other yellow card came in only his sixth North End appearance against Hull City in October 2018. So to go a shade less than three years until the second was impressive.

He played 84 games in between, keeping on the right side of referees.

Steering clear of cards is not just a Preston thing for Storey.

In the 18 appearances he made for Exeter City before heading to Deepdale, the centre-half wasn’t booked.

Storey is a mainstay in the Lilywhites back three, Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City his 31st successive start.

In all those matches he has played to the end.

That run in the team had been under threat ahead of Tuesday night’s game.

Storey suffered a back spasm in the aftermath of the Birmingham draw and needed extensive treatment from the physio to get him on to the pitch.

His defensive colleague Andrew Hughes was not so fortunate, a toe injury sustained at Birmingham ruling him out of the Stoke match.

The Welshman had started the previous 20 games, like Storey playing the full 90 minutes in all of those.

Hughes had last missed a game in March, the 1-0 loss to Luton which was Alex Neil’s final stand as North End boss before being sacked the next day.

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