Preston North End cult hero admits he 'didn't like' what happened after Leeds United play-off defeat

Former Preston North End midfielder Brian O’Neil admits he had reservations after the appointment of Paul Simpson in 2006.

The Lilywhites had just reached the Championship play-offs two seasons in a row, under the management of Billy Davies - who moved to Derby County. PNE lost in the 2005 final, one-nil, to West Ham United and were then beaten in the semi-finals, by Leeds United, the year after.

O’Neil had joined Preston in 2003 after leaving the Rams. He went on to score seven goals in 127 games for North End - the most he made for any club. PNE proved to be the Scot’s last club with him forced to retire in October 2006, due to injury.

He is a player remembered fondly, still to this day, by the Deepdale faithful. O’Neil’s performances in the middle of the park were vital to North End. He has now reflected on his career with the official PNE Pod, and believes ‘05 was the Lilywhites’ time.

“That was the year, I think, because we had really good players,” said O’Neil. “We knew we were probably going to lose a couple of them, which did weaken us for the following season. The final at Cardiff, I was going to say we let ourselves down, but it was a terrible game. It was a really warm day, there wasn’t really any intensity in the game and it took a bit of a mistake for them to score the winning goal.

“But, we never got going in the final. It was a shame as well because we played them twice that year. We were three-nil up at half time against them here - we absolutely battered them. But, they had good players as well. Looking back now you kind of think that the final, with it being at Cardiff, the pitch was terrible for both teams - hence why I think it was a poor game.

“And that was the one season where, for some reason, the Championship was the last play-off game that got played. Our game was on the Monday which I never really understood. But, you get your chance and you’ve got to take it, haven’t you? A lot of the guys in our team had played at the top level and a lot of them had played for their countries.

“I think he was quite smart on that day - Alan Pardew - because he brought in legs. When we’d played against them before, we were able to get in their faces and be horrible, because we could be. That day I think he matched up and probably just got it right. It was one-off game and we had done well in one-off games. We, and the game, never got going. You’re trying to but the game never really came to life.

“I would say the first year (in the play-offs was the best chance/team/season). If you look at the players we lost from that team... Eddie Lewis left. Eddie was a massive, massive player. It was disappointing that they didn’t manage to keep him and I don’t think it was big sums. I don’t know the exact amount but Eddie was my kind of pal in the team as well.

“I think he gave us something out there, real class, quality, delivery. So, I think he was a big loss that year. Cressy went as well and we had already lost David Healy. Ricardo (Fuller) went at the start of that season, but we had a real tight-knit group and a real good team. Even when you saw the bench, Dickson (Etuhu) was a hell of a player and had a really good career.... Tyrone Mears couldn’t get in the team.”

“I didn’t like it...”

After Davies headed to Derby, his successor was Paul Simpson - who had just guided Carlisle United to a double-promotion from the Conference to League One. He lasted just shy of 18 months in the hot seat but did have PNE top of the Championship, in December 2006. O’Neil wasn’t initially convinced, mind.

“It was time for Billy to go because he knew he wasn’t going to get the backing, to go and buy players to replace all the guys who were leaving,” said O’Neil. “But to be fair, Simmo brought some good players in... he brought yourself (Neil Mellor), Sean St Ledger, big Liam Chilvers. But, I didn’t like it when Paul Simpson came in at all.

“I thought the training levels had really dropped. The standards in training, players were getting away with not running, working hard enough and everything else like that. But, it was almost like you were getting the best of him coming in and a bit more freedom, letting players do certain things they want - while also having the basis of what Billy had. The hard work, structure and closing down; you were absolutely flying.”

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