Retro: Tommy Docherty's short spell as Preston North End manager in 1981 including a friendly against Sydney Olympic

Preston North End skipper Gordon Coleman shakes hands with his Sydney Olympic counterpart in the friendly at Deepdale in November 1981

He made 323 appearances in the league for PNE and a further 26 in the FA Cup.

It was what the Scot had done as a player which was in the minds of the North End board when they appointed him manager all those years later in June 1981.

They called for the ‘Doc’ after sacking Nobby Stiles following relegation from the Second Division – a harsh dismissal bearing in mind the job Stiles had done in leading them to promotion.

Tommy Docherty is welcomed to Deepdale by Sir Tom Finney, watched by the PNE board in June 1981

Docherty, an FA Cup winner as a manager with Manchester United just four years earlier, came to PNE from Australia, where he was managing Sydney Olympic.

He was to last just six months in post though, three wins in 17 league matches his record when the sack came early in December 1981.

One of the first things he did after his appointment was to ask the club to bring back navy blue shorts, with PNE having worn white shorts since the mid 1970s.

Doc’s first game in charge was a 2-1 opening day defeat at Millwall, youngster Mark Walsh on target.

PNE striker Alex Bruce celebrates after a Southend player puts through his own goal to give North End a rare victory under Tommy Docherty

North End won 2-1 in the League Cup at Halifax and then beat Portsmouth 1-0 at Deepdale in Third Division action, Alex Bruce scoring.

Results dipped though, the remaining two league wins of Docherty’s tenure coming back-to-back at the end of October and start of November.

An own goal gave them a 1-0 victory over Southend United at Deepdale on Halloween.

Four days later they went to Lincoln City and came away with a 2-1 win, Steve Elliott and Gary Buckley on target at Sincil Bank.

Sir Matt Busby presents a carriage clock to Preston North End chairman Alan Jones to mark PNE's centenary game in October 1981

A few weeks before, PNE drew 1-1 with Burnley at Deepdale.

The league fixture was given the official title of being the club’s centenary game.

A trawl through the history books years later would show that the celebrations were a year late, North End having been playing regularly in 1880.

PNE featured on Match of the Day during Docherty’s reign, a 0-0 draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Recent signings Tommy Booth, John Kelly, Barry Dunn and Buckley were in the side that day.

That was the era of just two games being featured on Match of the Day.

Doc’s former club Sydeny Olympic flew in from Australia to play a friendly against PNE at Deepdale on November 10.

Fans were let in for free to see North End win 8-0 against the visitors from Down Under.

Steve Elliott scored four of the goals, with Alex Bruce netting twice, with Buckley and Dunn getting the others.

At the time, Docherty was hoping to sign Olympic’s keeper Peter Wilson – he was with the squad but didn’t play in the friendly.

The Doc’s last game in charge was a 3-0 defeat at Oxford, PNE dismissing him the following week.

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