What is our identity?
I'm doing a bit of research for a project, and it made me wonder what our fans think North End's identity is? I don't mean just what we are doing recently under the current ownership and manager, I mean longer term.
TLDR: I think historic (recognising Sir Tom), medium sized, slightly over-achieving but never quite getting there with hard working rather than flair players.
*****
My thinking:
Historic: We're a founder member of the original league, won the first season and first FA Cup, first to do the double and first to go a season unbeaten. Deepdale is also the oldest ground in continuous use. So I think we can safely say that history forms part of our identity, although perhaps Gentry Day is the only way this history manifests today.
Sir Tom: A true legend of the game not just for his football ability, but also his loyalty to the club (both during and beyond his playing days) and universally liked. The Splash statue, renamed section of road and stand in his name mean he's still visibly part of our identity.
Beyond those two, what else forms our identity?
Core fan base size: Preston's population and catchment area means our core local support is unlikely to sustain a top 30 (harsh?) attendance nationality when you factor in clubs from London and other larger cities than Preston, plus there being a dozen other league clubs within an hour radius. So medium sized, but not small.
Punching above our weight? Given the above, to have bobbled around the second tier with an average position of upper-mid table for most of the last 25 years on a lower budget than most others suggests we punch above our weight... but never quite enough to get to the promised land. Steady (slightly successful) Eddie?
Style of player: My sense is we tend to have more "hard working" than "flair" as a general theme. Fair?
Style of play: Clubs don't necessarily need one, and I don't think there's a consistent style I could argue for us over the years. We've never been tic-a-tac-a. Arguably the days of the plastic pitch influenced our play style at that time. Each manager has had styles, but I can't pick a consistent thread.
Squad age profile: Again, clubs don't need one and I can't pick a consistent thread here - although I do think it's reasonable to say we are neither a hub for youth development or a final resting place for Premier stars dropping down the leagues.
Location: Whilst there are elements of both, generally I wouldn't say Preston is particularly either affluent or deprived. We're no longer notably industrial. Wikipedia cites the Uni and County Hall as key local "industries", and I think you can probably add Lancs Constabulary, BAE and farming if you widen the net a bit. Oh, and the bus station! I don't see a very strong local identity coming through into North End, but others may.
Anything else???
I'm doing a bit of research for a project, and it made me wonder what our fans think North End's identity is? I don't mean just what we are doing recently under the current ownership and manager, I mean longer term.
TLDR: I think historic (recognising Sir Tom), medium sized, slightly over-achieving but never quite getting there with hard working rather than flair players.
*****
My thinking:
Historic: We're a founder member of the original league, won the first season and first FA Cup, first to do the double and first to go a season unbeaten. Deepdale is also the oldest ground in continuous use. So I think we can safely say that history forms part of our identity, although perhaps Gentry Day is the only way this history manifests today.
Sir Tom: A true legend of the game not just for his football ability, but also his loyalty to the club (both during and beyond his playing days) and universally liked. The Splash statue, renamed section of road and stand in his name mean he's still visibly part of our identity.
Beyond those two, what else forms our identity?
Core fan base size: Preston's population and catchment area means our core local support is unlikely to sustain a top 30 (harsh?) attendance nationality when you factor in clubs from London and other larger cities than Preston, plus there being a dozen other league clubs within an hour radius. So medium sized, but not small.
Punching above our weight? Given the above, to have bobbled around the second tier with an average position of upper-mid table for most of the last 25 years on a lower budget than most others suggests we punch above our weight... but never quite enough to get to the promised land. Steady (slightly successful) Eddie?
Style of player: My sense is we tend to have more "hard working" than "flair" as a general theme. Fair?
Style of play: Clubs don't necessarily need one, and I don't think there's a consistent style I could argue for us over the years. We've never been tic-a-tac-a. Arguably the days of the plastic pitch influenced our play style at that time. Each manager has had styles, but I can't pick a consistent thread.
Squad age profile: Again, clubs don't need one and I can't pick a consistent thread here - although I do think it's reasonable to say we are neither a hub for youth development or a final resting place for Premier stars dropping down the leagues.
Location: Whilst there are elements of both, generally I wouldn't say Preston is particularly either affluent or deprived. We're no longer notably industrial. Wikipedia cites the Uni and County Hall as key local "industries", and I think you can probably add Lancs Constabulary, BAE and farming if you widen the net a bit. Oh, and the bus station! I don't see a very strong local identity coming through into North End, but others may.
Anything else???
