Meet the opposition | Preston North End
As Swansea City prepare to host Preston North End on Saturday, we take a closer look at the Lilywhites.
What's their story?
Formed in 1880 Preston were among the founder members of the Football League and won the first two top-flight titles in 1889 and 1890. North End are also two-time FA Cup winners with the first of those completing a double in the maiden EFL season.
That spell proved to be a golden era for the Lilywhites and it is success they have not found easy to replicate during their long history.
The Deepdale club have spent large parts of the post-Millennium period in the second tier of the Football League but have never played in the Premier League since it’s formation.
The closest the club came to promotion was in 2001 and 2005, when they suffered play-off final defeats to Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United respectively.
How's their form?
North End have lost their last six Championship games without scoring, including their season opener when they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United.
Ryan Lowe departed as head coach following the reverse against the Blades, but they followed that up with a midweek 2-0 win against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup.
Who's the gaffer?
Former Swansea assistant Mike Marsh is in charge of the visitors having been placed in caretaker charge following Lowe's departure.
The former midfielder and defender made over 100 appearances for Liverpool, and also played for West Ham and Coventry City in the top flight.
After making the switch to coaching, Marsh was part of Brendan Rodgers’ first-team coaching staff at Anfield, and went on to join David Wagner at Huddersfield before a move to the FA.
There he worked alongside Steve Cooper in helping England Under-17s win their World Cup in 2017, and went on to follow Cooper to SA1 in 2019.
The pair helped the Swans to reach the play-offs in successive seasons, before Marsh returned to his north-west roots by joining the coaching staff at Deepdale.
Who's the captain?
Midfielder Ben Whiteman has proved an impressive acquisition since his arrival from Doncaster in January of 2021 and has taken on the armband following Alan Browne's departure.
The former Manchester United and Sheffield United trainee made his senior bow for the Blades in 2014, and had loan spells with Mansfield and Doncaster before making his move to the latter permanent in the summer of 2018.
He wasted little time making a big impact at the Eco-Power Stadium, and he was named club captain at the age of just 23 such was his form and professionalism.
His showings put him on the radar of a number of Championship clubs, with Preston securing his signature.
A dynamic player with an eye for goal, he has been a real driving force for North End in time with the club.
Who are the key men?
Freddie Woodman
There is a familiar figure to Swans fans in the Preston goal in the form of Freddie Woodman, who spent two successful seasons on loan in SA1 between 2019 and 2021 as the Swans narrowly missed out on a return to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
Having come through the academy ranks at Crystal Palace and Newcastle, Woodman - an under-20 World Cup winner with England - the gloveman had loan spells with Hartlepool, Crawley, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen before his stints with the Swans.
He won the Championship golden glove in his second season in SA1, and was in superb form for Preston in his first campaign with the club as he kept 17 clean sheets and was named the club's player of the season as he collected the Sir Tom Finney Award.
His second campaign was tougher, but Woodman - the son of Bromley manager Andy - is a proven Championship performer.
Brad Potts
Brad Potts has been a stalwart for the Lilywhites since joining from Barnsley during the 2019 January transfer window.
The midfielder has shown himself to be a player with an eye for goal, and an ability to produce the spectacular.
Potts came through the ranks at Carlisle and went on to make 113 first-team appearances for the Brunton Park club before joining Blackpool, who he helped secure promotion via the League Two play-offs in 2017.
He also had Barnsley on course for promotion in 2019 before his move to Preston, for whom he has made 205 appearances and scored 17 goals.
Emil Riis
Danish striker Emil Riis has had a tough spell following a serious knee injury, but will be hoping to get back to his dangerous best this season.
Riis was Preston's 17-goal topscorer during the 2021-22 season, but injuries stymied his progress, with a knee problem sidelining him for almost the entirety of 2023.
A flurry of six goals in seven appearances shortly after his return highlighted his goalscoring calibre and he will be keen to make up for lost time.
The former Randers striker is a hand full aerially at six foot three, but is capable of far more than playing as a target man.
