As football grew in popularly, it became necessary to have raised area’s, so the idea for football terracing was formed. In the 1890’s Preston built the west paddock, which ran along the Touch line and a tent was erected to house the Changing rooms. At the turn of the century crowds started to grow and Crowds of 10,000 and in 1921 they had to expand again. The Spion Kop was built and the West Paddock was extended to meet the Kop end. The pitch was removed down to allow the building of the Town End. A state of design was installed into the Paddocks and Kop End allowing fans to move under the terracing. The Town End was completed approximately 1928. But fate loomed for the Town End in 1933 it was destroyed by Fire. When they reconstructed it they built the Pavilion Stand, a relatively small stand of 2 Tiers holding the Changing rooms and offices. The Pavilion Stand was opened in 1934. This allowed a PNE record Crowd of 42,684 against Arsenal on the 23 April 1938. During the second world war the renowned woman's team Dick, Kerr's Ladies also called Deepdale home, often beating men's professional teams and attracting crowds of up to 53,000.

Deepdale before it was gradually Knocked down and replaced

During the 60s - 80s, big changes took place at Roofs were placed on the Stands, Seating was installed and Terracing extended.

1986 Saw the Deepdale Pitch replaced with a plastic pitch, which wasn’t a popular choice for many visiting players. The 80’s and Early 90’s were not kind to Deepdale and the allowed crowd kept getting cut, and sections were closed off and in 1994 big changes became of Deepdale. The oldest stand in the country, the West Stand was to be knocked down and replaced with a State of the art Stand to be named after Sir Tom Finney. 1994 also saw the Plastic pitch removed and one of the best pitches in the country laid. Both Seeing their last game against Torquay United in the Play-offs.

Sir Tom Finney Stand and Bill Shankley Kop

Bill Shankley Kop being Built.

The Sir Tom Finney Stand opened in 1995 and houses 8,100 fans and the Football Museum. In 1997 work started on the Spion Kop, which was replaced by the Bill Shankly Stand. At the Turn of the Millennium the Town End was demolished to make way for the Alan Kelly Town End. Which was opened in 2001, great for PNE after all the stand that became famous for the noise and crowd, had seen several problems. The Fire in 1933 was the First, and then in the Playoffs 1987, Port Vale fans set fire to it and in 1997 there was a small fire underneath it, during a game. In 2005 Preston Closed the Pavilion stand, and it laid idle for a season and a half before it was demolished in 2007 to make way for the Pavilion Invincibles that will open in 2008-09 season. Deepdale will then become a 24,000 all seater stadium, with each stand incorporating something from North End’s history. The Sir Tom Finney Stand, being named after Preston’s greatest ever player Sir Tom Finney with his face in the seats to the left facing the stand from the pitch. Town End being named after Alan Kelly Senior, Preston’s greatest goalkeeper. His face is in centre of the stand. The Kop being named after the late Bill Shankly, more famous for his Liverpool manager days, but was a great long serving player for Preston. The Final Stand will be named the Invincibles Pavilion, after the Original Invincibles of 1887-1891.

Alan Kelly Townend

Did you know that Deepdale is the longest surviving football area in the country? Preston have played at Deepdale before it was a football club.

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