During the 1999–2000 English football season, Preston North End F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Season summary In the 1999–2000 season, Preston finally made their return to the second tier of the Football League, after an absence of almost twenty years. Jon Macken, whom Gary Peters had signed from Manchester United two years previously, had a storming season scoring 22 league goals, his flair being reinforced by the team's solid spine of Teuvo Moilanen in goal, defenders Graham Alexander, Colin Murdock, Michael Jackson and Rob Edwards and a central midfield made up of workhorses Gregan and Rankine. Blackpool, who are Preston's archrivals got relegated to basement division the same season. This meant Preston took revenge from Blackpool after 30 years.

The championship was confirmed at Cambridge United on 24 April, a game which brought North End's seventh, and last, defeat of the season.

Final league table

Results Preston North End's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 7 August 1999 Oldham AthleticA1–09,432Macken 14 August 1999 Stoke CityH2–111,465Nogan, Murdock 21 August 1999 Wycombe WanderersA1–15,091Nogan 28 August 1999 Wigan AthleticH1–413,885Basham 1 September 1999 ReadingA2–27,628Eyres, Basham 4 September 1999 ChesterfieldH0–28,506 11 September 1999 BurnleyH0–013,708 18 September 1999 GillinghamA2–06,610Macken, Gregan 25 September 1999 BrentfordA2–27,100Macken, McKenna 2 October 1999 Cambridge UnitedH2–19,522Macken (2) 9 October 1999 Bristol CityH1–010,042Mathie 16 October 1999 Scunthorpe UnitedA1–15,336Macken 19 October 1999 MillwallA2–06,355Cartwright, Nethercott (own goal) 23 October 1999 BrentfordH2–110,382Alexander (pen), Marshall (own goal) 3 November 1999 BournemouthH3–09,630McKenna, Macken, Alexander (pen) 6 November 1999 Colchester UnitedA2–23,818Mathie, Nogan 12 November 1999 Notts CountyH2–014,226Macken (2) 23 November 1999 Luton TownA2–05,124Eyres (2) 27 November 1999 BuryA3–16,469Jackson, Gregan, Macken 4 December 1999 Oldham AthleticH2–010,970Macken (2) 18 December 1999 BlackpoolH3–016,821Eyres (2), Appleton 26 December 1999 WrexhamA0–07,872 28 December 1999 Bristol RoversH2–116,680Alexander (pen), Macken 3 January 2000 Cardiff CityA4–010,142Edwards, Alexander (2, 1 pen), Nogan 14 January 2000 Stoke CityA1–210,285Alexander (pen) 22 January 2000 Wycombe WanderersH3–210,969Murdock, Macken (2) 1 February 2000 Oxford UnitedA4–05,164Macken (2), Eyres, Appleton 5 February 2000 ReadingH2–212,618Macken, Jackson 12 February 2000 ChesterfieldA1–04,726Gregan 19 February 2000 BuryH1–113,901Macken 26 February 2000 GillinghamH0–213,246 4 March 2000 BurnleyA3–022,310Jackson, Macken, Edwards 7 March 2000 Colchester UnitedH2–311,323Angell (2) 11 March 2000 BournemouthA1–05,317Angell 14 March 2000 Oxford UnitedH3–112,008Angell (2), Macken 18 March 2000 Luton TownH1–013,731Anderson 21 March 2000 Notts CountyA0–16,401 25 March 2000 WrexhamH1–012,481Anderson 1 April 2000 BlackpoolA0–09,042 4 April 2000 Wigan AthleticA1–015,993Jackson 8 April 2000 Cardiff CityH0–013,794 15 April 2000 Bristol RoversA2–010,111Macken, Gunnlaugsson 22 April 2000 Scunthorpe UnitedH1–015,518Angell 24 April 2000 Cambridge UnitedA0–26,068 29 April 2000 MillwallH3–219,407Eyres, Jackson, Angell 6 May 2000 Bristol CityA2–011,160Angell, Appleton

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR131 October 1999 Bristol RoversA1–06,145McKennaR220 November 1999 EnfieldH0–011,566R2R30 November 1999 EnfieldA3–01,808Eyres, Alexander (pen), GunnlaugssonR311 December 1999 Oldham AthleticH2–19,940Macken, Alexander (pen)R48 January 2000 Plymouth ArgyleA3–010,824O'Sullivan (own goal), Alexander (pen), Beswetherick (own goal)R529 January 2000 EvertonA0–237,486

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg10 August 1999 WrexhamH1–04,930AppletonR1 2nd Leg24 August 1999 WrexhamA2–0 (won 3-0 on agg)2,911Basham, MackenR2 1st Leg14 September 1999 Sheffield UnitedA0–25,350R2 2nd Leg21 September 1999 Sheffield UnitedH3–0 (won 3-2 on agg)5,658Alexander, Mathie (2)R312 October 1999 ArsenalA1–215,239Macken

Football League Trophy

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1N7 December 1999 WrexhamH4–13,306Gunnlaugsson (3), EdwardsR2N10 January 2000 Hartlepool UnitedH1–23,635Gunnlaugsson

Statistics Appearances and goals

|colspan=14|Player(s) who featured whilst on loan but returned to parent club during the season:

|colspan=14|Player who left during the season:

Awards and Nominations

Club Awards Award Player Notes Player of the Year Sean Gregan

References