1999–2000 Preston North End F.C. season
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
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GD | Pts | ||||
| 1 | Preston North End | 46 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 37 | 23 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 37 | 14 | 74 | 37 | +37 | 95 | ||||
| 2 | Burnley | 46 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 27 | 24 | 69 | 47 | +22 | 88 | ||||
| 3 | Gillingham | 46 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 46 | 21 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 33 | 27 | 79 | 48 | +31 | 85 | ||||
| 4 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 37 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 35 | 24 | 72 | 38 | +34 | 83 | ||||
| 5 | Millwall | 46 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 41 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 35 | 32 | 76 | 50 | +26 | 82 | ||||
| 6 | Stoke City | 46 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 37 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 31 | 24 | 68 | 42 | +26 | 82 | ||||
| 7 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 35 | 26 | 69 | 45 | +24 | 80 | ||||
| 8 | Notts County | 46 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 27 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 29 | 28 | 61 | 55 | +6 | 65 | ||||
| 9 | Bristol City | 46 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 31 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 28 | 39 | 59 | 57 | +2 | 64 | ||||
| 10 | Reading | 46 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 18 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 45 | 57 | 63 | –6 | 62 | ||||
| 11 | Wrexham | 46 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 24 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 29 | 37 | 52 | 61 | –9 | 62 | ||||
| 12 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 32 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 29 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 61 | ||||
| 13 | Luton Town | 46 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 41 | 35 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 30 | 61 | 65 | –4 | 61 | ||||
| 14 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 27 | 28 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 27 | 50 | 55 | –5 | 60 | ||||
| 15 | Bury | 46 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 38 | 33 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 23 | 31 | 61 | 64 | –3 | 57 | ||||
| 16 | Bournemouth | 46 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 43 | 59 | 62 | –3 | 57 | ||||
| 17 | Brentford | 46 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 31 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 30 | 47 | 61 | –14 | 52 | ||||
| 18 | Colchester United | 46 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 36 | 40 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 42 | 59 | 82 | –63 | 52 | ||||
| 19 | Cambridge United | 46 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 38 | 33 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 26 | 32 | 64 | 65 | –1 | 48 | ||||
| 20 | Oxford United | 46 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 24 | 38 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 19 | 35 | 43 | 73 | –30 | 45 | ||||
| 21 | Cardiff City | 46 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 34 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 22 | 33 | 45 | 67 | –22 | 44 | ||||
| 22 | Blackpool | 46 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 26 | 37 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 23 | 40 | 49 | 77 | –28 | 41 | ||||
| 23 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 40 | 40 | 74 | –34 | 39 | ||||
| 24 | Chesterfield | 46 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 17 | 25 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 38 | 34 | 63 | –29 | 36 |
- Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
- NB: In the Football League goals scored takes precedence over goal difference.
| Key | |
| Division Champions, promoted | |
| Promoted | |
| Participated in play-offs | |
| Promoted through play-offs | |
| Relegated |
Results
Preston North End's score comes firstLegend
Football League Second Division
FA Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 31 October 1999 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–0 | 6,145 | McKenna |
| R2 | 20 November 1999 | Enfield | H | 0–0 | 11,566 | |
| R2R | 30 November 1999 | Enfield | A | 3–0 | 1,808 | Eyres, Alexander, Gunnlaugsson |
| R3 | 11 December 1999 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–1 | 9,940 | Macken, Alexander |
| R4 | 8 January 2000 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 3–0 | 10,824 | O'Sullivan, Alexander, Beswetherick |
| R5 | 29 January 2000 | Everton | A | 0–2 | 37,486 |
League Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 10 August 1999 | Wrexham | H | 1–0 | 4,930 | Appleton |
| R1 2nd Leg | 24 August 1999 | Wrexham | A | 2–0 | 2,911 | Basham, Macken |
| R2 1st Leg | 14 September 1999 | Sheffield United | A | 0–2 | 5,350 | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 21 September 1999 | Sheffield United | H | 3–0 | 5,658 | Alexander, Mathie |
| R3 | 12 October 1999 | Arsenal | A | 1–2 | 15,239 | Macken |
Football League Trophy
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1N | 7 December 1999 | Wrexham | H | 4–1 | 3,306 | Gunnlaugsson, Edwards |
| R2N | 10 January 2000 | Hartlepool United | H | 1–2 | 3,635 | Gunnlaugsson |