DREAM TEAM
7+( )250(5 )$51%25˨ OUGH, STEVENAGE AND EBBSFLEET MAN PIECES TOGETHER A BEST EVER XI OF PLAYERS HE HAS PLAYED ALONGSIDE…
GK. SAM JOHNSTONE
Very safe. Did all the basics that you want from a keeper, especially when you’re playing in front of them. It’s no surprise he’s at West Brom and has been a success there. I would be shocked if he doesn’t play regularly in the Premier League.
RB. TOM CLARKE
Captain of Preston when I came in, was as strong as you like and had huge amounts of bravery. He was ideal for me to partner with, just got the basics absolutely right and could play at right-back and in the centre.
CB. BAILEY WRIGHT
A very good friend of mine and an Australian international. He was a real warrior at the back and would get his voice heard in the dressing room. Not the tallest, but very few strikers could get the better of him.
CB: MURRAY WALLACE
The engine on Murray was remarkable, he loved hitting the gym and could run all day. A true professional whose distribution was second to none. He is more like the modern-day centre-half, I loved having him play behind me at Scunthorpe.
LB: CONNOR TOWNSEND
He came to Scunthorpe on loan from Hull originally and was someone who wanted to prove himself. His athleticism to get up and down the pitch was amazing, he was always looking to make things happen. Like
Sam, I was sure he was going to make it at a higher level.
CM: JOSH BROWNHILL
Josh was really confident in his own ability and that shone through even though he was young when I was at Preston. He took everything in his stride and it’s the reason he’s done so well ever since, captaining Bristol City before moving north.
CM: JED WALLACE
He was only at Farnborough for a short time, but he was one of a few lads that really shone through. Bags of ability, you knew he was going to kick on and is an outstanding talent in the Championship for Millwall. It was hard for youth players to push through at the time, but he was good enough.
CM: PAUL GALLAGHER
A truly lovely guy whose experience shone through when I was at Preston. He was a massive reason we got promoted and the quality in his right foot is the best I have ever played with. The amount of assists he provided just shows what a class act Paul is.
LM: CALLUM ROBINSON
One of those players you could never get the ball off. He wasn’t quick but was incredibly tricky, the kind you don’t want to come across in a one-on-one. Callum totally deserves the chance he’s got at Sheffield United now; he’s worked hard for it.
ST: JOE GARNER
Joe was such a key reason Preston got promoted from League One in 2015, he scored 26 goals that year in the league. He’s not the tallest or the strongest player in the league but his timing and bravery meant he never lost in the air.
CF: JERMAINE BECKFORD
He came into Preston with a bit of a reputation but he really hit the ground running and proved a huge hit. Not a great trainer, but he could turn up in key moments. He had ice in his veins, scoring a hat-trick in the playoff final just showed Jermaine’s big-game mentality.
Subs: Alan Browne, Kevin Davies, Joe Lolley, John Welsh, Paddy Madden