Episode 2 Late Kick Off North West

Preston North End tell us tonight that they have to save �750,000 per

month. How does Chairman Peter Ridsdale plan to do that? Welcome

Coming up on tonight's programme, the real state of play at Preston.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale reveals the club's financial future.

A Late Kick Off look at Gresty Road's next big thing. We scout

striker Nick Powell. And argy bargy at Bury. The team

mates who paid the penalty for this spot kick spat.

With me in the studio tonight the man in charge at Prenton Park,

Tranmere boss Les Parry and an Oldham Athletic legend who's been

on a special Late Kick Off mission over the weekend, Andy Ritchie.

First tonight, the chairman of Preston North End has told me today

that his priority is to save �750,000 per month in an effort to

get the club breaking even and on a firm financial footing. Peter

Ridsdale has been in charge since December and tells me in an

excluisve interview tonight his plan is big earners out, more fans

in and the team on the up. When you came to Preston, how do

they compare financially to some of your other clubs? I think the

difference is, we have an owner here who has the wherewithal to

make sure the fan base is stable but the similarity is that we were

spending too much money for our position in the Football League. My

challenge is to make sure we get value for money rather than just

spending it. The money being spent, was that through mistakes or just

the natural wear and tear of football? It is very easy to

criticise predecessors and plenty of people still criticise me for

things I have done but what we have here is an infrastructure for the

championship and a football team that is currently playing in League

One and we have to make sure that our overheads at the same as the

lead in which we are performing at. We have got contract here that are

probably OK but certainly were inappropriate in League One. He

therefore what you either have to do is a bounce straight back if you

can afford to do so or you have to cut your cloth and unfortunately we

had not cut our cloth and we are not bouncing straight back into the

championship. It is impossible to talk about finances without talking

about the owner and he recently said it is costing him a �750,000 a

month to run at the club, is that correct? If he said it, I will not

dispute it. My view is that a football club of this stature with

the sort of crowds we get should be able to break even. We cannot do

that over night, we are clearly not breaking even now, that must be her

challenge and the danger of that is our supporters saying, there is no

ambition left. That is not true. We can't run our own football club yet

still be ambitious and get promoted, that must be the object. How do you

come in and say -- save that amount of money? We have got to get people

to pay through the turnstiles or trim the squad down to a level that

is acceptable and that we have players who are paid needed once

salaries and again it doesn't happen overnight but you can make

giant strides a fairly quickly. I would like to think if we start

playing winning football, the crowds will come back. That helps

enormously because that is a single best source of revenue. We will be

willing and dealing with the players to make sure our overheads

are just as well. I'm not pretending the magic wand and make

it happen overnight but that has got to be a challenge. If we could

get promoted, we were suddenly get a significant amount of money, � 4

million coming from the television revenues just by being promoted. We

are going to challenge all the routes that are available,

promotion is probably the hardest challenge but we need to get there

sooner rather than later. investment is up to �20 million and

the owner has said it is not unreasonable to want some of that

back. Has he talked to you about that, the return on his investment?

Clearly, I am not going to make a public statement about private

conversations between him and myself. It is clear that he has

been a very successful benefactor for this club but without him, we

would not have survived. Am grateful for that and we all should

be. My object is to get this club into a situation where it has value,

it is not losing money every year and will succeed on the pitch. That

is an interesting challenge, one I have faced in the past, one I have

faced in the past and one I am looking forward to. Is it a

sustainable model? Think of Blackburn Rovers, is it sustainable

going for it having one man to gain so much on her shoulders or are you

acting and the King for other people to help? And that the person

to address the question to because I don't know -- own at the football

club. You should address to him. There are plenty of clubs out there

with single benefactors. Amateur in the long term but that is the best

solution for those clubs. If you look at Manchester City, Chelsea,

what happens to them that that benefactor dies he doesn't want to

write cheques any more? My objective is clear, too much at

this football club operates within the correct financial model, one

that is totally achievable. We had a good supporter base and there is

no reason why Preston North End football club cannot operate on a

financial viable model. If you do not get promotion and you cannot

offload a high earners and you are still losing �seven had and 50,000

a month, is the owner prepared to finance that? You have just thrown

a number of negatives at me. They are scenarios. If you said we

cannot get the higher earners of the pay roll, and number of our

players are out of contract this coming summer. Do I expect to get

promoted this year? I am not at her event. -- a clairvoyant. I want to

get the correct balance as soon as possible. I am aware of Mr

Hemmings's ability to fund it in the meantime but I have a challenge

here which I am fully aware of, I am very happy and grateful to be

here because I enjoying it very much.

He has a job on his hands. Did that sound familiar to you in League One

trying to pay Peter and Paul at the same time? Yes, you knock a few

zeroes off our amount but the model that he is talking about his ass

really. We made a small profit and nothing we will this year. Most

clubs will have to go that way now because you cannot just go pulling

money, throwing good money after bad. On one hand they have a severe

with Trevor Hemmings but it all rests with him. He wants the money

back. I am sure he does. That is a lot of money to have pumped into

one football club. There is a difficult one because as Peter said,

if he did decide to pull the plug, what happens to the football club?

They have got to get a more suitable plant in a place and it is

not great to be easy because getting higher wage earners off,

that is not just a thing you can do and say, that is it, we've got them

out of the building. It will be hard. Interesting comments about

the model, and naming Bolton and Manchester City, what happens if

someone at stops writing the cheques. If you are a fan, and

someone comes in with a big cheque book, do you rejoice? Yes, because

you do not think long-term in those circumstances. You think, we can

have more players. Then you worry about them pulling out when they do.

But the ones like Manchester City, they have gone, haven't they?

would be spend, spend, spend? would, yes, but I wouldn't be there.

It was a disappointing weekend on the pitch for Preston.

While he was appointed last week, this game at home to Leyton Orient

really marked the start of the Graham Westley era at Deepdale. But

his first game in charge didn't go as planned despite new recruits

Holroyd, McAllister and Procter all picked from the start. But it was a

disjointed North End for the most part, something exploited after the

break by the Londoners whose goals came from Marc Laird and Jimmy

Smith. Stephen Schumacher was handily placed to put Bury in front

at home to Yeovil but that was only the start of his eventful afternoon.

Joe Skarz's header put The Shakers back in front after Yeovil's

immediate reply but the main talking point came ten minutes

before the break. After being brought down in the box, Giles Coke

fancied the resulting spot kick despite Schumacher being the

regular penalty taker leading to amazing scenes described by boss

Richie Barker to BBC Radio Manchester's Bill Rice. I have

given him the responsibility to take penalties and as far as I'm

concerned, he knows that and it goes beyond that, whatever Stephen

says, goes. Schumacher eventually converted, Bury held on for a 3-2

win. It ended goalless at Breezy Boundary Park but Oldham will know

they missed good chances against Exeter, none better than this late

Matt Smith header. Finally Dale who really needed something from this

relegation six pointer but they were second best throughout and

it's now nine without a win. Two from Stuart Beavon helped Wycombe

I cannot think I have seen an argument go on as long as that.

Giles has apologised and has said that his emotions run high when he

is playing. He said all he could think about was getting the ball

are on the spot. No apology for wanting to win. He has said he

needs to respect the captain and manager even when emotions are

running high. He liked it. I thought it was class. You used to

be a penalty taker. Did anyone try to make the ball off a you?

cannot remember that. I think he is are mown and should be thinking of

the captain as the penalty taker. - - on loan. Anyway, they scored,

that was the main thing. Let's have a look at your luck -- game at the

weekend, Bournemouth. You took the lead thanks to a tidy finish. That

lead thanks to a tidy finish. That is a quality goal, unlike the other

two. Described it. You can see, look where it goes, it has gone

right in the stand. There is no stopping it. It is going to keep

right, right into the top corner. Was that a wind assisted? I think

the wind was actually against it! We have to mention it, what is

happening? We are playing well, to be quite honest. We are losing by

one goal all of the time. That is the difference in this league. It

is about a class, about a look. Once we get back on our way we will

be all right. How frustrating is it? It was tough all the way and

the play-offs were in sight. How frustrating is it for you now?

time that it really hits is when you get injuries in the squad. We

had four playing at the start of the season. That is a problem we

have got at the moment. You started the season saying that you wanted

it to be more than a fight for survival. Do you think that is

still the way forward? Very much so. We were in the bottom four and now

I think we are second. There is no reason we cannot get there. We have

already featured Preston North End. It is a massive club, isn't it?

think they have got the top five place. I think any of the five

going up will do well in the going up will do well in the

championship. We wish you well. Let's have a look at League One,

where there is some developing India's. -- some developing news.

Bridestowe remain deep in relegation trouble. -- Rochdale.

They have agreed personal terms with John Coleman to replace Steve

air as manager. There have been no teams -- terms agreed yet. I am for

Rochdale. They have got a top manager. He is the third longest

serving manager. I wonder what has swung it for him. I think it is a

North West club. He does not have to move. He is probably seeing

potential. He wants to go in there with Jimmy and get them out of the

bottom. Where does this leave Accrington Stanley? It is going to

be strange. Stanley without Coleman, they go together, they are

synonymous with each other. They will not want to be wasting any

time. They might have somebody in mind, I do not know. It might be

strange. It will be strange for me not to interview John Coleman. But

they will still have him in the region, which is good.

There is not too much action this week. Preston will get an

opportunity to make up against their last game. They will play

Notts County. Macclesfield will play AFC Wimbledon. You can keep up

to date on your local BBC radio stations. We will keep you updated

with all of the latest John Coleman and Rochdale news. And now to the

quiz that has got the ball talking. Peter Murphy was the only player

sent off at the Bristol Rovers. What the mango buzzer, he swapped

shirts after a game with the Real Madrid. We also have a North West

favoured, Gordon Burns. Who scored the winning goal in last

season's FA Cup final? What is the capital city of Wales? Cardiff.

What is the leader of the Liberal Democrats? Ed Miliband. No, it is

Nick Clegg. What is twenty-five minus seven? 18. Which North West

side plays at the Reebok Stadium? Bolton. How many times has Brazil

won the World Cup? Name a former Accrington Stanley manager? Do not

say the current one. How many sides does a train will have? 3. -- a

triangle. Yes! That was a little bit closer than the quiz last year.

That was Stanley at play. But how did they get on at the weekend?

point but now they had opportunities to win it at

Aldershot. Michael Smith should have hit the target with this

header. The toe-poke and near-post follow up was saved as this one

ended in stalemate. Boss Gary Simpson bemoaned the windy

conditions at Swindon. His side might have taken the lead had Matt

Hamshaw not been off balance. They had to pay when Benson scored. The

sending off was controversial but the home side wasted the resulting

spot-kick. Three without a win for more come after 82 - 1 defeat to

Turkey. -- after a 2 - 1 defeat to Torquay. The Shrimps were

galvanised after a sweet strike from a Phil Jevons. Then a claim

was dismissed for this bizarre bit But has to be one of the most

ridiculous decisions that I have ever seen at a football game. --

that has to be. Nick Powell has attracted scouts from Manchester

United and Aston Villa after making a scouting -- starting line-up.

This is a good time to send our reporters down to see what all of

the fuss is about. Crewe is a small club with a

reputation for finding big names. This year it is a Nick Powell.

is not the same as anyone we have ever had before. He has always been

independent with his thinking. It is not about tricks. It is about

either scoring goals or stopping goals. He does all of those. He is

doing all of them very well and he is a good player. He has got a bit

of everything. He can stop goals and he makes goals. For somebody

that young, he is destined for the top, no doubt about it. When he is

not short of confidence, he is well aware that football stardom may not

come to him this season. Last year I was not even on the team, I was

on the bench. They didn't -- that did not help me keep my fitness a

poor show what I can do. I think I have shown that I have progressed.

-- Life fitness up or show what I can do. He is the best player Crewe

have got at the moment and I hope they keep him. I think he might go

at the season. If he goes to the Premiership club he will be setting

on the bench at best. -- sitting on the bench. Here he is getting a

regular experience in the league and good luck to him. I hope he

stays. We are looking at Nick Powell. How do you assess a guy of

his age and what will make him a great player? You have to look at a

lot of things. You have to look at his temperament. You have to look

at his ability, is he a team player? Is he fearless? I think

that is one thing that people will look at. I think they take all of

those things into consideration. has got to earn the right to play.

He has been left out in periods of times when he got sent out at

Shrewsbury. He was very petulant and he missed a lot of games after

that. It was not a lesson but it was something he needed to land and

he has made on from it. He is showing a majority. -- he needed to

learn and he has learned from it. Dagenham and Redbridge did not

listen. It was up to Greg Pearce sent to even things up on his debut.

The nightmare than in the second half for visitors keeper Chris

Lewinton. He failed to clear a back-pass. They continued to push

on. Nick Powell stepped up into the limelight and completed the rout.

Once we got the third goal, I felt comfortable after that. Make, just

as they were announcing man of the match, I was more than pleased for

him. I am pleased with him. A nice little cameo at the end, Bryony

Balen. He has got better ago at the end Andy. What do you make of him?

He likes to take people on and he has a fearless streak that you like

to see in players. I detected a touch of impatience in his

interview. Is that what you want? He said he did not want to be on

the bench again. You want people to be confident in their own ability

but there is a fine line that you are too over-confident and too

cocky. I am sure that Steve will keep him in check on that but it

was a good finish. The keeper came out pretty quick and just lifted it

over and he got man of the match as well, which I am not sure he was a

man of the match. The other goal we should have got man of the match.

He could not have the crate of beer because he was only 17. Did you

step in? Let's talk about Tranmere. How do

you keep someone like that under wraps? There is nothing you can do

when the Scouts are about. longer he can play at Crewe the

longer he will develop. I think he thinks he should be playing for

Arsenal now. I think he is confident. If that is the case and

someone was to nibble at him, would that kind of player be drawn up by

the glamour? Yes, they are always tempted by the big clubs. You're

always going to be tempted. path to Crewe is well worn for

Scouts. What is it about that club? Get them young. You go there and

see how they work and they look after the lads there. Andy, just

for the record, is he going to make it as a top line pro in the Premier

League? I thinking it is a little bit too early to say definitely --

I think it is. If he keeps on going, yes. That when has done a world of

good for the table. Morecambe has had a IMAX performance and look at

their standing at the table. -- had a maximum performance. Derby had to

settle for a point. They had to better their chances. There was a

fabulous cross from Jay Rodriguez bat was headed over in the first

half. Frank Fielding botched the next try in the second half.

created the better chances. The game was probably influenced by the

weather. Derby made it difficult for us. In the end we had to take

the point. It was a positive. have a look at Blackpool. A

dramatic win at home to Crystal Palace. Was this a penalty? Yes, it

was. He was a distance away from it. You would be disappointed if you

did not get it. And what about this for her determination from Gary

Taylor Fletcher? That is a great touch and a really good finish. He

had no chance with that one. Kevin Phillips and Chris Basham combine

here. He was there, wasn't he? triple substitution did the

business for Ian Holloway. You need 8p -- bench that is strong and you

need people that can go on there and make a difference. Kevin and

Elliott to that. They were shouting at me about being brilliant

professionals. That is what you need on your squash. Those three

points have ignited Blackpool's play-off push. Burnley are still

just three points off the top six. That is it for tonight. Many thanks

to last and Andy. We will be back next week. Stay tuned for all of it

gave Cole minute news. -- tomb for all of the Coleman Nears.