"Still hurts to this day" - Preston North End regret issued over gutwrenching 2005 flashpoint | OneFootball

Preston were defeated 1-0 by West Ham in the 2004/05 Championship play-off final

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Preston North End are yet to feature in the Premier League since it was formed ahead of the 1992/93 season, but have been close to breaking into the top-flight since its introduction 32 years ago.

The Lilywhites reached the Championship play-off final back in 2005, four years after being hammered 3-0 by Bolton Wanderers at the very same stage in the then-known Nationwide Division One, but were defeated 1-0 by West Ham at the Principality Stadium, bringing an end to their Premier League dreams once more in heartbreaking fashion.

That was as close as Preston have come, although they did reach the play-offs again in 2006 and in 2009, but they fell at the first hurdle, losing the semi-final, and they fell out of the Championship altogether in 2011.

The Lilywhites are now in their tenth consecutive Championship campaign, but they haven't been able to break into the play-offs and reach the Premier League despite coming close on occasion, and losing the 2005 play-off final still haunts some of the Deepdale faithful.

2005 play-off final defeat still hurts Preston North End fans

We asked our Preston North End fan pundit, Darren Watson, what the Lilywhites' biggest regret is, and he pointed to their 2005 play-off final defeat to the Hammers.

Preston were arguably favourites going into the game thanks to finishing above the Hammers, and they had beaten them twice in the regular season. However, a Bobby Zamora goal on 57 minutes - helped by a slip from centre-back Claude Davis - ensured it was the Lilywhites who left Cardiff heartbroken.

Speaking to Football League World, Darren said: “The one thing that the club regrets to this day is the missed opportunities of reaching the Premier League.

“We had the one big opportunity in 2005, the play-off final against West Ham at the Principality Stadium.

"I was much younger back then, but I was in attendance, and we got beaten by West Ham 1-0. Coming that close and losing like that, especially with the goal they scored coming from a mistake at the back.

“We played well that season, and we beat West Ham twice in the league. The goal of getting into the top-flight has eluded us now.

"It’s a bit of a regret that we didn’t press on after that to get into the Premier League, and that’s the one thing that every Preston fan dreams about and still wants.

"We want our club to be in the Premier League, who doesn’t? But despite the history we have being the founding members of the Football League and the first winners of the league, the FA Cup double, and the original invincibles, it’s just eluded us.

“Obviously, we get comments from rivals as well that we’ve never been in the Premier League, and from that aspect they’re right, but it still hurts to this day.

“I’m still keeping the faith and the hope that one day that I’ll see my team in the Premier League no matter what.

"I’m still Preston North End through and through, but one of the club’s biggest regrets is that we haven’t pushed hard enough and haven’t spent enough, so that’s one of the club’s biggest regrets to this day."

Preston North End fans will hope that Paul Heckingbottom can help them reach the Premier League

North End have been a stable Championship club since winning promotion to the second tier in 2015, but can't quite seem to break into the top six, no matter what happens.

You can always expect the Deepdale outfit to be in the mix, but they always seem to lose form at the wrong time and slip down the Championship table, but supporters will hope that their fortunes will change now that Paul Heckingbottom is at the helm.

The former Sheffield United manager helped the Blades win promotion to the top-flight back in 2023, so he knows how to do it, and could well be the man to help the club break into the top six.

It's early days, but it doesn't look like that will happen this season after a shaky start which led to Ryan Lowe's departure, but when he's given the chance to build his own side, there's no reason why the Lilywhites can't progress under Heckingbottom.

Heckingbottom is a more than capable manager, but will need patience, and if they persist with him, they could finally break their top six hoodoo in the coming seasons.