Cody Rhodes, a WWE superstar and Preston North End supporter, has given a message of encouragement to the Lilywhites following their dreadful start to the season in the Championship.
As Preston’s bad start continues, pressure is mounting on manager Paul Heckingbottom, with fans expressing their displeasure, and the 49-year-old will be eager to pick up some points before the September international break in order to keep his job at Deepdale.
Paul Heckingbottom is under mounting pressure at Preston North End.
Preston spent much of the first half of the season in and around the play-off spots, but a drop in form after the turn of the year saw them finish 14th, having won only four of their final 20 games.
North End had a busy summer of transfer activity, breaking their transfer record by permanently signing Tottenham Hotspur loanee Alfie Devine for up to £6 million, as well as spending £2.5 million on Oxford United winger Stanley Mills and £3 million on Celtic striker Johnny Kenny.
Lee Nicholls, Harry Clarke, Caleb Wiley, Leo Leroy, Liam Gibbs, Delano Burzorg, and Jusef Erabi were among the other newcomers to Deepdale this summer, but much of the Lilywhites’ business was completed in the latter parts of the window, much to Heckingbottom’s dismay.
On the pitch, Preston had their worst start to a season in 70 years, losing their first four games, but they got a much-needed first win of the season last weekend with a 2-1 home triumph against local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Despite Callum Lang’s fifth-minute opener, North End were defeated 2-1 by Watford at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night, with second-half goals from Edo Kayembe and Mamadou Doumbia securing all three points for the Hornets and increasing pressure on Heckingbottom.
Preston North End’s Championship results thus far this season
15 Aug
Bolton Wanderers (A).
2-1 L
22 Aug
Wolverhampton Wanderers (H
1-3 L
29 Aug
Charlton Athletics (A)
1-0 L
1 Sep
Bristol City(H)
1-3 L
5 Sep
Blackburn Rovers (H).
2-1 W
8 Sep
Watford (A
2-1 L
Cody Rhodes offers an impassioned Preston North End message despite the catastrophic Championship start.
Preston fans have had a dismal start to the season, and it appears that one of their most prominent supporters, WWE star Rhodes, has taken note of their troubles.
Rhodes, a two-time Royal Rumble winner and multi-time world champion, has previously disclosed that he is a die-hard North End fan who was introduced to the club by fellow WWE wrestler Wade Barrett, and he has issued a rallying cry to the Lilywhites in their current predicament.
When asked whether he had any advise for Preston to assist them turn their fortunes around, Rhodes replied, “Well, I’m honestly going to say suck it up and move forward here because a couple of things.””When you’re an American and you’re over here and saying ‘this is my favourite football club,’ and there’s already this feeling about football over here, even though soccer is the world’s most popular sport, I’m putting my name out there.”I’m trying to board a rocket ship myself.
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