Lancashire nostalgia in 1999: North End promotion dream; supermarket priest and condom cocktail

The night a dream died for North End

Thousands of Preston football fans were picking up the pieces of their shattered First Division dream.

More than 1,300 North End fans made the trek to Gillingham to watch the 1-0 defeat in the second leg of the play-offs to have a chance at Division One promotion.

But around 6,500 supporters packed into Deepdale to watch the crucial match on a huge screen.

The record crowd watched the game in minute detail from the comfort of the Sir Tom Finney Stand at Deepdale and saw their team beaten by a single goal.

But the PNE army vowed: “We will be back.”

North End trailed for most of the game after they went behind early during a lacklustre match which only managed to spring into life at the dying minutes.

Fans screamed, chanted and sang at the screen as if they were actually at the game - and groaned when their beloved team twice came within a whisker of equalising during injury time.

However, it wasn’t to be and the final whistle signalled to everyone that the Lilywhites had been consigned to spend another season in Division Two.

Priest holds supermarket service

There was no shortage of bread and wine at Fr Damien Feeney’s latest service - or toothpaste, toilet roll or dog food!

Shoppers were praying in the aisles when Fr Damien held a service at Asda supermarket in Fulwood.

Fr Damien, the mission priest for the Longsands area of Preston, is churchless so finds some unusual places to ply his trade.

The congregation gathered in the store’s restaurant for what Asda bosses hope will be a regular service in the supermarket.

Store manager Stuart Addlington said: “We are hoping to have a service every other Sunday at about 10am in the restaurant, before the rest of the store opens.”

A special mass is planned for the supermarket on June 23 to celebrate the arrival of Fr Feeney in the parish.

Bar offers a ‘tasteful’ safe sex message

A Preston drinking house is offering a new tipple which comes with a rather unusual free gift.

Forget the traditional umbrellas, cocktail sticks and cherries on the side, the new Rubbered Up comes complete with a free condom.

But the cheeky promotion has a serious message, as it is part of a national awareness week to promote safe sex.

Greenall’s pubs, including Wall Street in Preston town centre, are offering the exclusive drink made up of Kahlua, Bailey’s, banana liqueur and cream. You can sample Rubbered Up until May 16.

Greenall’s spokeswoman Rita Bawden said: “Our cocktails are extremely popular and our customers are always challenging us to be more daring with our creations.”