PNE fans' panel verdict: Industrial action doesn't stop PNE striker from earning John Smith's plaudits

Their latest round of industrial action did not deter 2,600 fans from making their way down the M6 with their efforts rewarded by seeing our team achieve a fourth successive win.

It was a great day out in Stoke and, with just one loss on our last 11 visits to this happy hunting ground over the last 20 years, maybe we should consider booking a holiday for a whole week’s party next season if we could guarantee the same kind of weather and result.

The long-running saga of the chase for Tom Cannon had become so chucklesome at times that the story could be told by his namesake Tommy.

However, with him having ‘rocked on’ to Leicester on deadline day, it was finally time to move on from it all.

Funnily enough, it was the two goals of this season’s new striker, Will Keane, who has battled so well up front on his own – while seemingly awaiting the arrival of last season’s loanee – which sealed this fine win.

The last time we reached these dizzy heights and topped the Championship table was in 2019 under the tenure of the current Stoke manager Alex Neil following a win at Charlton.

That day, Messrs Gallagher, Johnson and Pearson – now on the payroll of the team sarcastically dubbed ‘Stoke North End’ by some of our fans – were also in our starting line-up.

Fittingly though, at the end of the game, all four left the field of play with their heads bowed as the sound of our elated fans celebrating the fact that we were now top of the league echoed loudly.

Some fans also implied that Neil would be receiving his P45 the following morning but, in complete contrast, our boss Ryan Lowe was on the pitch happily fist pumping.

Exiting the stadium, I heard a disgruntled Stoke fan saying: “Preston top of the league, the world’s gone mad.”

However, to use the lyrics of a well known two tone group, for me it was a case of “Madness, madness, they call it madness, but if this is madness, man I know I’m filled with gladness.”