PRESTON'S National Football Museum is to received the royal treatment when it was officially opened by the Duke of Kent.

A host of sporting greats are expected to attend the grand occasion at the museum at the Deepdale ground including legendary PNE player Sir Tom Finney.

As a keen sportsman, the Duke of Kent used to be president of the Football Association.

He was joined by Manchester United great Sir Bobby Charlton and representatives from the Football Foundation.

The party will be taken on a tour of the museum which houses more than 1,000 items of sporting memorabilia on display.

It was opened to the public in February this year and has attracted visitors from across the globe including the Ukraine, Australia and the USA.

The museum cost more than £12million to build, with money coming from the Lottery Heritage Fund, the Football Association, FIFA and other organisations.

It is home to some of the world's greatest footballing history and features ten different collections, including the earliest recorded footage of a football match from 1898 between Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion.

The collection includes objects from all 128 teams to have competed in the Football League over the years, and celebrity commentators Jimmy Hill, Gary Lineker and Alan Hanson supplied a soundtrack to the exhibitors.

Museum director Kevin Moore said: "This is an important day for us and for the area. It's a brilliant opportunity for a lot of important football figures to visit the museum.

"Now it is open properly we are hoping that around 100,000 visitors will be coming each year, which will have a good, knock-on effect on the whole town."

A day ticket to the museum is £6.95 for adults, £4.95 for five to 15 year olds and concessions and free for under fives.