FEVER PITCH, a column for the PNE fan by a PNE fan, kicks off in your Citizen this week at the club's biggest Cup match for 34 years.

SO, we're out of the FA Cup after scaring the life out of supposed "big boys", Everton. On our journey to Goodison Park it seemed as if every car was heading from Preston to Liverpool four.

As it was a special day and none of us were born the last time we made the fifth round, we set off early to soak up the atmosphere and partake of a little liquid refreshment.

We arrived at about 1.30pm to be asked by some scary kids - they were at least ten and armed with viscous looking haircuts - if they could watch our car. I suggested it had a very good alarm but they felt it wasn't much use for fire prevention, so a contract of three quid was arranged.

A little after 2pm we went into the ground, and, to be honest, Deepdale is far better than Goodison for the view, facilities and for those of above five stones in weight, a tad more comfortable to sit in. Some fans had clearly made an effort with multi-coloured wigs, 1960s get-ups (though some were clearly unintentional) and the PNE Teletubbies. A huge sigh of relief was obvious when the teams were given out and Eyres, Gregan and the Duck were all passed fit to play.

In the first five minutes things looked bleak as Tepi had one of his moments and fly-kicked the ball for a corner and Jacko cleared off the line. But then we started to get it together and basically murdered them until half-time, when it seemed the whole away end was phoning the bookies to see what our odds were for the sixth round.

It was all going so well until Don Hutchinson was wounded by a sniper in the Liver Building and some lad from Chorley scored a flukey free-kick. Then to cap it all off, Joe Max Moore kept up the American tradition of being late for most things and scored a clearly off-side second and we went home proud but out of the cup.

This game did provide one of the better moments in 25 years of watching PNE with the rousing chorus of "Are you Blackpool in disguise" ringing around Goodison and Gregan and Jackson playing like heroes along with the rest of the team.

One last thing: the terrace talk on Saturday was that Cambridge's Martin Butler was about to sign - but he took a £750,000 transfer to Reading instead.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.