NICKY Forster and Steve Butler may well regret choosing Reading ahead of North End come 4.45pm on Saturday.

Both players publicly snubbed North End in favour of the Madejski Stadium and both line up against North End at Deepdale this Saturday.

And while the fans have the perfect opportunity to berate the players for not choosing Deepdale, North End themselves have an extra incentive that a win could take them top!

With a game in hand and a point behind first place Bristol Rovers, North End have everything to play for - and won't they just love making Nicky Forster pay!

Forster was also set to move to Deepdale from Birmingham in the summer, with his agent saying the deal was cert. Forster changed his mind at the last minute, and in the process made himself a target for the vicious bile from North End fans. But while both of Reading's front men may have been targets for North End, PNE boss David Moyes knows they will face a tough task to get beyond on the stout back four.

Colin Murdock, Rob Edwards, Michael Jackson and Graham Alexander have scarcely put a foot wrong this season, playing a vital role in North End's many victories so far.

That, hopefully, will continue on Saturday as North End vie for top spot.

However, that is where the status quo stops.

Lee Cartwright will be missing from action. He took a knock to the ankle during the Everton game. He spent just 16 minutes on the field during the FA Cup match before being subbed himself.

Paul McKenna and Michael Appleton may end up fighting it out for a place on the left wing for the game.

Steve Basham returned to North End's starting line up for the first time this season on Tuesday. However, Bjarki Gunnlaugsson returns from international duty, facing David Moyes with a dilemma of who to pick to partner Jon Macken.

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