York City will have to bypass the Preston North End's version of the great wall if they are to sample any Deepdale joy.

Patrolling the Preston midfield with muscle and menace is Sean Gregan, who, at 6ft tall and 14 stone-plus in frame, is a veritable barrier.

The one-time Preston skipper meanwhile is not without subtlety. He displays a neat touch in the heat of battle that has prompted several top clubs to cast an envious eye over him.

But Gregan, who is not the most mobile of performers, has been bedevilled by disciplinary problems since his arrival at Deepdale in a £300,000 move from Darlington.

That has meant he has spent several chunks of last campaign serving suspension, though his promotion to captaincy becalmed him somewhat.

Born in Cleveland, Gregan made his debut for Darlington as a teenager in 1991-92.

In just under five seasons with the Quakers Gregan made 136 League outings scoring four goals. He was then a rugged centre-half and was bought as such by ex-Preston boss Gary Peters in 1996.

Since then he has rattled up close on 80 League and cup appearances for Preston, finishing last season as a midfield enforcer.

One of his most storming displays in a season spoiled by two bans he drove Preston forward to counter from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to York City to win 3-2, on target too from long-range.

Such powerhouse displays brought the scouts to Lancashire. Leicester City boss Martin O'Neill was a reported admirer while fellow premier side Aston Villa had a £1 million offer rejected by the Deepdale directors.

Still only aged 24, Gregan ha time on his side to enjoy the fruits of a big-money move, but his immediate task will be to ensure the Minstermen do not flow so fluidly when they christen the new campaign tomorrow.

MATCH POINTS Preston North End v City

Nationwide League, Div 2 (at Deepdale, August 8, 3pm)

City have won once and lost four times in their five league visits to Deepdale.

The one success was in 1984/5 when John MacPhail, Keith Houchen, Alan Pearce and Dale Banton netted in a 4-2 win.

They lost on their first trip to Preston 4-2 in 1976/7 and 3-0 in 1987/8. In the corresponding games in the last two seasons they have gone down 1-0 and 3-2 with Rodney Rowe scoring twice last term.

Players to have appeared for both clubs include goalkeepers Norman Wharton and Roy Tunks, full backs Steve Senior and Jim Branagan and midfielders Sean Haslegrave, John Lowery and Gary Swann.

City last won on the opening day of the season in August 1993 when they beat Swansea City 2-1 at Bootham Crescent. They last won away on the first day of a campaign back in August 1983 when they defeated Stockport County 2-0 at Edgeley Park.

This is City's 63rd season in the Football League since their election in 1929. They have played 2,776, and of their 1,388 home games they have won 683, drawn 352, lost 353, scored 2,432 goals, conceded 1,560 and totalled 1,904 points. Away from home, they have played the same number of games, won 298, drawn 344, lost 746, scored 1,595 and conceded 2,599, for a total of 1,036 points.

This season City could notch up their 1,000th league win, 300th away success and 3,000th point.

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