When Preston North End take on Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday it will not just be a typical away day for the Preston fans, as this will be the club’s annual Gentry day. The Gentry Day is always a big day for the club with the club famous for taking bumper away crowds to the ‘Gentry game’.
The Gentry phrase was first used by Alan Ball Snr in 1970 when the Manger who led them to third division glory said ‘Preston's fans are the best, they are the Gentry’. This then made many Preston fans attend games wearing bowler hats and suits.
This phase died off then back in 2005 the Preston supporters group decided to make the ‘return of the gentry’ in tribute of John Tracey a fan and member of the original Gentry who passed away. Then in 2008 they decided to have one away game every season where they tribute the fans and people associated in the club who have passed away in that year.
In the past they have had Gentry days at Sheffield Wednesday, QPR, Newcastle and Brentford just to name some. If you are at Oakwell on Saturday you will see the away end full of people wearing bowler hats, pinstripe suits, bow ties.
The day hasn't just been a hit with the fans either with the players getting involved too, in the past players have warmed up in bowler hats and used bowler hats in goal celebrations to get involved in the Gentry tradition.
Traditions don’t seem to last that long in football these days but as a Preston fan myself I know what the Gentry means to Preston as a club and it shows respect and tributes those who have now gone and I hope this tradition goes on and on for years to come.
Source: DSG
