DEEPDALE Road regulars are hoping their team's new ground-breaking fanzine will raise...a coffin.

Raising the Coffin is Preston's new fanzine - and the only one in the country to be published by a football club in conjunction with supporters.

Fans hope the hard-hitting magazine, named in honour of a traditional march held in Bamber Bridge to celebrate promotion or relegation, will mark a new chapter in PNE's history.

It replaces the popular Pie Muncher fanzine which was scrapped in June after the editorial team complained of a heavy workload.

The Pie Muncher writers will continue to write for the new publication with the printing and distributing coming from PNE's Publications Department.

Editor Steve Brennan admitted he was a little anxious.

He said: "When we agreed to produce Raising the Coffin we had a few reservations but, to be fair to the club, they've left us to it and every credit to them."

"Raising a coffin when your team gets promoted is unique in football. The naming of the fanzine gives the supporters a name they fully understand," said Steve.

PNE have given the fanzine complete backing, something Chief Executive Peter Church wanted from the beginning.

He said: "From the outset I was aware that if an in-house fanzine was going to work it would have to have total freedom. "If club officials were to interfere with Raising the Coffin then it would be a complete laughing stock."

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