PAUL Gallagher and Joe Garner have been in play-off battles before, but never at Wembley.

Neither of them have won promotion that way, and neither – in nine attempts so far – have Preston North End.

They are hoping there is a first time for everything this weekend.

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And there will be two pockets of East Lancashire cheering them on.

Born in Glasgow, Gallagher came south of the border as a seven-year-old and was raised in Blackburn, where plenty of his family and friends still live.

He came through Blackburn Rovers’ youth ranks, just like Blackburn-born Garner, who grew up in Whalley.

Garner did not go on to make a senior appearance, and although Gallagher played 74 times in the then Premiership, cups and in Europe, both found alternative routes in the professional game.

They have come together at Deepdale, and now just one game against Swindon Town stands in the way of being able to play against their first club in the Championship next season.

“I’ve been away for so long but I’ve never played against them,” said Gallagher. “It’s six years since I left.

“If anything before I end my career I’d like to play against Blackburn in a competitive match.

“I was at Leicester when we played them but I wasn’t in the team at that time for whatever reason and I was disappointed because when the fixtures came out that’s the one I looked at.

“Obviously I didn’t want Blackburn to get relegated to the Championship, because I came through there, but when they did that’s the fixture that I looked for to hopefully be involved in, but it didn’t happen.

“Maybe I’ll get another chance.

“We want to take this club to the highest place that it can be.

“If you look around everything’s set for higher league football, but it’s easy to sit here and talk about it, the hardest thing is doing it out on the pitch.

“We’ve got hopefully 90 minutes to get there. It would be nice to take this club and the supporters back to a higher level.”

There is nervous anticipation among North End fans; a confused combination of hope without holding their breath.

They have been here too many times to take anything for granted. And Garner has been among them.

“My family had season tickets when I was younger and me and my brother used to sit in the old Town End,” said the 27-year-old, who went to Wembley as a fan in 1993/94 as Preston battled with Wycombe to get out of the old Third Division.

“I travelled down there with my family to watch the game. Preston lost 4-2.”

The memories are painful.

Garner wants to erase them with a first play-off promotion, and he is glad to be on the other side and able to influence proceedings.

“I think I’d prefer to be playing than to be a fan to be honest. At least it’s in your own hands then and you’re not shouting at other people,” he said.

“I’ve been in the play-offs quite a few times with other clubs - Carlisle, Watford, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield - but it’s my first appearance at Wembley.

“You’ve just got to embrace the day and enjoy it. It doesn’t come around very often. I’m just looking forward to it and hopefully everyone has a good day out.”

League One top scorer Garner certainly had a good day the last time he faced Swindon, scoring a hat-trick - his third of the season – in a 3-0 win.

Gallagher has not ruled out a repeat from the hotshot.

“As a player like I am, a creative midfielder, if you put the ball in he’ll be around there sniffing trying to put it in the back of the net. He’s a dream to play with,” said the 30-year-old.

“He’s a nightmare for defenders, up and down, in their faces and he scores goals.

“He’s been like that since a young age.

“Him and Joel Byrom were two years younger but they played in our Under-16s team when they were 14. So it showed at Blackburn they thought a lot of him.

“He went off to Carlisle and did really well and got a good move to Nottingham Forest.

“He’s had a good career, and hopefully he’s kept a few goals back for Sunday.”