Shawn Sharpe is working on a new mural that will tell the story of Preston North End.
The art is being created on the wall behind the Alan Kelly Town End, and is set to be a “visual timeline of the club’s history,” according to a PNE spokesperson.
Shawn started work at Deepdale on Monday 28 July and told PNE: “It’s great to be working for a local club with loads of history behind them, and that’s what I’m showing on the wall as well so it’s exciting.”
Shawn has been joined by participants from Preston North End Community and Education Trust (PNECET), who are collaborating on the project.
Also lending a hand has been ex-North End goalkeeper Alan Kelly Jr, whose father Alan Kelly Sr features in the mural by the stand that bears his name. He said: “To see Dad brought to life through the artistic skill of Shawn is incredible.” You can watch the video of Alan’s visit below or, if it doesn’t load, go to Preston North End’s Facebook page.
Also working on the project is Michael Barrett, Heritage Coordinator on the Invincibles initiative, which focuses on using the early history of the club to engage the community, improve wellbeing, promote learning and provide better access to heritage.
Michael told PNE: “The story of Preston North End is deeply woven into the very history of Preston itself. We’ve got such a unique and rich heritage in football and we’re celebrating it through the mural in this unique and exciting way. It’s not just going to be a mural that stands there, it’s going to have a purpose after that as well and there’s going to be some exciting things happening with it.”
A spokesperson for the club added that a number of projects have been discussed with Shawn, and this could be the first of many murals to be added to Deepdale.
For now, the designs are being kept under wraps, with an unveiling date yet to be confirmed.
Subscribe: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox.
Read more: See more of what’s on in Preston
Read more: Plan your life with help from our event listings
Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines
