When the results of Friday’s ticket ballot was revealed, thousands of Norwich City fans were left disappointed at not being one of the chosen thousand to return to Carrow Road.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich City's Onel Hernandez and Preston North End's Patrick Bauer battle for the ball as fans watch at Carrow Road, Norwich. PHOTO: Nigel French/PA Wire.Norwich City's Onel Hernandez and Preston North End's Patrick Bauer battle for the ball as fans watch at Carrow Road, Norwich. PHOTO: Nigel French/PA Wire. (Image: PA Wire)

Hundreds of miles up the M6, thousands of Preston North End fans faced another missed away day with trial matches for a lucky few home fans only.

Undeterred, four Preston fans made the trip to East Anglia anyway - booking two rooms at the nearby Holiday Inn overlooking the ground at £170 per room.

With only eight football league fixtures chosen to trial the matches, with Norwich hosting one of two Championship clashes, it remains to be seen when all grounds will welcome crowds back, especially visiting fans.

IN PICTURES: Fans return to Carrow Road

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich City fans have returned to Carrow Road for the Championship clash with Preston North End. PHOTO: Nigel French/PA Wire.Norwich City fans have returned to Carrow Road for the Championship clash with Preston North End. PHOTO: Nigel French/PA Wire. (Image: PA Wire)

Speaking to LancsLive, Preston supporter and trip organiser Dan Tootell said: “I had sent the picture of the pitch view from the room to my friend on Wednesday, but before he’d even replied saying let’s go I’d booked it.

“We’d been informed by PNE Police that we wouldn’t be able to see anything out of the room, but we set off at 8am and there was four of us in two seperate rooms.

“We weren’t expecting the view to be as good as what it was in fairness, but it was as close to a normal away day as we’re going to get for a while. “It was a cracking day out, we were glad everyone could hear us.

“There were a few Norwich fans giving us grief when we scored - they didn’t like it when we were singing after the goal.

“We also had PNE written on a pillowcase hanging out of the window.

“Celebrating the goal was the same as usual, it was a really good buzz and one we’ve all missed.”

READ MORE: ‘Like a VIP party’ - Canaries fans on being back inside Carrow Road

Since opening in 2008, the 150-room hotel has been subject to a range of stringent rules on matchdays.

Guests at the hotel are allowed to watch the action, but matchday rules include no more than two adults in pitch-view rooms for a period of one hour before or after, while no one subject to a football banning order should be admitted to the hotel.

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Windows facing the pitch are also fitted with limiters to stop objects being thrown towards the pitch or crowds.

A 150-year lease was granted to the hotel in return for a £1.1 million payment to the club, who also have a 30pc stake in the business.