As ingredients in today's Lancashire hotpot go, Sam Allardyce and David Moyes are about as similar as meat and veg.
"When I go to bed at night I actually dream about being a Premiership manager with Bolton Wanderers," says Big Sam, his heart nailed to the sleeve of his amply cut jacket. But the man who has led Preston to the verge of the top flight 40 years after they were relegated prefers the one-match-at-a-time approach to expectations. "It's never crossed my mind, anything to do with the Premiership," Moyes insists.
It is hard to believe him. Some estimates put the value of winning a place on the gravy train as high as £30 million (sterling), arguably the richest prize in football. That is hard to ignore, especially for a side who were slumming it in the Second Division last season.
Bolton's desperation is no doubt historical. Having briefly tasted Premiership life in 1995-96 and 1997-98, they have come tantalisingly close to trying it again, losing to Watford in the play-off final two years ago and to Ipswich in a tetchy semi-final last May.
Now, in front of a sell-out 72,000 crowd, they have another chance to bounce back, confidence boosted by the way they dug out a semi-final victory over West Bromwich after being 2-0 down in the first leg.
Experience of this nail-biting occasion, where one mistake can ruin the work of a season, is one reason why Bolton are favourites to win. Another is the feeling their direct, robust approach will be too much for Preston's pretty passing game, especially on a deteriorating wet pitch.
Bolton's veritable Dad's Army of over30s - Colin Hendry, Ian Marshall, the fitagain Paul Warhurst, Gudni Bergsson and Dean Holdsworth - will also have a point to prove about the wonders of age and experiencing top-flight football once more before the boots go in the attic.
Allardyce knows that, if his team prevail, new faces will be required to prevent Bolton failing the Premiership B-test like Barnsley and Bradford. The Gillingham midfielder Nicky Southall is reported to have signed already.
But such is the club's faith that Allardyce can get it right, they have handed him a whopping 10-year contract. Allardyce has few injury problems, his main dilemma being whether to start the 23-goal striker Michael Ricketts up front with Holdsworth or play five in midfield. Preston expect Mark Rankine to shake off a hamstring injury, Michael Jackson a back problem and Richard Cresswell a thigh strain.
One final thought: if Allardyce loses today he will have only himself to blame. In 1998, as Preston's youth-team coach, he journeyed to Hamilton to run the rule over a centre-half. He handed in a glowing report and Preston duly signed the Scottish defender. His name was David Moyes.
