Preston will host Luton on Saturday with Paul Heckingbottom in the Deepdale dugout – their third manager in three games at the start of the Championship season. Ryan Lowe left last Monday and his former No 2, Mike Marsh, quit his role as caretaker before the post-match press conference after a dismal 3-0 defeat at Swansea on Saturday.
The former Leeds and Sheffield United manager’s first words on the club’s social media account included: “I don’t want to be bored standing at the sidelines.” Heckingbottom’s task can be gauged by the fact that Preston have lost their past seven league games without scoring a goal.
Heckingbottom, who will be assisted by Stuart McCall, said: “I’m really delighted with it, ready to go and champing at the bit. It’s a club I know well for lots of reasons and a league I know well, so it was a pretty easy decision.
“Experience is key. Knowing the players helps and then having success in this league helps, so we know what it takes to compete. We know what it takes to do well and you can give that clear direction to try and get there.
“The short-term goals are to get back on track. Longer-term, we want to be a really, really competitive team in this league.”
Heckingbottom, who won promotion to the Championship as Barnsley manager in 2016, was sacked after four months in charge of Leeds before guiding Sheffield United to the Premier League in 2023. He left in December with the club at the bottom of the table.
Preston fans’ relationship with Lowe had become seriously strained after the latest long losing run but criticism has also extended to the club’s hierarchy’s failure to land key signings – the ex-manager had based his style of play on using wing-backs but specialists in that role were absent.
The club have brought in Sam Greenwood and Kaine Kesler-Hayden on loan, plus Stefan Thordarson and Jeppe Okkels permanently in this transfer window and Heckingbottom is on the lookout for more.
He told the Lancashire Post: “[The window] is something I want to try and capitalise on if we can. There are always factors which dictate whether you can or not, but certainly we are going to work as hard as we possibly can to do that. It would be a missed opportunity if we didn’t. Until that window closes, we will be looking to do things.”
The board came under fire when Lowe quit so early in the campaign after losing at home against Sheffield United. Many supporters complained that action perhaps should have been taken at the end of last season. While other more inexperienced candidates, such as the former Manchester City coach Brian Barry-Murphy, were under consideration it appears they have played safe, possibly to avoid further ire if the gamble does not pay off.
The Preston director Peter Ridsdale said: “We identified that we wanted Paul to be the man to take us forward and moved swiftly over the weekend. We met on Sunday, finalised the details late [on Monday] night and he’s here with us today, ready to get to work.
“I’m now looking forward with confidence with Paul and Stuart McCall in charge and I think all Preston North End fans can be really excited about the season ahead.”
Preston are second-bottom on goal difference in the Championship after those two opening defeats.
