Former Sheffield United, Barnsley and Leeds United boss 'in frame' for Preston North End job
Former Sheffield United, Barnsley and Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom is reportedly in the frame for the vacant Preston North End job.
Preston’s season started on Friday (August 9) with an underwhelming home defeat to Sheffield United. Ryan Lowe has since left his role as Lilywhites manager, departing by mutual consent.
In a statement, Lowe said: “Obviously, as you know, my time at Preston North End has come to an end. I’ve had an unbelievable two-and-a-half years, met some incredible people and coached some fantastic players, but I feel now is the right time to move on.
"I’ve had an unbelievable time working with Peter Ridsdale [Preston director] over the last two and a half years. Thank you to Peter, Craig Hemmings and the Hemmings family for their support and backing and giving me the opportunity to manage a fantastic football club and establish myself as a Championship manager.”
When a manager moves on, speculation regarding potential successors tends to follow. Among the early names to emerge as a potential replacement is Heckingbottom, who is said to be a possible candidate for the role.
That is according to reporter Alan Nixon on his Patreon page, with Heckingbottom believed to have caught Preston’s eye. It is thought Heckingbottom would be keen to take the reins if he got the call, having been out of work since December 2023.
He had led Sheffield United back to the Premier League but was relieved of his duties following the club’s dismal start to life in the top flight. Chris Wilder was recruited as his replacement but could not prevent the Blades slipping into the Championship.
A familiar face across Yorkshire, Heckingbottom had a successful spell as manager of Barnsley before leaving for a difficult stint in charge of Leeds. As a player, he represented the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford City and Harrogate Town.