Preston confirm permanent appointment of new manager

Preston North End confirm the permanent appointment of their new manager Frankie McAvoy, who has accepted a role at the club.

On the 21st of March 2021, following the sacking of Alex Neil, McAvoy was named as interim manager of Preston until the end of the 2020–21 season.

On the 10th of May 2021, it was announced that McAvoy, was offered, and accepted the full head coach position, following a successful interim period, with the club finishing 13th in the Championship table.

✍️ Preston North End are delighted to announce that Frankie McAvoy has been offered and accepted the head coach role at Preston North End.

➡️ https://t.co/PNXUjpEgBa#pnefc pic.twitter.com/iR7PFvG4M1

— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) May 10, 2021

Frankie McAvoy has been offered and accepted the head coach role at Preston North End.

The Lilywhites’ former first team coach took charge of the club, initially on an interim basis, in March. He led the side for the remaining eight games of the season, winning five, drawing two and losing just one, including four successive wins to end the 2020/21 season.

The 53-year-old was part of the coaching staff at both Hamilton Academical and Norwich City before moving to join the coaching team at Deepdale in July 2017.

Paul Gallagher will join the coaching staff, as first team coach, assisting Frankie, alongside current coach Steve Thompson.

Gallagher, 36, will call time on his 20-year professional career, having made over 600 appearances, including becoming the 24th player to play over 300 games for Preston North End.

Everyone at Preston North End would like to congratulate them on their new roles and wish the new coaching team the very best in taking the club forward.

– STATEMENT ENDS –

Frankie McAvoy heaped credit on the Lilywhite players for their strong finish to the season which culminated in victory over Nottingham Forest.

“Thankfully we have managed to galvanise ourselves and turn round a really good set of results.

“We’ve got 17 points from 24 which is a fantastic, conceding one goal in five games and that was a 25-yard wonder strike.

“The players deserve immense credit.”

McAvoy added: “I will meet the players on Monday, have a chat with them in end-of-season meetings.

“It is up to them (the club) when they want to make that decision. They know that I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

“I love Preston, my family are settled here. It is up us to Mr Hemmings and Peter Ridsdale what they decide going forward.

“Whatever happen will happen, I’m absolutely comfortable with it, I have no regrets whatsoever.

“I’m delighted for the Preston fans that on Gentry Day we have managed to turn in a decent second-half performance and get another win.”

“We didn’t do well enough first half to be honest, I thought we were a wee bit lethargic,” said McAvoy on the game.

“We’d started okay and had a good chance which Ched Evans headed over but for the rest of the first half we didn’t play well enough, we didn’t keep the ball well enough.

“We struggled in terms of getting up to support Ched and Scotty Sinclair. We then changed it in terms of getting two players playing in the pockets behind Ched.

“It still didn’t work well enough in the first half so it was a case of getting them in and having a chat with them.

“In the second half we managed to do the things we asked of them which was great.

“Forest were better than us in the first half, their goal was a wonder goal, a fantastic strike from the lad Garner.

“At the same time we needed to get out and shut down the shot quicker.

“Thankfully in the second half we were miles better.”

Fans reacted after seeing Preston confirm the permanent appointment of their new manager…

@lancs_rob: No complaints from me. Wanted ainsworth or Davidson if possible but I’m excited about frankie as head coach and gally taking up a role. Hope we get Deepdale rocking for him next season and take some good crowds away to create a buzz early season

@_ElliottJackson: No doubt McAvoy has had a great impact since taking over but I think this is a mistake. Much easier to galvanise a group when there’s nothing to play for. Preston would have been better looking at Ainsworth or even Warne. Plenty of options out there.

@clinchy98: Frankie boy taking us up 👍🏻

@irichardson01: More than happy with that. Go on Frankie

@CameronML21: Frankie is at the Wheel #pnefc

@kevhpne: Fully deserved. Now lets all get behind him and the team and have a real go next season. Great news.

@catterallwhite: Can’t say it’s not deserved. Good Luck Frankie you have my full support. #pnefc

@CjCritch: Frankie Mac….! All the best lad #pnefc

@adamjohnkirk: Frankie’s Funky Whites let’s av itttttt

@Adam_GSmith: Not overly keen on this decision, for me the club needed a fresh start with new face. Just have a feeling this won’t end well. Regardless of that however he deserves a chance I guess and he will have my full support #pnefc

@CallumAtkins1: Pne have gone for the cheap and very common option of hiring their caretaker after a decent run with no pressure as head coach which means he won’t have much say over transfers, they may live to regret this one

@grogan6: Certainly deserves a crack at it. 👏🏻

@traynor_danny: Well deserved frankie. The fans choice.

@Hally_07: Definitely deserves it!

@iampav: Well deserved. Anyone who can get players in the right shape, reaching their potential and playing consistently can achieve good things. Love to see Gally involved too.

@_TC04_: Totally Deserved #FMSWA

@Newcs21: Couldn’t really offer it to anyone else after the last eight games, hopefully a big summer of signings now

@Thebamber23: Well deserved here to the future #FrankieMcAvoySuperWhiteArmy #pnefc #letsgo

@samwesty2: Someone say premier league 2022/23 🤩 #pnefc #PremierLeague

@CJ_PNE: Fair play, done a great job and early appointment means we can crack on with signings.

@PnefcJames: yesss boys. Frankie mcavoy’s super white army

@jamieheato: All the best to Frankie! Hard to argue against this given how well we did in the eight games. Best of luck to @Gally_7 too! An absolute legend and certainly up there as one of my favourite all time North End players

@JONeillPE: FULLY DESERVED!! Love that North End!!!

@simo7pne: You couldn’t not give him the job. Well played Frankie #COYW

@IanWhiteside8: Great news, well done Frankie

@dinglouis_: Deserves it tbh

@0161ppr: WWWWW

@pj895: May as well get the promotion parade organised for next season

@schorah_adam: wow. well deserved and a ballsy move. time will tell whether the right decision had been made. get frankie’s players in, give him a season or two and then judge on the appointment. let’s hope he works wonders. UTW

@Loyndy: He’s throughly earned it. Best of look to Frankie and his team. #pnefc

@gbriscoe94: Really pleased for Frankie. Early announcement means he has plenty of time to prepare for the new season. Let’s get back in the ground and get behind him and the lads

@u2PNEFC: Cheap option but no surprise whatsoever knowing who’s running the club on a day to day basis! Good luck coaching the dinosaurs signings Frankie

@jtuckerx: Love to see that. Hopefully he gets backed in the summer and have a wonderful season

@SkyBet can you please cancel his bet. He bets with decimals.

— Keaton x (@Kaetz95) May 10, 2021