Former Preston North End favourite and Derby County promotion winner makes return to football management

The 47-year-old - who moved to Deepdale from Manchester United in 1997 and scored 74 goals for the club - has been named as the new manager of Stalybridge Celtic.

Macken replaces James Kinsey at the Northern Premier League division one west side - which is the eighth tier of English Football - and makes the moves just months after leaving Witton Albion.

His first game in charge of The Celts will be against Wythenshawe on Saturday.

Macken said: “I’m honoured and over the moon to be asked to lead this fantastic club.

“It’s a huge club in a fantastic environment and I’m really looking forward to helping to take us forward.

“You see what it entails and what it’s about and its history, it’s an attraction to any manager and player and for me personally, it’s a great honour to be here and to be given the opportunity.

“The ambition really matches my own. I want to build on what’s already started here and get the club into the division that we believe it should be in.”

Macken was signed for PNE by Gary Peters in 1997 for £250,000. During his first two seasons for the club the striker scored 17 goals in 89 appearances. However, it was under David Moyes that Lilywhites fans saw the best of him.

He would score 57 goals over the next two-and-a-half seasons, with his 25-goal haul leading PNE to the old Division Two title in 1999-2000. The following year saw Preston finish fourth in the Division One, with Macken registering 22 goals.

The Deepdale faithful were disappointed to see their star striker depart for Manchester City in February 2002. But the £5m offered tabled by the Citizens proved too big to turn down.

Away from Deepdale, Macken failed to replicate the form he showed for PNE. He managed just 12 goals for City in 59 appearances, while similar woes in front of goal were experienced at Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Derby. Although, his spell at the Rams saw Macken secure his second promotion - on this occasion via the Championship play-offs.

More successful stints at Barnsley and Walsall followed, before Macken ended his career at non-league level at Northwich Victoria, Stockport County and Bamber Bridge.

Since hanging up his boots, the 47-year-old has also managed Radcliffe Borough and Colne.