Graham Alexander confirmed as new Preston North End manager

Graham Alexander has been appointed the new manager of Preston North End.

The legendary defender has returned to Deepdale for the third time after making 421 appearances over two stints at the club as a player, departing Bradford City while they sit at the top of League One.

Alexander, 54, replaces Paul Heckingbottom in the hot seat after he was left the club on September 13 following a poor start to the new Championship season.

The former Scotland international will be joined in the PNE dugout by long-term assistant and fellow former Lilywhite Chris Lucketti.

The rest of Alexander’s coaching staff is still to be confirmed but they have plenty of time to prepare for their first game in charge at home against Millwall on October 10, which happens to be his birthday.

Graham Alexander’s first words as PNE manager

Alexander was briefly co-caretaker manager while still a Preston player alongside David Unsworth following the sacking of Phil Brown in 2011, but speaking for the first time as the club’s permanent boss, he said: “It’s a special feeling to be named manager of this football club.

“After speaking to Preston, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. I had an amazing time here as a player and it’s great to be back.

“At previous clubs, we’ve always improved league positions and created a team that people can appreciate and attach themselves to.

“I want to win, I want to be successful, and a big part of that is having ambitions.”

Graham Alexander’s Bradford have enjoyed a great start to the season

The Bantams announced on September 23 that they had ‘reluctantly’ given Alexander permission to speak to Preston over filling the vacant managerial position in Lancashire.

Preston are just two places above Bradford as they languish 23rd in the Championship table having earned just four points from their opening eight games following a record summer of spending in the transfer window.

That led to the sacking of Heckingbottom after just over two years in the position, in which he recorded league finishes of 20th and 14th and a win percentage of 27.5 per cent.

Alexander, meanwhile, has won five and lost two of Bradford’s opening seven fixtures in the third tier, seeing them lead the early charge in the promotion race. The Bantams are also in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after knocking out Rochdale, Burnley and Leyton Orient.

The Yorkshire club made it to the League One Play-offs last season after finishing fourth but were eliminated by eventual winners Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals. Alexander has won three promotions during his managerial career, though, at Fleetwood Town, Salford City and Bradford.