Heckingbottom vows to break Preston's Championship duck against Bristol City

Paul Heckingbottom is confident his Preston side will break their duck in the Championship when they face Bristol City at Deepdale on Tuesday night.

North End are still waiting to register their first point of the season after suffering defeats in their opening three games.

Supporters are beginning to get restless especially as the start of this season mirrors their fortunes over the back end of the previous campaign.

Ironically, the start of North End’s current downward trajectory started after 2-0 victory over the Robins at Ashton Gate on January 4.

Everything back then was looking decidedly rosy for Heckingbottom’s men as they sat in fourth spot in the table, just three points off automatic promotion.

Remarkably, the next 20 games brought just four more wins for PNE as they slipped down the table eventually finishing in 14th spot.

Despite turning the page of a brand new season, North End’s troubles have continued and they currently sit in 23rd spot, above bottom side Stoke City by virtue of goal difference.

Bristol, who have a new manager in Michael Skubala, picked up their first win of the season defeating Portsmouth 2-1 on Saturday.

They have former North End striker Emil Riis in their ranks, as well as fellow attacker Sam Greenwood who spent a loan spell at Deepdale in the 2024/25 season.

Greenwood has played in all of City’s games so far this season, but Riis has made just two substitute appearances and has not featured their opening day league defeat to Millwall.

“They had a good win,” Heckingbottom said. “They have had a change in manager and done some good recruitment.

“They took two of the top League One players in terms of goals and performances last year.

“They have got a couple of players who we know really well. Looks like they have had a good go and are expecting a good season which is fine.

“Listen, I am expecting us to win Tuesday. We want to make sure we give everything to come away with the points.

“Generally performances align with points but performances are not our priority, they are not my priority. It’s the wins.”

After witnessing Charlton’s fans really get behind their team vocally, especially in the second half on Saturday, Heckingbottom has appealed to his own supporters to turn Deepdale into a cauldron.

“It really makes a difference,” said Heckingbottom. “You saw it on Saturday with their crowd and the way they got behind them.

“It gave their players a real lift and yes, they are in a good place and sometimes that makes it easier but I say it all the time, we want Deepdale to be a tough place to come for the opposition.

“We try to do it on the pitch and the fans can try to do it in the stands, it certainly gives us a lift.”