Keeper coach Jonathan Gould’s know-how can be vital to Preston North End

Jonathan Gould pictured in 2004 during his spell at Deepdale

Gould started work with the Lilywhites’ goalkeepers on Monday and his arrival marks a return to a club he served as a player for two years.

He played for North End between 2003 and 2005, making 59 appearances.

Preston boss Neil said: “Sometimes experience is important.

“I just think we needed a bit more experience in that department.

“We want to try and get the best out of players and the goalkeepers.

“If ever we felt we needed another coach to help our players, we’d do that and this is what we have done here with Jonathan.”

Jack Cudworth, who was the keeper coach for 18 months before Gould, will stay on.

Said Neil: “Jack will still be here, he will be out on the grass with Jonathan and the goalkeepers.

“We will have a role for Jack, he’ll be doing different things than he is now.

“Jonathan has come in to help the goalkeepers as well as helping Jack – further his development as well.”

The keeper coach role has changed hands a few times in the last two years.

Alan Kelly did the job for more than four years during Simon Grayson’s reign.

Kelly left a few weeks into Neil’s stewardship and Dean Kiely replaced him.

However, Kiely was only in the job four months before he left to join Crystal Palace.

Cudworth, who had worked under Kelly and was the academy’s keeper coach, stepped up to take the senior role in 2018.

Gould has had a background in coaching and management since the end of his playing days.

The 51-year-old worked in New Zealand and Australia before he returned to these shores to join West Bromwich Albion’s staff.

He then moved with Tony Pulis to join Middlesbrough and was at Boro until May when Pulis left.

This is the first time Gould and Neil have worked together but that does not worry the North End manager.

“A lot of managers take people who they have worked with in the past, I would say a lot of the people that I recruit are guys I haven’t worked with before,” said Neil.

“Sometimes it is nice to keep it fresh, I’m certainly not a jobs-for-the-boys-type coach. I have met Jonathan when we have played the sides he’s been involved with.”