Preston North End have a new manager in mind after sacking Frankie McAvoy

The Lilywhites have a candidate in mind who is understood to be employed at another club.

North End called time on Frankie McAvoy' s reign on Monday teatime, making the news public shortly after 7.30pm.

The Scot had taken training in the morning and club sources say he took the news of his dismissal 'like a gentleman'.

They have a clear midweek to make the appointment and get the new man working with the squad before Barnsley visit at the weekend.

The current backroom staff are expected to stay on.

McAvoy took interim charge in March after Alex Neil was sacked, stepping-up from being Neil's assistant.

PNE performed well in his initial tenure, winning five, drawing two and losing just one of the last eight matches of the 2020/21 campaign.

Two days after the final game of the season, McAvoy was appointed on a permanent basis, given the role of head coach - the first time that job title had been used by North End.

McAvoy's reign is the shortest of a permanent PNE manager/head coach since that of Tommy Docherty in 1981.

He oversaw 25 games - 21 in the Championship and four in the Carabao Cup.

A second derby defeat of the season spelt the end for McAvoy, North End losing 1-0 against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Six weeks earlier, they had been beaten 2-0 by Blackpool.

The fans had grown very restless and had been doing so since the Blackpool reverse.

It was the inconsistency with results - an inconsistency which had crept into the course of games - which persuaded the North End hierarchy to swing the axe.

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