Portsmouth's Championship rivals announce new head coach after dramatic resignation

Pompey’s Championship rivals Preston North End have confirmed Paul Heckingbottom as their new head coach, following Ryan Lowe’s resignation on the opening day of the 2024/25 season.

On a day in which Pompey enjoyed a dramatic 3-3 draw against Leeds, the Deepdale side suffered a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United which resulted in Lowe parting ways with the club. He had been with PNE for two-and-a-half years but now makes way for the ex-Leeds head coach Heckingbottom.

The 47-year-old has been out of work since he was relieved of his duties at the Blades, with whom he won promotion to the Premier League for the 2023/24 campaign. The ex-Blades boss had been with the Bramall Lane club since November 2021, leading them to a Championship play-off spot in the 2022/23 season before achieving the feat in the following year.

The former defender, who also briefly managed Leeds in 2018 and Hibernian FC in 2019, was reported to have been interviewed for the role last week and will be joined at North End by assistant Stuart McCall.

Speaking on the appointment, the new Lilywhites head coach said: “I’m really delighted with it, ready to go, and champing at the bit really. It’s a club I know well for lots of reasons and a league I know well, so it was a pretty easy decision.

“Experience is key. Knowing the players helps, and then having success in this league helps, so we know what it takes to compete. We know what it takes to do well and you can give that clear direction to try and get there, and that’s the aim.

“The short-term goals are to get back on track. Longer term, we want to be a really, really competitive team in this league. We want to play in a way the fans can enjoy and in a way that gets the best out of the players, and when you get that it can be really powerful.”

PNE Director, Peter Ridsdale added: “I’m delighted that Paul Heckingbottom has joined us as first team manager. We identified that we wanted Paul to be the man to take us forward and moved swiftly over the weekend. We met on Sunday, finalised the details late last night and he’s here with us today, ready to get to work.

“I’m now looking forward with confidence with Paul and Stuart McCall in charge, and I think all Preston North End fans can be really excited about the season ahead.”

Heckingbottom’s first match will come this Saturday as his new club welcome Luton Town to Deepdale. Luton will come into the match off the back of their 0-0 draw at Fratton Park, in which the Hatters goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski was sent off following a second yellow after he clattered into Blues forward Paddy Lane outside the box.

After two games, Preston currently sit 23rd in the Championship, two points and eight places below Pompey in 15th. Pompey will first play Preston on November 9 at Fratton Park before the return fixture is held on March 15.