Preston North End

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom was full of praise for his side as they put their name in the hat for the second round draw following a 1-0 EFL Cup win over League Two Barrow.

It was Preston's first win of the season after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Queens Park Rangers in their opening Championship game.

Saturday sees them host newly-relegated Leicester City (15:00 BST) who scored a late winner to beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in their opening fixture.

"We spoke a lot about last season, there were a lot of good performances that didn't end up in win, the only way to put the game to bed is taking those chances," Heckingbottsom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"When we had the bodies last season, our bench was really effective, we know how important that is going to be."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after his side began the Championship season with a 1-1 draw at QPR.

"It's a good point overall when you're away from home and you go behind," Heckingbottom said.

"To come back and be the stronger team in the second half, I'm pleased with.

"Average first half but much more intent and aggression and how we want to play in the second half.

"I've always said it will take a good team to beat us when we play with that mindset."

Jack Bridge
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

If you're a Preston fan, you'll know the 2024-25 season was not one for the faint-hearted.

We spent far too much of it glancing nervously over our shoulders, the play-off chatter of previous years replaced by the far less glamorous business of staying up. We got there - just - but not before the winds of change swept through Deepdale.

Ryan Lowe's early-season exit felt like the end of a chapter. In came Paul Heckingbottom, a man who wasted no time telling it straight: the Championship is a "crazy" division, and Preston needed to toughen up if we were going to survive in it.

This summer has been all about laying foundations. Pre-season friendlies might not make headlines, the results are something we and Heckingbottom should pay little interest in. We saw a mix of the old guard and new faces, with a few academy lads making appearances too.

The nine signings so far haven't been about flashy names; they've been about the right characters - something we've been good at over the past few years. Thierry Small's arrival, for example, brings pace and bite to a backline that will need both, and some potential to be a valuable asset.

Of course, we've said goodbye to a few too. It's never easy watching familiar names move on - it begs the question, are we going to miss those 12 goals from Emil Riis, or the leadership of Ryan Ledson? There's been a measured, not reckless approach to the window so far but I feel like we still need a little more.

As a fan, you can't help but dream — that's the deal we sign up for. I'm not predicting miracles but if we can sprinkle some creative sparkle and add a sharper edge up top, we might just swap those nervous glances down the table for ambitious ones up in what is the most competitive Championship we've seen in a long, long time.

For now, it's hope mixed with a bit of healthy caution — which, if you've followed Preston long enough, feels like home.

The Julien Stephan era gets underway at Loftus Road on Saturday as Queens Park Rangers entertain Preston North End.

The Frenchman was appointed in June as successor to Marti Cifuentes and his first challenge comes in the form of Paul Heckingbottom's Lilywhites, who stayed up on the final day of last season.

• QPR have won each of their last four league games against Preston North End, as many victories as across their prior 17 meetings with the Lancashire side combined (D4 L9).

• Preston North End have lost four of their last six away league games against QPR (W2) and will be looking to avoid losing three in succession for the first time since 2010.

• QPR have lost their opening league match in each of the last three seasons – they've never done so in four in a row before.

• Preston have failed to win their opening league game in each of the last six seasons (D2 L4), though their last victory on the opening day did come against QPR (1-0 in 2018-19).

• Only Cardiff, Oxford and Plymouth (2 each) won fewer away games in the Championship last season than Preston (3), with the Lancashire side winless in their last seven on the road (D2 L5).

Andy Bayes
Sports editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Preston North End start the new season without summer signing Jordan Thompson who will be missing for the next couple of months following ankle surgery.

Speaking about the injury, boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's another couple of months for Jordan. I think I said at the time that he had a misdiagnosis after the final game of last season [for Stoke City].

"He has had an operation now to sort it out and is in recovery which is hard for him because when you come to a new club, you want to start well and it is only when he got to a certain point that he realised something was wrong, so I feel for him."

Robbie Brady is also missing for a couple of weeks with a calf injury while Brad Potts will be assessed ahead of tomorrow's opening-day trip to QPR (15:00 BST).

Ahead of the game, Heckingbottom added: "I want to get going. Once these league games get underway, that is when you start getting proper feedback about the players.

"With the teams that have come up and come down, I have not got a clue how this Championship [season] is going to go. Our expectation for every game is to go and try to win."

Debuts could be handed to summer signings, Daniel Iversen (Leicester), Odel Offiah (Brighton), Pol Valentin and Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday), Thierry Small (Charlton), Daniel Jebbison (Bournemouth, loan), Andrija Vukcevic (FC Juarez).

Heckingbottom said he was "delighted" by the business the Lilywhites have done this summer - click here to listen to his full interview via BBC Sounds.

Preston North End are close to completing a loan move for Tottenham's 21-year-old English attacking midfielder Alfie Devine. (Lancashire Post), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Preston North End have agreed a deal to sign 17-year-old forward Shay Reid from Irish Premiership club Cliftonville.

Reid has also been linked with Aberdeen, Celtic and Luton Town. (Belfast Telegraph), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Former Preston North End striker Ched Evans is pleased he could leave the club this summer on good terms.

The 36-year-old was offered a coaching role at the Championship side but instead opted for a return to League Two club Fleetwood Town for a third spell.

"It took me months to make a decision because ultimately if I take the [coaching] job, I'm retired," Evans told BBC Radio Lancashire.

Evans made eight substitute appearances in the Championship last season but still maintains a good relationship with manager Paul Heckingbottom.

"I had to accept it and as the manager, he has a plan.

"We left on really good terms, I wish him all the best. Although it was a sad thing because I loved it at Preston, the love for football outweighed that."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic says he has no interest in letting defender Cody Drameh, 23, go this summer despite interest from Derby County and Preston North End. (Hull Daily Mail), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Image source, Rex Features

New Preston North End signing Michael Smith says he "can't wait to get going" following his move from Sheffield Wednesday earlier this week.

The 33-year-old left the Owls after his contract was ended by "mutual consent" along with former team-mate Josh Windass, who has subsequently moved to Wrexham.

Smith scored for Wednesday against Preston in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough last December and is looking forward to reuniting with head coach Paul Heckingbottom, who he also worked with during a loan spell at Barnsley in 2015-16.

"Even at my age, with my experience, it's still always a little bit nerve-wracking coming into a new club but it seems like a good group to be a part of," Smith told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The settling in period comes and goes really quickly. I'm going to have to play catch up a little bit but I've managed to get some runs in so I can't wait to get going.

"Obviously I've played under the manager before so I sort of know how he works. I want to come here and keep trying to get better even at my age.

"I know I've missed the pre-season trip so I'll be spending a lot of time getting to know the squad and on the training ground - hopefully it stands us in good stead come August.

"I've never had a good game there [at Deepdale] as an away player so I'm looking to change that but it's always been a stadium I've enjoyed playing at."