'Special feeling': 40-cap Scotland man returns to former club as manager

The 54-year-old is back at Deepdale 14 years after retiring as a player having made 372 appearances over two spells and replaces the sacked Paul Heckingbottom after North End lost six of their first seven Championship games.

Alexander led the Bantams to promotion to League One in 2024-25 and to the top of this season’s table with five wins from seven games, and on Thursday the club reluctantly gave him permission to speak to Preston.

“It’s a special feeling to be named manager of this football club,” he said after taking over a club second-bottom of the table. “I had an amazing time here as a player and it’s great to be back.

“At previous clubs, we’ve always improved league positions and created a team that people can appreciate and attach themselves to. I want to win, I want to be successful, and a big part of that is having ambitions.”

Former Preston defender and long-term assistant Chris Lucketti has joined Alexander at Preston. The pair have previously worked together at Fleetwood, Scunthorpe, Salford, Motherwell and MK Dons as well as Bradford.

Alexander won 40 caps for Scotland between 2002 and 2009 and spent a year in charge at Motherwell between 2021 and 2022.