Lancashire

Adam Cottier
BBC Radio Lancashire sport

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom says he contemplated quitting first-team management before joining Sheffield United as under-23s coach five years ago.

Heckingbottom had been sacked as manager of Scottish Premiership side Hibernian a few months earlier.

After the departure of Slavisa Jokanovic in November 2021, Heckingbottom returned to management once more, appointed permanently after two caretaker spells, and eventually led the Blades to promotion to the Premier League in 2023.

''Lots of things about managing don't appeal to me - I actually found the [under-23s] job a bit harder, I'd go home with more headaches and more frustrations,'' Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

''The second time was a no-brainer for me when I had the opportunity to work with the people I wanted to work with. I was already embedded in the club and that makes a massive difference.

"You feel more responsibility to do it. I knew the first-team players and the academy players coming through. I had a big belief we could achieve something. I loved my three-and-half years there.''

Asked why he did not want to go back into management in 2020, Heckingbottom did not want to elaborate, other than to say: ''Loads of reasons, that's another story.''

Heckingbottom is nearly seven months into the latest chapter of his managerial career. His Preston side are 15th in the Championship, but have an FA Cup quarter-final to look forward to after the international break

A first return to Sheffield United on Saturday will be just another game for Heckingbottom.

'I'd have loved to go back as a fan but as it stands I am going back to try and win - so as it stands it's business as usual," he added.

Dan Jewell
BBC Radio Lancashire sport

Burnley's Ashley Barnes wants to reward supporters and staff for the way they have welcomed him back to the club with another promotion to the Premier League.

The striker returned for a second spell in the January transfer window after a previous stint of nine years which saw him win two Championship titles and finish second once.

The Clarets are currently third in the second tier, two points behind second-placed Sheffield United.

Barnes has seen starting chances limited since his free transfer from Norwich but has come off the bench four times so far in the league.

"It's a special place to me and my family," said the 35-year-old.

"The pure passion of football that they live and die for; it's just amazing. I love that you go to the ground and it's not very nice. That's how we make it feel for other teams. You make it a fortress.

"I love everything about the club and always have done. I think it's just the love that everyone shows for each other.

"That's what this town has. Over the years you see so many players come and go but players do need to realise the fans are everything to a club.

"To be honest I never thought I would be back. Maybe one day in the future in a different kind of role but as a player, no, never.

"I would always dream it, of course, but I didn't think it could ever be possible.

"To do it again (and win promotion) would be phenomenal. It would be extra special because you know that it might be the last.

"That's something that I really hope that I can do and help the lads get over the line."

"I think, in a weird kind of way, it will be a little bit of a relief to everybody there.

"They're still going to be defensively very solid but it's almost like that is the main thing going into a game - not to concede.

"I think there was a time where that superseded the will to go and win a game of football."

Former Reading winger Jobi McAnuff gives his thoughts on Burnley finally letting a goal in to Aaron Paul on this week's 72+: The EFL Podcast.

The pair are joined by West Bromwich Albion winger Jed Wallace to discuss, among other things, the end of the Clarets' record of 12 successive clean sheets and how it could help the Clarets open up to a more attacking mindset.

You can listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Over 20 clean sheets and only 10 goals conceded.

James Trafford has got international experience at under-21 level, won the Euros, saved a penalty and was remarkable in the final.

I think that experience he already has is key. People might question the level he is at now but I would argue the Championship is not an easy league. It's really competitive and has different challenges to the Premier League.

In terms of playing style, every team in the Premier League generally plays quite similarly but in the Championship you have teams who are bit more direct and there are different challenges posed every week.

To keep that many clean sheets is incredible, if any goalkeeper does that in a season they would be spoken about as maybe international calibre.

If you're looking at someone who can play with their feet and maybe challenge Jordan Pickford I think he could be the one.

We know with the way Thomas Tuchel plays; he wants a goalkeeper who can do both - be a commanding shot-stopper who can also play with his feet.

Trafford could be an exciting one we can look for in terms of a goalkeeper challenge.

I think he would be full of confidence and has that international experience.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Streaks came to their conclusion for Burnley and Luton Town over the past week.

The Clarets were unable to find a 13th successive clean sheet after conceding to Cardiff City on Tuesday.

While Hatter boss Matt Bloomfield found his first win with the club since his appointment in January, defeating fellow relegation battlers Portsmouth 1-0 at the weekend.

But will it be business as usual when the two sides face off at Turf Moor on Saturday (15:00 GMT)?

• Burnley are unbeaten across their last nine league games against Luton Town (W5 D4), winning the reverse fixture at Kenilworth Road 4-1 in August last year.

• Luton Town are unbeaten across their last eight league visits to Turf Moor to face Burnley (W3 D5), since a 2-1 defeat in March 1995.

• Burnley have kept six consecutive league clean sheets at Turf Moor. The Clarets last had a longer run without conceding between November 1946 and February 1947 (eight).

• Luton Town have lost 20 of their last 23 away league matches (W1 D2), including 13 of their last 14 on the road. The Hatters have lost the most away games in the Championship this season (14).

• Jaidon Anthony has three assists in his last two Championship appearances at Turf Moor for Burnley. He has only ended on the losing side in one of his 35 home starts in the Championship for Bournemouth, Leeds and the Clarets, the lowest percentage of defeats for any player who has started more than 20 home games in Championship history since 2004-05 (3%).

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley boss Scott Parker says he was "surprised" that his team conceded against Cardiff City on Tuesday to end their impressive clean sheet record at 12 league games.

Yousef Salech headed the ball into the net for the Bluebirds to make it 2-1 and see the Clarets concede for the first time in the Championship since December.

The Lancashire side did, however, go on to claim victory after Cardiff failed to find an equaliser and see themselves within two points of the automatic promotion spots.

"I am pleased with the three points. We started superbly for 35 minutes, dominated and got our noses in front," Parker told BBC Sport.

"We started the second half brightly but my only complaint is we probably should have put more daylight between us.

"At the end you need resilience and the ability to dig in and we had that. I thought the energy was impressive. We looked like a proper team who understood their roles.

"It's a shame we conceded tonight but I'm more pleased that we won. I was a little bit surprised we conceded, we will have to review it."