'I considered quitting management' - Heckingbottom

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.