Preston North End

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town lead the manager and player of the month awards for September after both sides have remained undefeated and climbed up the Championship table.

Tractor Boys winger Jaden Philogene has been nominated for player of the month after finding the net four times across the side's three completed matches in September, including a hat-trick during their 5-0 drubbing over Sheffield United.

Charlton's James Bree bagged two goals and two assists over their four games to earn his nod.

Addicks boss Nathan Jones and Ipswich's Kieran McKenna both earn manager of the month nominations for their roles in their unbeaten months but face tough competition against Preston North End's Paul Heckingbottom and Queens Park Rangers' Julien Stephen.

Both also enjoyed an undefeated September, with Preston and QPR currently residing in the top six.

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan and Hull City's Ollie McBurnie round out the player nominations.

McBurnie scored in each of the side's four games to produce five goals in September, while Bannan helped earn Wednesday five points with an opening goal in their first league win of the season against Portsmouth and two assists.

Can Ian Penrose's appointment as Preston North End's new non-executive chairman lead to a new era for the Lilywhites?

Lifelong North End fan and businessman Penrose took the role after owner Craig Hemmings stepped down as club chairman on Tuesday.

The change comes as the club look for new ownership or potential investors to help them remain competitive in the Championship, and BBC Radio Lancashire's Andy Bayes has been looking into why Penrose's appointment may help the cause.

"So my thinking into all this is that it's always been that if the Hemmings family can find a buyer, that would be their preference. If, in the meantime, they can find investment from elsewhere, that would be welcomed," Bayes said.

"I just wonder whether the appointment of Ian Penrose is going to be really key to this because of all his business acumen, because of his experience all over the world in different genres.

"He's going to know a heck of a lot of people and maybe already has somebody lined up to take Preston North End onto the next step."

Listen to the full analysis and more Preston North End content on BBC Sounds.

Former Preston player and coach Neil McDonald has praised North End's "brilliant start" to the 2024-25 Championship season.

Paul Heckingbottom's side sit fourth in the table after nine games, having lost just once so far.

"That's an absolutely brilliant start," McDonald told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"You're talking about getting the best out of the players. You're talking about recruitment. He (Heckingbottom) has obviously recruited really, really well.

"He's obviously playing a system that the players enjoy and they're able to express themselves as well as defend properly. That's a good mix and that shows in the performances and certainly shows where they are in the league.

"It's a long time since they've been that high. So everybody should really be well chuffed with Preston's form so far."

You can listen to more from Neil McDonald on Preston North End on BBC Sounds.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor

Image source, Getty Images

Preston North End have made a highly impressive start. Tipped by many to be strugglers, they have delivered strong, consistent performances and are rightly sitting in fourth spot.

You could put a case forward that North End should be two points better off after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser to Middlesbrough.

But, on the other hand, a miraculous save by Dan Iversen prevented Bristol City from leaving Deepdale with three points at the end of September.

All in all, the Deepdale faithful have no cause for complaint.

Paul Heckingbottom was crystal clear that last season's squad had to be broken up and that it needed a significant refresh. It's had that – and some.

On Saturday, it was the chance for summer recruits Andrija Vukcevic, Thierry Small and Daniel Jebbison to grab the headlines. In previous weeks it has been Pol Valentin, Alfie Devine or Lewis Dobbin who have had the limelight.

The return of Iversen to the goalkeeping department has been a masterstroke. A player familiar with the club, a player who feels at home, a player who feels valued and wanted.

He didn't have a shot to save on Saturday but was a commanding presence when required.

Harrison Armstrong made his full home debut against Charlton. A quick look at his ability shows he's got all the attributes to go to the top.

He's a player who makes the game look easy. Always in space, always with the pictures in his mind of how to get his team on the front foot.

While it's important to rightly recognise the new injection of talent in the squad, it is also crucial not to forget the long-serving players too.

Jordan Storey and Andrew Hughes are in season number eight as North Enders. Both have been outstanding, with Lewis Gibson in between them as part of a solid back three.

Club captain Ben Whiteman was a target for the 'boo-boys' last season on occasions. He's not put a foot wrong this season.

And Ali McCann is simply Ali McCann. A player who gives absolutely everything for the cause. He covers every blade of grass with tenacity, and I'm convinced that he's underrated in terms of what he offers.

The Milutin Osmajic situation is one that hopefully will be a lot clearer by the time the international break is over.

He answered FA charges in London last month relating to being accused of racism in February. Paul Heckingbottom told me on Saturday just how important it is that a verdict is reached soon.

"It could have/should have been dealt with a long time ago," Heckingbottom said.

"I think when there is something this important and the topic is important, it rightly means a lot to a lot of people.

"We've got two lads' careers, and they're trying to get on with it. We would have loved for it to have been sorted one way or another and moved on, but it's not. Hopefully we'll get to the bottom of it soon."

As the managerial sacking season gets into full swing, it probably marks the end of another time-honoured phrase, "it's very early in the season".

North End have made an excellent start, and for anyone dreaming of making the Championship play-offs for the first time since 2009, is it really out of the question?

Image source, Rex Features

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has praised his side's dominance in their 2-0 win versus Charlton Athletic.

Goals from Thierry Small and Daniel Jebbison pushed the Rams into fourth place on 16 points as they ended the "very dangerous" Charlton's four game unbeaten run.

"We were really good today, very dominant from start to finish and I just said to the players, if anyone's watched Charlton as much as I have and the staff have this season, they'll realise how impressive that is because they've given everyone a game and been a handful for everyone," said Heckingbottom to BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Today we were very strong. I'm really pleased with how we went about it because one of their main threats is set plays.

"They've been very good from them, not only scoring goals. They're also not bothered that they don't play many passes; they're very dangerous.

"Nathan [Jones] sets his teams up well to press and try to win the ball and on that turnover, they'll be really quick and try to score goals."

These two sides have made bright starts to the Championship campaign with Preston unbeaten at home and Charlton having not lost in their past four matches.

• Preston North End have won each of their past four league games against Charlton Athletic, with this their first meeting with the London side since a 2-1 victory in January 2020.

• Charlton Athletic have won just one of their past 20 away league games against Preston North End since 1955 (D5 L14).

• Preston North End have kept two clean sheets in their past three Championship matches, as many as they kept in their previous 19 league games.

• Charlton Athletic have won just two of their past seven league matches (D3 L2), this after winning five of their six league matches prior to this run (L1).

• James Bree has been involved in 50% of Charlton Athletic's goals in the Championship this season (4/8), providing two assists and scoring two goals for the Addicks.

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has ruled defender Pol Valentin out of action for "weeks rather than days" after he limped off during the first half of Saturday's goalless draw with Bristol City.

Valentin had featured in all of Preston's opening seven Championship matches this season before missing Tuesday's 2-2 draw at Hull City with a hamstring injury.

Now, Heckingbottom has confirmed Valentin will be unavailable for the foreseeable fixture list as he prepares for Saturday's clash against an in-form Charlton Athletic (15:00 BST), unbeaten in their last four outings.

"Pol will still be out. He's getting a bit of treatment now - we'll know a lot more where he is after the international break," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

Listen to the full interview and more about Preston North End on BBC Sounds.

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom gave his view of his side's 2-2 draw against Hull City at the MKM Stadium.

North End went two goals up inside the opening 10 minutes courtesy of Thierry Small and Michael Smith, before two goals from Oli McBurnie led to the points being shared.

"I think overall it shows how far we've come, yet how far we've still got to go if we want to be a serious team," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The fact that we're so disappointed having come here, shows how far we've come.

"I'd give our defenders that situation to defend 99 times out of 100 and we'd get it right, that's why we're all disappointed in there,

"It's not all down to that. Second half we have more chances again because we're forced to play, Thierry (Small) is getting crosses into the box, which he didn't do in the first half, there's so many positives - the only negative is that we've not won the game."

Heckingbottom's side sit in sixth place on 13 points from their opening eight games, having lost just once in the league.

Despite their strong start to the Championship campaign, they have won just one of their past five league games following their EFL Cup defeat by Wrexham in August.

"We were sloppy with the ball to be honest, the first goal, and credit to the players because I thought we got a bit more control then and didn't panic and played our way back in because the crowd were up," added Heckingbottom.

"We gave them the first goal and then recovered well and passed the ball better towards the end so we were very good without the ball, and the players executed the game plan, were really clinical, ferocious without the ball, and were comfortable with Hull playing in front of us."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds

Following his wonder save against Bristol City, Daniel Iversen has been called Preston's best signing of the summer by former North End goalkeeper Alan Kelly.

Iversen brilliantly foiled Anis Mehmeti from close-range in added time to keep a clean sheet for his side in the 0-0 draw against the Robins.

Talking about the save, Kelly told BBC Radio Lancashire: "One thing that's critical is the time of the game - 95th minute, 0-0, you've conceded a lot of chances.

"He had made six saves already so he'd had a really good game and then you come down to that moment with Mehmeti, mercurial centre forward for Bristol, he skips into the box and for all intents and purposes when he sets his sights to strike, you think it's a goal all day long.

"I've said before, since they got Iversen in, the presence he has as a goalkeeper always puts a doubt in the striker's mind and he [striker] has to do a little bit more.

"He feels he has to maybe put more pace on it or bend it so all of these little nuances are coming to the fore.

"Mehmeti's hit the ball with his instep and you'll see a lot of goalkeepers sprawl their arms out, they'll throw their legs out - it'll go through them, it'll go under the arm, it'll go over the arm or past the hand.

"Right at the final minute, he has got enough about him to actually direct his hand towards the ball in that last, not even a split-second, it's less than that."

Kelly was at Deepdale on Saturday to see the save live.

"I was right behind it and everyone was almost groaning that it was going to hit the back of the net and then he produces that moment - he must have [felt] 10 feet tall," Kelly added.

"The belief he gives the team not just because of that save but because of his presence, his ability, his performances, is immense and you can't put it on a chart in terms of how many points it's going to win you in a season. I just think he is the best piece of recruitment Preston have done in the summer window."

Listen to more from Alan Kelly about Daniel Iversen on BBC Sounds.

Rob Law
Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

I know Preston 0-0 Bristol City doesn't sound very exciting, but there's a lot to glean from the game on Saturday that should continue to give Preston fans reason to believe their impressive start to the campaign is more than just a flash in the pan.

As a team they defended brilliantly and right down to the last man. Bodies thrown to the turf to block incoming shots, lung-busting runs to recover when possession was lost and finally, a keeper named Daniel Iverson, who pulled off one of the saves of the season in the last kick of the game.

Paul Heckingbottom has built real fighting spirit within the squad, and it shows in every aspect of their performances this season.

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom won't rest on his laurels despite their positive start to the season.

The Lilywhites lie sixth in the Championship with 12 points from seven testing early fixtures, losing only once and boasting the division's joint-meanest defence.

They head to Hull City on Tuesday (19:45 BST) aiming for a third straight clean sheet following Saturday's goalless draw at home to Bristol City, ensured by Daniel Iversen's stunning last-gasp save to deny Anis Mehmeti a winner.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire the stalemate "was a good point against a good side", adding: "The margins are so fine, the mentality to stick in games is key.

"We've turned tight games in our favour; last season we didn't manage to do that.

"We had 20 draws and in a lot of those we were by far the better team. We could easily have lost at the end on Saturday, so these are good points to pick up."

He says the recipe for a successful season is hard work and trying to come out on top in tight encounters in an "ultra-competitive league".

"We were everyone's favourites to go down at the start of the season," he said. "I'm not expecting us to run away with games 3-0 or 4-0, I am expecting us to compete and do all we can to try to win games.

"Improvement only comes if you keep working hard and fight for those inches and those margins because that will determine where you end up at the end of the season ultimately - the bits we can control, big moments like Dan's save on Saturday."

Pol Valentin is out of Tuesday's game with a hamstring problem which forced him off against the Robins, but Daniel Jebbison is back after illness while there is still no word on the outcome of Milutin Osmajic's two-day disciplinary hearing - over allegations of racial abuse - last week.

"Hull are a dangerous team, they love crosses into your box, they don't have to play well to win," Heckingbottom added.

"We think we can hurt them and cause them problems, but they'll be thinking the same."

Click here for the full interview with BBC Radio Lancashire.

Image source, Opta

Hull City return to the MKM aiming to get back to winning ways after being stunned by Watford late-on in a 2-1 defeat on Saturday.

The Tigers romped to a 3-1 win over Southampton in their most recent home game and though they are the fifth-leading scorers in the division with 11, nobody has conceded more than the 14 they have shipped.

Preston are the visitors on Tuesday night (19:45 BST) and head east on a three-match unbeaten run after a goalless draw at home to Bristol City on Saturday.

The Lilywhites have lost only one of their seven Championship matches to lie in sixth, though their sole defeat did come on the road at Portsmouth, and while they have only scored seven times in as many games, they have the best defence in the second tier with just five conceded.

• Hull have only lost one of their past six league meetings with Preston (W2 D3), and could win back-to-back league games against the Lilywhites for the first time since November 2019.

• Preston have only enjoyed two wins in their past 12 league visits to Hull (D3 L7), a 2-1 triumph in September 2017 and a 1-0 win in February 2022.

• Hull have alternated between winning (3) and losing (2) their last five home league games, beating Southampton 3-1 last time out. The Yorkshire side have managed just one clean sheet in their past 24 at home in the Championship (2-0 v Plymouth in March).

• After their 1-0 win at Derby, Preston are looking for back-to-back away league victories for the first time since March 2024 (3 in a row).

• Hull's Oli McBurnie has five goal involvements (2 goals, 3 assists) in three home league games this season, both scoring and assisting in two of them.

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire he felt the draw with Bristol City was "a good point in the end".

"Too many times last year I was coming in frustrated when we only got a point, but today we might have had more of the ball but they had more of the chances.

"I'd be disappointed if our games aren't tightly contested. They were really good without the ball and there were a lot of dead-ball restarts, throw-ins, and their threat is on the counter.

"The game was exactly as we thought and that's where the best moments came from."

Preston North End will look to sustain their superb start to the Championship when they host Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Lilywhites have only lost one league game this season to put themselves in the top six after ending their last campaign on a winless run following their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Aston Villa.

It puts the hosts level on points with the visiting Robins, who are coming off a disappointing loss to Oxford United last time out.

• Preston have won just two of their last 13 league games against Bristol City (D7 L4), with both victories in that run coming at home (December 2020 and January 2024).

• Bristol City have won two of their last three away league games against Preston (L1), as many as in their previous 20 visits to Deepdale (D8 L10).

• Preston have won three of their last five league games (D1 L1), more victories than they'd managed in their previous 18 in the Championship (W2 D8 L8).

• Bristol City are unbeaten in their three away league games this season (W2 D1), last having a longer run from the start of a campaign back in 2019-20 (6).

• No player has been involved in more Championship goals this season than Bristol City's Anis Mehmeti (6 – 4 goals, 2 assists). The Albanian has been involved in five goals in his last three league appearances for the Robins (3 goals, 2 assists).

Preston North End's Lewis Dobbin says the squad can aspire for Championship promotion this season, using their performance against Middlesbrough as the benchmark.

North End have lost just one game from their opening six and sit fifth in the table with 11 points, five points behind leaders Boro. Their highest finish since returning to the Championship in 2015-16 was seventh in 2017-18.

Rob Edward's Boro earned a late equaliser at Deepdale earlier this month in a game the hosts felt they should have won.

"When we played Middlesbrough we were unlucky not to win that game and obviously they're top of the league, so I don't see why we can't be up there come the end of the season," Dobbin told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We're in fifth because we've earned it, we're there on merit. The games we've won, we've had good performances and we've probably outplayed teams."

The forward, who is on loan from Premier League side Aston Villa, has made an impact in recent weeks, making three appearances in the last three fixtures and getting a goal and an assist.

Dobbin suffered a calf injury in March while on loan at Norwich City which ruled him out for the rest of the 2024-25 season, but was able to secure his loan move to Preston North End after interest from multiple clubs.

"You want to be out there showing everyone what you can do because I feel like I'm making up for a bit of lost time," he added.

"[The loan] is good for me because I don't want to be sat on the bench getting five or 10 minutes. I want to be playing, I want to be an important player, I want to get as many games under my belt as possible."

North End will face similarly high-flying Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 BST) at Deepdale, hoping to leapfrog the Robins who sit third in the league, also on 11 points.

"There's not one fixture that you look at and think we shouldn't be getting three points," he said. "I think that's the mentality. If we want to do well this year that's got to be the mentality throughout the whole club."

Listen to the full interview with Lewis Dobbin and more North End on Sounds.

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has been speaking to the media ahead of the Championship match against Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Here are the main talking points:

• Preston North End have Lewis Gibson fit to play against Bristol City on Saturday. The central defender had to come off in the second half of last Saturday's 1-0 win at Derby County with a neck injury.

• Striker Milutin Osmajic will be assessed before the team is named. He returned to training today after spending two days in London answering FA charges. Brad Potts is back in training but will not be involved this weekend.

• Amid Osmajic's charges, Heckingbottom has affirmed with his players that he and his staff are available to talk to about issues outside of the training ground, and cites his young coaching staff as a reason his players feel able to do so.

• The successful start to the season is more satisfying for Heckingbottom after questions about squad strength prior to the season starting.

• North End's ability to get points on the road and edge out opponents in close-fought games are seen as the main contributing factors to their positive start, with the club currently fifth in the table.

• Heckingbottom praised the atmosphere created by fans at Deepdale so far and encouraged more of the same, particularly when against higher quality opponents and when in losing positions.

Listen to the full press conference and more Preston North End on Sounds.

A potential move to take the Championship play-offs down to eighth place would damage the competition's credibility, according to former Huddersfield, Stoke and Middlesbrough defender Tommy Smith.

The EFL board is set to discuss proposals to increase the number of teams in the end-of-season play-offs from four to six but Smith, who was promoted to the Premier League with Huddersfield via the play-offs in 2017 is not a fan of the idea.

"It's not for me - I think it suits teams who don't really have a chance to get in the top six," he told the BBC's EFL podcast 72+.

"From a credibility point of view the top six is there to be aimed at and you have to earn your place in it."

The play-offs were first introduced for the 1986-87 season where sides finishing third down to fifth were involved along with the team third-from-bottom in the top flight.

After two seasons the format was changed to be played out between teams finishing third to sixth in the second tier.

"To finish eighth in the Championship and potentially get promoted to the Premier League it just doesn't sit right with me," added Smith.

"Notoriously over the past years getting into the top six is tough and when you get in there after a long hard season it feels brilliant, so to make it a top eight it dilutes it."

Should Preston North End be setting their sights on automatic promotion this season?

The Lilywhites sit fifth, inside the play-off places after six games in the Championship, and there is a buzz around Deepdale after they picked up their first away win against Derby on Saturday.

"If you're talking play-offs, why not go up automatic because I think that league is there for anyone who puts a sustained run and gets themselves up there - and why not them [Preston]?," co-commentator Jimmy Bell told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"They've been exceptional this season. The home form is solid. They've now won away from home. Clean sheets. Great goalkeeper. They've got exciting young players. Everything. All the boxes are getting ticked for them at the minute.

"Can they carry on? Yes, why not? The run of games they have coming up, I think they're going to win three out of the next four at least which would cement them in and around the play-offs. Once you get to 10-12 games, the league starts taking shape so, as I say, why not Preston? Why not? I really like them at the minute."

As for the driving force behind North End's superb start to the season, Bell believes it was the side's fall-off in form after a run to the FA Cup quarter-final last term that has reinvigorated boss Paul Heckingbottom.

Preston lost to Premier League side Aston Villa in the last eight in March and failed to win a single Championship match for the remainder of the season, finishing just one point above relegation.

"I think this goes back to the end of last season and it goes back to the manager," former Accrington Stanley assistant manager Bell added.

"His hunger and desire to do well this season is synonymous with the way they've started this season. He was hurt with what happened and I know the Preston North End fans were really, really hurt."

You can listen to Bell's full analysis and more Preston content on BBC Sounds.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport Editor

Image source, Rex Features

It has been far too long since Preston North End fans last travelled home from a Championship away match on a Saturday with that winning feeling.

533 days, to be exact.

This is a team that was tipped to struggle this season. A club that only beat the drop on the final day of last term.

The display at Derby had the freshness of a squad that has undergone a significant rebuild.

The majority of the permanent signings have not cost a penny, with the most expensive acquisition (Odel Offiah) still waiting for his opportunity.

But the quality of the loan arrivals has sprinkled some real stardust on the starting XI.

Alfie Devine's goal was a genuine touch of class. He saw the opportunity to chance his arm from outside the area and left Derby's keeper grasping thin air.

North End have the option to take him permanently from Spurs - if they can find the money to do so, they have got themselves such a talent.

He is already a huge favourite with the supporters and looks like he's found a home close to home.

Lewis Dobbin is another summer arrival who has added a spark. Two goals already and to be ultra critical, if his decision-making was a little better in the first half, this match could have been out of sight.

The first half was really encouraging - North End were by a million miles the better side.

They were quicker to the ball, better on the ball and were always showing for the ball.

Derby were always going to give some sort of reaction in the second half, and they did, with summer signing Patrick Agyemang in the thick of things and bringing a smart save out of Daniel Iversen.

But credit to the North End defence. The two stalwarts of Jordan Storey and Andrew Hughes, both in their eighth season with the club, were excellent with Lewis Gibson in between them.

Eyebrows were raised when Storey and Hughes were given new deals last season but they are certainly rising to the challenge of competition for their spots.

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't perform well on the day. Ali McCann and Ben Whiteman were streets ahead of their direct opponents.

With Harrison Armstrong, another exciting Premier League loanee, still to break into the side, things are looking up, the bench is looking strong, and Preston North End are giving the feel of a team who might just be going places.