Bradford reluctantly let Preston talk to Graham Alexander
Bradford City have reluctantly given Preston North End permission to speak to manager Graham Alexander about their vacant manager's job.
Bradford confirmed the decision in a club statement on 24 September. Preston are looking for a new boss after sacking Paul Heckingbottom earlier this week, according to BBC Sport.
Heckingbottom spent two years in charge at Deepdale. He was dismissed after Preston lost six of their opening seven league games. They now sit second-bottom of the Championship, the second tier of English football, with four points from eight matches.
Alexander knows Preston well. He made 372 league appearances for the club across two spells as a player. He also served a five-game spell as caretaker manager in 2011-12, then ended his playing career with Preston at the end of that season, aged 40.
Bradford have strong reasons for wanting to keep him. He took over in November 2023 and led the club to promotion from League Two, the fourth tier, in his first full season in charge. Last season Bradford finished fourth in League One, the third tier, before losing to Bolton Wanderers in the play-offs, the knockout games that decide the final promotion place.
This time around they have started even faster. Bradford are top of League One with five wins from their first seven games. Alexander is under contract at Valley Parade until the end of next season.
The two clubs already know plenty about each other this season. Bradford beat Preston in a pre-season friendly at Valley Parade in July. Then, in comments reported on 16 September, Alexander played down speculation linking him with Preston and insisted his focus remained on Bradford City.
Preston do not play again until they host Millwall on 10 October, in their first game after the international break, the pause in club football for national-team matches. That gap gives them time to hold talks and, if they can agree a deal, get a new manager in before the league resumes.
For fans, this means a familiar tug. Preston would be turning to a former captain to lift the mood and climb the table. Bradford would be asked to give up the manager who has led their revival for a rival in trouble. One conversation will decide which story wins out.
