Preston North End pressure as fans demand Paul Heckingbottom's sack

Pressure is mounting on Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom after the Lilywhites suffered their third straight Championship defeat, leaving the club one of only two sides still winless this season and prompting supporters to label the situation bleak as.

Early season woes

The new Championship campaign began just two weeks ago and Preston have yet to collect a point, falling 1-0 to Charlton Athletic on Saturday for their third consecutive loss. A 4-0 Carabao Cup drubbing by Premier League side Everton at Deepdale added to the misery. The club sit level with Stoke City at the bottom of the table.

Last season the Lilywhites narrowly avoided relegation, securing a 2-2 draw at Bristol City on the final day to stay up. They spent much of that campaign around the play‑off places before a slump of four wins from the final twenty games saw the promotion push collapse, ultimately finishing 14th.

Despite high‑profile additions such as Harry Clarke, Alfie Devine and Stanley Mills, the summer has been frustrating. The departures of Ben Whiteman and Milutin Osmajic have left gaps, and Heckingbottom has openly called for further signings before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Calls for a drastic overhaul

FLW’s Preston North End pundit Darren Watson, aged 49, argued it is time for Heckingbottom to leave, saying the club’s identity is being killed by mid‑table mediocrity. He added that a complete overhaul from ownership to coaching staff is required.

FLW’s analysis echoed that sentiment, stating the current ownership, manager, playing style and tactics “just don’t work”. The outlet suggested a potential buyer such as Amr Zedan could reset the hierarchy and inject ambition, otherwise the season could become “very, very long”.

The Lilywhites spent a club‑record fee of up to £6 million on Alfie Devine this summer, yet depth remains lacking, making it difficult to compete at Championship level.

Action Images By  James Reeves AM GMT+1 graduated from the University of Leeds with an undergraduate degree in English Language and Linguistics in 2021 before achieving a Masters degree in Society, Culture and Media at the same university the following year. James joined the FLW Academy in October 2022, and after a short trial period, he became part of the team a month later. In his time with FLW, James has produced thousands of articles, covering the Championship, League One and League Two. Add Us Summary Generate Follow Action Football World.