"IF WE COULDN'T UP. I WOULDN'T

PAUL Heckingbottom, it's probably fair to say, is nobody's idea of a dream appointment managerial He's not renowned for sexy football like Jurgen and Pep.

- Chris Dunlavy

He isn't a 30-year-old wonder-coach out of a Premier League academy. He doesn't have the raw charisma of a Jose Mourinho.

"Yeah, but you've got to go courting the media to get a reputation like that," shrugs the former Barnsley, Leeds and Sheffield United boss, who last week replaced Ryan Lowe as manager of Preston North End.

"I don't, and I'm comfortable with that. I know what we do. I know how we work.

There's some things I'm really proud of, like how many young players we've helped develop, and how much money we've made for every club I've managed.

"Like what I've done in a relatively short career. I think it's only been about 270 games or something like that but, within that, there's been two promotions, a play-off campaign, two domestic semi-finals, one Wembley cup final win.

"The ratio in terms of success is very high compared to most, but I don't need to shout it from the rooftops.

"It's just something I'm proud of. Like, I get a promotion and that's it - I'm proud. I don't have to tell everyone what we've done and I don't need any pats on the back.

"All that matters to me is what people think about me within the game. I'm not bothered about what people think about me outside the game."