Lancashire

Jack Bridge
Fan writer & commentator

There is a temptation, when a manager is sacked after six defeats in seven games, to look at the final result and say - well, what did you expect?

For North End supporters, though, Paul Heckingbottom's departure is about much more than a dreadful start to the 2026-27 Championship season. In fact, we've been watching it happen for the best part of a year.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing of all is that, for a while, Heckingbottom showed us just how good we could be.

The first half of 2025-26 gave us something we hadn't had enough of for a long time... belief.

After 26 games, North End were fourth in the Championship on 43 points. Only Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Coventry had collected more.

We looked organised. We were competitive. We had players capable of changing games.

Harrison Armstrong, Alfie Devine and Lewis Dobbin gave the side an attacking threat that had been badly lacking in the previous campaign, while Daniel Iversen brought a calmness behind them.

This wasn't a squad that spent the entire Heckingbottom era looking like relegation candidates.

The problem is that his best side lasted half a season. His worst side arrived immediately afterwards and the decline never really stopped.

Image source, Getty Images

He leaves with 109 competitive games under his belt - 30 wins, 38 draws and 41 defeats. A win rate of just over 27%.

As a North End fan, I think it was inevitable.

However, that isn't because Heckingbottom is a terrible manager, nor because every problem at Deepdale can be laid at his door.

I do think the whole situation has been made worse by the uncertainty surrounding a potential takeover.

The club's recruitment and ownership decisions should not escape scrutiny. If anything, these are areas that need fixing, and they need fixing quickly.

It had to happen because the evidence had become overwhelming and the voices from the Deepdale terraces on Saturday were swiftly acted upon.

When a team loses 17 of 27 league games from the start of a calendar year, then loses six of its first seven the following season, eventually something has to change.

Now comes the difficult bit.

Heckingbottom leaves with North End sitting 23rd, a squad that has been heavily rebuilt, but somehow still feels like it needs more, frustrated supporters and a Championship table that already has us playing catch-up.

The next appointment needs to be the right one. The takeover saga needs to be resolved, one way or another, and most importantly, we need to get back to doing what we all want to see... winning football matches.

So, what is the legacy of Heckingbottom at Deepdale? For me, it is one of frustration.

He showed us how close we could get. For a while, he gave us genuine reason to believe that this could finally be the season we challenged at the right end of the table.

But then, he couldn't find a way to keep us there.

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with the latest Preston North End news.

Natalie Bromley
Fan writer

Burnley's week ended with more questions than answers.

A point at Wrexham was followed by defeat at Swansea City and the Clarets find themselves rooted to the bottom of the Championship.

This is no longer a "blip" at the start of the season. Burnley are in a full blown crisis.

To be fair, they showed promise at Wrexham and Nicky Hayen took positives from the performance, saying the team were becoming more confident and comfortable.

His message was straightforward: Burnley need one win to restore belief. He also said new arrivals would bring fresh energy without the lingering burden of last season.

But what the Clarets' faithful are quickly learning is that what Hayen says and what happens on the pitch rarely match up. As was precisely the case at Swansea.

What little optimism the Burnley fans had tried to harvest quickly disappeared. The hosts won comfortably, exposing mistakes that undermined our better spells.

Football is decided in both boxes, and right now, that is where Burnley are coming up alarmingly short. The chances at one end are not being taken often enough and the mistakes and soft moments at the other end are being punished.

Image source, Getty Images

Max Weiss symbolises so many recruitment errors we have made this summer. He had relatively little to do at Wrexham, but made serious mistakes at Swansea to gift the hosts a goal.

I am sorry to say we simply can't afford to give a young goalkeeper time when the results are this poor.

Could he be doing more to stop the deluge of goals, or is he persistently exposed by the defending in front of him?

Kyle Walker brings experience and pedigree to the side, but has been largely a passenger, strolling casually up the pitch for Swansea's third. I would be happy if that was the last game he played in Claret and Blue.

Hayen is identifying individual errors and the tendency to surrender momentum at crucial moments as decisive faults. But the more pressing question is whether he is the man to lead Burnley out of this horrendous patch.

I don't want us to be a sacking club. I don't want a high turnover of managers. But I also don't want to be in League One. And that feels exactly where we are heading.

UTC!

Find more from Natalie Bromley at No Nay Never podcast, external

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with the latest Burnley news.

Image source, PA Media

Burnley are rooted to the bottom of the Championship table after a fourth defeat of the season at Swansea City on Saturday.

That result means it is now seven league games without a win for new boss Nicky Hayen and the Clarets since their relegation from the Premier League.

Their last league victory was in February against Crystal Palace, with the current winless run stretching to 19 games (D7 L12).

We asked for your thoughts on Burnley following the 3-1 loss to the Swans - here are a selection of your responses.

Howie: Absolutely woeful yet again. Hayen has been seriously let down by ALK in the transfer window but he looks to be out of his depth at this level. Max Weiss needs some time on the bench or his confidence is going to be shot to pieces. The whole squad of players look uninterested for large portions of the game. Horrible to watch.

Alan: How much longer do Burnley fans have to put up with this third-rate manager? To stand any chance of survival in the Championship, get in a manager who can instil basic defending into the team and go from there. It must happen now or, like last year, this shambles will continue into another relegation.

Steven: After seven games Burnley have conceded 16 goals. Two seasons ago? 46 games to concede 16 goals!

Mark: We are awful, Weiss is a big problem, he's not good enough for this level. He needs to be dropped before he does us any more damage. I understand he's a young keeper but Hayen needs to drop him. Also Kyle Walker was terrible. He can't play as a central defender we can't score goals. Jamie Vardy was brought on too late. Don't understand why he played Josh Laurent in an attacking role when he's a defensive midfielder. Hayen also needs to go. He's way out of his depth. Drastic action needs to be taken right away or we'll be relegated if these performances carry on.

Graham: Still not a team and making too many costly individual errors! A focus on match fitness, integration, stability and injury returns essential for the Watford match after the international break. We can come good but also need a little luck... and more goals!

Frank: Sack Hayen and get someone with Championship experience please. Burnley hung their hat on Craig Bellamy without a back-up plan, then we had a rush to find a manager, which was a big mistake.

Chopper: We are already in a relegation battle and don't look up for a fight. I don't have any confidence in our manager, he just doesn't know how to get the best out of the players. Four more games without a win and it's P45 time I reckon.

Nick: Bring back Scott Parker, he's not working at the moment.

Image source, Shutterstock

Paul Heckingbottom was sacked as Preston North End manager after the 1-0 home loss to Lincoln City on Saturday.

That result was a sixth defeat in seven Championship games so far this season for the Lilywhites, who are second from bottom.

We asked who you would like to replace Heckingbottom. Here are a selection of your responses.

Chris M: Well his record speaks for itself, he's statistically our worst ever manager. This way we have time to save the season. Rob Edwards for me.

Tony: As a PNE season ticket holder it came as no surprise. The football the second half of last season was dire. It had been a little better this season but it is a results business and 5 wins in 29 matches is unacceptable. Someone like Graham Alexander or Sean Dyche would suit me.

Phil: Unfortunately it's not worked out for him but his yearly record was very poor. Dave Challinor is available he did a really good job at Stockport.

David: Scott Parker has a good track record and did a great job at Burnley. Sacking of any manager is sad but Heckingbottom can't complain. Only other thought is that he should have been followed to the job centre by Peter Ridsdale.

Ian: Hecks had to go as this is a results business and the hangover from last season has followed us into this with no improvement in results. Would like to see Graham Alexander back, he understands Preston as a club.

Chris B: Gary Rowett or Alex Neil I think would be a good fit for Preston. They can get Preston up and running pretty quickly and this is the perfect time to get either of these guys to sort North End out.

Stu: Dave Challinor. Local-ish manager. Never finished outside of the play-offs albeit in the lower leagues. Deserves a chance at this level.

Mike: His record over the last two seasons has been awful. Too many unconvincing substitutions have lost matches. Purchase of two recent forwards very poor quality. Roll on Sean Dyche.

Andrew: The club need fresh ideas, someone that's attack minded and forward thinking. Steve Cooper would be amazing, I'd even take Wayne Rooney if he had other experienced heads around him like Big Dunc [Ferguson] and David Unsworth.

Adam: Feel for Hecky but did feel inevitable after the weekend. The squad is more than good enough to sustain another Championship season really but results have not shown that so far. Steve Cooper would be my ideal replacement out of the names I've seen. Carlos Corberan just came out of a job too but might be too expensive for PNE.

Ahmed: Get Steven Gerrard in. He can do a Lampard. Preston not far from Liverpool. Close ties with Liverpool. Do not want to see the same old faces recycled.

James: I'm not a Preston fan but one name stands out for me and whilst it may be a long shot, Kieran McKenna would seem the perfect appointment and no doubt would make an instant impact.

Laura Kenyon
BBC Final Score

Image source, Shutterstock

Burnley sit rock bottom of the Championship table but is that immediate cause for concern?

At this stage of the season, some may argue not. But what will absolutely concern Burnley fans is the sheer amount of goals they are conceding per game: 16 in seven games.

The Clarets currently have the worst defensive record in the Championship.

The manner of the goals conceded at Swansea City raises further alarm bells.

Two defensive errors gifted goals to Adam Idah and Moussa Yeo in the first half in south Wales. Clear mistakes.

New boss Nicky Hayen has the challenging task of getting a group of new players to gel – 17 of which were playing under different head coaches last season.

But he is under immediate pressure having not won a league game since taking the helm. More worrying though, Burnley have not been victorious in any league encounter in 214 days.

The question for Hayen now? How does he pull Burnley out of a slump which has haunted them since long before Premier League relegation last season.