Jason Euell has been named Preston North End's interim manager following the departure of Paul Heckingbottom. The 49-year-old first-team coach will take charge for this weekend's Championship fixture away to Queens Park Rangers.

Euell joined Preston's coaching staff in June 2025 and now steps up at a critical moment. The Lilywhites are 23rd in the table with just three points from their opening seven games, having lost 1-0 at home to Lincoln City last time out. Their next challenge is a trip to Loftus Road on Saturday.

Playing career and coaching path

Euell's football journey is a long one, beginning in the academy at Wimbledon. He broke into their first team and made 181 appearances, scoring 47 goals, before a club-record £4.75 million move to Charlton Athletic in 2001. He spent six years at The Valley across two spells, winning the League One title in 2012, and also played for Middlesbrough, Southampton, Blackpool, and Doncaster.

His move into coaching started just months after his playing career ended, taking a youth role at Charlton. He progressed to manage their under-21s and under-23s, helping develop future stars like Joe Gomez and Ademola Lookman. Euell later served as a first-team coach at Charlton and had spells at Bristol City and Cambridge United before arriving at Deepdale.

Aiming for the top job

Throughout his coaching career, Euell has been clear about his ambition to lead a team. "That's always been my aim, when I went into coaching it was always to try and coach at the highest level," he said in 2022. "Fortunately, I was able to play at the highest level and with me going into coaching that's what the aspiration was."

He addressed questions about his readiness for a head coach role last year. "When it is said that I do not have the experience as a number one, I think of all the experiences that I have had to help me become a number one," Euell told reporters Charlton's academy, he emphasised a style based on possession and high energy to prepare players for senior football.

The task at Deepdale

His immediate task is to halt a run of two consecutive defeats and improve a league position that sees Preston in the relegation zone. The team's recent form shows one win in their last five matches. Key attackers like C. Lang, the club's top scorer this season with three goals, will be vital, though the squad is without the injured Ali McCann and Brad Potts.

Euell's first match in temporary charge comes against a QPR side also looking to climb the table. Fans can view the full upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page and check the latest standings. How he sets up his team is not yet clear, but he has previously spoken of adapting formations to suit his players. Preston travel to London for the 3pm kick-off on Saturday, 19 September.

Further reading: Lancashire Evening Post