‘Bigger and better?’ - Preston North End’s former Owl backs Sheffield Wednesday in the future

This weekend’s tie will see the former Owl visit his old club in a league game for the first time as a manager, his only other return coming in 2021 when his Plymouth Argyle side drew 0-0 at S6 in the FA Cup in front of just over 7,000 people.

He’s likely to get a good reception on Saturday afternoon given his role in earning promotion in 2011/12 in a short but sweet stay in Sheffield, and the 44-year-old says that it was a time he thoroughly enjoyed.

“It was a fantastic time,” he told Preston’s official website. “I had a great relationship with the fans, it’s a fantastic football club, and for now they certainly deserve to be in the Championship… Can they go on to bigger and better? I’m sure they can at one point because it’s a fantastic club.”

“But it’s not about me,” he insisted. “I’m going back there with my team to put on a show and get a result. I think the performance away from home at Bristol City was fantastic, especially in the second half, and then the performance last Saturday at home to Sunderland who are expected to be up there. They’re a good team, very intricate.

“We’re coming up against a different team now in Sheffield Wednesday who play a different way and a different style… I think every week you’re coming up against someone a little bit different.”

Wednesday and Preston face off at 3pm tomorrow.