Preston to take time in search for new boss

Preston North End will take the necessary time to find a successor to Simon Grayson after his departure to become Sunderland’s new manager.

Around 20 applicants were in touch with the Deepdale club yesterday, following the news of Grayson’s impending exit.

Preston are reported to have secured a compensation figure of £750,000, which was written into the Yorkshireman’s contract.

Grayson was in charge for four years and four months, the longest-serving Preston manager since Jimmy Milne in the 1960s.

First-team coach Steve Thompson has been tasked with overseeing the opening stages of training, helped by keeper coach Alan Kelly.

Former Preston boss David Moyes is high up in the betting to be the next manager of the Lancashire side, despite his disappointing tenure at Sunderland which created the vacancy filled by Grayson.

But sources at Preston indicated to our sister paper, the Lancashire Post, that at this stage, going down the route of a previous boss is not one likely to be taken.

Scunthorpe boss Graham Alexander, an ex-Preston stalwart, Nigel Pearson, Uwe Rosler, Alex Neil, Paul Lambert, Ryan Giggs and Steven Gerrard are also in the bookies’ list.

Middlesbrough keeper Joe Fryer has joined League Two club Stevenage on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old made 14 appearances on loan for Hartlepool United last season.