Bradford City have confirmed they have allowed Preston North End to open talks with head coach Graham Alexander over the vacant managerial position at Deepdale, though the League One leaders made clear they were unhappy about the situation.
In a statement, the Bantams said: "Bradford City AFC can confirm we have been approached by Preston North End to speak to Graham Alexander regarding the Championship side's managerial vacancy. Reluctantly, Bradford City has granted permission for Graham to speak to Preston North End."
Preston are searching for a new manager after parting ways with Paul Heckingbottom earlier this month, following a difficult start to the season that saw the club lose six of their opening seven Championship fixtures. According to reports from BBC Radio Lancashire, the Lilywhites have narrowed their search down to a final pair of candidates, with Alexander understood to be among them.
The 54-year-old has strong ties to Preston, having enjoyed two separate playing spells at the club and racking up 372 league appearances during his time there. He also took charge of the team on a caretaker basis for five matches during the 2011-12 campaign before hanging up his boots at Deepdale at the end of that season, aged 40.
Alexander joined Bradford in November 2023 and has overseen a notable upturn in fortunes at Valley Parade. He guided the club to promotion from League Two in his first full season at the helm, before steering them to a fourth-place finish in League One last season. That campaign ended in disappointment, however, as Bradford were beaten by Bolton Wanderers in the play-offs. This season has started strongly for Bradford, who currently sit top of League One having won five of their first seven matches. Alexander remains contracted to the club until the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
Before taking charge at Bradford, Alexander built up a wealth of managerial experience across various clubs, including spells at Fleetwood Town, Scunthorpe United, Salford City, Motherwell and MK Dons. He also earned international recognition as a player, representing Scotland during his career.
Preston, meanwhile, remain in a precarious position in the Championship table. The club currently sits second from bottom with just four points from eight matches played. Their next fixture comes after the international break, with Millwall visiting Deepdale on Saturday, 10 October, in what will be a crucial contest as they look to arrest their poor start to the campaign.
The timing of Preston's managerial search means whoever takes charge will have limited preparation time before that Millwall clash. Should Alexander emerge as the successful candidate, it would mark a significant coup for Preston given his connection to the club as a former player, though it would represent a blow for Bradford, who have enjoyed considerable success under his stewardship.
Bradford's League One title challenge continues regardless of the outcome of Preston's approach, with the Bantams keen to build on their strong start to the season as they aim for a swift return to the Championship.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.