Simpson gone at Preston

Paul Simpson's future at Deepdale has been looking more and more insecure each week this season. What with bad apples and players being criticised for every defeat it was always going to be a matter of time before the Preston board said enough is enough.

Simpson replaced Little Billy Davies in the summer of last year and up to Christmas everything seemed to be going well for them, but it all changed in 2007 as Preston slipped from top spot to seventh and missed out on the play offs. It was very similar to our collapse five years earlier as they virtually switched from promotion to relegation form.

There was always a hint of unrest in the dressing room, and that's been heightened this season with some very poor performances. It seemed no matter how many bad apples he dispensed with there were more to be found and in the end it was clear that his position had become untenable.

The club's board refused to back him after Saturday's defeat and said they would discuss it at a board meeting. That came today and Simpson, like Steve Cotterill last week, has lost his job after a shocker of a performance against Hull.

Preston join the Clarets and Leicester in the search for a new boss whilst the only three teams below Preston - QPR, Crystal Palace and Norwich - have also seen a change of manager since the start of the season.

There's little hope of Simpson coming to Burnley, but there are strong suggestions that Steve Cotterill could be interested in a move to Deepdale.