Allan Preston
Encyclopedia
Allan Preston is a retired Scottish
professional football
er and manager. He is currently a radio sports pundit for BBC Scotland
.
in 1985. After spending eight years at Tannadice, he signed for Hearts
, the team he supported as a boy but after only one season in Edinburgh
he joined St. Johnstone
. It was in Perth
that he played the most consistent football of his career.
manager Peter Davenport, whom he had played with at St Johnstone. Preston left Macclesfield within a year to return to Scotland with Livingston
as a coach, and in June 2004 he became the club's manager. He brought in another former St. Johnstone teammate, Alan Kernaghan
, as his assistant; Kernagahan had been player/manager at Clyde
.
In November 2004, after just fifteen games in charge, Preston and Kernaghan were sacked after the team's seventh successive defeat. The following month he joined his current employer, Stellar Scotland, a subsidiary of The Stellar Group Limited, alongside former St. Johnstone teammates John Inglis
and Paul Cherry
.
Preston was unsuccessful in his application to be St Johnstone manager in April 2005 and thus his Livingston job represents his last football role.
Sportsound
since 2008 and is nicknamed Biscuits.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er and manager. He is currently a radio sports pundit for BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
.
Playing career
Preston, who predominantly played at left-back, began his career as a 15-year-old with Dundee UnitedDundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in 1985. After spending eight years at Tannadice, he signed for Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, the team he supported as a boy but after only one season in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
he joined St. Johnstone
St Johnstone F.C.
St. Johnstone F.C. is a professional football club based in Perth, Scotland. Although it is officially recorded as being formed in 1884, the club did not play its first game until February 1885. The club's home since 1989 has been McDiarmid Park....
. It was in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
that he played the most consistent football of his career.
Management
In June 2000, after a hip injury ended his playing career, Preston became assistant to Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
manager Peter Davenport, whom he had played with at St Johnstone. Preston left Macclesfield within a year to return to Scotland with Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
as a coach, and in June 2004 he became the club's manager. He brought in another former St. Johnstone teammate, Alan Kernaghan
Alan Kernaghan
Alan Kernaghan is an Irish former footballer. Since retiring he has become a coach and manager. Since January 2007 he has been a youth coach at Rangers....
, as his assistant; Kernagahan had been player/manager at Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
.
In November 2004, after just fifteen games in charge, Preston and Kernaghan were sacked after the team's seventh successive defeat. The following month he joined his current employer, Stellar Scotland, a subsidiary of The Stellar Group Limited, alongside former St. Johnstone teammates John Inglis
John Inglis (footballer)
John Inglis is a Scottish former professional footballer.A centre-back, Inglis began his career with East Fife in 1983. He remained with the club for three years, making 56 league appearances and scoring one goal. In 1986 he joined Brechin City, for whom he made 53 appearances and scored four...
and Paul Cherry
Paul Cherry
Paul Robert Cherry is a former professional football player. Although he was born in England, Cherry, a midfielder, played the entirety of his career in Scotland.-Career:...
.
Preston was unsuccessful in his application to be St Johnstone manager in April 2005 and thus his Livingston job represents his last football role.
Miscellaneous
Preston has been a pundit on BBC Radio Scotland'sBBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
Sportsound
Sportsound
Sportsound is BBC Radio Scotland's main radio sports show. It provides coverage to listeners on medium wave, FM, DAB Digital Radio and via the internet. It is best known for its exclusive live commentary of Scottish Premier League football games. It is broadcast 7 days a week, and on on-match days...
since 2008 and is nicknamed Biscuits.