Allan Preston Explained

Allan Preston
Birth Date:16 August 1969
Birth Place:Leith, Scotland
Position:Defender
Youthyears1:1985–1987
Youthclubs1:Dundee United
Years1:1987–1992
Years2:1992–1993
Years3:1993–1994
Years4:1994–2000
Years5:2000
Clubs1:Dundee United
Clubs2:Heart of Midlothian
Clubs3:Dunfermline Athletic
Clubs4:St Johnstone
Clubs5:Queen of the South
Caps1:24
Caps2:21
Caps3:26
Caps4:144
Caps5:8
Goals1:1
Goals2:2
Goals3:5
Goals4:7
Goals5:1
Totalcaps:223
Totalgoals:16
Manageryears1:2004
Managerclubs1:Livingston

Allan Preston (born 16 August 1969) is a retired Scottish professional footballer and manager. He is currently a radio sports pundit for BBC Scotland.

Playing career

Preston, who predominantly played at left-back, began his career as a 15-year-old with Dundee United in 1985. He made his league debut in the 1987/88 season. After spending several years at Tannadice, he signed for Hearts, the team he supported as a boy. After brief spells with Hearts and Dunfermline Athletic he joined St Johnstone in 1994. It was in Perth that he played the most consistent football of his career.

Management and coaching

In June 2000, after a hip injury ended his playing career, Preston became assistant to Macclesfield Town manager Peter Davenport, whom he had played with at St Johnstone. Preston left Macclesfield within a year[1] to return to Scotland with Livingston as a coach, and in June 2004 he became the club's manager.[2] He brought in another former St Johnstone teammate, Alan Kernaghan, as his assistant,[3] 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.[4]

Preston was unsuccessful in his application to be St Johnstone manager in April 2005.[5]

Other professional interests

Preston works as a football agent for ICM Stellar Sports.[6] [7]

Preston has been a pundit on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound since 2008 and is nicknamed Biscuits.[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: BBC Sport. Macclesfield 1-0 Kidderminster. 7 April 2001. 18 August 2011.
  2. Web site: New chief appoints Preston . BBC Sport. 4 June 2004 . 29 September 2011.
  3. News: Kernaghan is Livi assistant. 17 June 2004. 18 August 2011. BBC Sport.
  4. Web site: Livingston sack manager Preston . BBC Sport . 25 November 2004 . 29 September 2011.
  5. News: Three in frame for Saints vacancy. 4 April 2005. 18 August 2011. BBC Sport.
  6. News: My Sporting Saturday with Allan Preston: Kieran Tierney is living the dream at Celtic, he's very low maintenance. Herald Scotland. Matthew. Lindsay. 31 March 2021. 27 January 2018. Herald & Times Group.
  7. Web site: Agents & Scouts. ICM Stellar Sports. 31 March 2021.
  8. News: Monday's football as it happened. 25 April 2011. 18 August 2011. BBC Sport.