| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Heckingbottom[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 July 1977[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Barnsley, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Preston North End (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1995 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1999 | Sunderland | 0 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | → Scarborough (loan) | 29 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | → Hartlepool United (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 1999 | → Darlington (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 1999–2002 | Darlington | 105 | (5) |
| 2002–2003 | Norwich City | 15 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Bradford City | 43 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | (4) |
| 2006–2008 | Barnsley | 49 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | → Bradford City (loan) | 23 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Bradford City | 30 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Mansfield Town | 11 | (1) |
| 2010 | → Gateshead (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Gateshead | 21 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Harrogate Town | 21 | (0) |
| Total | 419 | (12) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2015 | Barnsley (caretaker) | ||
| 2016–2018 | Barnsley | ||
| 2018 | Leeds United | ||
| 2019 | Hibernian | ||
| 2021 | Sheffield United (caretaker) | ||
| 2021–2023 | Sheffield United | ||
| 2024– | Preston North End | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul Heckingbottom (born 17 July 1977) is an English football coach and former player who is the manager of EFL Championship club Preston North End.
After retiring as a player, Heckingbottom trained as a coach. He obtained a position with Barnsley's development squad and, after a successful spell as caretaker manager in which the club won promotion and the EFL Trophy, he was appointed manager in 2016. In February 2018 he moved to Leeds United, but he was sacked during the 2018 close season after 16 games in charge. Heckingbottom then managed Scottish Premiership club Hibernian, but was sacked in November 2019. In March 2021, he was appointed interim manager of Sheffield United until the end of the season. After returning to the U23's, he was appointed manager 25 November 2021, once again, on a four-a-and-half-year deal following the sacking of Slaviša Jokanović. After getting Sheffield United promoted from the Championship as runners-up in the 2022–23 season, he was sacked in December 2023 with the club bottom of the Premier League. In August 2024, he was appointed as manager of EFL Championship club Preston North End.[2]