Heart of Midlothian have confirmed the arrival of Frankie McAvoy as the former Preston North End boss makes a quick return to football.
McAvoy spent over four years at Preston, first arriving alongside Alex Neil back in the summer of 2017.
Having worked with Neil at Hamilton Academical and Norwich City, their reunion was no great shock.
When Neil lost his job at Preston in March 2021, McAvoy stepped up and took charge until the end of the season.
After five wins in eight, McAvoy secured the job on a permanent basis, completing a stunning rise from former postman to Championship boss.
Sadly for McAvoy, North End chose to wield the axe in December, sacking McAvoy after a 1-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers.
There were highs and lows under McAvoy, but defeats to local rivals Blackpool and Blackburn just proved too big to overcome.
Less than two months after leaving Preston, McAvoy is now back in football having officially joined Hearts.
Hearts have confirmed the arrival of McAvoy as their new Academy Director, reuniting with Joe Savage in the process.
Savage, Preston’s former head of recruitment, is now sporting director at Hearts and worked with McAvoy alongside Alex Neil.
Savage seems to be delighted with the appointment, stating that McAvoy is ‘one of the best’ in Scotland when to comes to coaching, branding him a ‘top operator’.
We can only wish McAvoy all the best in his new role at Hearts after serving Preston well during his time at Deepdale.