Graham Alexander has described his return to Preston North End as a manager as both "surreal" and "special", saying Deepdale quickly began to feel like home again once he pulled on the training kit for the first time.

The 54-year-old was confirmed as Paul Heckingbottom's successor on Monday, leaving League One leaders Bradford City to take charge of a Championship side that sit second from bottom after collecting just two points from their opening eight league games.

A moment to reflect

"Yesterday was a bit surreal; it didn't feel real until I had the training kit on," Alexander told BBC Radio Lancashire. "When I got home last night, me and my wife had a bit of a moment about the journey we've had to get to this point."

That journey has been a lengthy one. Alexander made 372 league appearances for Preston across two spells as a player, retiring at the end of the 2011-12 season at the age of 40. He had briefly served as caretaker manager at Deepdale during that same campaign but turned down the opportunity to begin a formal coaching career in the club's academy.

He has since accumulated management experience at Fleetwood, Scunthorpe, Salford City, Motherwell and MK Dons before now returning to the club where he spent such a significant part of his career.

Preston as a place, not just a club

The personal connection runs deeper than football, Alexander explained. When he and his wife decided to move back to England after his spell at Motherwell in Scotland, she was given the choice of where to settle.

"When I took the Motherwell job it was a big decision from my wife and myself to move to Scotland because we'd been so happy in Preston for 20 years but our kids were moving on," he said. "The natural one was either the West Midlands, where we're both from and our families are from, or Preston and the north west area because of our relationships and how we felt here, and she chose to come back here, which I was hoping she would say. It's been a special place for us."

That rootedness in the area will likely matter to supporters who want a manager genuinely invested in the club's fortunes, not merely passing through.

Two weeks to make an impression

Alexander takes over during an international break, which hands him a full fortnight on the training pitch before Preston's next Championship fixture, at home to Millwall on Saturday, 11 October. He is clear-eyed about what that window can and cannot deliver.

"When I've took over a couple of other clubs mid-season it's been late in the week, it's been Thursday or Friday and then a game, so to have a full two weeks working with them is valuable to us but the proof will be in the pudding when we play Millwall," he said.

He added that the break also gives the squad the chance to "restart", insisting he was "not going to drag anything forward" from what came before. The focus is on implementing his own principles quickly, even if he acknowledges it will take longer than two weeks to build the team he wants.

"It's important because there are certain things we really believe in and commit to so a two-week window to implement those things will be good but it will take longer than that to be the full team we are," he said.

A first taste of the Championship

Notably, this appointment represents Alexander's first opportunity to manage at Championship level. His previous posts have all come in the lower tiers of the English game or in Scottish football, meaning the second tier presents a fresh challenge. Preston's current position, second from bottom with six defeats from eight, means there is little room for a slow start once competitive action resumes.

The Lilywhites' supporters will hope that a manager with such deep personal ties to the club can provide the stability and clarity of identity that has been absent from Deepdale so far this season.

Frequently asked

Has Graham Alexander managed in the Championship before?
No. The Preston appointment is Alexander's first role at Championship level. His previous managerial jobs were at Fleetwood, Scunthorpe, Salford City, Motherwell and MK Dons.
When is Graham Alexander's first game in charge of Preston?
According to reports, Alexander's first competitive match will be a home Championship fixture against Millwall on Saturday, 11 October, after the international break.
Why did Graham Alexander leave Bradford City for Preston?
Alexander has a long personal and professional connection to Preston, having made 372 league appearances for the club across two playing spells and having lived in the area for around 20 years. He described the return as feeling like coming home.