Andy Preece

On 8 February 2017, he returned to the North West to become the new manager of National League side Southport replacing Steve Burr, until the end of the season.

He resigned from the club on 16 January 2012 along with the rest of his management team, with the club reporting that he was expected to be appointed Director of Football at Welsh Premier League side Airbus UK Broughton the next day. The next day he was appointed to that role. Preece left Airbus in August 2016 by mutual consent.

On 21 August 2010, at the age of 43, he returned to football action for the first time in three years by coming off the substitutes' bench in the 90th minute, in a game which Northwich won 1–0 against Retford United on the opening day of the 2010–11 Northern Premier League Premier Division season. On 17 February 2011, he scored a seven-minute hat-trick as Northwich defeated Barnton in the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup.

He became caretaker manager of Northwich Victoria on 25 February 2009. On 14 May 2009, Preece agreed a one-year contract to take over permanently at Northwich as manager.

In the 2009–10 season, he led Northwich to the Second Round of the FA Cup, a considerable achievement, and saw his side defeat former Premier League side Charlton Athletic in the process. In the same season, he saw his side finish 12th in the Conference North in his first season in charge, however financial issues saw his side relegated to the Northern Premier League Premier Division. In spite of relegation and financial uncertainty, he stayed at the club along with his assistant Andy Morrison.

In 1999 Preece was appointed player-manager. He was released in December 2003 as Bury tried to cut costs and joined Carlisle United as a player. He was unable to prevent Carlisle's relegation to the Conference, but chose to remain with the Cumbrians for the following season. In February 2005, Preece joined Worcester City as player-manager and led the side to three consecutive top ten finished in the Conference North and in 2006 to the second round of the FA Cup. In October 2007, he left Worcester City.

However, he struggled to establish himself and joined Blackpool for a fee of £200,000 in July 1995. In July 1997 Preece joined Bury on a free transfer.

In July 1989 he rejoined Worcester City and in March 1990 signed for Wrexham. In December 1991 he joined Stockport County for a fee of £10,000. He impressed enough (including scoring the winning goal in a giant-killing feat against Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup) that he signed for Crystal Palace in June 1994, as strike partner to Chris Armstrong, for a fee of £350,000.

Born in Evesham, Worcestershire, Preece began his career as a junior with Worcester City, making his debut in the Conference aged 16. He subsequently played for Evesham United before joining Northampton Town in August 1988. He made just one appearance, as a substitute, before being released at the end of the following season.

As a player, he was a forward from 1986 until 2012, however since 1999 he had mixed his playing duties with various coaching and management positions. He notably played in the Premier League for Crystal Palace, and in the Football League for Northampton Town, Wrexham, Stockport County, Blackpool and Bury. He became player-manager of Bury in 1999, also going on to manage Worcester City and Northwich Victoria.

Andrew Preece (born 27 March 1967) is an English football manager and former professional footballer who is assistant manager at Chorley.