When it comes to experiences in football, not many National League managers can rival the career of Chorley boss Andy Preece.
Having started his own career in the non-league, very few can then boast of scoring a memorable ‘90s FA Cup winner (sorry, QPR fans), being on the pitch for Eric Cantona’s infamous kung-fu kick at Selhurst Park, experiencing the role of a player/manager, as well as going on to manage over 1,000 games and breaking barriers in his coaching career. Preece is almost the poster boy for ‘bought the T-shirt.’.
In his current role at National League North part-timers Chorley, Preece is in charge of helping his players somewhat emulate his path from the same level to the Premier League – a move he made in 1994 when he joined Crystal Palace.
“It was the second year of the Premier League, so it was huge at the time, to get that move from Stockport to Crystal Palace was a dream for me.” Preece exclusively told DAZN News.
“To just get the move was unbelievable, but then to actually start playing, and we had a pre-season friendly, and we're playing at Highbury and Tony Adams testimonial, it's just surreal.
“I did my medical with Ray Wilkins, England captain. For a lad like me who'd come through non-league, I think I was 27 at the time, you don't think that's going to happen. You're sort of pinching yourself, and probably the momentum was with me, and in the first seven games, I scored four goals.
“They were all in a week, and I pinch myself at that point, and I can't believe what's going on. I'm honest enough to say I wasn't good enough to play at that level. It was probably just above what I was capable of, but for that little, short period, I did okay.”
Knowing the level
Fast forward three decades and Preece is now using his first-hand experience of plying his trade at this level – one he doesn’t like calling ‘non-league’ as it sounds disparaging - and he believes the fact that he has been in the same place during his own career is of huge benefit both to him as a manager and to his players at Chorley.
“I think it really helps because I've been out there, you know, I've been through their journey of where they're trying to get to. Some are trying to get into the league, and I can talk about my journey. As I said, I was 27 before I got the opportunity to play in the Premier League, and these lads are 22 and 23, so I can say, look, it's not too late. It's not too late.
“There are opportunities. We had Jack Hazelhurst, who was 23, and we signed him from the City of Liverpool, at Step 6, you know, and in one season, he’s gone now to Step 3 at Burton. It can happen, and they've got to believe in it.”
Chorley FC
Believing in Chorley
Belief is what it’s about, and Chorley is a project as a whole that the former striker believes in. Having enjoyed a fruitful playing career, Preece’s coaching journey began at age 32 as a player/manager at Bury, a role rarely seen in modern-day football and one he believes ‘you’ll probably not see again.’
After that, there were roles at Worcester and Northwich Victoria before becoming the first black English manager to lead Welsh side Airbus UK into Europe. There was even a life-changing spell coaching in Vietnam as Preece got disillusioned with the lack of opportunities at home.
Yet, it was Chorley who eventually enticed him back to this country, first as assistant boss, where, by his own admission, he was hesitant before learning a lot as number two and then taking over as manager in May 2022.
Since then, it’s been steady progress with the Lancashire side, especially under the new ownership. However, can the man who’s now taken charge of over 1,000 games see future potential in the Magpies?
“I think we're still in that transformation period with the new owners. They are working hard with things off the pitch now,” Preece says rationally.
“It's just a matter of being patient and keeping things going. We know how difficult it is, and we do punch above our weight every season, and it's just hanging in there because, you know, at some point, the purse strings are going to be opened, and we will have a go for it.
“There were moments when we were toying with going full-time, but the finances were not there to do it, and we were not quite ready to do it. So, we don't want to force something when we've not actually got the infrastructure right.
“Although I'd love them to invest in a team, I understand for the long-term longevity of Chorley Football Club, they're doing it the right way.”
Chorley FC
Full-time future
That right way may see Chorley head towards going full-time, something that has almost become the norm in the National League and has filtered down to the North and South, too. Yet, if potential and promotion are achieved, it is the best way forward for clubs like the Magpies – something Preece is completely aware of.
“I think for part-time teams it's very, very tough, even for the full-time teams going up, it's difficult. Fylde found it difficult. Tamworth found it difficult at the start, but then they found their feet, so there may be some lessons to be learned from what Tamworth have done, although it looks like they're going to go full-time next year.
“We played Forest Green in the Trophy, and although we competed again, we were in the game, just that little bit of quality just made the difference on the day. So we know that if we're going to get in that position, then we've got to be ready because there's no point getting promoted and coming back down again because you always come back down weaker.
“Right now, our job is to keep doing what we've done over the last seven or eight years, which is to keep competing at the top of the league if we can, and when that moment comes, then I'm sure the club will take off.”
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