New Preston manager Brown pledges to avoid relegation

Phil Brown was yesterday appointed as Preston's new manager and immediately stated his belief that he could lead the club out of the Championship relegation zone, even though they sit seven points away from safety.

"I would like to thank the chairman, owner and board of directors for putting their faith in me and, whilst I know the current position is one we do not want to be in, I have every belief in the players' and my own ability to get us out of the situation we are in," he said.

Brown has experience in this situation taking over at Hull while they were in the Championship bottom three and guiding them to safety in 2007.