" That's the animal football is, I was at the Chairman's Conference two or three weeks ago and John Nixon spoke to the Preston chairman and at that time there was no indication that anything was going to happen. Then I got the phone call last Monday, and I said that I would have to speak to the directors and Fred (Story), and Fred then took the mantle up.
" Football is like that though, I've been through it two or three times with managers who we've lost, through our success really, so it's no different to players is it really. Michael Bridges came here and had a resurgence of form and then everyone is talking about it, and you get interest from lots of clubs. These things happen so you've to accept it in football.
" Not really any hard feelings about Paul (Simpson) going but it's always a bit of a disturbance at the time you could say because we've got to go out and look for new management. We really wish Paul all the best though, it's a career move and we accept that, I've been in football long enough, we've lost managers in the past with that and it's the thing you've got to accept.
" It's a popular club with the applications and for the last few months I've been making a list myself, because I've been in football a long time and I honestly thought someone would have been in for Paul before now. It's surprised me that it's happened now though, it's just a bit unfortunate in one respect that it's at this time, but on the other hand players are on holiday and managers on holiday. If we can get something settled then there is still plenty of time to sort something out for the season.
" The speed of it all has been surprising because no-one had made an approach. I talk to David Dent regularly and David couldn't believe that nobody had been in, so I thought that I'd better start jotting a few names down that I've thought of, and people who we've met. So we're then ready to get advice from various sources who might do a job for us. "
" Really we just want to make sure, as much as possible, that the person we decide, be him experienced or inexperienced, is capable of doing the job. It's isn't easy though, there isn't any magic formula, Paul joined us and I'm sure that he'll admit with Dennis (Booth) in behind him that they've formed a good pair with Dennis's experience, so that seems to have been a good formula. Whether it would work again though, well you're not really sure, we're looking around at people, and we've had lots of lists. Gradually we're knocking people off the list, or adding people on, and we'll get to a nucleus of people that we want to look at.
" We haven't got a timescale really, we want to do it as quickly as possible, but we don't want to rush it and put our heads in the noose or anything. I have spoken to Dennis, and as far as Dennis was concerned, at this moment in time, he'll be back up for training when the players come back, so we'll look after that even if it drags into the first couple of weeks of July. Dennis is on holiday until next weekend I think, so we'll have to see at the moment, and see whether he wants to have a go at the job or not.
" We're wanting to keep the good atmosphere going, we're really looking forward to this season even after what's happened. We'll do everything we can, everybody has worked really hard, we've got a new pitch there which is exciting, we've got some new facilities opening and everybody is working tremendously hard to ensure this momentum goes on. I've said many times that we used to be a lovely family club and we lost that for a number of years, and with everybody at the club it has just got back to that at the moment so we don't want to lose it.
" The supporters have joined in with it as well, at one time you used to get a lot of adverse comments – I've had them myself in the past, but they seem to be more understanding about what is going on. The only thing that I would say is that some of the names that are getting touted about, the big names, with them often come big salaries and they would just be out of our reach.
" I heard of a Championship manager the other week who was on £500,000 a year, it is a bit crazy isn't it, and he didn't get a job surprisingly, so we've got to be sensible about it. I rang Paul when he was leaving and wished him all the best, I've always thanked him for what he has done at the club, I don't think there is anything too serious about what has gone on recently. We just want to get on with the job of replacing him and making sure the momentum carries on, which is what we are all looking for. "