Airbus UK Broughton: Andy Preece
ANDY Preece was appointed director of football at The Airfield in January 2012 after spending three years in charge at Northwich Victoria.
The former Bury boss scored 125 goals from 387 Football League appearances as a player after starting his career with local club Worcester City, making his debut in the Conference at the age of 16.
He subsequently played for Evesham United before joining Northampton Town in August 1988 but made just one substitute appearance before being released at the end of the following season.
In July 1989 he rejoined Worcester and, in March 1990, signed for Wrexham making 51 appearances before a move to Stockport in December 1991.
He scored the goal that beat Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup and attracted the attention of Crystal Palace, who paid £350,000 to take him to Selhurst Park in June 1994 as a strike partner for Chris Armstrong.
Preece struggled to establish himself and joined Blackpool for a fee of £200,000 in July 1995 and, after making 129 appearances for the Tangerines, moved on to Bury and in 1999 was appointed player-manager.
After 166 appearances for the Shakers, he was released in December 2003 and joined Carlisle United as a player.
In February 2005, Preece joined Worcester again, this time as player-manager, and led the side to three consecutive top-10 finishes in Conference North and in 2006 to the second round of the FA Cup.
He became caretaker manager of Northwich in February 2009, leading Vics to the second round of the FA Cup in 2009/10 by defeating former Premier League side Charlton Athletic.
In August 2010, at the age of 43, he returned to football action for the first time in three years by coming off the bench in a game against Retford United and, last February, scored a seven-minute hat-trick as Northwich defeated Barnton in the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup.
Preece brought assistant manager Andy Morrison with him to The Airfield.