Scunthorpe appoint Preece as manager

Scunthorpe United have appointed Andy Preece as their new manager after he left National League North side Chorley. The 59-year-old has signed an 18-month contract with The Iron after they parted company with Andy Butler last month. Having reached the National League play-off semi-finals last season, Scunthorpe have endured a dreadful start to this campaign. United currently sit second-bottom of the table, seven points adrift of safety, after just three wins from their first 15 matches. In a club statement, Scunthorpe wrote "after a rigorous and comprehensive recruitment process" Preece had been selected to lead the club "into its next chapter." The former Stockport, Crystal Palace and Bury forward has been a manager since he was appointed as joint-manager of Bury, alongside Steve Redmond, in December 1999. He spent four years in charge at Gigg Lane and has gone on to surpass 1,000 matches in total as a manager. At Chorley, Preece guided the Magpies to the National League North play-offs twice across his four and a half years in charge. Scunthorpe also confirmed that Preece's assistant at Chorley, Chris Anderson, will join him. The Iron host play-off challenging Worthing at Glanford Park on Saturday (15:00 GMT)