AFTER 16 years with the Scottish FA Craig Brown returned to club management yesterday and confessed: "David Moyes told me to take the job."

And now Preston North End's new manager is looking forward to getting together with his predecessor to find out more about the Lilywhites.

"I spoke to David Moyes and he was fulsome in praise for the club and the board here," explained Brown who stepped down as Scotland's national coach after failing to reach this summer's World Cup.

"He gave me a strong recommendation that this is a fine club. He is coming to a coaching course in Scotland next month and we will get our heads together there.

"Also he has asked me to his house which is only five minutes from Deepdale and that is an invitation that will be taken up."

Brown was quick to praise not only Moyes but the club's caretaker boss Kelham O'Hanlon who was one of five names on the club's short-list who may still have a role to play at the club.

"I thought Kelham did very, very well as it was a difficult situation to take over," he said. "He is highly regarded and I would like to work with the staff that are here so that gives them a chance to look at me."

With the longer than normal close season Brown has a couple of months before his new players come back for pre-season training on July 1 but he said: "I expect to be seeing them informally before then."

As for strengthening his squad, like every other manger in the Nationwide League, he will be forced to wait and see what happens next in the ITV Digital crisis.

"We are not a club that spends millions on players," said chief executive Tony Scholes. "The ITV Digital situation is affecting all clubs and until that is resolved not much can happen."

But that was not enough to put Brown off returning to club duties and he said: "I had 16 great years with the SFA but I am very happy to be working with a club again."