McAvoy was previously the head coach at EFL Championship club Preston North End.

[5] Following the dismissal of Neil on 21 March 2021, McAvoy was named as interim head coach of Preston until the end of the 2020–21 season.

[7] On 6 December 2021, McAvoy was dismissed by Preston despite a respectable record, winning fourteen league games out of his 33 in charge.

[8] On 3 February 2022, McAvoy joined Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian as Academy Director, being given "a wide-ranging remit to oversee the youth system".

[10] In September 2023, a week after Hearts had been eliminated from the Europa Conference League, Naismith was made head coach and McAvoy his assistant.