Ryan Lowe era at Preston North End now at a fascinating stage as season fizzles out

And while the ride had only really just begun, North End’s manager wished to make it clear he wouldn’t ever want to outstay his welcome. You’re very lucky if you get three or four years in the hot seat these days, but that was the potential timeframe put on this thing by Lowe - who arrived with confidence and conviction, underpinned by unwavering ambition. Towards the end of last season - his first full one at Preston - we heard similar from the North End boss.

In April 2023, he said: “If I am here for three, four or five years and it's still not working, it might be time for someone else. That is fine. That is no problem and I'd be the first one to admit that. But, where we are, we are slowly making good progress. And if we can continue to make more progress from now until the end of the season - and then next season - then great.

“After next season, if we don't make the progress, then fine. It is what it is. We will sit down, have a conversation and see where it takes us. And if it's for someone else to take it forward, then no problem. That is fine by me. All I want to do, while I am the manager of this football club, is progress it the best possible way we can.”

Lowe’s team have drifted out of the play-off picture, but will need to adopt a crunch-match mindset and perform extremely well to achieve progress - with regards to points - this season. It is Leicester City at home and West Brom away to close out the campaign and North End’s task is to avoid finishing it dreadfully. ‘Progress’ has to be up there for the most uttered word in Lowe’s press conferences. It is something he is very conscious of; something he likes to reinforce.

And maybe that explained the North End manager’s overwhelming irritation and discontent, after last weekend’s defeat to Queens Park Rangers. Losing to the Rs - the only team to do the double over Preston this season - has left the Lilywhites staring at another 63 point finish, as well as five straight losses to finish. And for a manager who feeds off spirit and camaraderie - everyone in this thing together - that would represent a damaging entrance into the summer.

Which undoubtedly - you guessed it - is going to be another extremely important one for the club. North End were commended for their work in last year’s window and rightly so. Duane Holmes, Will Keane, Liam Millar and Mads Frokjaer have all played key roles this season; Milutin Osmajic, Jack Whatmough and Layton Stewart can take encouragement into next year. It will be vital to get recruitment right again.

Lowe has now guided his Preston team to 64, 63 and 63 (with two to play) points. A platform has been set; an adequate job done. Of course, this era of North End has been far from steady - with some wonderful highs and almighty lows. From beating Blackburn in the snow and carving Coventry apart, to home hammerings and coaching badge queries. But to focus on those too much may well be missing the point. Perhaps the perception of the most common version of Preston, under Lowe - the thing you see most - is the issue for many. North End play in a system that has never convinced the masses and delivered too many mundane days for people’s liking.

Combine that with the regularly sparked outrage at Lowe’s interviews - and you have two very important things not convincing the foundation of a football club. Harmony has been in short supply over the last couple of years, but PNE’s boss - to his credit - has fought through it. And his team has very rarely dropped below the half-way point of a highly competitive division. From the outside, Lowe will look like a very safe pair of hands to have at the wheel. Twice, mind, his job has looked in serious jeopardy - another run of that ilk cannot happen.

Regardless of the plaudits, pressure, credit and criticism up to now, the next phase has all the feel of the decisive one for Preston’s manager. Collecting 63 points at this level will never be a disaster, but if Lowe’s words still ring true then there will be very little appeal in plodding along, this far in. The Liverpudlian has been backed and you’d anticipate investment in the playing squad once again this summer. And the challenge will sure be difficult, but somewhat simple in the sense it’s what Lowe has been trying to prove all along: that he’s the man to take PNE forward.