Preston North End are onto their third manager of the year and we’re hoping there’ll be no other changes for a long time yet.
Ryan Lowe has more energy and belief than the other two and hopefully this time next year, the corresponding article will be a lot more positive.
Alex Neil
2021 saw Alex Neil entering the second half of his fourth season with the club. The previous three seasons had yielded finishes of 7th, 14th and 9th. The style of play from the early Neil days had changed though. The ethos of high press, and high intensity football had waned, and you could tell Alex Neil was in need of a break. Of course playing behind closed doors didn’t help. We headed into the pandemic in March 2020 still in the play-off places. That season died off, and the next one didn’t get off to a much better start.
Good performances were starting to become all too infrequent and we couldn’t string any together infrequently. Goals were lacking, and we were reliant on Scott Sinclair in providing that quality in the final third. Other players struggled and you could tell Neil was frustrated. He cut a desolate figure in many of his interviews. Perhaps disappointed that he hadn’t been backed at the right times in his tenure. Of course plenty of money was spent on players like Tom Bayliss, Ben Whiteman and Emil Riis in his time, but there was still a feeling we could have achieved more under Neil.
In the end you felt it was a mutual decision. Preston were sliding down the table and that needed to stop. Lacklustre performances against Wycombe Wanderers, Middlesbrough, and Luton Town weren’t good enough. Neil needed a break, and he moved on with the best wishes of the club and the fans. I’m sure he’ll find himself back with a good club in 2022.
Frankie McAvoy
The reins were handed to Neil’s assistant on a temporary basis. For Frankie McAvoy this was new territory. Forever a number two, this was now a glorious opportunity for him to lead a great club to safety until the end of the season. We needed points on the board to stave off relegation. A tough opening game arrived in the form of promotion chasing Norwich City. In front of no fans at Deepdale, it was a big test for the Scot to get stuck into. We lined up with an unfamiliar formation of five at the back and two up front. A depleted Norwich side made it tough for us and took the lead through Emiliano Buendia. Preston stuck at it though and got an equaliser through Brad Potts with the last kick of the game in the 95th minute.
It was what Preston needed, and you felt it galvanised them for the rest of the season. A last minute own goal gave North End a win in the following game against Swansea City. Safety seemed almost guaranteed now. Bar a bad 5-0 defeat at home to an in form Brentford, McAvoy did not taste defeat again that season.
He was given the job full time, which he probably deserved based solely on his 17 points from the last 8 games. But a lot of those games were dead rubbers, and I don’t think anybody truly thought this would be a long-term appointment that would flourish. McAvoy was happy to be here, of course he was. He was learning on the job though, and we didn’t have time to give someone that. Perhaps if it was someone like Paul Gallagher, but not a 54-year-old.
Fans were back in stadiums, but they quickly wished they weren’t. An opening day 4-1 defeat to Hull City gave us a sombre outlook for the coming months. The football wasn’t enjoyable to watch. It didn’t suit the personnel, whilst the summer transfer window could be described as a disaster. Izzy Brown and Connor Wickham would succumb to long-term injuries, which is a regular occurrence in their careers. Jamie Thomas completed a fairytale move from Bamber Bridge but then didn’t make the 25 man squad. Matthew Olosunde would only make his debut for the club in what turned out to be McAvoy’s last.
Some questionable interviews where he seemed to antagonise the fans didn’t help Neil’s former number two. This wasn’t a match made in heaven by any means. Good results against Bournemouth and Middlesbrough papered over the cracks. The writing had been on the wall for the ‘nice guy’. There was apathy towards the club from the fans, not helped by smug comments from Peter Ridsdale who had suggested McAvoy was doing a good job just weeks before dismissing him.
A miserable defeat in atrocious conditions against Blackburn Rovers proved to be the last straw. That coupled with another derby defeat, against Blackpool will be the lasting memories from Frankie’s tenure. Luckily when he was potted, the club moved very quickly to find his replacement.
Ryan Lowe
It was a whirlwind 24 hours which saw the club change managers and suddenly lift the fanbase and give them something to look forward to. The fanbase weren’t expecting us to be in the top six, but my god it was bad to watch. We knew that these players weren’t performing to the standards capable of them. Lowe arrived after two promotions with Bury and Plymouth Argyle. He is know for his attacking, attractive style of play, something we have missed so much.
In just his first game you could tell there was a massive difference. The players and the fans enjoyed it. A win against Barnsley in front of a pumped up crowd gave a much needed boost. Alan Browne and Daniel Johnson should be able to flourish under Lowe. He’s said the right things in his interviews; he understands what it means to manage this club, and he understands he needs to bring the fans back in as they are the most important part of any club.
As we head into 2022, there is more optimism among the fans. The Championship is new territory for Lowe, but in Mike Marsh he has brought in an experienced number two. Paul Gallagher remains on the staff to pass on his Preston knowledge, and if the fans are enjoying what they see, then it could be a memorable relationship.