Coaching duo leave Preston North End's backroom staff

First-team coach Thompson and first-team development coach Cudworth leave a month into Ryan Lowe's tenure, with the PNE manager having reviewed the coaching set-up in that time.

A statement released by PNE on Friday afternoon said: "Following his first month as manager at Preston North End, Ryan Lowe has now finalised his coaching team to take the club forward.

"First team coaches Mike Marsh and Paul Gallagher, goalkeeper coach Mike Pollitt and analysts Charlie Ager and Daniel Atkinson will form Ryan's coaching team.

"The above means that both Steve Thompson and Jack Cudworth have left their roles with the club, and they leave with our thanks and best wishes."

Thompson joined North End as first-team coach in July 2015 following the club's promotion to the Championship.

He'd previously held coaching roles at Leeds United, Huddersfield Town and Blackpool, with Simon Grayson bringing him to Deepdale to add experience to the coaching team.

Thompson worked under Grayson, Alex Neil and Frankie McAvoy, but his time at PNE has now come to an end.

Cudworth's association with North End goes back to when he was a trainee goalkeeper.

He returned to the club in September 2009 as youth team and academy goalkeeper coach and in 2015 became assistant goalkeeping coach to Alan Kelly.

In January 2018 Cudworth was appointed first-team goalkeeper coach after the departure of Dean Kiely.

He stayed on the staff when Jonathan Gould came in as keeper coach, likewise when Pollitt got the job.

Since June last year Cudworth had been first-team development coach.

North End are next in action on Sunday afternoon (2pm) when they travel to Cardiff City in the FA Cup third round.

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