Dave Seddon's PNE pressview: Go on Ryan, get the famous Preston North End moving forward

Around 7.10pm, they were handed a stinker of an FA Cup draw, dispatched to South Wales to face fellow Championship side Cardiff City in the new year.

Less than half an hour later, North End announced they had dispensed with the services of Frankie McAvoy.

By mid afternoon on Tuesday, Ryan Lowe was officially in post and being introduced to the media.

All that squashed into 20 hours or so – the Lilywhites might be considered middle of the road in Championship terms but this spell was anything but mundane.

Sacking McAvoy brought to an end a brief spell as North End’s permanent head coach but a slightly longer one adding on his successful time as interim.

McAvoy took his sacking with the good grace he approached everything in life with. The statement he put out via the League Managers' Association, spoke volumes for the man.

No bitterness, no anger, disappointment of course that he was no longer in charge, and the sending of best wishes to everyone at PNE and his successor Lowe.

It had reached a point where North End could no longer carry on with McAvoy at the helm.

Some supporters never took to him in the full-time position, others reached that same feeling as this first half of the season went on.

Even when points were posted, there was an attitude among the fanbase that it was in spite of what McAvoy had done.

He was never going to be forgiven for the Blackpool defeat, then the reverse at Blackburn was a final straw.

Derby defeats almost count double and there was no coming back.

I wished it had worked out better for McAvoy, that he had been able to carry the work of the final eight games of last season into this campaign.

It was a tough gig for him, in the fact he was very much a figure behind the scenes when working as assistant to Alex Neil.

Thrust into the spotlight when accepting the interim role in March, there was not an opportunity to build-up a rapport with the supporters as they were locked out of football grounds.

Covid protocol and the weather conspired to prevent him having a normal pre-season.

Then the first game back in front of fans at Deepdale saw North End badly fluff their lines against Hull City.

McAvoy was on the back foot with a lot of folk and was never able to adjust on to the front foot.

Some of the results and performances justified criticism – and plenty of it.

What he didn’t deserve was some of the stick turning personal and turning into something of a pile-on.

I wish McAvoy well and hope there is a return to football in some capacity once he’s had a break.

We now usher in the Ryan Lowe era and he’s cut more than an impressive figure in the first few days as Preston manager – the head coach title given to McAvoy quietly disappearing.

Lowe spoke with so much enthusiasm and passion at his first press conference.

He was confident about what potentially he could deliver but without being arrogant or cocky.

Talk of an exciting brand of attacking football was music to the ears of fans who want to be entertained as well as celebrate victories.

There was no issue for me in the short time between McAvoy leaving and Lowe leaving Plymouth Argye to be appointed here.

Time was of the essence in these circumstances, this was not the occasion for a caretaker to take charge while candidates were sifted through.

North End needed their man in right away, they needed to give Lowe as much time this week to prepare for Barnsley’s visit.

It is a game when club and fans can come together, some of the fractures which have emerged be mended.

Lowe inherits a squad with the opening of the transfer window still three weeks or so away.

He needs to draw the best out of them on a more consistent basis.

During his Thursday press conference – a more standard team news and hamstring strain briefing than his unveiling – Lowe spoke of the talent he says is available to him.

He nodded to a couple of recent wins, the ones on the road at Bournemouth and Middlesbrough.

Bournemouth was the high point for McAvoy and maybe the Boro result kept him around longer.

What Lowe was at pains to point out is that results like that, especially the 2-1 win on the south coast, don’t happen by accident.

It’s his job to deliver that kind of night more often and he believes he will do.

Clearly North End have had their eye on Lowe for a while, he’s not been a name plucked out of the air.

Two promotions on his CV were an attraction, even if both were leading clubs out of League Two.

You get the sense Lowe is a manager with a career plan, wanting to work his way up.

He steered Bury up despite the squad going unpaid for some months.

Lowe stepped sideways to go to Plymouth and in his first season did there what he’d done at Bury.

Promotion from League One with the Pilgrims was Lowe’s challenge this season, one he stepped away from to head back to the North West and take office at PNE.

Hopefully he hits the ground running and clears the air which has hung over Deepdale of late.

His words this week and enthusiasm on the training pitch have been lapped up by the fans on social media.

Now he gets down to work, Barnsley at home, Millwall away, Sheffield United, West Bromwich and Stoke City over Christmas and New Year.

Then it’s Cardiff (groan) in the FA Cup, with a bit of time around that game to take stock of things.

Lowe is the first Scouser to manage PNE – Go ‘ed lad and get this famous club of ours moving forward.

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