It's a good time to be a Preston North End fan – Tom Sandells' Press View

At the time of writing, there is still a little bit of time for North End fans to get theirseason cards at a heavilydiscounted rate, with more than 10,500 taking advantage so far.

With season ticket sales per day averaging between 350 and 400, sales are expected toreach around 11,500 – should they hit that mark it is aremarkable 60 per cent increase.

The offer ends on June 4, at 5pm, with those purchasing before the deadline getting to watch Ryan Lowe’s men for not much more than £12 agame.

Adult tickets purchased after that time revert back to last season’s prices, or to buy a ticket on a game-by-game basis it will be at least £28 permatch.

It has all been timed rather well.

The stock of those behind the scenes at North End has only risen since the appointment of Lowe in December.

There was much disquiet around the fanbase and protests had begun.

They wanted to something to get behind, they wanted to see a vision, a change of direction at Deepdale and a bit of charisma.

They got that in the Liverpudlian who thankfully hit the ground running and said all the right things.

That is important, not only getting off to a good start but also saying the right things.

It is not uncommon in football to hear the same things from different mouths, cliches are rife.

There may be certain Lowe-isms that we hear quite often but it is still a change from what we have seen before at Deepdale.

He is very much a coach, that much is not new.

Alex Neil and Frankie McAvoy before him were both the same, but he is also very much a manager. You would think that is a given for all in the top job in professional football but it is not.

There are some out there that do not get too involved in the structure at the club or in the financial specifics.

That is not that case with Lowe.

He does not negotiate nor talk money, that is handled by club director Peter Ridsdale.

But the departure of two coaches, the shifting of another and bringing in a company to do some of the recruitment process for him will not all have been coincidence.

Over the last six months changes in the structure behind the scenes at Deepdale show how Lowe’s influence is altering the direction of North End...and hopefully in an upward trajectory.

He knows what he has available to him and is using it wisely.

In bringing in his own staff he has taken control, it is his club, his team – within reason – and his staff.

That is something that fans can get behind. He is investing himself and his people into North End in the aims of getting to the Premier League.

Lowe has not hidden away from the need that he has for the supporters, that was not the case under Neil who had a fractured relationship with the fans at times.

They did not take to McAvoy either and his good work in his short spell as interim boss was quickly forgotten about when results started poorly after he was appointed full time.

But there is no greater representation of how much the fans are getting behind the promotion – in the aims of promotion – than the thousands of leaflets that have been delivered and the positivity that is radiating around PR1 at the moment.

A host of fans have taken their own time to traverse Lancashire handing out flyers to spread the word of the offer the club have put on.

That is a response to calls for PNE do more being answered.

Credit is due on both sides, the supporters have called for more from the club when it comes to ticketing. In recent years it has always been bandied around that if North End reduced ticket prices they may get more fans in, but that then eats into profits. There would need to be action on both sides.

It was a huge risk for the Lilywhites to drop the prices in the way that they have. If the take-up had not been to the level it has they stood to miss out on some decent money that could then be reinvested in the club.

Instead the fans have risen to the challenge and have snapped up more than 3,000 season cards compared to last season, and of course there is still plenty of time to buy one, even if not at the cheaper price.

It is an exciting and inviting time to be a North End fan, as is evident with how many are keen to come to every home game next season.

Those yet to plan their summer holidays can even go to Alicante to see their side on their pre-season tour, where they’re hoping to play a friendly.

Each day there is a new person posting on social media that they have bought their season ticket, and quite often it is coupled with the last time they bought one, some years ago.

The only thing missing now are some new faces on the pitch. With a baker’s dozen of departures there is certainly room for PNE to manoeuvre, with Lowe confirming this week that there have been two offers made to players – and that talks with them have gone well.

Bambo Diaby’s new two-year-deal is a step in the right direction, a good player that showed he can contribute and has been tied down.

New players will come, there is no doubt about that.