Preston North End boss keeping track of young loanees with one getting European experience

There are currently four young Lilywhites out on a temporary basis, Adam O’Reilly, Lewis Coulton, Aaron Bennett and Josh Seary.

O’Reilly is the only one of the four to have made a senior appearance, althought all three of the others have been involved with the first team this summer in pre-season – Coulton going on the pre-season camp to Spain.

The main thing for Lowe is that the youngsters are out and getting game time.

He said: “James Beet [player loans and pathways manager] does a report on them every month but to be fair they're out playing football and our main focus at this moment in time is Championship football.

"They're still our players, they will be watched on a regular basis, have reports each month and we'll continue to do that until the time is right to change it.

"At this moment in time they're out playing competitive football and that's where we want them to be.”

O’Reilly in particular is impressing on his loan, with St Pat’s in Ireland, he’s become a key player in his home country, is playing in European competition and won the player of the month award there.

Bennett recently caught the eye with a stunning strike from the edge of the box for Altrincham in the National League, with Coulton and Seary featuring regularly for Chester and Warrington Town respectively.

"That's what they're out playing football for, there's nothing better than playing football, rather than playing the Central League every couple of weeks.

"They're behind closed doors, we do have a lot of our fans come and watch but we can't get two or three thousand.

"Competitive football with large amounts of fans in the ground is important for us and for them. It's part of their development and that's what we want the lads doing.

"The longer they do that, if the time is right is right to recall one, or two, or however many is out there on loan and we need them, then we'll do that.

"At the moment we are fine and they're out doing what they need to do and playing football.”