Preston North End heading in the right direction under Ryan Lowe says Peter Ridsdale

Lowe’s 25 Championship games in charge after taking up the post on December 7 yielded 39 points – 10 wins, nine draws and six defeats.

There were signs of the style of play he wants and a few bumps in the road along the way, but PNE director Ridsdale certainly thinks are moving in the right direction.

The North End faithful are buying into it, season ticket sales now beyond 7,500 and already better than the sales for the campaign just finished.

With the early bird offer running until June 4, which incorporates a pay day for many, there is a confidence that sales will top the 10,000 mark for the first time in many years.

Ridsdale met Lowe at Euxton yesterday for further planning of summer recruitment, with Lowe now heading to Paris with his Liverpool supporter’s hat on for the Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday.

"When you are looking to appoint a manager, you look for a number of things,” said Ridsdale.

"You look at their track record, how you think they will fit culturally, how they behave, what their personality is like.

"Ryan from all sorts of points of view was a good fit. His personality and the way he is with supporters is very good.

"I spoke to one of Plymouth’s non-executive directors who is a long-standing friend of mine, he was saying Ryan’s work in the community and engagement with the Plymouth fans when he was their manager, was fantastic.

"Ryan has brought that to Preston and I’m delighted with that.

"The main task for a manager is to win football matches and play the right type of football. Let’s see what happens in the future but I think we got it right.”

Ridsdale and Lowe put in plenty of groundwork for this summer’s transfer window over the second-half of last season.

MRKT Insights were brought on onboard to provide data and help with recruitment, with agents and players spoken to about potential moves to Deepdale.

First-choice targets have been identified, with PNE willing to pay transfer fees if required as well as going down the Bosman and loan routes.

North End squad face a June start to pre-season training to fit in with World Cup schedule