Preston North End manager's planning for next season involves a thorough review of the campaign just finished

Football moves quickly and while the Lilywhites only played their final game of 2021/22 a week last Saturday, the focus is now on summer recruitment and getting ready for the slightly earlier than normal start to the season.

PNE manager Lowe was boosted by two victories to finish the season, 3-1 at Barnsley and then 4-1 against Middlesbrough at Deepdale on the final day, but it was another mid-table finish in their seventh campaign at this level.

Lowe said: “We were 11 points outside of the play-offs so we needed a few more wins to be in and around it.

“I do look back as part of my work, spend some time at the end of the season doing that. I will see what we can do better although deep down I already know a lot.

"It’s been a fantastic journey here so far and I want fantastic journey to continue. I don’t say this tongue-in-cheek but I think I’m a good fit for Preston North End and that Preston North End is a good fit for me.

"If we can gel that together like we have been doing and building on it, make sure we are better at some things – whether that is at the training ground or in matches – that will be massive.

"Togetherness is important, when you become a family you become successful. That is what I’m building, I’m trying to build a big family here to be successful as a club.”

Lowe landed the Deepdale manager’s job on December 7, with North End on 25 points in 18th place.

North End won 10, drew nine and lost six of 25 Championship games under him, a big improvement on the first section of the campaign overseen by Frankie McAvoy.

There’s plenty of work for Lowe to do in the coming weeks as he looks to add more quality to the squad, filling some of the gaps left by 13 players being released.

Some of those released had no direct involvement at first-team level so it won’t be a case of replacing 13, Lowe looking at quality over quantity in a tighter-knit squad numbers wise.

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