Preston North End's pitch plan for next season as Ryan Lowe pinpoints what 'killed it off'

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe has no complaints over the state of Deepdale's pitch.

In the last couple of months, North End's home surface has looked tired in patches. Those areas seemingly increased in the last two games, against Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough. In last Saturday's Lancashire derby, the ball often moved noticeably slower across the turf.

As for the Preston boss, though, he sympathises with the Deepdale ground staff. The club's head groundsman, Pete Ashworth, took to social media in mid-January to explain the challenges he and his colleagues have encountered. And Lowe is appreciative of the work they all do.

"Nah," said Lowe, when asked if there is any frustration. "He rang me this morning actually, Pete - I thought 'what does he want?'. He doesn't normally ring me unless he wants money! Nah, joking - the pitch is the pitch isn't it? The groundsmen do a fantastic job. The training ground pitch has been great, but we can use three different ones. Here, with the weather... what game was it when we had the covers on it?

"There was ice and snow... QPR, I think that really killed it off a little bit. If that didn't get played, then maybe it would've been okay. But listen, the lads are doing a fantastic job and in early March, I think grass will start coming back a bit more. Then, we are going to look at reviewing the pitch for next season and maybe get a Desso-type pitch in there as well, with grass. So, we are on with that and looking at that. Unfortunately, what happens with the pitch is weather determined."

PNE director Peter Ridsdale told the Lancashire Post about Desso pitches back in November. He said: "A Desso pitch is actually a brand, but it's essentially grass which is grown with little plastic pieces - which hold the grass in so that it doesn't pull out. Just about every Premier League club has got it. Some would argue it maybe results in some of the injuries you see take place, because if the boot gets stuck in it then the grass stays in.

"It's expensive, but it'll last longer - which is why some Premier League clubs can play their ladies team games or rugby league games on the same pitch. You don't see the same wear and tear, so it's aspirational. If we got to the Premier League, I think we'd do it anyway. Some clubs in the Championship will have it, particularly if they've been in the Premier League. It is part grass, part artificial and the artificial is just where the grass is growing around with little plastic holes in it. That's ideal, so we'd go down that route if and when we can."