We’ve got our mojo back says Preston North End Fans’ Panel’s John Smith

From the start of Frankie McAvoy’s tenure I personally have thought that we have only just about been barely treading water this season waiting around for his inevitable dismissal, which was bound to happen at some point during this campaign.

After hearing Ryan Lowe speaking to the media about attacking with six and defending with four I was hoping his arrival would signal the genesis of an exciting new North End world.

I also felt that if I could be entertained again it would see the return of mojo which, like the one of Austin Powers, had been shattered and destroyed due to watching too much turgid football in the past two years.

Although Lowe has no previous experience managing at this level I was impressed by the confident manner in which he spoke at his first press conference, like he was a young amateur boxer talking the talk at the weigh-in before his first professional bout.

If a promoter could have hand-picked the opponents for his Championship debut Barnsley, who had only won once in their last 19 games, would have been an ideal choice.

While Barnsley had a couple of moments in the game which on another day could have punished us, it was a well deserved win with Lowe proving that on this occasion he could also “walk the walk”.

I thought that inspirational captain Alan Browne had delivered the killer punch when he put us ahead but the Tykes climbed off the ropes to level and it was left to my man of match Daniel Johnson to deliver the knockout blow as we fought back.

We will soon face much harder tests but anyone who has the aura to lift the crowd in the manner in which Lowe 
did today certainly deserves my backing. When he walked off punching the air like a victorious boxer I felt that tingling feeling of my mojo returning!