"Nobody wants to be dismissed, but sometimes you have to accept it and move on. You feel the sting, and wherever I end up next, they'll be getting a better version of Ryan Lowe," Ryan Lowe said.
It is remarkable that Lowe only faced his first dismissal in his fourth senior coaching appointment, a rarity in today's fast‑moving football world. He had already guided Bury and Plymouth Argyle to promotion from League Two, and then spent two seasons at Preston North End where he believed the club performed well above expectations in the Championship. "It was a difficult assignment," Lowe explained on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast. "In the first season, 2024/25, our aim was simply to survive.
We collected 13 points from the opening 11‑12 matches and, ultimately, we secured our place in the division comfortably. "The following campaign we wanted to build on that and we thought we had a budget to compete. In reality the figures we were given were based on a two‑year‑old model, which made it very hard to operate. We missed out on a number of targets because other clubs simply had deeper pockets and could sign higher‑quality players.
"We started the season well, but then we lost Ryan Trevitt – he was a key creative force for us. The team was built around his vision and his departure hurt us. We also suffered a few injuries and some key performance indicators slipped, but I'm not trying to make excuses.
There were plenty of things I could have handled better, and I know my staff could have done the same. "Being sacked was tough – it was my first dismissal and I hope it will be my last. I understood why it happened. The results weren’t spectacular, the performances were decent, the data was acceptable, but we lacked the cutting edge in front of goal." Before his brief spell at Wigan, Lowe had overseen Preston's impressive over‑achievement in the Championship, guiding the club to two top‑half finishes in his full seasons in charge.
He remains convinced that the difficulties the club has faced since his departure underscore just how well he performed there. His successor, Paul Heckingbottom, was relieved of his duties last month.
"In the year I left, Hecky managed to keep the club up on the final day, and last season he finished 14th," Lowe continued. "He’s a great manager, yet he lost his job. Some will question the style of play or the brand of football we produced, but what I learned in the Championship – watching and adapting to the tactics of the teams we faced – was invaluable.
"Deep down I know I did a good job at Preston. That opinion matters only to me and my own belief that I can over‑achieve on limited budgets. You can’t just walk into any club and claim you’ll match the resources of a side like Norwich. We once went to Carrow Road and set up a 5‑4‑1, almost won the game, and managed a 0‑0 draw – a respectable point away from home." One regret Lowe admits is the timing of his departure from Preston.
He felt the need to protect his family and his own reputation, but leaving after just one league match of the 2024/25 season was, in hindsight, ill‑timed. "I do regret walking out after the first game," he said.
"During pre‑season I discussed the situation with chairman Peter Ridsdale. A statement was released at the end of the previous season saying the results and finish weren’t good enough. We lost the opening match 2‑0 to Sheffield United, and the goals we conceded were sloppy.
I lay awake that night wondering if I could still deliver for the club, if I was giving the fans what they wanted, if I was justifying the salary they were paying me. "We reached a gentleman’s agreement – they didn’t really want me to go, but I felt poorly advised at the time. My gut told me to leave immediately. I should have given it a few more games.
If I had been sacked, it would have happened anyway and the outcome would have been the same. "I felt I had taken the job as far as it could go with the budget, the squad and the surrounding circumstances.
The club’s recent finishes have proved my concerns right. The only thing I truly regret is leaving after a single game." Looking ahead, Lowe says he is eager to return to football, but he wants a project rather than a short‑term firefighting role – something he has turned down in the past. Even at Wigan he was offered a three‑and‑a‑half‑year contract, only to be dismissed less than a year later.
"Wherever I end up next, they’ll be getting the best version of Ryan Lowe because I’m determined to bounce back from what happened," he asserted. "I don’t want to be a fire‑fighter, but sometimes you have to step in, steady the ship and keep a side in the division. "What I don’t want is a ten‑ or fifteen‑game stint with no long‑term security, just a few wins to pad a contract.
My CV already shows 380 games as a manager, many of them in the Championship. I’m looking for a club with solid ownership and a sporting director who shares my vision, where we can build something lasting together." Lowe’s next move remains to be seen, but his confidence, experience and willingness to learn from past setbacks suggest he will continue to be a sought‑after figure in the English game.