"No one wants to be dismissed, but sometimes you have to accept it. You feel the sting, and wherever I end up next, they'll get a better version of Ryan Lowe," Ryan Lowe said. It is remarkable that it took four managerial appointments before Lowe experienced his first sacking in the modern game.
He had already guided Bury and Plymouth Argyle to promotion from League Two and then spent two seasons at Preston North End, where he felt the club consistently over‑performed in the Championship. "It was a tough assignment," Lowe explained on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast. "In the 2024‑25 campaign we set out to consolidate and simply stay up. We managed just 13 points from the opening 11‑12 fixtures, but the primary objective – survival – was achieved without drama.
"The following season we wanted to build on that and we believed we had a budget that could compete. In reality the numbers we were given were based on figures from two years earlier, which made it very hard to assemble a squad that could challenge the bigger clubs.
"We missed out on a number of targets because we couldn't match the financial clout of certain rivals. Those clubs were larger and could attract higher‑quality players than we could afford." The interview continued with Lowe describing the early part of the 2025‑26 season as promising. "We started the campaign well and were looking comfortable, until we lost Ryan Trevitt – a player who was central to our style.
He was creative, decisive and we built the team around his abilities. "Injuries piled up and a few key performance indicators slipped, but that's not an excuse.
There were many areas where I could have done better, and I know my staff could have improved as well. "Being sacked was a first for me, and I hope it remains my only one. I understood the decision – the results were not where we needed them to be, the performances were acceptable, the data was decent, but we lacked cutting‑edge finishing in front of goal." Before his brief spell at Wigan, Lowe had overseen Preston’s impressive runs in the second tier, securing two top‑half finishes in his full seasons.
He remains convinced that the club’s recent difficulties highlight just how well he managed them. His successor, Paul Heckingbottom, was dismissed last month after a 14th‑place finish. "In the year I left, Hecky kept the side up on the final day and finished 14th the following season," Lowe said.
"He's a brilliant manager, yet he still lost his job. "People will always debate the style of play, but what I learned in the Championship – watching the managers we faced – was the importance of adaptability. "Deep down I know I did a good job there. It may not matter to anyone else, but I believe I can over‑achieve on limited budgets.
"You can't just walk into any club and claim you can match the likes of Norwich every week. One season we played Norwich in a 5‑4‑1 formation, defended with five at the back and nearly won.
The match ended 0‑0, a valuable point away from home." Lowe does express some regret about the way he departed Preston. He acknowledges that leaving after the first league game of the 2024‑25 season was poorly timed. "I do regret walking out after one match," he admitted. "I had to think about my family’s security at that moment.
"During pre‑season I discussed the situation with chairman Peter Ridsdale. A statement had been issued at the end of the previous season saying the club’s finish and results weren’t satisfactory. "We opened the campaign against Sheffield United and lost 2‑0. The goals were sloppy, I lay awake that night wondering if I could still give the club what the supporters deserve.
They pay me a substantial salary – am I delivering? "We reached a gentleman’s agreement.
The board didn’t really want me to go, but I felt poorly advised at the time, to be honest. "My gut was screaming ‘just do it, do it, do it’. In hindsight I should have waited a few more games. If the board had sacked me, it would have happened anyway – the outcome wouldn’t have changed.
"I felt I had taken the project as far as possible. With the budget and squad we had, I didn’t see a path to the next level. "The club’s subsequent finishes have proven my concerns correct. My only real remorse is that I left after the first fixture." Looking ahead, Lowe says he is eager to return to football, but he wants a genuine project rather than a short‑term fire‑fighting assignment – something he has turned down in the past.
Even at Wigan he signed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year contract, only to be dismissed less than a year later. "Wherever I land next, they’ll be getting the best version of Ryan Lowe because I’m disappointed with how things ended," he asserted. "I don’t want to be a firefighter, but sometimes you have to step in and keep a club afloat.
"What I refuse is a brief stint of ten or fifteen games with no long‑term vision, just a few wins to trigger a contract extension. My résumé speaks for itself. "I’ve now managed 380 games, many in the Championship, and I’m keen to join a club with solid ownership and a sporting director who shares the same ambition.
"The right environment, the right people, and a clear plan – that’s what I’m after as I move forward in my career."