Preston North End boss wanted Manchester United friendly but is happy with upcoming schedule

North End have eight games arranged before their Championship season opener away at Bristol City, starting this weekend with their game at Bamber Bridge.

It’s a far cry from the Red Devils but a favourite amongst PNE’s annual schedule all the same. Brig will be one of two non-league English sides that Lowe’s men will face, with Ipswich Town, last season’s runners up in League One, the highest ranked opponent they have in preparation of their second tier 2023/24 campaign.

Usually, Preston play at least one Premier League side in pre-season but Lowe has explained that it wasn’t possible this time out.

Speaking to the PNE website, he said: “We tried all the time. There was a Manchester United one that was potentially scheduled but they had to go to the Far East and Australia and places like that - it wasn't for the lack of trying.

"Those bigger clubs have bigger fish to fry, they have bigger things that they have to go and do. We'd love a Premier League team to come to Deepdale, definitely, but hopefully we can do that in the cup this season like we did last. But in terms of pre-season it's about getting minutes in the lads' legs.”

The results during pre-season, and the opponents, are less important to Lowe than the minutes and work he’s able to get into his charges.

With eight games to go at, there will be plenty of time for each player to get their shot, with six outgoings compared to last season’s squad and just one due to come in in the middle of July.

Lowe said: “Me, and John Lucas, and Marshy have spoken over the course of the summer about getting the games sorted. You want as many good games as you possibly can.

"I know we're on the road a little bit, there are a couple of games, the likes of Ipswich, that will be good games for us. We were just hoping that we didn't get them early on in the season.

"I have a good relationship with Mark Ashton there so when they called us and asked I said 'yep, no problem'.

"They want to get used to travelling in the Championship through the week. I think that will be a good test for us. We have Aberdeen now pencilled in which will be good for us, then the lower league ones.

"The most important thing is getting through pre-season with as few injuries as you possibly can. Once you do that, then you can start the season running and that's what we want.

"The results throughout pre-season are irrelevant, it's about getting the minutes into the lads. We'll work on one or two things but I think there's some good tests there.”

PNE’s pre-season fixture list in full:

Saturday July 1 – Bamber Bridge (A), 3pm

Wednesday July 5 – Bruno’s Magpies (N), 5pm

Sunday July 9 – Bury FC (A), 3pm

Saturday July 15 – Barrow AFC (A), 3pm

Wednesday July 19 – Ipswich Town (H), 7pm

Saturday July 22 – Aberdeen (H), 3pm

Tuesday July 25 – Fleetwood Town (A), 7pm

Saturday July 29 – Stockport County (A), 3pm