Preston North End have a winner in new boss says ex-Deepdale ace Ryan Kidd

When Lowe took his first steps into management as Bury’s caretaker manager in 2018, Kidd stepped up from coaching the Shakers’ youth team to act as his assistant.

So the new PNE manager is someone Kidd – who made 317 appearances in a North End shirt – knows well.

Kidd told the Lancashire Post: “Ryan is a really good guy and very passionate about football. He unites people, whether it is players, staff or the supporters.

“He’s up for a laugh and joke at the right time but once work starts, he’s very serious.

“Ryan reminds me a bit of David Moyes when he started out in management, very focused and he knows what he wants. He wants training to be right and his attention to detail is excellent.

“Ryan has got a couple of promotions behind him and coming to Preston is his next big challenge.

“I’ve watched North End’s results from afar these last couple of years and it looks like some of the fans have become a bit disillusioned.

“I think Ryan is just the type of manager they need to galvanise the place.

“It was when Ryan was finishing playing and starting to transition into coaching that I was with him at Bury.

“I coached the youth team and we did a bit of Under-21s together.

“He was made caretaker manager and I was his assistant for a few months.

“When he got the Bury job full-time I went back to the youth team because that was my speciality.

“In his first full season, Ryan got Bury promoted from League Two.

“That was some job he did when you consider people didn’t get paid for four or five months. He kept the players motivated and focused, that was quite an achievement.”

Kidd, who was at PNE from 1993 to 2001 before a neck injury forced him to retire, is now Under-18s coach at Blackburn Rovers.

He still has lots of affection for North End and hopes they can prosper under Lowe.

Said Kidd: “I’ve so many good things to say about Lowey and I’m pleased he’s there at Preston.

“Since he went into management and did well, it was always a club I felt he could end up at.

“This is a new challenge for him and a big one, the chance to manage in the Championship.

“He will play with three at the back which he started doing at Bury and hopefully the players will adapt to what he wants from them.

“I want to see him hit the ground running and see Preston do well.”