New Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe described taking the job as a 'privilege', while vowing to bring an exciting brand of football with him to Deepdale.
Ryan, who was manager at League One side Plymouth Argyle – a club which he took to League One from League Two – until PNE came calling, and he will now take over as manager with immediate effect following the departure of Frankie McAvoy.
The former striker, who also earned promotion as a manager with Bury FC, is looking to implement an attacking style of football at North End.
He told iFollow PNE: “It’s a privilege. Preston North End, a North West club and a fantastic fanbase which we will get back on side.
“It’s got some fantastic players, it’s steeped in history and we want to bring some history back to the football club. We want to play an exciting style of football that will excite these fans.”
That was a message which the new manager really stressed in his first interview since taking over at Deepdale, that he is looking to excite the PNE faithful and get them back through the turnstiles.
Ryan added: “What we’ve got to do is take the shackles off these players. I’ve addressed the players in there before, went round and spoke to them about how we’re going to do it, what we’re going to do.
“They’ll love coming into the training ground, they’ll love working their socks off for Preston North End and that’s going to be the main focus.
“As I said before, we want to excite these fans again. We want to get them back through the turnstiles, we want to bring an exciting brand of football, which we will, and that’s now our focus.
“The players will buy into all that. They were due to be off tomorrow but they’re in, we’ll start our preparation for Barnsley tomorrow afternoon, but the lads bought into it.
“They’re very well respectful of what we’re trying to do. We’ve briefed them briefly and we’ll go through a few plans of how we go about our business tomorrow and we’ll look forward to training the group tomorrow, Thursday and Friday with a build up to an exciting game on Saturday.”
The 43-year-old takes over a North End side currently sat 18th in the Championship table, looking to impose a similar style of football which has earned him promotion at both of his former clubs as manager.
Ryan said: “We want to win games of football first and foremost, but I want to excite these fans with a style and a brand of football and philosophy which they’ll be proud of.
“We’ve done that at numerous clubs we’ve been at which is Bury and Plymouth Argyle. You get people talking about the style and the philosophy and the brand, that’s what you want, but ultimately it’s about winning games of football.
“What the players can expect from me is honesty right the way through, there’s no grey areas, everything’s black and white.
“They’ll all get a chance, there’s a clean slate, whether it be people in the squad or out the squad, they’ve got to now show me on the training pitch what they’re all about to be picked on a Saturday or a Tuesday even.
“What I’ve said to them is make sure when you’ve got that shirt, you keep it. Tactically if I need to change the squad or the team I certainly will, that’s due to whoever we’re playing, but ultimately whoever gets in there first has got to stay in there and keep the shirt.”
Ryan will pick his first PNE starting XI this weekend when the Lilywhites host relegation-threatened Barnsley, giving him the chance to introduce himself to the Deepdale crowd.
“I’m excited to see the fans,” he added. “I’ve had a lot on social media already and I’d like to thank them for the welcome already.
“What I will say to them is come out and support your football club and your team. You’ll be proud of this team, you’ll be proud of the football club.
“I know things haven’t gone as smoothly as they’d like over the past six or seven months, but what we’re here to do is make these fans happy and proud and they can go home after a game on a Saturday or a Tuesday and say 'I enjoyed that'.
“Ultimately it’s about winning, but we’d like to see their support there definitely on Saturday afternoon at Deepdale.”
Watch Ryan's first full interview as Preston North End manager on iFollow PNE.