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Support In Spain Epitomises What Ryan Lowe Wants At PNE

12 July 2022

Manager Ryan Lowe says the scenes at the end of the Getafe friendly between the fans and players epitomise what the club is trying to achieve.

Hundreds of Preston North End supporters made the journey from the UK to Spain for the friendly against the La Liga outfit, standing pitchside as the Spanish side came out 2-1 winners.

At the end of the game, the North End squad and staff applauded those in attendance and took a group photo with the fans, who sang their famous chants while in and around the players.

Speaking about what that moment meant to him, Ryan said: “Fantastic, it’s making memories isn’t it?

Match Reports

Match Report: Getafe 2 PNE 1

12 July 2022

“For them to make the trip all the way down from Benidorm, staying around the local area and even some staying in the hotel, it’s what football’s about isn't it? The fans.

“I said to the staff it reminds me of when I go and watch Liverpool away from home in Europe, it just reminded me of it.

“The greatest moment I must say was just before we were kicking off and they were all running down the hill singing Preston North End songs. Fantastic.

“There’s probably three or four hundred of them here, and the bits at the end just epitomises what we want.

“We want to bring everyone together. The football club’s not just about the players, the staff, it’s about everyone associated with the football club and the fans are massively important so I’m really pleased.”

That togetherness is something which the manager values extremely highly, and always has since his arrival at the club.

He feels the fans have a huge part to play off the pitch, saying they can help the team overcome hurdles in the Championship and help to try “to achieve some ultimate goals and get in the top flight eventually”.

On the game itself against Getafe, Ryan was pleased to see his side go in front within the first two minutes, but two goals in the second half from Gastón Álvarez Sosa meant his side lost the game.

PNE thought they’d found a late equaliser through Alan Browne, though his backheeled effort was ruled out for an offside call.

Ryan said: “I think with the game in general, it’s good to get the minutes in. Look, we probably should have had a goal and made it 2-2.

“The linesman was still on the halfway line when he gave the offside, that’s tongue in cheek, but you know where I’m coming from.

“Just to play against a team like that [was good]. We set up in a different way, a different style and we were deserved 1-0 leaders at half-time.”

He later added: “I thought it was a good, entertaining game. There were a few little tackles flying in, the ref was giving too many silly fouls, but overall, forget the result, whether we won 2-1 or 3-1, it didn’t really matter or lost as we did in the end, but what it was about was getting minutes into the lads, getting some volume into them.”

Hear more from the boss on iFollow PNE.


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