Preston North End are hopeful of a more ambitious campaign, after another mid-table ending. The Lancashire side have now received a healthy financial boost.
With speculation surrounding how Ryan Lowe’s squad will shape up next season, Preston’s Director of Football, Peter Risdale has spoken on an influx in funds for summer business. As well as this, work on the refurbishment of Deepdale is set to begin soon.
The supposed work on the Lancashire side’s stadium, centres around new LED floodlights as they continue to galvanise the 23,000-seater’s infrastructure. Although, some investment on this front will likely be halted in the favour of some big summer incomings. In an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire, Risdale suggested that the postponed investment will be undersoil heating and a new Desso pitch.
Ryan Lowe will be handed an extra £1.5 million ON TOP of last season's transfer budget 😳
🗣️ @PNEFCPost#pnefc pic.twitter.com/voghw17JDO
— PNE Plug (@PNEPlug) June 2, 2024
Thinking shorter-term, the former Leeds United Director has addressed the decision to boost Lowe’s spending capacity rather than the expansion of Deepdale:
“We’re about to invest in, I was about to say new floodlights and people are saying “they’re iconic, why are you changing the floodlights?”. We’re not, we’re changing the bulbs – so we’re getting LED floodlights, but that’s another £250,000 investment this summer.
“Desso is part plastic – but that’s £1 million, a Desso pitch, and undersoil heating is probably £400,000-£500,000 and we’ve only got so much money and I’m currently choosing to use that to strengthen the squad.
“But our plans are floodlights this summer, undersoiling heating and a Desso as soon as we can, and that will have to be done together to protect the pitch. So there’s a lot of investment going into the infrastructure of the football club and a lot of things we have already done are starting to bear fruit.”
Following a tenth-placed finish, with a late play-off push fizzling out after five poor losses in the Lancashire side’s final five fixtures, Risdale has handed Lowe a financial boost to go the extra step this season. £1.5 million will be added to the 45-year-old’s spending pot, with a lot of fresh faces expected to emerge at Deepdale next season.
Writer’s View
Fans have been calling for more ambition to be shown on the transfer front, and Risdale has met that call and countered it with a new financial allowance.
There is already a reasonably strong core group at Preston ahead of the new campaign. In order to let Lowe’s counter-attacking system flourish in the Championship, the right players need to be recruited for the correct roles that prospered during his spell at Plymouth Argyle.
It is always good to see a team focus on their club’s health as well as their squad depth and quality. Risdale has got this one right. It will also be interesting to see how Lowe can take North End to the next level with this new influx of money.
