Ryan Lowe: Preston boss says he received 'vile abuse' after Bristol City defeat

Preston manager Ryan Lowe said he was on the end of "vile abuse" following the defeat by Bristol City

Preston manager Ryan Lowe says he "is not here to be abused" after hearing "disgusting" comments after his side's 2-1 home loss to Bristol City.

Lowe's side were booed off at half-time as the Robins condemned them to a fifth consecutive defeat at Deepdale.

The Preston boss said he shared fans' frustration with their home form but urged them to get behind the club.

"I get the frustration but I don't get the vile abuse we're getting because I'm not here to take that," he said.

"It's disheartening. I'm a human being and trying my best for this football club and there's a few things said there that's disgusting.

"I get that they pay their hard-earned money but I'm not here to be abused. I'm here to help the football club get to where they want to get to and my players are not here to be abused. It's not all of them, it's a small minority."

Preston were 2-0 down at the break with Mark Sykes and Sam Bell on target for Bristol City, with Ched Evans pulling a goal back in the second half but the hosts could not find an equaliser.

An early error from Robbie Brady allowed Mark Sykes the chance to put Bristol City ahead

Lowe said he felt the supporters' reaction did not help his players and comments directed at him after the game were "unacceptable".

"Booing the lads at half-time - I don't think it warranted boos because we were well in the game," he added to BBC Radio Lancashire.

"A couple of the shouts that get said on the side - I'm a human being and I don't want to be spoken to like that.

"I get the frustration as we haven't won at home but we're mid-table and we're trying to push to be better and if you look at the positives we're only four points outside the play-off spots.

"It's not all doom and gloom, we're not sitting in the bottom three, we're on 40 points we're doing OK."

Preston are 11th in the Championship but the former Plymouth manager, who took over at Deepdale in 2021, said he was worried about a "fear factor creeping in at home".

"There's lads in there on the floor, they're getting abused, they're turning a cross down because they're scared to put it in the box," Lowe added.

"Our home form is rubbish at the moment, we're not hiding away from that... but we've got to stick together and get behind the group of players to try and take us where we want to get to."