Ryan Lowe: The Football Manager Who Built His Career from the Lower Leagues

From scoring goals for Bury and Shrewsbury Town to leading Plymouth Argyle and Preston North End, Ryan Lowe has experienced promotion battles, managerial success, and difficult moments in English football.

Topic Mint Editorial Team October 21, 2026

0 8 10 minutes read

Introduction

Ryan Lowe is an English football manager and former professional striker. He was born on 18 September 1978 in Liverpool, England. He became well known for winning promotion with Bury and Plymouth Argyle before managing Preston North End and Wigan Athletic.

Table of Contents

His football story is quite interesting.

He spent years playing in the lower divisions. Then he moved into coaching. His first major managerial achievements came quickly, with two promotions in successive seasons.

But football isn’t always easy.

His time at Preston brought Championship experience. His next job at Wigan ended in February 2026 after a difficult run of results.

As of October 2026, Lowe is looking to return to management. He discussed his future in a Sky Sports interview published on 2 October 2026.

Quick Facts About Ryan Lowe

Detail	Information
Full name	Ryan Thomas Lowe
Date of birth	18 September 1978
Age	48 years old
Birthplace	Liverpool, England
Nationality	English
Profession	Football manager and former player
Former playing position	Striker
Youth football	Liverpool and Southport
Former managerial clubs	Bury, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End, Wigan Athletic
Last managerial club	Wigan Athletic
Last managerial departure	7 February 2026
Coaching qualification	UEFA Pro Licence
Preferred formation in coaching records	3-1-4-2
Major managerial achievements	Promotions with Bury and Plymouth Argyle
Current status	Seeking a return to management as of October 2026

Early Life and Football Background

Ryan Lowe was born in Liverpool.

Football was part of his early life. Growing up in a city with a strong football culture gave him opportunities to take part in the game from a young age.

He spent time in Liverpool’s youth setup. He was also involved with Southport during his younger years.

Still, his path wasn’t straightforward.

Some young players move directly from academy football into professional first teams. Lowe took a different route.

He played for local sides, including Sandon Dock and Waterloo Dock, before joining Burscough.

These experiences came before his longer career in the Football League.

His childhood education and detailed family background are not sufficiently documented in reliable public sources.

How His Professional Playing Career Started

Lowe began building his senior football career through non-league football.

He played for Burscough during the 1999–2000 period. His next big move came when he joined Shrewsbury Town in 2000.

This gave him regular Football League experience.

He played as a striker, a position that demanded good movement, quick decisions and the ability to finish scoring chances.

His time at Shrewsbury lasted several seasons.

He made 171 league appearances and scored 32 goals for the club, according to historical league records.

The team also won the Conference National play-offs in 2004, earning promotion back to the Football League.

That was an important achievement.

It showed Lowe what winning promotion meant to a football club and its supporters.

Building a Career Across English Football

After Shrewsbury, Lowe continued playing for clubs across the English football divisions.

He joined Chester City in 2005 and later moved to Crewe Alexandra in 2006.

He also spent a short loan spell at Stockport County in 2008.

His career included several changes.

But he kept finding opportunities.

Lowe returned to Chester City for the 2008–09 season. He scored 16 league goals during that spell, a strong individual return despite the club’s wider difficulties.

He then joined Bury in 2009.

This became one of the most memorable periods of his playing career.

Success at Bury

Lowe established himself as a reliable goalscorer.

During the 2010–11 season, he helped Bury win promotion from League Two.

He scored regularly and gained individual recognition for his performances.

He was selected for the PFA League Two Team of the Year for 2010–11.

His achievements during that period helped build his reputation across the Football League.

Sheffield Wednesday and Later Clubs

In 2011, Lowe joined Sheffield Wednesday.

He contributed during a season in which the club earned promotion from League One.

He later represented Milton Keynes Dons and Tranmere Rovers.

At Tranmere, he scored 19 league goals during the 2013–14 season.

His playing journey eventually took him back to Bury and Crewe Alexandra.

He retired from playing in 2018.

Ryan Lowe Playing Career Statistics

The following table shows his recorded senior league appearances and goals. Cup matches and early non-league appearances are not included.

Club	Period	League appearances	Goals
Shrewsbury Town	2000–2005	171	32
Chester City	2005–2006	40	14
Crewe Alexandra	2006–2008	64	12
Stockport County (loan)	2008	4	0
Chester City	2008–2009	45	16
Bury	2009–2011	90	49
Sheffield Wednesday	2011–2012	26	8
Milton Keynes Dons	2012–2013	42	11
Tranmere Rovers	2013–2014	45	19
Bury	2014–2016	53	15
Crewe Alexandra (loan)	2015–2016	6	2
Crewe Alexandra	2016–2017	22	5
Bury	2017–2018	18	1
Total		626	184

These figures show how much time Lowe spent competing professionally.

He played hundreds of matches.

He also worked under different managers, learned various playing systems and experienced both promotion and disappointment.

Those experiences later became part of his coaching background.

Starting a New Career as a Football Manager

Lowe began moving into coaching during his final years at Bury.

He served in caretaker management roles before becoming the club’s permanent manager in May 2018.

It was a difficult moment.

Bury had been relegated from League One and faced financial problems.

The new manager needed results.

He also needed to rebuild confidence.

Lowe started making changes to the squad and the team’s playing approach.

His attacking style attracted attention. Bury began producing stronger performances and pushing towards promotion.

Then came the breakthrough.

Bury Promotion in the 2018–19 Season

The 2018–19 campaign became a major chapter in Lowe’s managerial career.

Bury finished second in League Two and secured promotion to League One.

It was a remarkable achievement considering the club’s financial difficulties.

Lowe received the League Two Manager of the Season award.

He also earned several Manager of the Month awards during the campaign.

His work attracted interest from other clubs.

And a new opportunity arrived.

Plymouth Argyle: Another Promotion

On 5 June 2019, Plymouth Argyle announced Lowe as their new manager.

The club had recently been relegated from League One and wanted to return quickly.

Lowe brought a familiar attacking approach.

Steven Schumacher, who had worked alongside him at Bury, also joined Plymouth.

The partnership proved successful.

During the 2019–20 season, Plymouth finished third in League Two and earned promotion.

The campaign was ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with final standings decided under the league’s points-per-game arrangements.

Plymouth’s promotion was confirmed in June 2020.

For Lowe, it was special.

He had guided two different clubs out of League Two in consecutive seasons.

Success in League One

After promotion, Plymouth continued playing under Lowe.

The club made progress in League One, and his team attracted attention for its attacking football.

During the 2021–22 season, Plymouth put together a long unbeaten league run.

Lowe received the League One Manager of the Month award for October 2021.

His results helped establish him as a manager capable of working above League Two level.

But another job was approaching.

Preston North End: Championship Experience

Lowe became Preston North End manager on 7 December 2021.

This was a bigger challenge.

The Championship is highly competitive, with clubs fighting for promotion, play-off positions and survival throughout a long season.

Lowe had to adapt his approach.

At Bury and Plymouth, attacking football had been a strong part of his identity.

At Preston, he sometimes needed a more cautious system.

He later spoke about changing formations and tactics to compete against clubs with stronger financial resources.

Preston League Finishes

Season	League position
2021–22	13th
2022–23	12th
2023–24	10th

These results gave Preston a period of Championship stability.

The club finished in the top half during two of his seasons.

Yet expectations remained high.

Some supporters questioned performances and the team’s playing style, particularly during difficult periods.

Lowe left Preston on 12 August 2024 after the opening league match of the 2024–25 season.

Why Did He Leave Preston?

The timing attracted attention.

Preston had lost 2–0 to Sheffield United in their first Championship match of the season.

Lowe later explained that he had been thinking about his future before that game.

During an October 2026 Sky Sports interview, he said he regretted leaving after only one match.

He also explained that the decision involved personal and family considerations.

He believed he had reached a point where he could not take Preston much further under the circumstances.

The departure ended his first Championship managerial job.

Wigan Athletic: A Difficult New Challenge

After leaving Preston, Lowe spent several months away from club management.

On 12 March 2025, Wigan Athletic appointed him as head coach.

He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract.

Wigan were competing in League One and wanted to improve their results.

The club had experienced several difficult seasons after its earlier success in English football.

Lowe arrived with previous promotion achievements on his CV.

He was expected to help improve performances and build a stronger team.

His first months brought mixed results.

Wigan finished 15th in League One during the 2024–25 season.

But the following campaign became increasingly difficult.

Why Was Ryan Lowe Sacked by Wigan?

Wigan struggled during the 2025–26 season.

Results became inconsistent, and the club moved closer to the relegation places.

On 7 February 2026, Wigan lost 6–1 against Peterborough United.

The defeat pushed the team into the League One relegation zone.

The club dismissed Lowe that day.

According to BBC Sport, he had won 12 of his 49 matches in charge.

It was his first dismissal from a permanent managerial position.

A tough experience.

But he later accepted that the results had not been good enough.

What Is Ryan Lowe Doing Now in 2026?

As of October 2026, Lowe has not announced a new managerial appointment in the sources reviewed.

His latest detailed public interview came through Sky Sports on 2 October 2026.

He discussed his time at Wigan and Preston.

He also spoke openly about wanting another chance in football management.

Lowe said he had learned from difficult experiences and wanted to work with a club offering a longer-term plan.

He expressed interest in working with supportive owners and a sporting director who shared his football ideas.

He also made clear that he preferred a proper rebuilding opportunity rather than a very short-term appointment.

For now, his next club remains unknown.

His Football Management Style

Lowe became known for attacking football during his early managerial career.

His teams often tried to create chances through movement, possession and players pushing forward.

One of his preferred formations has been the 3-1-4-2.

That system can provide attacking width while keeping three defenders behind the ball.

It also allows two forwards to work together.

But Lowe has never used one system in every situation.

During his time at Preston, he explained that Championship football sometimes required different tactics.

His approach could change depending on opponents, player availability and the strengths of his squad.

That’s part of management.

A coach needs a plan.

But the plan must work with the players available.

Ryan Lowe Awards and Achievements

Lowe collected several honours during his playing and managerial careers.

Achievements as a Player

Award or achievement	Year
Conference National play-off winner with Shrewsbury	2004
League Two promotion with Bury	2010–11
PFA League Two Team of the Year	2010–11
Bury Player of the Season	2010–11
League One promotion with Sheffield Wednesday	2011–12
Tranmere Rovers Player of the Season	2013–14

Achievements as a Manager

Award or achievement	Season
League Two promotion with Bury	2018–19
League Two Manager of the Season	2018–19
League Two Manager of the Month	November 2018
League Two Manager of the Month	January 2019
League Two Manager of the Month	February 2019
League Two promotion with Plymouth	2019–20
League Two Manager of the Month	January 2020
League One Manager of the Month	October 2021

His two promotions as a manager remain among his best-known achievements.

Ryan Lowe and Steven Schumacher

Steven Schumacher played an important part in Lowe’s early management career.

The two worked together at Bury.

When Lowe moved to Plymouth in 2019, Schumacher followed him as assistant manager.

They helped Plymouth earn promotion from League Two.

Their professional partnership continued until Lowe left for Preston in December 2021.

Schumacher then became Plymouth’s manager.

Both later developed separate managerial careers.

Their time together remains a notable part of Lowe’s coaching story.

Ryan Lowe Personal Life and Family

Lowe has generally kept detailed information about his family away from the public spotlight.

He has discussed the pressures of football management and how they can affect family life.

During his October 2026 interview, he said family considerations were part of the decision he made when leaving Preston.

However, reliable public sources do not establish a complete account of his private relationships or family background.

His wife’s or partner’s identity, parents’ names and details about his children have not been sufficiently verified for publication here.

The same applies to his personal finances.

There is no independently confirmed figure for his current net worth or salary.

Rather than repeat estimates from unreliable websites, these details are left out.

What Makes His Football Career Interesting?

Lowe did not reach management through a famous Premier League playing career.

He worked his way through English football.

There were many clubs.

Many difficult matches, too.

He played as a striker for years before moving into coaching.

Then he achieved two promotions in his first full seasons as a permanent manager.

That gave him opportunities at higher levels.

His career also shows how quickly expectations can change.

A manager may win promotion at one club and later face criticism at another.

Lowe experienced both.

His time at Wigan was disappointing, but his earlier promotions and Championship results remain part of his record.

Final Thought

Ryan Lowe has spent much of his life in English football.

He started as a young player in Liverpool, built a long career as a striker and later became a manager.

His biggest successes came with Bury and Plymouth Argyle, where he guided both clubs into League One.

Preston brought a different challenge.

Wigan brought a difficult ending.

But his story hasn’t finished.

In October 2026, Lowe made it clear that he still wanted another opportunity in management.

His next appointment, whenever it comes, will offer another chance to test what he has learned from both success and disappointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Ryan Lowe?

Ryan Lowe is an English football manager and former professional striker. He previously managed Bury, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End and Wigan Athletic.

2. How old is Ryan Lowe?

He is 48 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 18 September 1978.

3. Where is Ryan Lowe from?

He was born in Liverpool, England.

4. Which football club does Ryan Lowe manage now?

No new managerial appointment was confirmed in the sources reviewed as of October 2026. His previous club was Wigan Athletic.

5. Why did Ryan Lowe leave Preston?

He left Preston in August 2024 after the opening league match of the season. He later explained that professional pressures and family considerations influenced his decision.