Preston boss Ryan Lowe will watch Monday's Championship game against Sunderland from the stands after being hit with a three-game touchline ban. The Black Cats go to Deepdale on the final day of the season needing to win to stand any chance of securing a play-off spot, although they would also need either Middlesbrough to beat Coventry City or Millwall to drop points against Blackburn Rovers in order to finish in the top six.
Preston have nothing to play for after their 4-1 defeat at Sheffield United last weekend killed off their faint hopes of making the play-offs. Lowe will not be in the dugout against Sunderland after he was punished in the wake of a mass brawl that broke out towards the end of his side's 4-2 defeat at Swansea City on April 19.
An independent regulatory commission has imposed a fine of £15,000 on Swansea and £10,000 on Preston after both clubs admitted 'failing to ensure their players and/or bench occupants conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative and/or violennt behaviour in the 89th minute'. In addition, Lowe was fined £10,000 and banned from the touchline for three games, whils sports therapist Colin Ashcroft was given a one-match ground ban and fined £250.
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Both had admitted that their behaviour in the 89th minute of that fixture was improper and/or violent. The remaining two games of Lowe's ban will carry over to next season.
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