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    New manager appointed
    Tranmere Rovers have appointed Darrell Clarke as the club’s new manager.
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New manager - Darrell Clarke

Following discussions with the Club's football staff, at this point the following players whose current contracts expire this summer will not be offered new deals: Kristian Dennis, Cameron Norman, Omari Patrick, Jason Lowe, Josh Davison, Richie Smallwood, Sol Solomon, Harvey Saunders, Sam Taylor, Ethan Bristow, Aaron McGowan and Kaiyne Woolery.

Ryan Watson is in talks with the management.


Those left are

The following players remain in contract for the 2026/27 campaign:

Luke McGee, Lee O'Connor, Jordan Turnbull, Nathan Smith, Patrick Brough, James Plant, Nohan Kenneh, Lewis Warrington, Charlie Whitaker, Josh Williams, Joe Ironside and Connor Jennings, while Sam Finley’s contract has been extended by a year after the midfielder met a contractual stipulation

dollar'sbloke said:
Norman has gone hasn't he?
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Sparky said:
Yes I thought that. Could have easily said how great they were but perhaps has seen that Smith for all his important goals, played every minute for the worst defence in league two
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He’ll also know Smith’s easily up to the job. Just like Vickers and Yosser were, despite being regulars in one of the worst defences in the league back in 87.
 
dollar'sbloke said:
Why would you solely blame the defence for that and conclude all members of it were culpable? Smith for me had an outstanding season and dealt with the Alamo far better than others. Hard to recall him at fault for goals unlike others.
In hindsight binning Davies was a big error, who had a similar season last time in similar circs.
Do hope Marosi isn't coming though
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Smith had an ‘outstanding’ season? We’ll have to agree to disagree. And of course I’m not solely blaming our defensive record on him but he wasn’t blameless either. Or outstanding.
 
Smith tailed off badly in the second half of the season.

It seemed age had caught up with him, but we shall see.
 
I suspect it’s no coincidence that Smith’s tailing off coincided with greater volatility in the defensive selections and formations in the latter part of the season. A good defence relies on good understandings but so much chopping and changing made that almost impossible.

He’s still only 30 and has steered clear of injury (….quite some achievement here!) so, with a fair wind, he should have a few good years at this level left in him.
 
Clarke seems quite a left field appointment, wasn’t obviously on anyone’s radar, when speculating about who the new boss would be. Wonder what went so horribly wrong at Bristol second time around. No strong views either way, will see what he does squad building wise and how the season unfolds.

Nathan Smith a little poorer than expected, but I didn’t think he had that bad a season. Did seem to be one of those players who wanted to win and his two goals at the end of the season, the first at Cheltenham and the equaliser at Grimsby helped secure our FL place.
 
O4anotherplayoff said:
I suspect it’s no coincidence that Smith’s tailing off coincided with greater volatility in the defensive selections and formations in the latter part of the season. A good defence relies on good understandings but so much chopping and changing made that almost impossible.

He’s still only 30 and has steered clear of injury (….quite some achievement here!) so, with a fair wind, he should have a few good years at this level left in him.
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Presumed he was older after 14 yrs at vale, forgot they start at 4!!!
Him Finley and his made the difference, between awful and calamity.
Wonder what happened at Bristol , recall them being awful?
 
Irrespective of the absence of a settled defensive line up, Negru performed better than Smith in the closing weeks of the season and held the centre of defence together at times.
 
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The fact that we have permanently appointed a genuine manager with fairly recent EFL experience, is a positive in itself. There haven't been so many of them this millennium; Mellon, Hill, Moore, Little, Mathias?
 
It's very difficult to know whether this will work out due to the current circumstances but I think we really have to get behind him. I really don't want another season like last and we need some positivity around the place. I really hope it works out for him and he's able to bring some quality into the squad with was sorely lacking last season.
 
Interesting appointment, I wouldn’t read much into the 2 year deal re takeover - any manager coming in would demand that given the possibility of being sacked by new owners.

If he's still here in 18 months he will have been a success, given the string of failed appointments recently.

Think a few harsh comments on Smith, he declined a bit, but given the chaos and constant chopping and changing, plus the farcical goalkeeper situation, it’s hardly a surprise. Also chipped in with some important goals.
 
Negru had an unimpressive stay at Bristol as did Clarke, sadly a reunion looks highly unlikely.
 
I am pleased with the appointment.

An experienced (600+ league games) but still relatively young manager. Someone who has had some success in the league that we are in (and some bad times).

We need to get behind him and hope he can build on the small crop of existing contracted players with some decent recruits.
 
dollar'sbloke said:
Negru had an unimpressive stay at Bristol as did Clarke, sadly a reunion looks highly unlikely.
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Clarke’s comments when Negru went on loan to Bristol Rovers suggested he wasn’t match fit initially. No idea what happened after that.
 
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