• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Rovers old boys

ONIGP

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Eddie Bishop
if I am honest I am not too bothered when he was good he was very good but when bad he was very bad and too inconsistent, and only improved with an older head around him
Manny developed an awful lot in his time with Rovers, it's a shame that his development appeared to have stalled. Due to his size and unusual style of play I still find it difficult to rate how good he actually is/was. For me perhaps the most telling thing was our improvement at the end of the demotion season when he was replaced by Mark Ellis. I'm hoping that he doesn't come back to haunt us next season and that we are able to play on his weaknesses.
 

Ian

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Aldo
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I think we saw the best of Manny and whilst a good solid defender in the lower leagues, he does come with limitations which will always hold him back. Good luck to him though.
 
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Ged Brennan, Big Steve McNulty,
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Manny's weakness was not clearing the long ball first, for his height, he was a poor header, but his recovery was fast and he won most of these.
He also couldn't win crossed balls either in free play or set pieces, his marking on players was woefully inadequate.
I sat in the main stand wondering why we took corners for Manny to get his head on it..
In the end all around me laid bets on the set piece and who wouldn't win it.

But I liked Manny, he was different, he had something about him, that should have been taught on the training ground. He had potential, but it never come through. He had the opportunity to learn from Steve McNulty. The odd game he was brilliant, unfortunately he was a mistake waiting to happen.

Even if he was offered another contract, getting a two year contract off Walsall, would be a no brainer. I would also believe that he would get a pay rise and a sizeable signing on fee.

Good luck Manny.
 

Cowshed Kid

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Bobby Hutchinson
That puts that one to sleep at last. Nice that he's gone back to a club he has a connection with.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
I see Josh Ginnelly has been signed by Hearts having been on loan there last season. This is despite being injured most of the time. I was amazed to see he is still only 24. I thought he had pace and some talent but needed the right manager to bring out the best in him.
 

ADD

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Norwood
MarkEllis issues his thanks and goodbyes to us and County....
 
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Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
MarkEllis issues his thanks and goodbyes to us and County....

You wonder if Micky tried to keep him given Ellis and Clarke were our first choice CBs before the demotion. Will be interesting where mark ends up. Suspect league two or anyone with promotion ambitions in national league
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
As I was typing that it made me think of Barrow possibly and apparently that’s where he’s gone. Cooper had him at FGR of course. He’s done well getting a 2 year deal at the age of 32. Good luck to him and hopefully he doesn’t come back to haunt us
 
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I am not too fussed about Ellis. He was poor when he played last season and I think the defenders we have signed are better than him, on paper at least. He would have been way down the pecking order if he had stayed.
 

ADD

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Norwood
Pleased for him - that's a good move.
I would have liked him to stay as when MM was here he was first choice with Clarke and could have been again potentially. The Hill wasteland months don't count in my book.
Wonder if we offered him a new 1 year deal but naturally at 32 a 2 year deal makes far more sense for him.
 
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Mark was an old fashioned centre back and his no nonsense defending was a breath of fresh air when he signed. He had injury problems when a trio of players got injured, he was out for quite a while.
If I remember correctly, he like other injured players were pushed down the pecking order, but he came out of it at the end of that disrupted season (covid) all guns firing.
He signed a new contract and a lot of fans were thinking that the centre back partnership would be Mark and Clarke. But alas, that didn't happen.
He had a few games and unlucky enough to get another injury.
He did not start again. He then went out on loan.
I will miss his heart on his sleeve attitude and of course the goals. Am I right in thinking, we have not had a central defender score goals as much as him, for quite a few seasons?

Best of luck Mark.
 
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If you consider the centre backs we have brought in, I doubt Ellis would have played much next season, barring injuries.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
I think it's a good move for Mark, getting a 2 year deal and hope things work out for him at Barrow. It's unlikely that he'd have been more than a squad player next season, as RLC suggests.
 

Sparky

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Challinors Hartlepool currently 0-0 in the national league play off final. If they don’t go up I wouldn’t mind signing that Rhys Oates who is pretty decent
 

Boz

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Torquay had an early 'goal' wrongly chalked off by the ref. Pools took the lead through Salford loanee Armstrong, a battling effort under some pressure and deserve to be ahead at h/t, but could have been very different. As the ref who gets the NL final invariably gets promoted, Simon Mather is a name to be wary of for next season.
 
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Sounds like Torquay deserved that after a couple of harshly disallowed goals.
 
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