Midfielder Andy Robinson has delighted fans by signing a new one-year deal with the club after returning from his holiday whilst full-back Michael Kay and midfielder Robbie Weir, who both spent the second half of last season on loan from Sunderland, have each put pen to paper on a one year contract.
An option has been taken up by Tranmere to extend the contract of the Irish centre back Mark McChrystal, who arrived on the Wirral in January from Derry City, for another two years hoping that he can put in a string of confident and composed performances as he did last season.
Danny Holmes is the first player to sign for the Whites this Summer but, having been released back in 2009, it seems like more of a homecoming for the Rovers fan. He arrives from Welsh Premier League side TNS with rave reviews after being named in the team of the year by eight of the twelve managers in the league.
Most fans will not be surprised at the news of the contract renewals though it is pleasing to see that we remain a somewhat attractive proposition to players though better offers from elsewhere would, no doubt, not require a second thought.
For youngsters like Kay, Weir and Holmes, playing for us provides them with a chance to gain experience in a good standard of first team football that acts as a platform upon which they can build themselves the foundations for a successful career at a higher level having earned us a handsome sum in the process.
Robinson, by all accounts, could be seen as a luxury signing as it is common knowledge between Rovers fans that his salary is fairly larger than that of the majority of the first team squad. Fitness is key for the former Swansea talisman; I firmly believe that he still has the ability be one of the best players in the league on his day. If we can get him fit and keep him fit then we have a quality player on our hands.
McChrystal is being given a second crack at the English game after being released by Wolves without making an appearance. At the age of 26, it would not be too far-fetched to suggest that his best years are yet to come and hopefully we can be the beneficiaries of this. He is a calming influence at the back and, to me, seems like a natural replacement for the evergreen Ian Goodison.
The rebuilding process now begins in earnest for Les Parry, who will be bringing in a number of trialists in the coming weeks in order to boost numbers in one of the smaller squads in League One. A 46 game season is tough enough with a large squad but for clubs with small budgets it can be taxing and this is reflected through achievement on the field.
It is no secret that money is tight at Tranmere and now, more than ever, value for money is needed. Quite simply, we cannot afford to have passengers within the squad. Some fans are yet to be convinced by Parry whilst others simply back him because they have no other choice.
Personally, I think Parry should have left after keeping us up at Stockport in May 2010 but bringing in some quality players would go a long way to gaining more supporters of his regime.
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