UPDATED: Alan Mahon returns to Tranmere Rovers (From Wirral Globe)

UPDATED: Alan Mahon returns to Tranmere Rovers

9:16am Wednesday 8th July 2009

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TRANMERE Rovers new signing Alan Mahon has said he is delighted to have returned to the club.

The Willaston-based midfielder, who signed a three-year contract with the club today, began his career at Prenton Park and returned in 1995.

The fact that Ian and Alan have that history with the club bodes well for the coming season.

John Barnes

He made 144 appearances for the club and was a key member of the side that reached the League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in 2000.

He joined Sporting Lisbon in 2000 and played Champions League Football before returning to England in a £1.5 million move to Blackburn Rovers a year later.

Mahon spent three seasons at Ewood Park before joining Wigan in 2004 and then Burnley in 2006. He has made more than 350 career appearances.

His signing today follows that of former manager Ronnie Moore's son, Ian, on a two-year contract on Thursday. It also follows the departure of goalkeeper Danny Coyne.

During a press conference at Prenton Park this morning, 31-year-old Mahon - who will be working for new Tranmere Rovers manager John Barnes and assistant manager Jason McAteer - said: "Tranmere's always been home to me. It's brilliant to be back and I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

"I never thought I'd get the opportunity to play again here, which is what I'd always hoped to do.

"It's always been a family club and a lot of people who were here when I was first here still are, for example Les Parry and Shaun Garnett, so things haven't changed that much.

"I've picked up a lot over the years and, hopefully, I can instill that experience into the young players.

"The older you get, the more experience you get. It's just making sure that you do things right now.

"The gaffer wants us to play football and we're looking to forward to enjoying the games.

"We'll get the results and are not going to be afraid of the opposition."

"Like any player who plays under John Barnes you look at him and think 'My God, I used to watch him on telly'.

"But that's part and parcel of the game. I've been fortunate in my career to have worked with some superstars of football and he's another one of them.

"I knew Jason McAteer from my days at Blackburn. He's a great lad with a great career.

"Like John, he's a bubbly personality. I think the club needs to be picked up and put in the right direction and that's being done now."

Financial constraints mean that the team could be smaller this year. But Mahon does not believe this will affect the team's promotion chances.

He said: "Burnley used the fewest amount of players and got promoted. If you've got a close-knit group of boys pushing together, that's a move forward rather than back. There's more comaraderie when the group's tighter."

Alan will be available for Rover's home pre-season friendlies against Preston North End on Saturday, July 18, Liverpool XI on Friday, July 24 and Shrewsbury Town on Saturday, August 1.

Manager John Barnes said: "I'm extremely pleased to have signed Alan, because of the quality and experience he brings and the relationship he's had with Tranmere fans in the past.

"After the amount of players that have gone we needed to bring someone back who was a fans' favourite.

"We'd be very lucky if we can bring players of his quality into the club because, from a financial point of view, he could have made more money elsewhere. So with what we could afford we have pushed the boat out for him.

"We won't be able to do that again, so if we can get players of his quality, then I'm happy to do so.

"We're going to have exercise the loan option because, financially, we really can't afford it.

"So it'll be fine if we can get players of Alan's quality in, but I don't know if we'll be able to do that.

"But with the team we have now, if we can get a couple more players of Alan's experience and quality we'll be fine.

"The youngsters I've got in the squad are great and I've got full faith in them. They've got good attitude and discipline. I know that come the start of the season on August 8 or before then they will be fine and I will have all the players I need.

"The fact that Ian and Alan have that history with the club bodes well for the coming season."

Barnes admits that he is focused on looking for a new goalkeeper, following the departure of Danny Coyne this week.

"We want three or four players and a goalkeeper's included in that," he said.

"But we can't sign all four, so depending who we get on loan means we can sign somebody else.

"If we can't get a goalkeeper on loan, we would have to sign one. Getting a first team keeper is the priority."

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