KEVIN Summerfield has been appointed Tranmere Rovers' new assistant manager this afternoon.

The 51-year old joins Les Parry's coaching staff and will work alongside the manager preparing the squad for the 2010-11 season.

As a player, Summerfield made almost 400 appearances for West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City, Walsall, Cardiff City, Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City and Shrewsbury Town.

His coaching career began at Shrewsbury where he was youth team manager before he became a coach and then caretaker manager at Plymouth.

After becoming assistant to Paul Sturrock at Plymouth and helping the club to the League Two and League One titles he followed Sturrock to Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town, where they helped both clubs gain promotion, before the pair returned to Plymouth in 2007.

Les Parry said: "I'm delighted to appoint Kevin as my assistant and I look forward to working with him.

"He is a successful, experienced coach who has won promotion on several occasions and will bring a winning mentality to the club.

"He is a great addition to the club's coaching staff and I'm sure he will fit in very well."

Kevin added: "I'm really happy to have joined Tranmere and to be starting work with Les.

"There is a talented group of footballers at the club and I'm looking forward to working with them over the coming season."

Tranmere's pre-season friendlies kick off this Tuesday (July 13) with away games against Heswall and Cammell Laird, both starting at 7pm.

The remaining pre-season fixtures are as follows:

Saturday, July 17: v Marine (A) 3pm.

Saturday, July 17: v Colwyn Bay (A) 3pm.

Tuesday, July 20: v Vauxhall Motors (A), 7.30pm.

Wednesday, July 21: v Nottingham Forest (H) 7.30pm.

Saturday, July 24: v Mansfield Town (A), 3pm.

Tuesday, July 27: v Chester (A), 7pm.

Friday, July 30: v Altrincham (A), 7.45pm.

Saturday, July 31: v Shrewsbury Town (A), 3pm.

Tuesday, August 3: v (7pm).

The first game of Rovers' npower league one season is against Oldham at Prenton Park on Saturday, August 7 (3pm).