TRANMERE Rovers' manager Gary Brabin belives his team's form in the second half of the season gives plenty of cause for optimism going into the next campaign.

The club's hopes of returning to the Football League at the first attempt were shattered on Saturday afternoon as victory over Grimsby Town at Prenton Park was rendered immaterial by Braintree Town.

It means Rovers are condemned to a second season of non-league football.

In an interview on the club's website, Brabin said today: "I do feel like the squad has got stronger.

"The way we have finished the season has been good and I'm excited for next season. We'll be better prepared for it.

"It was always going to be tough to completely rebuild the squad but we've looked better and better, certainly since the turn of the year.

"We're turning the team into one which is more used to winning than not and challenging at the top of the table.

"We do need to be stronger but I don't think the recruitment side of things will be as difficult as it was last summer."