Alan Mahon has confidence in Tranmere Rovers squad

Jul 9 2009 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Echo

Alan Mahon, Tranmere Rovers

ALAN MAHON insists Tranmere followers should not be anxious about the modest limits on the size of the squad being put together by manager John Barnes for the new season.

The Irish international midfielder, who began his second spell with Rovers this week, reckons experience tells him that small can be beautiful in terms of achieving success.

Mahon, 31, has signed a three-year contract with Tranmere and is returning to familiar surroundings after spells with Sporting Lisbon, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Burnley.

He is joining a group of professionals still little more than a dozen strong as Barnes works from a blueprint of a trimmed down core of permanent professionals to be supplemented by loan signings.

Mahon brings with him a history of involvement in promoted teams: with Blackburn and Wigan when they secured elevation from the Championship to the Premiership and on a loan spell with Cardiff City in which the Bluebirds were promoted from League One to the Championship.

And while he did not play regularly for Burnley last season, Mahon enjoyed a close-up view of how the Clarets made the leap from the Championship to the Premiership.

Mahon said: "Sometimes having a small squad works better for you. I have been fortunate in my career to play at clubs like Wigan, Blackburn and Burnley when they won promotion. When you looked at the squad on paper you would have said we should not have been promoted – but we were.

"At Tranmere we will have a close-knit group of boys all pushing each other and that can be a good way forward. There can be more camaraderie when the group is tight."

Mahon added: "If we make a good start and the boys are pulling together, who knows what can happen.