Mahon is happy to be the old head now

Jul 9 2009 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

ALAN MAHON says he is ready to take on a role reversal as he returns to Prenton Park to start a three-year contract this week.

The Irish international admits he was a “spinning top footballer” during his first spell with Tranmere, between 1995 and 2000, a youngster who looked for guidance from the senior professionals around him.

Now, nine years down the line, Mahon is prepared to take responsibility for providing leadership to the younger players in John Barnes’ squad.

With more than 350 three games for Sporting Lisbon, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan and Burnley under his belt, the 31-year-old Dubliner is going to be an elder statesman in a young dressing-room.

Mahon said: “I have picked up experienced over the years and hopefully I can bring that there are the young lads here.

“The older you get the less you do of the spinning top football. I used to run all over the place when I was a young player here.

“As you get older you want to make sure the younger players around you are pushed in the right direction.”

Mahon was barely 17 when he signed professional terms of Prenton Park after being recruited through Tranmere’s Irish scouting network.

He went on to make 144 senior appearances for Rovers and helped them to reach the 2000 Worthington Cup final at Wembley before moving to Portugal.

Mahon said: “When I first came here there were a lot of senior pros and people like Kenny Irons and Ged Brannan took me under their wing.

“I think they liked to have a little Irishman around. They looked after me and I have fond memories of my time here back then. They were fantastic days.

“The supporters knew how everything was and we all pulled together. That’s what we need now.”

Those fond memories played a part in persuading Mahon to rejoin Rovers after being released by Burnley at the end of last season.

He hopes the three-year contract will see him to the end of his playing days.

Barnes said: “I am extremely pleased about signing Alan, not just because of the quality he brings but because of the experience he has and the relationship he had with Tranmere in the past.

“We will be very lucky if we can bring more players of his calibre into the club, from a financial point of view.”

Barnes said Mahon could have made more money with a move elsewhere but added: “In terms of what we can afford we have pushed the boat out to sign him. We won’t be able to do that again.”

Mahon added: “I kept my home on the Wirral after I left Tranmere and to have the opportunity come back here at this stage of my career is beautiful. It does not get any better than the thought of starting and finishing my career which Tranmere.

“I never thought I would get the opportunity to play here again. Now it has happened and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

Mahon spent most of his career playing at Championship and occasionally Premiership level.

But he made only a dozen appearances in the Burnley side that won promotion to the top flight last season.

Barnes currently has 14 professional signed up and is looking to recruit a goalkeeper, right back and centre back.

The manager confirmed he has been talking to John Welsh, the former Liverpool midfielder who was released by Hull City at the end of last season.

He said: “We are trying to tie up that deal.”