Tranmere Rovers’ recruitment process of the 2020/21 season began on Wednesday afternoon with the signing of former Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers captain, Jay Spearing.
Spearing completed his move to Prenton Park after leaving Blackpool at the end of last season, and he revealed new manager Mike Jackson played a pivotal role in persuading him to join the Club.
“It has been a tough couple of months with everything that has been going on in the world. I feel like I have had a long period away from football,” admitted the 31-year-old.
“I have been talking to Tranmere now for a couple of weeks, and I am glad that I have signed on the dotted line.
“Tranmere is so important to this community. It is a massive football club and the activities the Club do away from the pitch is fantastic. The history is fantastic, everything about it is great. It is a football club that needs to go again.
“I have signed to help this football club kick on and the fans will be vital in that, when it is safe to do so.
“I was very impressed with meeting the Gaffer (Mike Jackson) and he sealed the deal for me. His ambition and the way he wanted to go about things, it was an important thing for me to hear and see.
“I also know the assistant manager, Ian Dawes, and he put his points across very well. After speaking to them, it was an easy decision to make.”
Spearing has played the majority of his career in the Premier League and Championship, featuring for the likes of Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City.
However, his move to Prenton Park has certainly been the one that has impressed some of his family members the most.
He explained: “I have family who are massive Tranmere Rovers fans, they were delighted when they found out the news. My nephew was sending me all sorts of Tranmere Rovers songs and he has been texting me all day asking when will the news be announced.
“I trained with the lads for the first time this morning, they are a great bunch and Tranmere were a good side when I faced them twice last season.
“I know what Tranmere it are about, and now is time for me to help kick the team on, help the team improve and take this Club back to where it belongs.
“I think the early signs are great with the appointment of the new manager, he knows the Club inside out and Ian Dawes is a fantastic coach.
“This is a special football club; the fans are the 12th man. The fans can pick you up when you are down or surge you on to score a goal in front of the KOP.
“We will need their support throughout the season, they need to back us, there will always be ups and downs, like there are in any football season but when we are in those tough moments, we need them to help us and when we are in the good times, we will enjoy them together.”
Jay has today worn the new 2020-21 Essar TRFC home shirt for the very first time! If you want to purchase yours, please do so now by CLICKING HERE and visiting the Club Store website