Tranmere Rovers have sacked Keith Hill as manager just days after he guided the club to the League Two promotion play-offs.
Hill’s departure following a run of just one defeat in Tranmere’s last five matches, with the Super White Army keeping clean sheets in all four games which they claimed points during that period.
Hill’s League Two Play-Off record as a manager however is poor with no promotions from two appearances in the Play-Offs when he was Rochdale manager, losing the 2008 Play-Off Final to Stockport County before losing to Gillingham in the semi-finals of 2009 Play-Offs.
Club Chairman, Mark Palios has spoken out on this decision, explaining that his focus is the long-term picture, rather than a season that is ‘distilled’ into two or three matches despite having reached the EFL Trophy Final in March where they lost 1-0 to Sunderland.
Justifying his actions, Palios said; “I have to do what I think gives us the best chance of achieving promotion in those games and I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that means making the change before the semi-finals begin.”
Ian Dawes will now take charge of Tranmere for both legs of their play-off semi-final against Morecambe, with Andy Parkinson named as Assistant Manager as the club look to secure an instant return to League One after suffering relegation last season.
Dawes is now the second managerial change at Prenton Park this season after Hill took over in mid November, following Mike Jackson’s sacking on 31 October 2020
Should Tranmere reach the Play-Off Final, they will face the winner of Newport County’s tie against Forest Green on Monday 31 May for the last place in next season’s League One.
Tranmere finished the 2020-21 regular season in seventh after snatching a goalless draw at home to Colchester United on Saturday (8 May), which was enough for the final play-off spot ahead of Salford City.
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