CARETAKER manager Les Parry is ready to ask Tranmere chairman Peter Johnson for the go-ahead to pursue a trio of loan signings this week.

Parry still does not know for how long he will be in charge of team affairs at Prenton Park or how close the club are to appointing a permanent successor to John Barnes.

But the long-serving physiotherapist believes he cannot afford to put off strengthening the squad after a 13th defeat of the League One campaign at Leyton Orient at the weekend dropped Tranmere to the bottom of the table.

Parry said: “I have gone ahead and made inquiries about two or three players. If the clubs come back to me and say they are willing to let those players come here, then I will ask the chairman to fund it.

“If we can bring in two or three players by Thursday -and we have three players earmarked – I am sure that you will see a revitalised team.

“Anyone we’ve asked has said there won’t be a problem. Premier League clubs want their players to get experience at the best level they can. If we ask the question they are not going to shoot us. They can only say no. So we’ve got to ask the question.”

Rovers have until Thursday of this week to sign a player under the emergency loan system. Otherwise they will have to wait until the opening of the January transfer window – by which time half of the campaign will be completed.

Parry’s targets are likely to include a striker to improve their meagre supply of goals from the front players and defenders to provide deeper cover at the back.

The squad John Barnes left behind was overbalanced with attacking and midfield players and the shortage of defenders was exposed at Orient.

Shaleum Logan (groin injury) and Gareth Edds (chickenpox) were unavailable. Rovers then lost Ian Goodison with a back injury just before the half-hour. As a consequence, left back Aaron Cresswell had to be deployed right back.

Parry said: “Ian Goodison going off was a massive blow. It’s unfortunate we had to leave Ian on as long as we did. When you have to play players who are struggling for fitness it says something about the squad.”

Parry admitted Rovers had delivered a “Jekyll and Hyde” performance on their second visit to Brisbane Road in five days.

“We did not want the half-time whistle to blow because we fancied ourselves to get a second goal,” Parry said.

“But in the second half we just did not do the things that made us so much better in the first. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance.”

Parry called his players in for training yesterday to prepare for a home game with Southend United tomorrow evening.