TRANMERE ROVERS can expect to be looking at more trialists than ever before as they ease into the summer schedule of preseason friendlies this week.
Manager Les Parry will have plenty of options to choose from as he seeks to add a handful of additional players to the squad assembled at Prenton Park for the new League One campaign.
Economic forces at work in the lower divisions of the Football League are responsible for the sharp rise in the number of players trying to find a club and those prepared to put themselves through a trial.
With many clubs eager to reduce costs and cut back on squad sizes, the number of vacancies is shrinking.
Parry said: “There is going to be a bigger turnover in the number of trialists we have this summer. That’s simply because there are more players out there looking for work and more players willing to put themselves through a trial.
“In the past you would normally get 50% of players who would not trial. They would say: I have played the game for a long time and you know what I can do already.
“Now more and more realise they can’t expect to get a contract straightaway and are willing to go through a trial.”
Parry has already said thank you and goodbye to four trialists who have been training with Tranmere over the last 12 days. They were released after a full-scale friendly at the Raby training ground last weekend.
Four new trialists, including two Frenchmen, are due to arrive in time to play in tonight’s friendly with Chester FC at the Deva Stadium (kick-off 7pm) and the game with Welsh Premier League club Prestatyn on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Rovers are expected to play a waiting game on signing new players over the next couple of weeks. That will give Parry time to assess the quality of the trialists coming into Prenton Park and for the market to chip away at the wage demands of players looking to find clubs for the new season.
Parry describes the scenario as a Dutch auction. He said: “A player you might fancy might initially insist he is looking for say, £100 a week and you can’t afford it.
“But you know that if he does not get a club as time goes by, his expectations will reduce. We just hope that someone does not jump in before you are prepared to jump in.
“It’s a difficult situation but we are in no hurry at the moment. A lot of players have not lowered their expectations yet. We are looking for players of the right quality and you have to be careful you don’t jump into soon.”
