On 11 August, former Football Association chief executive and ex-Tranmere Rovers player Mark Palios and his wife Nicola took a controlling interest in the club from outgoing chairman Peter Johnson. Palios become Executive Chairman of the club, with Nicola as Vice-Chairman, and Johnson as Honorary President. This ended Johnson's 27-year spell as an owner, which counts the most successful period in the club's history due to three consecutive First Division play-off finishes in the early 90s and the 2000 Football League Cup Final. The next day assistant manager John McMahon left the club by mutual agreement as Rob Edwards wanted to make a change in his coaching department. Alex Russell, familiar to Edwards from playing at Exeter, joined Tranmere Rovers as the Club's new first team coach.