page_title: 2014–15 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season
section_title: Background and pre-season
hierarchical_section_title: 2014–15 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season / Background and pre-season
caption_attribution_description: Jason Koumas
context_page_description: The 2014–15 season was the 114th season of competitive association football and the 88th season in the Football League played by Tranmere Rovers Football Club, a professional football club based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The results on the final day of the 2013–14 season meant Tranmere were relegated from League One and were to spend this season in League Two for the first time since promotion from it in 1988–89. 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.
  On 27 May 2014, Rob Edwards was appointed as the new manager replacing Ronnie Moore, who was suspended in the middle of February 2014 for breaching FA rules. The summer transfer window saw twelve players join the club, including experienced striker Kayode Odejayi while Ryan Lowe left the club shortly after being handed the Player of the Season award. Edwards was sacked after just five months following the home loss to Plymouth Argyle which saw Tranmere Rovers at the bottom of League Two. Three days later Micky Adams was announced as new manager.
context_section_description: Tranmere Rovers ended the previous season with John McMahon as caretaker manager after manager Ronnie Moore was suspended by the club in the middle of February 2014 for breaching FA rules against betting on competitions in which his club were involved. On 6 May, 42-year old Jamaican international Ian Goodison ended his ten-year stay at Prenton Park in which he made 410 appearances and won the Player of the Season accolade three times. Also, experienced forward Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro was released. On the same day, the club offered new contracts to five players, though finally only veteran Jason Koumas agreed to sign a new one-year deal, while goalkeeper Jason Mooney, defender Ash Taylor and midfielders James Wallace and Steve Jennings left the club. Eleven players, including first-choice goalkeeper Owain Fôn Williams and Player of the Season 2013–14 Ryan Lowe already had contracts for the upcoming season. Despite that, on 19 May Lowe, whose request to sign a longer contract was refused by the club, was transferred to division rivals Bury for an undisclosed fee.
  On 27 May, 41-year old former Welsh international Rob Edwards was appointed new Tranmere Rovers manager with John McMahon staying at the club as assistant manager. It was the first managerial experience for Edwards, who had been an assistant at Exeter City previously. The next day, the first signing was made – 22-year old Welsh striker Eliot Richards signed a two-year contract. He was followed by his Bristol Rovers teammate midfielder Matthew Gill. Previously Gill had spent three seasons with Exeter, winning back-to-back promotions from the Conference National and League Two together with Edwards. Further Edwards signings were young central defender Michael Ihiekwe from Wolverhampton Wanderers, ex-Rotherham United striker Kayode Odejayi, 24-year old defender Marcus Holness from Burton Albion, Scottish midfielder Marc Laird released by Southend United and 30-year old defender Danny Woodards, while Evan Horwood cancelled his contract with Tranmere Rovers by mutual consent to return to Northampton Town, where he had spent end of the previous season on loan. On 4 August, ex-Tranmere Rovers player Joe Thompson had been signed by Bury. The midfielder was sidelined since November 2013 when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. In June he was given the all-clear after completing a course of chemotherapy, but he had not been contacted to negotiate a new contract with Tranmere Rovers.
  On 30 May, new home kits in the traditional all-white design were revealed for the upcoming season, while the existing away kits were retained.
caption: Former Welsh international Jason Koumas spent the second consecutive season in Tranmere Rovers after the renewal of his career in the summer of 2013. Following 2014–15 season he ended his playing career. Coincidentally, both season ended with relegation.
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