Former Blackpool coach to take charge of Tranmere Rovers' League Two play-off campaign following Keith Hill's surprise sacking

It comes after the club opted to make the bold call of sacking manager Keith Hill just nine days before they are due to take on Morecambe in the first-leg of their semi-final.

Despite finishing in seventh place, Tranmere finished the campaign with just two wins from their last 11 games.

Tranmere chairman Mark Palios said: “Despite success achieved on the pitch in the form of securing a place in the play-offs and reaching the Papa John’s Trophy final, in the play-offs an entire season gets distilled into two or three games.

“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.”

This is the second time Dawes has taken charge on a caretaker basis at Prenton Park.

The 37-year-old left his role of first-team coach at Blackpool to become assistant manager to former Seasider Mike Jackson at the start of the season.

But Jackson was sacked at the end of October after just three months in charge after picking up just nine points from Tranmere's opening 10 games.

Dawes took over on an interim basis and won all five games he took charge of.

But Tranmere opted to go with a more experienced manager, appointing former Rochdale and Bolton Wanderers boss Keith Hill in November.

The 51-year-old led the Birkenhead outfit to the play-offs, but lost momentum at a key stage of the campaign.

Dawes isn't the only Blackpool connection at Tranmere, with Peter Clarke, Calum Macdonald, Jay Spearing and Liam Feeney also on the playing staff.

Dawes left his first-team role at Bloomfield Road in January 2020 after former boss Simon Grayson brought in David Dunn, but he remained with the club and often took charge of reserve games.

The former academy coach linked up with Jackson for a second time in his career having previously worked alongside him at Shrewsbury Town.

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