Barnes has hunger for the full English; YEOVIL TOWN v TRANMERE ROVERS COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE, TOMORROW, 3PM.

Byline: NICK HILTON

TOMORROW is the day that John Barnes puts an end to almost a decade of anticipation when he leads Tranmere into the season's opening League One fixture at Yeovil Town.

The former Liverpool winger has nursed ambitions to manage an English club ever since the day his brief spell in charge of Celtic came to an end in 2000.

Now, after being handed the reins of his local club by Rovers chairman Peter Johnson in June and working through two months of pre-season preparations, the serious business of gathering points begins at Huish Park tomorrow.

Barnes said: "I have followed football in England for the last 30odd years and watched it as a spectator for the last 10. I have asked myself how I would cope, how I would do things as a manager. Now is the chance to put all of my theories into practice. I can't wait for it to s t a r t."

Barnes admits he is "happier" at the prospect of taking the team to Somerset after adding some much-needed defensive strength to his small squad yesterday.

Rovers recruited Irish under-19 international Gavin Gunning on a month's loan from Blackburn. The 18-year-old, a regular in Blackburn's reserve team, arrived with a recommendation from Ewood Park manager Sam Allardyce. Gunning is likely to go straight into the heart of the back four, alongside Tranmere's own teenage defensive prospect Ash Taylor.

"We were a bit worried about the defensive positions after the players we were hoping to bring in on loan could not come," Barnes said.

Rovers could have another defensive signing secured by tomorrow but some of the pressure on the defensive positions will ease after the Yeovil game when club skipper Ian Goodison and the versatile Gareth Edds are clear of openingday suspensions.

Goodison, 36, returned to Prenton Park this week after spending much of the summer on international duty with Jamaica. Barnes announced yesterday that Goodison will retain the club captaincy with striker Ian Thomas-Moore wearing the armband as team captain on match days.

Barnes said: "Ian Goodison will give us some strength, stability and a bit of composure at the back when he becomes available. We have quite an inexperienced squad and we brought in some senior players who have been here before."

Rovers start the campaign with a squad of 16 permanently signed professionals plus two players on season-long loans. Gunning may be the first of several players recruited on short-term loans to strengthen the squad as and when required during the season.

The flexible set-up reflects the tough financial conditions affecting Tranmere and many clubs at League One level.

Barnes acknowledges the preseason programme was merely a first step in building his team. He said: "It will take a few weeks of competitive football for us to find our feet. But we are no different to anyone else this weekend. I don't think any team is 100% ready for the first game of the season."

Rovers had Yeovil watched in a recent friendly against Bristol City but Barnes isn't drawing too many conclusions from warm-up games.

He said: "You often find a lineup that plays in a pre-season friendly is not the team that starts the first league game. Right now it is difficult to gauge who is going to play."

The Glovers line-up could well included George O'Callaghan, the Irish midfielder who started last season as a Tranmere player.

Tranmere have a serious doubt over midfielder Charlie Barnett, who is suffering from a groin injury and they will not be able to call on striker Bas Savage, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, until the new yea r.

CAPTION(S):

John Barnes is all set for his debut in English club management