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The 53-year old was a playing favourite at Rovers in his younger days, making nearly 300 appearances for Tranmere in two spells between 1971 and 1989, and was also player-coach and then assistant manager under John King. After leaving the Wirral he went on to take Rotherham through two promotion campaigns as well spending just one season at Boundary Park with Oldham.
Moore himself is delighted to be back at Prenton Park commenting : "This club has had a lot of my life and to be in charge, you can take them where they belong, which is the Championship. But it won't be easy and it won't happen overnight. I've been here as a player, as assistant manager and as caretaker manager, so it's nice to come back when you've been here for such a long time. "
Millwall have snapped up 22-year old Chelsea goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley on a free transfer, Pidgeley leaving Stamford Bridge with one year on his contract left to run to sign a three-year deal at the New Den in a search for regular first-team football. The ex-England under-21 glovesman played one game for the Lions last season as an emergency signing, facing Birmingham City in a Carling Cup tie. Swansea have finally signed Fulham's Darren Pratley, for £100,000 on a three-year contract, who spent last season on loan to Brentford, the side who the Swans defeated in the League One play-off semi-finals. City boss Kenny Jackett delighted to finally secure the services of the Barking-born midfielder after having an offer for Pratley rebuked by the Cottagers once before.
Bournemouth have tied up the new contracts of two existing players, ex-West Ham midfielder Stephen Purches signed a new one-year deal with the Cherries last summer, with an option for a further year - which he has taken up, the 26-year old now having inked the dotted line on that option. Meanwhile goalkeeper Gareth Stewart has signed a one-year extension to his existing contract which will keep him at Dean Court until the summer of 2008, the ex-Blackburn glovesman having made 139 appearances for the Cherries since joining the Dorset club in 1999. Another League One goalkeeper in Northampton Town's Lee Harper has agreed a new 12-month contract with the Cobblers, Harper having played over 150 league games for the Sixfields outfit since joining the club in the summer of 2002.
Veteran Crewe manager Dario Gradi has admitted that 33-year old striker Gareth Taylor looks unlikely to join the club after he was released by Nottingham Forest. The ex-Burnley forward was on-loan at Gresty Road last season and Gradi has reportedly offered him a one-year deal, the stumbling block in the move being that Taylor is holding out for a two-year contract in the twilight of his career. The Alex' also look set to miss out on the signing of 20-year-old Fulham defender Liam Fontaine, who seems likely to join Bristol City, Fontaine having spent a successful four months on loan at Ashton Gate at the end of last season.
Huddersfield manager Peter Jackson is chasing the signature of Sheffield United striker Luke Beckett, who is deemed surplus to requirements at Bramall Lane following the Blades' promotion to the Premier League. Jackson faces fierce competition for the free-scoring Beckett from numerous clubs though, with Oldham having an option on him until mid-June, Beckett having spent last season on loan at the Latics. Latvian millionaire Valeri Belokon has concluded a deal to buy shares in Blackpool Football Club following talks with club owners, Belokon announcing on Monday that he would invest a substantial sum of money, believed to be in the region of five million pounds, into the Seasiders. Belokon holdings will receive shares to be approved in an extraordinary general meeting on 19 June, the Latvian wanting to be club president, with chairman Karl Oyston remaining in his role.