Tranmere Rovers have announced the signing of ex Carlisle striker Kristian Dennis after news came out that he would be departing the recently promoted side, in a statement on Tranmere’s club website.
Dennis scored 21 goals in all competitions for Paul Simpson’s men last campaign, his final goal for Carlisle coming just before their successful playoff run versus Salford City.
The 33-year-old striker had been reduced to fleeting cameos in the playoffs itself regardless of his fruitful individual season, a freak injury with a training ground mannequin hurting Dennis’ shin in the build-up to the second playoff semi-final match against Bradford.
Dennis did make his final appearance for Paul Simpson’s side at Wembley, substituted on as The Cumbrians went the distance against Stockport to seal promotion to the third tier via penalties.
Now, the experienced attacker will swap Cumbria for Birkenhead when he plays in Tranmere white next season.
Ian Dawes and co will hope that this new addition will spur Tranmere to a positive season when football gets underway again, Rovers finishing 12th this season just gone.
With Kristian Dennis leading the line now, hopes will turn to potential promotion after that recent middle of the road league finish.
Who Is Kristian Dennis?
Dennis has played for a whole host of clubs throughout his lengthy career to date, playing in Scotland recently before his move to Carlisle with St Mirren.
Before his brief spell in the SPL – where Dennis only managed to score three times – the 33-year-old striker played for the likes of Grimsby Town, Notts County and Chesterfield.
He would manage 19 goals for the Spireites during the 2017-18 season, a bright spark in a campaign that saw Chesterfield relegated down to the National League.
Dennis would make his name as a goalscorer at non-league level with local side Curzon Ashton, the Manchester born attacker scoring 44 goals in one singular season for the non-league club.
Stockport County would then come calling, starting Dennis’ journey to eventually become a veteran striker at EFL level.
Tranmere Rovers’ Other Striker Options
Kane Hemmings was Tranmere’s main man up top last season, scoring eight times for the Super White Army in total. Dennis’ addition to the squad could see the former Carlisle man strike up a lethal partnership up top with the Jamaican striker, both players accustomed to scoring goals in the fourth tier.
Tranmere’s top scorer actually came from midfield, former Sunderland man Josh Hawkes contributing with 10 goals as a star man at Prenton Park during an otherwise underwhelming overall league performance.
Tranmere also needed to add striker reinforcements this summer, especially with Elliott Nevitt’s departure to Crewe Alexandra in January still lingering – the ex Bootle player netting four goals for Rovers before relocating to the Railwaymen.
What Has Been Said?
Speaking to Tranmere’s official website after the transfer news was announced, manager Ian Dawes spoke of his delight to bring Dennis into the building.
He said: “It’s great to bring Kristian to the Club. He comes off the back of scoring 20 league goals and helping Carlisle to promotion and I believe he can add the goals we lacked in the last campaign.
“He’s one of only three players in League Two to score more than 20 goals last season and he also shares our mentality and desire to push for promotion this season. I look forward to working with him.”
Dennis himself also spoke with the club website, praising the Tranmere fanbase ahead of what he hopes is a goal-laden spell so late into his footballing career.
He said: “Every time I’ve played here, I’ve enjoyed it. There seems to be a good fanbase who are passionate and get behind the team.
“Hopefully I can score goals for Tranmere and get us up the league.”
Writer’s View
After an underwhelming league finish last season, Tranmere will hope signings such as Kristian Dennis early on shows to the Super White Army fanbase that next season will be a far more positive one for all with connections to the club.
There is a risk that Dennis – at his age – cannot be expected to be your only reliable source of goals. Further, after such an impressive individual goalscoring record last campaign, there’s a danger that there’s not much left in the tank to continue being that goalscoring hero when making the move over to Prenton Park.
Tranmere fans will hope Dennis has another goal-laden season in him, a signing that could catapult Tranmere into the promotion reckoning.