THERE may have been plenty of eyebrows raised when Warrington Town’s signature of Michael Rose was announced.

After all, here is a player who was playing in the Football League up until the end of last season having spent the past two years with Macclesfield Town.

With game time proving hard to come by, the 38-year-old got a call from his old housemate – Yellows assistant manager Mark Beesley.

Several training sessions and impressive displays as a trialist later, the 38-year-old is ready to give Town the benefit of his vast experience.

“I’ve known Bees and Cards (manager Paul Carden) for years,” the midfielder said.

“I was with Bees at Chester and then he came down to Hereford when I was there – I think we even lived together at one point!

“We’ve always kept in touch and with everything that had gone on at Macclesfield, he messaged me asking what was happening and what I was doing.

“He invited me down to training to see if I’d enjoy it and I have done. I spoke to Cards and told him I was happy to come in and play football.

“I love playing, but I’m 38 now. I don’t really know what went on at Macclesfield last year but I barely played a game.

“With everything going on around us at the moment, it makes getting in somewhere a lot more difficult.

“That’s why I’m grateful for this chance to keep playing and hopefully I can use my experience to help the guys here out.”

Warrington Guardian:

Yellows assistant manager Mark Beesley played with Rose at both Chester and Hereford United. Picture by John Hopkins

Carden had been after some midfield know-hot to follow the likes of Scott Brown and Steve Jennings, who were steady hands in the engine room last season.

In Rose – a veteran of more than 600 professional appearances – he now has that in spades.

He knows a thing or two about promotion as well having helped Norwich City, Stockport County, Yeovil Town and Rochdale to move up a league during his career.

With that in mind, does he think this Town squad is equipped to go that one step further this season after three near-misses?

“From what I’ve seen in training and in games we’ve played well in, we can have a good go,” he said.

“Training’s been good – we’ve got some decent players from what I’ve seen.

“Results have been up and down in pre-season. We’ve had some good performances and then we’ve had ones which haven’t been so good.

“We’ve still got some hard work ahead to get ready for the season.

“I’ve been here a couple of weeks now and I’m starting to get to know the lads a bit better.

“Hopefully going forward, I can share a few things if I’m asked and use a bit of game knowledge to bring some of our lads on.”

Warrington Guardian:

Michael Rose in action against Tranmere. Picture by John Hopkins