Tom Ince explains the decision to sign for League Two side Tranmere Rovers in his first interview, signing a two year deal.
He had most recently been at Championship outfit Watford, released in May 2026 after three seasons and 81 appearances with the club.
He has also played for the likes of Reading, Luton, Stoke, Huddersfield, Derby, Nottingham Forest, Hull Crystal Palace, Blackpool and Liverpool.
🤝 Welcome to Tranmere Rovers… Tom Ince!#TRFC #SWA pic.twitter.com/3dTto8Sk7o
— Tranmere Rovers FC (@TranmereRovers) July 27, 2026
The club confirmed his arrival in a statement on their website: “Ince, 34, has spent the past three seasons at Championship club Watford and has made more than 550 senior appearances and scored 114 goals.
“After beginning his career at Liverpool, he went on to play for Crystal Palace, Hull City and Huddersfield Town in the Premier League.
“His previous clubs also include Blackpool, Derby County, Stoke City and Reading.”
Speaking after signing, Ince said:
“It’s a great feeling, bit full circle for me. I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s always great when you come to a club like this. The good thing about it for me is that I have that hunger and that desire still. I think that’s what’s allowed me to have the career that I’ve been able to have, the amount of games I’ve been able to play and the level I’ve been able to reach.”
Manager Darrell Clarke added:
“Tom is a player who brings real quality and experience to the group. He’s played at a very high level throughout his career. He’ll give us creativity, composure and versatility in the final third, while his experience will be invaluable to some of our younger players and we believe he’ll be an excellent addition to what we’re building here.”
Interviewer: Well, first of all, Tom, welcome to Tranmere. How does it feel to join the club?
Tom: Yeah, great feeling, bit of a full circle for me. Starting at 7, 8 years of age, just at the school of excellence. Yeah, to be back here is a little bit surreal, but, yeah, looking forward to it.
Interviewer: You touch on it being a full circle moment. How does it feel to be back on Merseyside?
Tom: Yeah, it feels really weird I think when you have your career and you know 34 now and you come towards the last stage of your career and you go through the journey that you’ve been on and then to come home and you know be at home and see family and friends that maybe I’ve not seen for a while. But then also to come to this club, you know, it’s got a close feeling to my heart. Like I said, I started off here as a young kid, left here to go to Liverpool at 10 years of age. So, yeah, a little bit of a surreal moment, but one that I’m looking forward to, one that I’m come with a lot of motivation to show some hunger and some some quality and some ability to this team and try and help help this team achieve a lot a lot better than what they have the last few seasons.
Interviewer: You touched on your experience, you played in the Premier League, you played in the Championship. Just how well does that sort of stand you in good stead for this opportunity?
Tom: Yeah, definitely. Like I said, I think it’s always great when you come to a club like this and, the good thing about it for me is that I have that hunger and that desire still from 18 till now. I think that’s what’s allowed me to have the career that I’ve been able to have, the amount of games I’ve been able to play and the level I’ve been able to reach, but that still stays the same with me right now. And like I said, I look forward to the first EFL game on Saturday, I think it is. And then obviously the season starts a couple weeks later. So, yeah, like I said, since I’ve been through the door, lads have been brilliant, staff have been brilliant and I think when you get that feeling and you walk through the door on the first day, you know, it feels like home. And I think when I have someone like that and I have that support system and a great environment, you know, really good lads in the dressing room, manager and obviously the assistant manager has been fantastic. So, yeah, I couldn’t compliment them anymore. So, like I said, I’m excited to be here and, to get ready to get going.
Interviewer: You mentioned your hunger and desire. What are you hoping to get out of this move collectively and individually?
Tom: I think first and foremost is just to bring my experience, you know, the leadership skills that I’ve had throughout the years. Just try and be, you know, a good teammate and try to help the team achieve something a lot better than what they have done over the last few seasons. I think that’s the goal and that’s the goal for the manager players in the building is to look at where the club’s been over the last couple seasons and make sure we try and progress on that and try and succeed and and try and try and make a good go over this year. Got some really talented boys in the building both experienced and younger lads coming through and got a lot to learn. So, yeah, being part of the senior group of that in the dressing room, it’s going to be a case of sharing my experience, sharing that motivation to young lads to be better each and every day, and also to set standards and, that’s my goal, but also on an individual basis is to help this team score goals, create goals, and ultimately try and win football matches.
Interviewer: And such on those sorts of goals, you are obviously a very experienced player. Would you still set targets? Do you still have that sort of youthful ambition of, you know, wanting to score as many goals as assists as possible?
Tom: Yeah, 100%. And I think no matter what age, no matter what time in my career, I’ve always set my individual goals of, you know, first and foremost training Monday to Friday the best I can, trying to be the best player on the training pitch to earn that right to play on a Saturday, and then when it comes to game day it is to do what I do best, you know, try and get on the ball, try and create, try and score goals. uh I don’t set myself that much of a closer target, but I have in my mind that, you know, if I can get myself in positions and and and show the ability that I can, then I always back myself to score goals.
Interviewer: And where would you say your favourite position is? Where do you like to operate most from?
Tom: Well, I think as you get older, you sort of lose that yard of pace a little bit. I think the days of being a tricky fast winger, probably a little bit behind me. But to be inside the pitch as an eight or a 10 in the middle of the park and be a bit more, you know, use my experience in the middle of the park, when to slow the game down, when to be involved in the game to create chances for others. So, yeah, I’ve had to adapt my game over the last few seasons, but knowing that I still have the ability to carry that goal for it, and that’s important. I think the manager wants me to come in and use that, and yeah, like I said, I’d be looking to play as much as I can, be fit and ready for the start of the season. Most importantly, score goals and try and help his team in football matches.
Interviewer: You’ve already played in front of the fans once at Prenton Park a 2-0 win over Blackpool and it was only pre-season friendly but good early signs.
Tom: Yeah, definitely. I think having watched from afar the last couple of seasons and it’s difficult obviously when you’re playing the same sort of days but to see you know the struggle that they had the last few seasons you know is something that you don’t want to happen again. And I think the way the managers come in now the players who come in through the building and players that have been here who know what it takes to play for this club. There’s a good blend at the minute and I’m sure there’ll be a few more to come in down the line before the season starts. But yeah, so far I think the game is good. We’ve had some real tough tests, the lads have done really well and all we can do now is gear up the best we can get ready for Shrewsbury.
Interviewer: And as you alluded to just before Shrewsbury, we got Rochdale this Saturday. How much are you looking forward to just competing on all fronts?
Tom: Yeah, definitely. I think it’s important. I think pre-season is always tough when you’re, you know, you’re slogging out week to week and you play against games that don’t really have that competitive edge in it. So yeah, it’s when you start preseason, you think there’s a long way away to the season and all of a sudden it comes around the corner quick and watch be a good test, one that we can use as a fitness, but also competitive nature to get that winning feeling because I think in any league, especially in England, you get that winning feeling. It builds momentum and that’s what we have to try and establish as quickly as possible.
Interviewer: And then Shrewsbury two weeks later the league action starts. What’s your message to the fans directly?
Tom: Directly to the fans is you know I think uh coming in the building seeing the players seeing the staff seeing the motivation and the drive to make sure everyone’s fit and ready and we’re maintaining a good standard going into the season that yeah listen it’s always a tough league League Two no matter what. There’s some good teams who’ve come up from the national league. Obviously some big clubs come down from League One. But Tranmere’s a big club and I think that we got some good players in this squad who want to prove not only to themselves but to the manager to the fans that they can really prove and try and try and establish themselves as main players in this team. So we got a good healthy squad, a lot of players fighting for places which are good. But I think for us it’s about showing that desire to fight each and each and every game and then I’m sure we’ve got enough quality in this team to shine through it.
Interviewer: And I suppose as the last one, there’s a real sort of excitement in the building, you know, with the players that have been added up front to the current existing players. Just how much does that excite you personally?
Tom: Yeah, definitely. I think when you come into sometimes you come into a new club and there’s a lot of change and a lot of turnover of players, it can be a little bit, you know, you’re not sure it takes a while to get going, but I think ever since I’ve been in here for the last sort of couple of weeks now, you know, the dressing room environment is fantastic, everyone gets on, everyone’s got that close bond. So, as long as you have that, I’ve always said that no matter what level you’re playing at, if you have a good nick group, it’s half the battle. And then it’s down to a Saturday and making sure that you give you everything for the shirt, give everything for the fans, but most importantly, give it to your teammates and that’s what we’re looking to do. And we’ll see how far it takes.
