Carlisle United's League Two rivals Tranmere Rovers have appointed caretaker Ian Dawes as their permanent manager.

The 11th-placed club have turned to Dawes as Micky Mellon's successor.

Tranmere had been linked with a number of potential outside candidates, with ex-Rovers and Carlisle favourite Clint Hill leading the betting at one stage.

But Prenton Park bosses have opted for an in-house appointment to lead the club next season.

Dawes, 39, has been at the temporary helm since Mellon's sacking in March.

"The club has considered several highly qualified candidates, however Ian's coaching abilities, knowledge of the playing squad and the staff as well as the club's aims to balance player development with winning games ultimately made him the standout choice," a statement said.

"Andy Parkinson will continue his role as first team coach and will continue to be a key figure in the development of players in the first team environment as well as supporting the manager."

Tranmere are also set to appoint a technical director. Dawes said: "It’s an honour to be appointed manager of Tranmere Rovers. Having already had three interim spells, I’m now ready to take control of the team and implement my own style and ideas.

“It’s an opportunity I’m relishing and I want to reassure the fans that I personally hate failure and would not have taken the job unless I was confident of bringing success to the club."

Chairman Mark Palios said: "We have moved away from appointing experienced managers who have spent years on the managerial merry-go-round and who come [and go] with their own supporting staff because, each time one departs, the club they leave effectively has to start rebuilding its support staff and systems from scratch."

One of Dawes' caretaker games this season was Tranmere's 2-0 defeat at Brunton Park last month.