Shamrock Rovers yesterday confirmed the worst kept secret in domestic football with the formal announcement of Trevor Croly as their manager.

A former player and assistant manager at the club, the 38-year-old Dubliner has left his post as Liam Buckley’s assistant at St Patrick’s Athletic to succeed Stephen Kenny, sacked in September on a two-year contract.

Colin Hawkins, player/coach at Rovers last season, will be Croly’s assistant. Dublin All-Ireland winning footballer Philip McMahon has also joined Croly’s backroom team as strength and conditioning coach.

“I’m ready for this,” said Croly who, after almost a decade in coaching, feels it’s a natural progression for him to become a manager.

“I started coaching nine years ago, with Kildare County, progressed to Bohs, Longford, St Pat’s, to Shamrock Rovers, back to Pat’s, and I’ve come here now.

“If I’m not equipped, I don’t know how you become equipped. The amount of work I’ve put in to being here has been phenomenal and the amount needed to stay here will take the same again.”

While praising Rovers’ demanding supporters, Croly stressed there has to be unity throughout the club if success is to return.

“The fans are fantastic. The whole club is,” said Croly. “I’ve been at Rovers as a player, as a coach and now as a manager, having been an assistant manager. And I’ve been outside. So I understand how much it means to people to actually beat Shamrock Rovers and there are a few who would have enjoyed Shamrock Rovers maybe not having the year they would have liked last year.

“So I’m aware of that. (But) unless there is unity and we’re together, fans, board, manager, staff, players . . . you generally don’t have success unless all those ingredients are in the pot.

“When you look at the success we’ve had over the last number of years, all those components have been in the mix and I think the fans have a massive part to play.”

Provided he can sign the additional players required to do so, to add to the eight already under contract at the club, Croly hopes to play the same 4-3-3 system he felt was a general success at St Patrick’s this season.

Rovers chairman Jonathan Roche said that Croly’s coaching reputation and the fact he knows the club well made him the ideal candidate.