300tdi slave cylinder

My clutch went completely on my TDi a while ago, I knew it was either the fork pierced, or the slave cylinder failed. I decided to go ahead and replace the clutch anyway with a HD fork, as the release bearing sounded knackered for a while, and I was pretty sure the springs on the clutch place had broke, I was right, they had.

Anyway... long story short the fork had not broke, so the fault was in the slave cylinder.

However, I noticed on removing the slave that the rod fell straight out of the box, but I could find no retaining clip in the bell housing when I changed the clutch.

Should there be a clip that keeps the end of the slave rod attached to the release fork?

And do I now have to disconnect engine and box again to reconnect it if there is?!!!

they break easy but rod can be heid in lever socket while fitting slave once up it wont come off ,which is what someone has already done probably as clip comes off with rod and wont fall into bell housing otherwise removal of box to rfit new clip