Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English football club, based at Prenton Park, Tranmere, Birkenhead, Merseyside. They currently play in Football League One.
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| Full name | Tranmere Rovers Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Rovers | ||
| Founded | 1884 | ||
| Ground | Prenton Park Tranmere Birkenhead | ||
| Capacity | 16,587 | ||
| Chairman | Lorraine Rogers | ||
| Manager | Ronnie Moore | ||
| League | League One | ||
| 2005-06 | League One, 18th | ||
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Overview
The club was founded as Belmont F.C. in 1885. The club played its first match in the Liverpool & District Challenge Cup in 1886. In 1921/22 the club joined the newly formed Third Division North of the Football League.
The club's traditional home kit is a white shirt, shorts and socks, with blue trim. The 2004/05 away kit is amber with black trim.
Following Brian Little's resignation, Ronnie Moore was appointed manager in June 2006, from Oldham Athletic.
Between 1991 and 2001 they were in the second tier of the English league, reaching the playoffs three times and the League Cup final once before being relegated.
John Aldridge, the former Liverpool striker who scored nearly 500 goals in his professional career, was appointed player-manager of Tranmere in March 1996 and remained at the helm for five years, although he hung up his boots in 1998. His predecessor was John King, who took Rovers from the brink of losing their league status to the brink of reaching the Premiership.
Other well known players to wear a Tranmere shirt include Jason McAteer, John McGreal, John Morrisey, Clint Hill, Eric Nixon and Ged Brannan.
Tranmere play their home games at Prenton Park, which is located in Wirral, Merseyside between Chester and Birkenhead. The club has faced years of strong competition for players and supporters from two bigger clubs at the other side of the Mersey - Liverpool and Everton.
Prenton Park
There are four stands: The Kop, the Main Stand (including the paddock), the Cowshed and the Johnny King Stand (formerly the Borough Road Stand). The Kop is the biggest of the stands and houses the home fans while the Cowshed houses the away fans. The stadium is all-seater and has a 16,587 capacity.
History
Since the mid-1990s, Tranmere Rovers have become famous for their unlikely cup successes. John King led them to the 1994 League Cup semi-final only losing to Premiership side Aston Villa on penalties. John Aldridge continued this tradition, guiding Tranmere to FA Cup quarter-finals in 2000 and 2001 and a League Cup final in 2000. This has continued under manager Brian Little as Tranmere took Millwall to a quarter-final replay in the FA Cup in 2004, eventually losing 2-1.
Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, Tranmere have beaten many Premiership sides in cup competitions. Notable scalps include a 3-0 victory against local rivals Everton at Goodison Park (FA Cup, 2001) and a victory against Southampton (FA Cup, 2001), which saw the greatest comeback in their FA Cup history when Tranmere came from 3-0 down at half-time to win 4-3.
The early days, 1884-1921
Tranmere Rovers Football Club was formed by two cricket clubs - Belmont CC and Lyndhurst Wanderers - coming together, initially as Belmont FC. They played and won their first match 4-0 against Brunswick Rovers on November 15 1884. The following year they re-named themselves after the district of the Wirral in which they played - Tranmere. Under this name they played matches at Steeles Field on Borough Road, Birkenhead, in a kit of blue shorts and white shirts. In 1887 they gain a new ground from Tranmere Rugby Club, Ravenshaws Field, also on Borough Road. This was then renamed Prenton Park, althought it was not until March 9 1912 that the team moved into the current stadium of that name.
The team had by this time joined the West Lancashire League in which they competed for thirty years, winning it in 1908. TRFC nearly folded in 1899 when most players elected to join the rival Birkenhead FC, and the team had to rent out the ground to Bikenhead Warriors Rugby Club - who did at least bring 250 seat stand with them. Tranmere were evetually promoted tho the Central League in 1919 (tho not by 'normal' means - Leeds City Reserves were expelled for overpayment of wages, Tranmere took both their place and their points!), and then to the Third Division North in which they played their first match against Crewe Alexandra at Prenton Park on August 27 1921. At this time the team were managed by Bert Cooke - who did so for twenty three years in total.
The Dixie, Bunny, Pongo & Nibbler era, 1922-1939
In 1924, a Birkenhead youth named William Ralph Dean, but known to fans as "Dixie", made his début at the age of 16. Dean was discovered by Jack "Dump" Lee, Rovers' trainer and earlier team member. He played just 30 games for Rovers, scoring 27 goals, when he fulfilled his boyhood dream and was transferred to Everton in 1925 for a club record fee, £3,000. In the season 1927-28, Dixie netted 60 League goals, a record unlikely ever to be broken.
Three years after Dixie's departure, two more talented youngsters left for First Division clubs - winger Ellis Rimmer to Sheffield Wednesday for £3,000 and Tom "Pongo" Waring to Aston Villa, where he is still their all-time record scorer in a single season, for £4,700.
As a boy, Pongo had sold chocolate and cigarettes to the Prenton Park crowd before signing for the club. Before he left, Pongo made his mark with a then club record six goals in the 11-1 thrashing of Durham City in January, 1928.
A fourth local youngster with an eye for goals, Bill "Nibbler" Ridding, was sold to Manchester City, in early 1930, for £3,500.
Without these talents, Rovers took some time to re-group but by 1930-31 they seemed to be running away with the championship on the back of an inside forward trio netted 93 goals between them. But, as would happen again in the future, with four games to go, Rovers' form slumped and the promotion dream vanished.
Off the pitch, many improvements were made to Prenton Park including a five span roof over the Prenton Road West end terrace, forever to be known as the "Cowshed", and the expansion of the Kop which was doubled in size with ash and clinker.
In 1932, Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw in the F A Cup at Prenton Park. Again in the FA Cup, a home tie in Round 4 against Liverpool, on 27 January 1934, was switched to Anfield where 61,036 saw Rovers defeated 1-3 - the largest ever gate for a "home game".
In both 1934-35 and 1935-36 seasons, Rovers led the Third Division (North) for most of the campaign but, in the last few vital weeks, blew their promotion chance on each occasion to fuel talk that the club lacked ambition and "did not want to go up" - though they did win the Welsh FA Cup in 1935.
The stability of the club was hardly helped by the departure, in acrimonious circumstances, of long serving secretary/manager Bert Cooke amid FA enquiries into illegal payments to players to induce them to sign for Rovers and the dismissal of several directors.
Cooke was replaced by former England international, Jack Carr, who was in charge on 26 December 1935, when Robert "Bunny" Bell, who had netted an incredible 57 goals in all competitions during 1933-34 season, scored a record breaking nine goals in the 13-4 demolition of Oldham Athletic - and missed a penalty.
Bell's record was broken by Joe Payne who played for Luton Town, three months later, and he himself was subsequently sold to Everton, being replaced a year later by the returning Pongo Waring.
It was Pongo, along with former film extra and new team secretary/manager, Jim Knowles, who masterminded Rovers' triumphant championship season in 1937-38, when five points from their three final games clinched a first ever season in Division Two. In fact, it is still, nearly seventy years later, Rovers' sole championship in the Football League.
With Pongo well past his best and allowed to go to Accrington Stanley, and the rest of the team inadequate for the higher grade of football, Rovers struggled.
Despite early euphoria and then a series of panic buys which failed, they were relegated having won just six of 42 matches - the all time worst record of any team in Division Two.
The Wilderness era, 1939-1975
For the large part of this time Tranmere simply survived, making little impact upon the wider football world. Prenton Park survived World War 2 without any significant damage, except perhaps to Manager Bill Ridding, who served throughout the war years, and was then promptly replaced by Ernie Blackburn, who stayed in post nine years. Blackburns team had some FA Cup success - beating First Division Huddersfield 2-1 on 1951, and holding Tottenham Hotspurs to a 1-1 draw at Prenton Park in 1953. The return leg was lost 9-1.
Blackburn was replaced by Republic of Ireland international Noel Kelly, but his tenure was unsuccessful and brief, with Rovers having to apply for re-election to the League in 1957, following which Peter Farrell took charge of the club. Farrell took the team to mid-table respectability, and was in charge for the match against Wrexham on 30 April 1958 which, with an attendance of 19,615 remains the highest ever attendance at a Prenton Park league match. Later that same year, floodlights were installed for the first time.
As Rovers struggled in 1961 a new manager, Walter Galbraith was brought in, but he could not help Rovers avoid the drop to Division 4 for the first time in their history despite the purchase of a number of players, including one John King.
1961 also saw one of Tranmeres greatest servants leaving the club - Harold Bell. Between 1946 and 1955 Bell never missed a single Rovers game - 459 consecutive appearances, a record which holds to this day.
Galbraith was replaced by Dave Russell who all but revolutionised the club - bringing in the modern all white strip and developing a highly successful youth policy which saw many club stalwarts through its ranks - including England international Roy McFarland. Russell oversaw a steady progress for Rovers, coming close to promotion in both 1965 and 1966, before finally achieving it in 1967 - despite winning fewer games than in either previous season. The following year was also successful, with FA Cup wins over First Division Huddersfield Town (again) and Coventry City, before a fifth round 2-0 defeat to Everton. With an attendance of 61,982 this was the largest ever crowd for a Rovers game.
Russell became the clubs General Manager in 1969 allowing coach Jackie Wright to take the reins. Wrights most significant purchase, former Liverpool FC defender Ron Yeats scored in the drawn FA Cup match v Stoke City which saw a record Prenton Park attendance - 24,424. Yeats replace Wright as manager after just four months.
Yeats immediately started strengthening Tranmeres' Liverpool connections - bring in Ian St John, Bobby Graham, Willie Stevenson and Tommy Lawrence, as well as the great Bill Shankly in a "consultancy" role. This team saw one of the most memorable Rovers results of all time when, on 2 October 1973, in a League Cup tie, Tranmere beat First Division superstars Arsenal 1-0 thanks to an Eddie Loyden goal, and later FA Chief Executive Mark Palios shackling Arsenals Alan Ball. Tranmere Rovers are the only club to have a 100% record at Arsenals now torn down home of Highbury.
Such glories couldn't last though, and Tranmere slipped back into the Fourth Division in 1975, despite bringing players through such as Steve Coppell. Yeats was sacked and replaced by his coach.
The John King era, 1987-1996
John King is widely regarded as the most successful manager ever to take charge of Tranmere Rovers. He was appointed manager of the club for a second time (having previously been in charge in the 70's) towards the end of the 1986-1987 season, with the club fighting not to finish bottom of the fourth division and be relegated from the football league. Safety was only guaranteed in the last game of the season with a 1-0 home win over Exeter City, Tranmere's crucial winner being scored by midfielder Gary Williams. Thereafter, King began to show the talents which made him a legend on the Wirral and established his reputation as one of the greatest managerial geniuses ever to grace England's lower leagues, as well as one of the most eccentric. Carefully blending homegrown talent from the club's youth programme with astute bargain signings from league and non-league clubs, he built a team which took Tranmere steadily up the football league standings and acquired a fearsome reputation in cup competitions.
King's first full season of his second managerial spell in charge saw Tranmere make their first appearance at Wembley stadium when a good mid-season run of form saw them qualify as one of the fourth division's two representatives, along with eventual champions Wolves, in the football league's centenary tournament. Tranmere were the surprise stars of an otherwise derided tournament, beating first division Wimbledon and Newcastle before losing on penalties to eventual winners Nottingham Forest.
King's second season in this spell (1988-89) saw him guide Tranmere to promotion as Fourth Division runners-up. It also marked the first of a string of cup successes against sides from the first division, Middlesborough going down 1-0 on aggregate in the second round of the League Cup. Fellow top flight sides Millwall, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Coventry were among the other giants slain at Prenton Park by King's Tranmere.
A successful return to division three saw Tranmere finish fourth in the table, only to lose to Notts County in the 1990 third division playoff final. They were granted a place in the Second Division after Swindon Town (Second Division playoff winners) were demoted to the Third Division for financial irregularities. But Tranmere remained in the Third Division after Swindon's punishment was reduced to remaining the Second Division. Consolation came in the form of victory in the Associate Members' cup final, a 2-1 Wembley win over third division champions Bristol Rovers. Club record scorer Ian Muir gave Tranmere an early lead with a magnificent volleyed strike, and after Devon White gave Bristol an undeserved equaliser early in the second half, Muir's strike partner Jim Steele headed a late winner.
Tranmere Rovers went one better in the 1990-91 season, finishing fifth in the league but winning the Third Division playoffs with a dramatic 1-0 win over local rivals Bolton Wanderers. Chris Malkin's extra time goal saw the club promoted to the Second Division for the first time since the 1930's. They also made a second successive appearance in the Associate Members' cup final, this time losing 3-2 to Birmingham City. This made the play-off victory over Bolton Tranmere's fourth appearance in a Wembley final in just over a year. Another notable event that season was in Tranmere's home match against Southend United on new year's day 1991, when right back Tony Thomas scored after just eight seconds, at the time the fastest televised goal in history.
Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge joined the club that summer, signing from Spain's Real Sociedad, and would remain on the club's payroll for the next 10 years. John King guided Tranmere into the new Division One playoffs three years in succession from 1993, but each time they lost in the semi-finals and King resigned in March 1996 with the club in mid table.
The John Aldridge era, 1996-2001
John Aldridge was appointed player-manager and remained in that role for five years. During that time Tranmere failed to reach the playoffs although they came very close in the 1996-97 season. The 1999-2000 season was Tranmere's best ever in cup competition, with a run to the quarter finals of the FA Cup, and the final of the League Cup, the club's first major cup final. The League Cup final resulted in a 1-2 defeat to Leicester City, Tranmere's goal scored by David Kelly after hapless Tranmere defender Clint Hill had foolishly got himself sent off. Remarkably, Aldridge took Tranmere to the final of a major national cup competition with a team which did not include a single player he had paid a fee for. The club's severe financial constraints meant that at the time the squad included only a single player for whom a transfer fee had been paid, big striker Wayne Allison, who was cup-tied for the League Cup run.
The following season they again reached the FA Cup quarter final with a run that included two games unlikely ever to be forgotten. The fourth round saw Tranmere drawn away to Merseyside rivals Everton, in whose shadow, along with that of Liverpool, the club has always lived. A memorably one-sided game saw Tranmere give the Toffees a comprehensive three-nil hammering at Goodison Park, with one goal from Jason Koumas and two storming headers from defender Steve Yates. The date has been immortalised in Tranmere history, fans having designated 27 January Saint Yates' Day. More drama was to come in the shape of a 4-3 fifth round victory over Southampton. Trailing 3-0 at half time, and having been comprehensively outplayed by the Premier League side, Tranmere came out for the second half transformed. With Prenton Park a cauldron of noise, Tranmere began to launch an astonishing display of unfettered attacking football, ripping the Southampton defence to tatters as they blazed forward at will. A hat trick by Paul Rideout brought the scores level, Stuart Barlow then hitting the winner which gave Tranmere a 4-3 victory in a game generally regarded as the greatest FA Cup comeback of all time.
In the league things were very different, with the side floundering at the very bottom of the table. Aldridge finally handed in his resignation in March 2001 when Tranmere lost 2-3 at home to Barnsley after having led 2-0. The caretaker team of Ray Mathias and Kevin Sheedy was unable to save them and Tranmere were relegated from Division One after a decade at that level.
The Dave Watson era, 2001-2002
Tranmere had hopes of a quick return to Division One, but it was not to be. Dave Watson was appointed manager which proved to be an unpopular move with fans due to his links with Everton. Perhaps more concerning was his lack of contacts and managerial experience outside of the Premiership. Under Watson's leadership, and having lost several key members of Aldrige's cup final side to first division clubs, the club abandoned its traditional commitment to attractive passing football for a dour style, ending 2001-02 in an accordingly mediocre mid table position.
The Ray Mathias era, 2002-2003
Things improved following Watson's replacement by Tranmere stalwart Ray Mathias in 2002-03. A remarkable second half of the season saw the team lose only once in 23 league matches to finish just outside the play-off zone in seventh place, despite amassing eighty points. Cardiff City beat Rovers to the last playoff spot.
The Brian Little era, 2003-2006
In October 2003, Tranmere turned to Brian Little as their new manager. Little had previously achieved promotion success with Darlington (twice) and Leicester, as well as leading Aston Villa to League Cup success in 1996. Tranmere were battling relegation when Little took over, but he transformed their fortunes on the pitch and they finished eighth at the end of the 2003-04 season as well as reaching the FA Cup Quarter Final, losing against Milwall. Little's first full season in charge saw a genuine promotion challenge as the club finished third behind Luton Town and Hull City. The side went into the playoffs with confidence only to put in a poor performance away at Hartlepool United, being well beaten 0-2. The return match at Prenton Park was an absolute cracker. Rovers were all over the Hartlepool despite Jason McAteer going off with concussion. They scored two goals which took the tie into extra time but lacked the ability to score the third killer goal. In the end they lost on penalties to Hartlepool to send them crashing out of the play-off semi-finals.
During the 2005 close season Tranmere lost their top four goal scorers of the previous campaign. Ryan Taylor and Ian Hume were sold to Wigan Athletic and Leicester City respectively. The club released Eugene Dadi who later joined Nottingham Forest while Paul Hall was only offered a one year deal and swapped Birkenhead for Chesterfield. A poor 2005-2006 season, in which the club achieved safety from relegation only with a dramatic away victory over MK Dons in the penultimate game, saw rising discontent against Little among Tranmere fans. As well as below-standard performances, many supporters blamed him for excessively conservative tactics leading to dull football, weakening the strength of the squad by failing either to identify quality signings or introduce new talent from the club's youth ranks, and generally failing to recognise the spirit of the club. Polls conducted on the club's unofficial website during this season recorded an increasing swell of opinion that Little should be removed. It therefore came as no great surprise when Little left by mutual consent on May 5th, with club captain McAteer and John McMahon taking over for the last game of the season, a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers. On June 9, following weeks of speculation, Tranmere announced the appointment of popular former player, coach and assistant manager Ronnie Moore, formerly manager at Rotherham and Oldham, as Little's replacement.
Tranmere's six most significant games
The following games listed below can be regarded as significant games in the history of Tranmere Rovers because they impacted the club afterwards. 'Signifcant' does not always equal successful and some of the games which have been most significant in Rovers' history have been defeats.
Tranmere beat First Division Arsenal 1-0 thanks to an Eddie Loyden goal, and later FA Chief Executive Mark Palios shackling Arsenals Alan Ball.
Requiring a victory to avoid having to apply for re-election, Gary Williams scored the only goal late on in the match to ensure Tranmere avoided the ignominy of non-league football. Williams heading the crucial goal after Ian Muir's exquisite turn and pinpoint cross.
- 1991, Division 3 Playoff Final, Tranmere Rovers 1 Bolton Wanderers 0
A goal from Chris Malkin in extra time sealed Tranmere's promotion to Division Two for only the second time in their history. This lead to the club signing John Aldridge in the following close season and making three successive appearances in the playoff semi-finals to the Premiership. This one goal opened the door to the most successful period in the history of Rovers (1991-1995).
- May 1995, Division 1 Playoff Semi Final First Leg, Tranmere Rovers 1 Reading 3
Defeat to Reading was the third and final unsuccessful attempt at promotion to the Premiership. This failure led to the breakup of the team in the 1995 close season (Chris Malkin to Millwall and Ian Muir to Birmingham City) and the downfall of John King after a poor run of results.
- February 2000, League Cup Final, Tranmere Rovers 1 Leicester City 2
Despite having a goal ruled out for a marginal offside and Clint Hill being unjustly sent off, Tranmere matched Leicester City all the way. Their failure to stop Leicester's Matt Elliott scoring proved their downfall and a chance to claim their first major trophy went begging.
- May 2005, League 1 Playoff Semi Final Second Leg, Tranmere Rovers 2 Hartlepool United 0 (2-2 on aggregate. Hartlepool win on penalties)
- Once again it was so near and yet so far for Tranmere as they failed to make it past the playoff semifinal. The defeat led to the sale of the club's two best players, Ryan Taylor and Iain Hume. As a result the 2005-06 season was a struggle for the club, unable to adequately replace either the goalscorers or the right back position vacated by Ryan Taylor. They went out of the FA Cup and the League Cup early on and flirted with relegation to football's basement division before pulling away into midtable safety.
Current squad
As of 25 July 2006 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Famous players
- 'Dixie' Dean -
- Harold Bell
- 1946 - 1955 - played 401 consecutive games for the club, an English League record.
- 1946 - 1964 - Made a club record 595 football league appearances.
- Ian St. John
- 1 goal in 11 appearances
- Steve Coppell
- John Aldridge
- Signed by manager John King on 11 July 1991 from Spanish side Real Sociedad for £250,000.
- Scored two goals on his Tranmere debut, away to Brighton & Hove Albion.
- Scored two goals in his final game for Rovers, at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- Scored 138 goals in 221+21 football league appearances (second only to Ian Muir)
- Total of 174 goals in 294 games in all competitions for the club.
- Roy McFarland
- 41 games for the club.
- Won 35 full England caps.
- Captained Brian Clough's successful Derby County team during the 1970s.
- Ian Muir
- Club record goalscorer with 141 goals in 283+31 league appearances
- Total of 180 goals in 393 games for the club.
- Pat Nevin
- 39 goals in 239 appearances for the club
- Gary Stevens
- First choice right-back for England in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups.
- Stevens was signed for Tranmere by John King in 1994 from Rangers for £350,000.
- He was as a replacement for left back Ian Nolan who had been sold to Sheffield Wednesday for a then club record of £1.5 million.
- Played 150 games for the club, scoring 1 goal!
- Graham Beecroft Radio presenter
- On the books, but didn't make a 1st team appearance.
- Steve Yates
- Full-back Steve Yates was signed on a free transfer by manager John Aldridge from QPR on 5 August 1999. He is fondly remembered for scoring two goals in Tranmere's famous 3 - 0 FA Cup victory against fierce local rivals Everton F.C. on 27 January 2001.
- 14 goals in 137 appearances
- Mark Palios
- erstwhile chief executive of the FA and Insolvency practitioner
- 33 goals in 286 games.
- Ray Stubbs
- BBC Sport presenter
- On the books, but never made the first team.
- Thomas Myhre
- Craig Charles
Internal Records
Best league win
- 13-4 against Oldham Athletic 1935/36
Highest attendance
- Home - 24,424 against Stoke City FA Cup 4th Round 1972
- Away - 62,000 against Everton FA Cup 5th Round 1968
Most goals in a season
- 40 - John Aldridge - 1991/92
- 40 - Robert "Bunny" Bell - 1934/35
Honours
- Runners-up
- 2000
Third Division North
- Champions
- 1938
Division Three
- Play-off winners
- 1991
External links
- Official Websites:
Official website
TRFC Shop - Unofficial Websites:
White Review
RoversRearguard
Viking Tranmere