Tranmere Rovers F.C.

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Tranmere Rovers
Full name Tranmere Rovers Football Club
Nickname(s) SuperWhite Army, Rovers
Founded 1884 as Belmont F.C.
Ground Prenton Park, Tranmere
Ground Capacity 16,567
Chairman Peter Johnson
Manager Ronnie Moore
League League One
2012–13 League One, 11th
Website Club home page
White shirt, shorts and socks, all with a blue trim
Home colours
Away colours
Current season

Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English professional association football club founded in 1884, and based in Birkenhead, Wirral. Originally known as Belmont Football Club, they adopted their current name in 1885. They were a founder member of Division Three North in 1921, and have remained a member of the Football League since. They currently play in League One, the third tier of the English football league system, and have spent much of their history in the shadow of Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool, who have won 27 league titles between them. Their current manager is Ronnie Moore.

During the 1980s, they were beset by financial problems and, in 1987, went into administration. However, this was a prelude to the most successful period in Tranmere's history; under manager John King, the team reached the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League in three successive seasons. Under King's successor, John Aldridge, Tranmere experienced a number of cup runs, most notably reaching the 2000 Football League Cup Final. Other cup runs include reaching FA Cup quarter-finals in 2000, 2001 and 2004.

Tranmere's regular kit is an all-white strip with blue trim, their main colours since 1962. The club moved to its current home, Prenton Park, in 1912. In 1995, the ground had a major redevelopment in response to the Taylor Report. It now seats 16,567 in four stands: the Main Stand, the Kop, the Johnny King stand and the Cowshed.

History

Formative years

football kit: orange/maroon shirt, blue shorts, blue socks
1889–1904 kit[1]

Tranmere Rovers were initially formed as Belmont Football Club when the football arms of two cricket clubs – Lyndhurst Wanderers and Belmont – came together in 1884.[2][3] On 15 November 1884, they won their first game 4–0 against Brunswick Rovers. This was a friendly match, as there were no leagues at the time.[3] Under the presidency of James McGaul, the team had a successful inaugural season, losing only one of their fifteen matches. An unrelated, disbanded side had played under the name "Tranmere Rovers Cricket Club (Association football section)" in 1881–82. On 16 September 1885, before their second season began, Belmont F.C. adopted this name Tranmere Rovers.[2]

Tranmere played their first matches at Steeles Field in Birkenhead.[2] In 1887, they bought Ravenshaws Field from Tranmere Rugby Club. In 1895, their ground was renamed Prenton Park, although it was 25 years later that the team moved into the current stadium of the same name.[3] Tranmere first wore a kit of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. In 1889 they adopted orange and maroon shirts, but in 1904 returned to wearing their original kit.[1]

In 1886, Tranmere entered their first competition: the Liverpool and District Challenge Cup; in 1889, they entered the West Lancashire League. They joined the Combination, a much stronger league, in 1897, and won the championship in 1908.[4] In 1910, continuing their movement through the leagues, they entered the Lancashire Combination and in 1912 they showed their ambition by moving to the present Prenton Park site, with an 800-seat stand.[3] Tranmere won the Lancashire Combination Championship in 1914[5] and Stan Rowlands became the first Tranmere player to receive an international cap when he was selected to play for Wales.[3][6]

Rovers continued to play throughout the First World War, although their players were criticised for avoiding military service, despite being employed in the local shipyards.[3]

Inter-war years

First Football League match in 1921
First Football League match in 1921[1]
football kit: blue shirt, white shorts, blue socks
1921–37 kit[1]

Following the expulsion of Leeds City Reserves in 1919, Tranmere were able to enter the Central League. Their timing was excellent as the following season, four Central League clubs – including Tranmere – were invited to join the new Division Three North. On 27 August 1921, as founder members of the division,[7] they won their first Football League match 4–1 against Crewe Alexandra at Prenton Park.[2] At this time the team were managed by Bert Cooke, who did so for 23 years in total, the club record for longest serving manager.[8]

In 1924, local youngster Dixie Dean made his debut aged 16 years 355 days. He played 30 games for Rovers, scoring 27 goals, before being transferred to Everton for £3,000.[2] In the 1927–28 season, Dean scored a record 60 League goals for Everton.[9] After Dean's departure, a string of talented youngsters also left for Division One clubs, leading to Cooke's reputation as a shrewd businessman.[10] Among those sold was Pongo Waring who – having scored six goals in the 11–1 victory over Durham City – went to Aston Villa for £4,700. Waring retains the record of scoring most goals for Villa in a single season.[3]

In 1934, an FA Cup tie between Rovers and Liverpool was watched at Anfield by 61,036 fans, then a record crowd for a game involving Rovers.[2] One year later, Bunny Bell netted 57 goals during the 1933–34 season, and nine goals in the 13–4 Boxing Day 1935 victory over Oldham Athletic.[11] As of 2011, the aggregate of 17 goals in one game remains a league record.[9]

During this same period, Tranmere made several appearances in the Welsh Cup, reaching the Final on two occasions. In 1934, they lost 3–0 to Bristol City in a replay, after a 1–1 draw. The following season, they went one better by beating local rivals Chester 1–0 to win their first silverware since joining the Football League.

Rovers won their first championship in the Football League in 1938 with victory in Division Three North and, hence, promotion to Division Two for the first time.[2][12] It is still Rovers' only championship in the Football League. However, they were relegated the next season winning six matches – the record for the worst performance of any team in Division Two.[13]

Creation of the Superwhites

football kit: white shirt, white shorts, white socks
1962–63 kit[1]

Prenton Park emerged from the Second World War largely unscathed. Tranmere rejoined the peacetime Football League in Division Three North and stayed there until the 1958 restructuring of the football league's lower divisions. Manager Peter Farrell[8] led Tranmere to finish 11th in the final season of the Northern Section, securing a place in the new national Division Three where they were, again, founder members.[14] The final match against Wrexham, also fighting for a place in the higher league, attracted a crowd of 19,615, which remains the highest ever attendance at a Prenton Park league match.[3]

In 1961, Tranmere's inspirational captain Harold Bell left the club. Bell had been picked in the first game after the Second World War in the 1946 season and did not miss a match until he was dropped on 30 August 1955, a total of 459 consecutive appearances for a British team, a record which still holds in 2011.[15] Rovers certainly missed their captain, and were relegated to Division Four for the first time in 1961.[16]

The club brought in Dave Russell as manager who made some revolutionary changes.[8] Tranmere had worn a kit of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks since 1904 – the same colours as local rivals, Division One club Everton. Russell introduced an all-white strip to set the teams apart; these have been Tranmere's usual colours since.[1] Russell also developed a successful youth policy which included England international Roy McFarland among its graduates.[2] Russell guided Rovers back to Division Three in 1967,[17] a year before a new 4,000-seater main stand was opened, and Rovers reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time.[18] Three years later the club's record attendance at Prenton Park was established as 24,424 supporters witnessed Rovers draw 2–2 with Stoke City in the FA Cup.[2]

In 1972, Ron Yeats was installed as player/manager.[8] He strengthened Tranmere's connections with local rivals Liverpool by recruiting several former team-mates such as Ian St John, and bringing in Bill Shankly in a consultancy role.[3] This team saw one of the most memorable Rovers results of all time when, in a League Cup tie in 1973, Tranmere beat First Division Arsenal 1–0 at their former Highbury home.[19] However, Tranmere returned to the Fourth Division in 1975.[20] The following decade was among the bleakest times in the club's history, with the team usually in the lower reaches of the Fourth Division, beset by financial problems, and attaining crowds of less than 2,000.[3]

In 1979, Steve Mungall joined Tranmere from Motherwell. He went on to make more than 500 league appearances for Rovers in a 17-year period. This spell saw Rovers rise up the league and make several appearances at Wembley. He remained with the club on the coaching staff before leaving in October 2000 to pursue business interests.[21]

1980s

football kit: blue shirt, white shorts, blue socks
1981–82 kit[1]

Another relegation to Division Four in 1979[22] put the club in financial difficulties. Debts mounted throughout the 1980s, with insolvency forestalled through a series of friendly fixtures, contributions from fans and a £200,000 loan from Wirral Council. This partnership has proved an enduring one, as Wirral's logo still appears on the shirts in 2011.[23] Nonetheless, in 1987 the club went into administration, with local businessman Peter Johnson taking over control and ownership.[2] This proved to be a turning point in Tranmere's history, the club under his ownership enjoying by far the most successful period in its history, in which manager John King took the team from the bottom of Division Four to the brink of English football's top league.[8] King's first task was to avoid the team finishing bottom of Division Four, which would have resulted in their relegation from the football league. Safety was guaranteed on the last game of the season with a 1–0 home win over Exeter City.[3]

The first full season (1987–88) of King's 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 for the Football League Centenary Tournament. Tranmere were the surprise stars of the event, beating Division One Wimbledon and Newcastle United before losing on penalties to eventual winners Nottingham Forest.[24] The following season, King guided Tranmere to promotion as Division Four runners-up.[25] Their final game played to clinch promotion was against Crewe Alexander, and was notable for the fact that both teams needed a point to gain promotion. The first half was contested as usual, but the second half, with the score at 1–1, both teams failed to attack each other's goals, leading to combined celebrations at the final whistle.

In the same season, they achieved a string of cup successes including beating Division One Middlesbrough.[19] Promotion was almost achieved in their first season in Division Three, losing 2–0 in the Play-off Final to Notts County.,[26] a week after Tranmere's 2–1 victory over Bristol Rovers at Wembley in the final of the Leyland DAF Trophy had clinched the club's first trophy.[27] A key element in Tranmere's success during this period was the form of striker Ian Muir. He joined the club in 1985 and scored 180 goals in eleven seasons. He is the club's record scorer, and the first inductee to their hall of fame.[28] Fellow hall of fame member John Morrissey joined the club in 1986. The winger spent 14 seasons at the club, making 585 appearances.[29]

Wembley years

football kit: white shirt with dark blue stripes, dark blue shorts, white socks
1999–2000 kit[1]

In the 1990–91 season, Tranmere won promotion to Division Two for the first time since the 1930s, with a 1–0 play-off win over local rivals Bolton Wanderers.[30] Once again, Rovers made an appearance in the Leyland DAF Trophy final, this time losing 3–2 to Birmingham City.[27] This made the play-off victory over Bolton Tranmere's fourth appearance in a Wembley final in just over a year.

Former Liverpool player John Aldridge joined the club in summer of 1991, signing from Spain's Real Sociedad for £250,000; he would remain on the club's payroll for the next 10 years, scoring 170 times to put him behind only Ian Muir in the all-time scoring charts.[2] Aldridge also received 30 caps for the Republic of Ireland, and was the first Tranmere player to score at a World Cup.[31] In 1993, Scotland international Pat Nevin joined the team, forming a four-man attack alongside Aldridge, Malkin and Morrissey.[32] Tranmere reached the play-offs in three successive seasons missing out on promotion to the newly formed Premier League through defeat to Swindon Town in 1993,[33] Leicester City in 1994,[34] and Reading in 1995.[35] 1994 also saw Tranmere progress to the League Cup semi-final, where they faced Aston Villa over two legs. The home leg was won 3–1 by Tranmere, with Villa scoring their only goal in the 94th minute. The away leg was 2–1 to Villa until the 88th minute where Vila finally winning 3–1, so extra time and penalties. Tranmere went 3–1 up in the shoot out, but eventually lost 4–3. A reconstructed Prenton Park was opened in March 1995, with the all seater stadium now holding just under 17,000 supporters. One year later, John Aldridge was appointed player/manager and held that position for five years;[8] he retired from playing in 1999.

2000 and beyond

football kit: white shirt, shorts and socks, all with a blue trim
2011–2012 kit[1]

In the 1999–2000 season, despite severe financial constraints, victories over a succession of Premiership sides led not only to a place in the sixth round of the FA Cup[18] but a place in the 2000 Football League Cup Final against Leicester City – the first time Rovers had ever reached a major final. Matt Elliott scored Leicester's opening goal, before Tranmere's Clint Hill was sent off for a second bookable offence. Despite being reduced to ten men, David Kelly equalised; but Elliot soon netted Leicester's second goal and Tranmere lost the match 2–1.[36] It was the last League Cup game to be played at the original Wembley stadium.[3]

In 2000, the all-white kit was reintroduced and is still used in 2011.[1] That season they enjoyed yet another run in Cup competitions beating local Premier League rivals Everton 3–0 at Goodison Park,[37] then Southampton 4–3 (after being 0–3 down),[38] before finally bowing out to Liverpool.[39] They nevertheless struggled in League matches, Aldridge quit before Tranmere's relegation to Division Two ended a spell of ten years in Division One.[40]

Tranmere Rovers v Sheffield United in the 2012–13 season.

Brian Little was appointed as manager in 2003.[8][41] He took Rovers to a play-off semi final in 2004–05 and a best ever 6th round replay in the FA Cup where they lost to eventual finalists, Millwall. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Brian Little left the club and was replaced by former player Ronnie Moore.[8][42] In Moore's three seasons in charge, the club finished 9th, 11th and 7th, just missing out the play-offs in the final season.[43] Despite this, he was sacked in 2009 and replaced by former England winger John Barnes, whose only previous domestic managerial experience was with Celtic 10 years earlier.[8][44] Barnes' reign lasted merely five months before long-serving club physiotherapist Les Parry was given temporary charge.[8][45] Rovers finished the season in 19th place in League One, avoiding relegation on the final day of the season with a 3–0 victory at Stockport County.[46] In June 2010, Parry was given the manager's job on a permanent basis.[47] He was sacked on 4 March 2012, after a 1–0 defeat by Chesterfield left them only one point above the relegation zone,[48] and replaced by Ronnie Moore for the remainder of the season.[49] Moore won six of his thirteen games in charge at the end of the season, guiding Tranmere to a comfortable mid-table position, as they finished the season in the top half for the first time in several years.[50] Ronnie Moore then signed a new one-year deal with Tranmere, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2012–13 season.[51]

After a poor start to the 2013-14 season, on January 28 2014 Tranmere's home attendance in the loss to Rotherham (manager Moore's old club) was a paltry 3,777. This was the lowest seen at Prenton Park for a league match in many years, and the first time less than 4,000 attended since a home fixture against Exeter in 1989. The result saw the club in 18th place in League One, just a few points outside the relegation zone.

Colours and crest

1962 crest

Belmont F.C., the forerunners of today's Rovers, wore blue shirts and white shorts, as did the early Rovers, until a radical change in 1889, when a combination of maroon and orange shirts and navy blue shorts was introduced to "dazzle" their opponents in the West Lancashire League.[52] These were abandoned in 1904 in favour of the earlier blue and white colours which have, in some form or other, remained until the present day.[1][52] In 1962, Dave Russell introduced a white strip with blue trim, saying "Tranmere Rovers should have a specific identity of its own, so on Merseyside there's now Liverpool's Red, Everton's blue and Tranmere's white".[52] Since then, the team have worn varying combinations of blue and white, moving back towards a more predominantly white kit in 2000.[1][53] The team's colours are reflected in their nickname of the "Superwhites".[54]

Tranmere first introduced a badge on their shirt in 1962, wearing the coat of arms of the borough of Birkenhead, along with adopting their motto "Ubi fides ibi lux et robur", meaning "Where there is faith there is light and strength".[53][55] The crest was replaced in 1972 by a monogram, and in 1981 by a simple blue and white shield. In 1987, a complicated and confusing[1] crest was introduced, adapting the Birkenhead crest through the inclusion of a football and a TRFC logo. Today's simpler badge was adopted in 1997,[1] and modified slightly in 2009 to mark the club's 125-year anniversary.[56]

Stadium

Prenton Park in 1986

Rovers played their first matches at Steeles Field in Birkenhead but, in 1887, they bought a new site from Tranmere Rugby Club.[2] The ground was variously referred to as the "Borough Road Enclosure", "Ravenshaw's Field" and "South Road".[57] The name "Prenton Park" was adopted in 1895 as a result of a suggestion in the letters page of the Football Echo.[57] Because the land was required for housing and a school, Tranmere were forced to move and the name went with them. The present Prenton Park was opened on 9 March 1912.[57][58] There were stands (also known as bleachers) on both sides of the pitch, a paddock and three open terraces, the general format which remained until 1994.[59]

Many improvements to the ground were driven by changes in legislation. The biggest change of all took place during 1994 and 1995. The Taylor Report suggested that all stadia in the top two divisions of English football should no longer permit standing. The club's response was to redevelop three sides of the ground with entirely new all-seater stands created – the Borough Road Stand (now the Johnny King Stand), the Cowshed and the new Kop, in addition to the existing Main Stand.[59] Capacity in the ground thus increased from 14,200[57] to the 16,567 of today.[59] On 11 March 1995, the new ground was officially opened at a cost of £3.1 million.[3]

Attendances at the ground have fluctuated over its hundred-year history. Around 8,000 visitors watched the first game at the stadium, as Tranmere beat Lancaster Town 8–0.[60] Prenton Park's largest-ever crowd was 24,424 for a 1972 FA Cup match between Tranmere and Stoke City.[61] In 2010, an average of 5,000 fans attended each home game.[60]

Supporters and rivalries

Tranmere Rovers had an average home attendance of 5,467 during the 2010–11 season, making them the twelfth best supported club in League One and 61st in The Football League as a whole.[62] The club have a number of supporters' groups, including the Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust; in 2010, the trust raised £12,500 for the club to sign Andy Robinson on loan.[63] In 2011, they raised £200,000 and plan to purchase a controlling interest in Tranmere.[64] TSB (Tranmere Stanley Boys) is the hooligan firm associated with the club.[65] The club has been the subject of an independent supporters' fanzine Give Us an R since the 1990s.[66]

It has also emerged that BBC commentator David Dimbleby is a Rovers supporter. Also during a gig in 2013 The Cult's lead singer Ian Astbury announced on stage he was a Tranmere Rovers FC supporter at the O2 Academy in Liverpool. It has also been common knowledge among Rovers fans that singer Elvis Costello has also proclaimed to be a fan. Furthermore Half Man Half Biscuit are known supporters of the club.

Despite being geographically closest to Everton and Liverpool, Tranmere's time in the lower leagues has meant that they have formed rivalries with other clubs against whom they regularly compete. According to the Football Fans Census of 2003, Tranmere fans listed Bolton Wanderers as their main rivals, followed by Chester City and Everton.[67] Blackpool and Everton listed Tranmere as among their team's top three rivals.[67] As of the end of the 2008–09 season, Tranmere had met the following teams most times in the Football League:[68]

Statistics, to end of 2011–12 season
Opponents P W D L W%
Crewe Alexandra 112 48 26 38 42.9
Hartlepool United 110 51 24 35 46.4
Rochdale 108 53 21 34 49.1
Stockport County 106 40 30 36 37.7
Halifax Town 104 42 28 34 40.4
Wrexham 102 38 25 39 37.3
Chesterfield 94 31 19 44 33.0
Darlington 82 38 13 31 46.3
Southport 80 38 22 20 47.5
Bradford City 80 33 20 27 41.3

Tranmere Rovers Ladies

Tranmere Rovers Ladies Football Club were founded in 1990.[69] Based in the Wirral, they are affiliated with the men's team,[69] and play home games at Villa Park, the home of Ashville F.C. in Wallasey.[70] Between 1996 and 2004 they competed in the FA Premier League National Division,[69][71] then the top tier of the English women's football pyramid. Since 2011, they have played in the North West Regional League, Premier Division.[72] As of the start of the 2011–12 season, they have won the Cheshire Cup a record 11 times.[73]

Players

First team squad

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of 4 January 2014.[74]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Fôn Williams, OwainOwain Fôn Williams      Wales

2 Defender Holmes, DannyDanny Holmes      England

3 Defender Horwood, EvanEvan Horwood      England

4 Defender Taylor, AshAsh Taylor      Wales

5 Defender Goodison, IanIan Goodison      Jamaica

7 Midfielder Thompson, JoeJoe Thompson      England

8 Midfielder Wallace, JamesJames Wallace (captain)     England

9 Forward Lowe, RyanRyan Lowe      England

10 Midfielder Robinson, AndyAndy Robinson      England

11 Midfielder Bell-Baggie, AbdulaiAbdulai Bell-Baggie      Sierra Leone

12 Midfielder Rowe, JamesJames Rowe      England

13 Goalkeeper Ramsbottom, SamSam Ramsbottom      England

14 Midfielder Atkinson, ChrisChris Atkinson (on loan from Huddersfield Town)     England

15 Midfielder Kirby, JakeJake Kirby      England

16 Forward Stockton, ColeCole Stockton      England

17 Midfielder Power, MaxMax Power      England

18 Midfielder Jennings, SteveSteve Jennings      England

19 Forward Sodje, AkpoAkpo Sodje      England

21 Forward Liam Davies      England

22 Midfielder Koumas, JasonJason Koumas      Wales

23 Defender Ridehalgh, LiamLiam Ridehalgh      England

24 Midfielder Callum Morris      England

27 Defender Maher, BenBen Maher      England

29 Defender Pennington, MatthewMatthew Pennington (on loan from Everton)     England

32 Defender Arthurworrey, StephenStephen Arthurworrey (on loan from Fulham)     England

33 Goalkeeper Mooney, JasonJason Mooney      Northern Ireland

Midfielder Kennedy, MatthewMatthew Kennedy (on loan from Everton)     Scotland

Goalkeeper Watkins, BradleyBradley Watkins (on loan from Aston Villa)     England

Out on loan

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.

No. Position Player Nation
26 Forward Akpa Akpro, Jean-LouisJean-Louis Akpa Akpro (at Bury)     France

Former players

As part of the club's 125-year anniversary celebrations in 2010, a hall of fame was announced, initially honouring seven former players and managers: Ian Muir, John Aldridge, John King, Ray Mathias, Steve Mungall, John Morrissey and Pat Nevin.[75] Harold Bell holds the record for the most consecutive league appearances for a British team. He was picked for the first game after the Second World War in the 1946–47 season and did not miss a match until 30 August 1955, a total of 401 consecutive matches in the Third Division North.[76]

Officials

Coaching staff

As of 20 November 2012.[77]
List of staff
Position Name
Manager Ronnie Moore
Coach John McMahon
Goalkeeper Coach Dave Timmins
Physiotherapist Gregg Blundell
Head of Sports Science Stewart McCreadie
Sports Scientist Patrick Mannix
Sports Scientist Taizo Kasuya
Chief Scout Dave Philpotts
Academy Manager Shaun Garnett

Managers

As of the start of the 2011–12 season, the club has had 24 managers.[8] The first man to hold this position was Bert Cooke, appointed in 1912.[8] He oversaw the club's entry into the Football League[7] and remained in charge for 23 years, the longest spell of any manager at the club.[8] Major changes were not seen until businessman Dave Russell took over in 1961. His introductions included the team's current all-white kit[1] and regularly arranged floodlit home fixtures on Friday evenings rather than the usual Saturday afternoon.[78] Rock band and Tranmere fans Half Man Half Biscuit described the practice in their song "Friday Night And The Gates Are Low".[79][80]

Tranmere's most successful period came at the end of the twentieth century. John King returned for his third spell at the club in 1987, having previously both played and managed the team.[8] He led them to a victory in the League Trophy,[27] and from the bottom of the Fourth Division to reach the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League on three occasions.[33][34][35] Success continued under King's replacement, John Aldridge, including an appearance in the 2000 Football League Cup Final.[36] From 2009, they were managed by former club physiotherapist, Les Parry,[45] until he was sacked on 4 March 2012,[48] and replaced by Ronnie Moore.[49]

Recent managers have had varied levels of success:

Managerial statistics, to 4 March 2012
Manager From To P W D L W% Reference
King, JohnJohn King 13 April 1987 12 April 1996 488 211 129 148 43.2 [81]
Aldridge, JohnJohn Aldridge 12 April 1996 17 March 2001 269 93 78 98 34.6 [82]
Watson, DaveDave Watson 20 May 2001 1 August 2002 55 22 15 18 40.0 [83]
Mathias, RayRay Mathias 1 August 2002 29 September 2003 66 29 18 19 43.9 [84]
Little, BrianBrian Little 12 October 2003 9 June 2006 147 61 43 43 41.5 [85]
Moore, RonnieRonnie Moore 9 June 2006 5 June 2009 171 71 42 58 41.5 [86]
Barnes, JohnJohn Barnes 14 June 2009 9 October 2009 14 3 1 10 21.4 [87]
Parry, LesLes Parry 9 October 2009 4 March 2012 131 40 34 57 30.5 [88]

Honours

[89]

League

  • First Division (tier 2)
    • 4th in 1992–93 (highest league position)
    • Play-offs: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
  • Third Division (tier 3)
    • Promotion: 1990–91
    • Play-offs: 1989–90, 2004–05
  • Third Division North (tier 3)
    • Winner: 1937–38
  • Fourth Division (tier 4)
    • Promotion: 1966–67, 1975–76, 1988–89

Cup

  • Welsh Cup
    • Winner: 1934–35
    • Runner-up: 1933–34
  • League Cup
    • Runner-up: 1999–2000
    • Semi-final: 1993–94

Records

  • Scoreline: 13–4, against Oldham Athletic, on 26 December 1935.[11] The aggregate of 17 goals in one game remains a league record.[9]
  • Attendance: 74,313, against Leicester City on 27 February 2000, in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium.[89]
  • Home attendance: 24,424, for an FA Cup tie against Stoke City on 5 February 1972.[89]
  • Goals (total): 180, by Ian Muir.[89]
  • Goals (season): 40, by both Bunny Bell (1934–35) and John Aldridge (1991–92).[89]
  • Appearances: 637, by Ray Mathias.[90]

Theme Music

Since the 1970s the Rovers team have taken to the pitch to the theme music of US detective series 'The Rockford Files'.

References

General
  • Upton, Gilbert (December 1991). Tranmere Rovers, 1881–1921: A New History. ISBN 978-0-9518648-0-7. 
  • Upton, Gilbert; Wilson, Steve (November 1997). Tranmere Rovers 1921–1997: A Complete Record. ISBN 978-0-9518648-2-1. 
  • Bishop, Peter (1 November 1998). Tranmere Rovers Football Club. Images of England. Stroud: Tempus. ISBN 978-0-7524-1505-5. 
  • Upton, Gilbert; Wilson, Steve; Bishop, Peter (24 July 2009). Tranmere Rovers: The Complete Record. Breedon. ISBN 978-1-85983-711-5. 
Specific
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Moor, Dave. "Tranmere Rovers – Historical Football Kits". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 "Club History". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 Bishop, Peter (19 August 2010). "History". The Cowsheds. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  4. Abbink, Dinant (23 July 2006). "England – The Combination". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  5. Abbink, Dinant (2 May 2007). "England – Lancashire Combination". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  6. "Wales 0–2 England". Welsh Football Data Archive. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Felton, Paul; Spencer, Barry (14 June 2000). "England 1921–22". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 "Tranmere Rovers Managers Since 1912". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Goals". The Football League. 3 August 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  10. Bishop (1998).  Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. 11.0 11.1 Tongue, Steve (26 December 1998). "Football: Festive feats and feasts of goals". The Independent. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  12. Felton, Paul; Edwards, Gareth (8 October 2000). "England 1937–38". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  13. Felton, Paul; Edwards, Gareth (8 October 2000). "England 1938–39". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
  14. Felton, Paul (22 July 2001). "England 1957–58". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2011. 
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