Our first league meetings against Tranmere Rovers took place in 1967/68; the only meeting of the clubs prior to that was in the FA Cup back in 1931/32 when we were beaten 2-0.
We have met the Rovers of Birkenhead 30 times in the league and won on 16 occasions. Tranmere have won seven of those meetings and seven have been drawn, including the last time we met, on 11th February 2020 which was a pretty boring goalless affair.
There has been one other FA Cup tie since 1931/32 and that came in 2014/15 when we were in our one and only Conference season. Tranmere won that encounter 1-0 thanks to a Mark McChrystal own goal. Mark was a former Tranmere player, while former Rovers striker Eliot Richards was in the Tranmere lineup.
The original Prenton Park, Tranmere’s home ground, was purchased in 1887. That was three years after the club’s formation. However, they were forced to move in 1912 and the name went with them. The current capacity of the ground is 16,587.
Last season Tranmere finished in seventh place, the final play off position, and their home record saw them win eleven, draw five and lose seven.
They were beaten in the play offs by Morecambe, 3-2 on aggregate. Morecambe were 2-1 winners at Prenton Park in the first leg, while the second leg was drawn 1-1.
As well as the aforementioned FA Cup tie, there are a couple of other games against Tranmere that stay in the memory. For a start, there was the Leyland DAF Final at Wembley back in 1990.
Rovers had already won promotion by taking the Third Division title, and so were looking to complete a unique double. However, the other Rovers were winners on that occasion, a 2-1 victory being achieved though Gerry Francis’ side weren’t happy with the refereeing decisions of Vic Callow on the occasion of their first ever appearance at Wembley.
(photo coutesy of Alan Marshall)
Then there was a 1-0 win for the Rovers of Bristol at Prenton Park on 8th March 2011. Not a particularly exciting game, but it marked the first in charge for caretaker manager Stuart Campbell who had been given the job until the end of the season following the disastrous tenure of Dave Penney.
(photo courtesy of Neil Brookman)
Players to have turned out for both clubs include; Ryan Brunt, Luke Daniels, Christian Edwards, Mark Hughes, Mark McChrystal, Stefan Payne, Eliot Richards, Gareth Taylor, Keith Williams, Ryan Williams and Steve Yates.
As far as I can tell, only four players have made their Rovers league debut against Tranmere and they are; Bryn Jones (1969/70), David Wilson, Lee Maddison and Kevin Moore (all 1991/92).
Distance from the Memorial Stadium to Prenton Park is 182 miles.
Keith Brookman