Tranmere Rovers overview

Tranmere Rovers:

Tranmere Rovers Football Club, based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, formed in 1884 were originally a rugby club before making the transition to association football and cementing themselves as an established Football League side.

In their early years, Tranmere competed in regional leagues before joining the Football League in 1921. The club's most notable period came in the late 1980s and early 1990s under manager John King, when they achieved promotion to the Third Division, and later to the Second Division. As well as league success prior to the turn of the millennium, Tranmere also were a force to be reckoned with, piecing together multiple cup runs, most memorably being in the 1999/00 season where victories over a succession of Premier League sides led not only to a place in the quarter finals of the FA Cup but a place in the final of the Worthington Cup which was the first time Rovers had ever reached a major cup final. However, after coming from a goal down to equalise, Tranmere eventually lost the match 2-1 against Leicester City.

As for the club’s recent history, the last decade for the club has been filed with ups and downs as they were relegated from League One in 2014 and subsequently faced another drop to the National League in 2015. However, after bouncing back up to the Football League achieving promotion to League Two in 2018 and further success with back-to-back promotions to League One the following year, the fans certainly have seen the highs and lows of the football pyramid at their home ground Prenton Park.  

Manager: Andy Crosby

On 10th March, Tranmere announced that interim manager Andy Crosby would be taking charge of the club until the end of the season. After enjoying a successful playing career as a defender with the likes of Oxford United and Scunthorpe United he took over as first team coach on a short-term basis following Tranmere’s former manager Nigel Adkins stepping down from his role by mutual consent with the club.

His start to life in the dugout has been a successful one which the League Two strugglers have hugely profited from. After being unbeaten in four games picking up 8 points along the way, including a win on the road against high-flyers Bradford City and a narrow 2-1 win at home against newly promoted Bromley, Crosby has brought a smile back to Prenton Park and could be the reason for them staying in League Two for another year.

3 key players:

Omari Patrick:

Omari Patrick has been a pivotal figure for Tranmere Rovers this season bagging himself 7 goals in the league alongside 2 assists which have proved vital in the club’s attempts to stay in the league. Patrick has been somewhat of a journeyman having begun his professional career with Kidderminster Harriers before moving to Barnsley. He then had spells at Bradford City, Wrexham, and Carlisle United, where he has showcased his versatility. This season, he has scored crucial goals, including a winner against Harrogate Town back in December which endeared himself to the Prenton Park faithful. Patrick's contributions have been instrumental in Tranmere's quest to solidify their position in League Two, and his performances continue to be the shining light for a strong finish to the season.

Regan Hendry:

After having sustained an injury earlier on in the season which kept the Scottish midfielder out of action for 16 weeks, Hendry made his return to football back in February and has since made a key impact to Tranmere’s recent success having recorded 3 assists in 5 league appearances. Two of them coming in a 2-1 win against Bromley which earned his side the three points.

After returning from injury, Hendry said he was ‘buzzing to be back’ and that it was probably one of the hardest points in his career, but the former Forest Green Rovers and Raith man has bounced- back and been a vital cog in Tranmere’s fight for survival. Hendry only missed one league game last campaign making 45 appearances and has since become mr reliable for Rovers, so to have him back in the heart of the midfield is something all involved at Preston Park will be pleased to see

Kristian Dennis:

Kristin Dennis has had a successful career in the EFL as a striker having played for the likes of Chesterfield and Grimsby before his most notable spells at fellow League Two outfits Notts County and Carlisle and him now being in his second season with Tranmere. After settling into life last season in Merseyside, the 35-year-old has kicked on finding the net 7 times including a fine performance away to his former club Stockport County in the EFL Trophy where he scored in a 0-2 away win for Rovers.

Dennis at whatever club he has been at has always been labelled as the main man, the one who’s going to get the goals, and for Chesterfield and Carlisle earlier in his career he did exactly that. The 2022/23 season was the striker’s most prolific season scoring 20 league goals in 46 games for The Blues which earned himself a transfer to Tranmere the following season.