For the most part, over the last three decades, few Tranmere fans would have heralded draws with Newport and Rotherham as continuing signs of progress. But despite late goals in each game cruelly pegging Rovers back when they deserved to win, progress is clear to see.
We will caveat this entire article with this; over the past few seasons, Tranmere fans have been constantly let down and the standards and expectations of this great club have been trampled all over.
A club that spent several years in the 1990s contesting to reach the Premier League, the early noughties playing in a League Cup Final, FA Cup Quarter Finals and toppling Premier League teams in cup competitions for fun, before a period of what we thought of at the time as ‘stagnating’ in League One, has since descended into being consistently one of the worst teams in the EFL.
That it has been allowed to happen is, frankly, a disgrace, but that’s not what this article is discussing.
Instead, we’re looking forward. Because after narrowly avoiding regelation back to non-league in each of the last two seasons, expectations were indeed low for what the future held.
However, a new manager, an overhaul of the coaching setup and what looks to be a fairly impressive transfer window has given Tranmere the platform to start the new season almost unrecognisable from the last couple of seasons.
Green shoots of recovery
It feels fitting that, as the rain begins to fall outside and the parched lawns around the country begin to see green growth once again, the Tranmere we know and love are also showing signs of coming back. (we’re only talking about on the pitch here)
The job Darrel Clarke does will be judged over the season, but if you were to draw any sort of conclusion now as to his performance, you’d be happy enough. Clarke has overseen the build of an almost entirely new squad, and it was needed.
He’s brought in some trusted players from former clubs, some youngsters with a point to prove, and not forgetting the two headline arrivals of the summer; Tom Ince and Will Vaulks. What it has resulted in at this very early stage, is signs of having a team that is not only capable of playing, but wants to play. And, crucially, will fight for their right to play in games.
Last night’s first half against Rotherham was probably one of the best 45 minutes we’ve seen from a Tranmere team in several years. We’re nowhere near being the finished product yet, the team still needs to gel, but an intense team, pressing, fighting and playing on the front foot took the game to the visitors. And the SWA lapped it up. We’re desperate to have a team to love again, and the Rovers faithful are warming to this new-look Tranmere.
There was probably a sense lingering in the air at half-time that only being 1-0 up could come back and bite us. Indeed, Rovers should have been out of sight. While Rotherham started well, they were soon reduced to a nervous and chaotic mess, with the centre backs and goalkeeper particularly flustered, unable to cope with the pace of the relentless press and attacking play.
Tranmere’s killer instinct will hopefully come in time. If they had it at Newport on Saturday, the second half showing would have seen Rovers at least 3-1 up, avoiding the heartache of a late equaliser for the hosts.
Indeed, without those last-gasp opposition goals over the past few days, Rovers would currently be sitting top of League Two.
Fast transition
Tranmere’s transition this summer has been fast. From an ageing, slow and injury-prone squad of the last two seasons which struggled to muster even a shot on goal in some games, this team has a real feeling of freshness to it. There’s an intensity that just hasn’t been there for years. And yes, we haven’t put it together for a full 90 minutes yet, but the periods in games when we do, it’s so utterly refreshing.
Clarke made several changes to the starting 11 last night, and they did the trick in the first half. Utilising the entireity of the squad will be a key element of whether Rovers can be successful this season. Avoiding the barrage of long-term injuries we pick up season-after-season is also going to be a significant factor.
It’s worth remembering at this point, the multiple occasions last season when Rovers couldn’t even fill their subs bench. Contrast that to last night, when we had the likes of Jordan Davies, Charlie Whitaker, Lee O’Connor and Nathan Smith on a bench brimming with experience and quality.
Two more players arrived on loan yesterday too, youngsters from Peterborough who – judging by online write-ups – seem to be highly thought of. As we begin to see Zane Okoro and Bobby Faulkner settle and find their feet, hopefully George Nevett and David Kamara add to the quality and hunger to succeed that appears to exist in the squad already.
It’s very early days in the season, who knows what lies ahead. No Tranmere fan will have spent the summer expecting us to become overnight promotion contenders, indeed, owing to the way things have gone in recent years, we’d probably have jumped at finishing mid table with no relegation jeopardy lurking in the shadows.
However, if nothing else, at this early stage there are signs that we have a team ready to fight, wanting to attack at pace and score goals. After a miserable few seasons, that in itself provides optimism.
