Best and Worst – Tranmere

Best and Worst – Tranmere

Zak Hayes, 20 years old – Matchgoer since 2008

Favourite team – Has to be the 17/18 squad that got us out of the National League. They all played their part in getting us what was the most important promotion to date in my opinion.

Favourite player – Ian Goodison, mostly because of how he was an absolute soldier at the back for years but throw in the overhead kicks and arrive back just in time for the start of the season every year and it’s impossible not to love the guy.

Best moment – I’d go for Jennings’s winner against Newport, since it was in virtually the last minute of normal time and it was complete pandemonium in our end. I know many of us will go for Norwood’s winner the year before but I was still too nervous for the remaining 10 minutes to over-celebrate it.

Best game – Boreham Wood at Wembley. The battle from the 10 men was something else.

Favourite player’s haircut – Ian Goodison’s dreadlocks

Best signing – James Norwood.

Favourite Season – 2018/19, was brilliant to be back and in the league and we surprised everyone with our form and promotion.

Favourite goal – Larnell Cole’s strike in extra time against Ebbsfleet. Too much power for their keeper to handle and put the semi final to bed.

Favourite kit – I’d say the 2010/11 home kit. 

Favourite nickname – The Superwhites

Favourite chant – Either One Night in Gay Paris or just simply the one where we chant “Tranmere” 11 times. I know that seems boring but it’s been a constant over the years and it still goosebumps when it’s done loudly and properly.

Favourite Manager – I wasn’t around for the King or Aldo years so it’s got to be Micky Mellon really.

Favourite cult hero – Since I’ve already mentioned Ian Goodison, this one goes to Steve McNulty. Made opposition fans eat their words on a regular basis.

Favourite hard man – Jay Harris. Loved his energy and how he didn’t hesitate to fly into a tackle, if he won the ball of course. The fact he left Wrexham for us when in the same league made him even more likeable.

Facial hair – That’s an interesting question. Stefan Payne’s beard I suppose, likeable guy even if he didn’t amount to much overall with us.

Worst Team – The 2014/2015 season side by a country mile. Owain Fon Williams, Max Power and Liam Ridehalgh spring to mind as maybe the only players that emerged from that season with any credit.

Worst Player – George Donnelly, as we actually paid money for him and he was talked about as being a good replacement for Ryan Lowe.

Worst Moment – I didn’t go to the game, but seeing the tweet that said we were relegated to non-league after Plymouth away really did feel like a strong punch in the stomach.

Worst game – Welling at home was an absolute disgrace given it was the first game after Johnny King’s passing.

Worst signing – I’ve already mentioned George Donnelly, so Stephen Foster or Kayode Odejayi.

Worst season – Again 2014/2015, by a country mile.

Worst goal – Remember one from the National League days where their keeper parried it against his own defender and it went in. Think it was Sutton at home.

Worst kit – The first home bargains one with blue sleeves in 2013/14 made me question why I bothered with this club even as a 12 year old.

Worst nickname – Always winds me up a bit seeing Bolton or Oldham fans calling us “Trampmere”.

Worst chant – “Odejayi baby” to the tune of the Human League’s Don’t You Want Me Baby.

Worst manager – Micky Adams. Came in with a good record and looking a solid appointment to steer us to mid-table safety and left with the club in ruins and fans booing when our own players had the ball.

Worst hard man – Does Michael Higdon count as a hard man? Certainly seemed to think he was when sarcastically applauding the Kop after we cheered seeing him getting taken off when behind in a crucial game against Wrexham in which he’d contributed nothing positive at all.

Worst manager? Micky Adams.

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