‘Meeting the opposition’ – Rangers F.C

‘Meeting the opposition’ – Rangers F.C

It was announced recently that Micky Mellon’s first game back in the Prenton Park Home dugout would be against Rangers on the 10th July, after two solid weeks of Pre-season training. It doesn’t seem like too long ago that the Whites were knocked out of the play-offs by Derek Adams Morecambe but a lot has happened since. I had the pleasure of talking to Rangers supporter Graeme McMillan, @graememcmillan, on what has happened at the home of the Scottish Champions this summer for the first Meeting The Opposition of the new campaign!

How long have you been a Rangers supporter and how did you first come across the club?

I’ve been a supporter since birth, which is just over 31 years. My Dad followed the team and so did his Dad so it’s part of our family. I went to my first match when I was six years old, and got my first season ticket when I was 14. I started following home and away later that season and went abroad for the first time when I was 17.

There is a certain particular moment that many will be familiar with that you may want to mention whilst answering this question, the club’s gigantic financial troubles which saw them playing in the Scottish Fourth Division. However, what are your best and worst moments as a fan?

When I think of best moments I will mention two. My best overall moment so far was winning last year’s league title. It was disappointing not to be able to follow the team last year and go to the matches but the significance of the title makes it the best moment. It was our first major honour for ten years and during that ten years there were many, many dark days where I thought we might never win a league or a cup again so to win the league in the way we did last season was something every Rangers fan will never forget. The scenes on both the weekend we won the league and the day we were presented with the trophy will live long in the memory.

My best moment as a fan while attending a match was probably the UEFA Cup semi final in 2008. We drew 0-0 at Ibrox with Fiorentina then drew 0-0 again in Florence and won 4-2 on penalties. The euphoria in that away end in Italy that night when Nacho Novo scored the winning penalty is something that will be hard to beat.

As you alluded to in your question, the worst moment was going into administration then liquidation. The months from February to late July in 2012 were horrendous, with so much uncertainty surrounding the situation that the fans preferred bidders for the club kept being blocked by the administrators and we ended up with a cowboy in Charles Green. There were many, many bad moments on the pitch as well from 2012 to present, the worst probably being a 5-0 defeat to Celtic at their place which confirmed them as champions for the 7th time in a row. That day we were so far off them, it felt like we would never beat them again. For us, us being the board, management and fans as a collective, to turn that around and be invincible champions in the space of three years is quite remarkable to be honest. Obviously the management team deserve most credit, but the board who put him there and backed him and the fans who bought and sold out season tickets in their thousands deserve credit also.

Random fact about the Bears? (Something that I’d like to know is why you’re called the Bears but I’m sure there’s a better random fact somewhere!)

I believe the Bears comes from rhyming slang. The Rangers, the gers, the teddy bears. Would be happy to be proved wrong if that’s not correct!

A good random fact is that when we won the European cup winners cup in 1972, our only European trophy, we actually got ‘knocked out’ on the way to winning it. We played Sporting Lisbon and both ties finished 3-2 so the second leg went to extra time. We were away for the second leg and AET the game finished 4-3 but the referee wasn’t aware of the newly introduced away goal rule and took the game to penalty kicks where Sporting were successful. It wasn’t until the players were in the changing room after the game and a member of the Scottish press entered the changing room to tell manager Willie Waddell that Rangers should be through, that they realised the penalty kicks should be void!

Going into this upcoming campaign, considering the successes experienced in the last, what are your current expectations and how do they compare to last summer’s?

Last summer we went into the season with hope rather than expectation but this summer I’d imagine 99% or more of our supporters will expect to win the league again. We have a settled squad and have progressed every year under Gerrard so hopefully with a few more additions we can kick on and have another great season domestically. We have yet to win a domestic cup competition under Gerrard so I’d say it’s fair to expect at least one cup as well. On the European front it would be unbelievable to qualify for the Champions League but as long as we get into the Europa league group stages that would be OK. We will have two tough ties to get to the Champions League but Gerrard’s record in Europe has been superb so I wouldn’t put it past us making the group stage and that would be considered a massive success.

Liverpool legend and scouser Steven Gerrard is the manager at Ibrox and has been since 2018, he’s a young and emerging manager but his qualities have shone in Glasgow thus far. What are your thoughts on him and has he played a significant role in turning around the feelings and hopes surrounding the club? Where does Gerrard rank in terms of your favourite Rangers managers?

I have already mentioned him a few times and that is because he has had an unbelievable impact since coming to the club. He is now a Rangers legend after delivering the league title last year. My own thoughts on him probably couldn’t be higher. He is a young, energetic, vibrant manager backed up by superb coaches and as a management team they have got us competing at the highest level in Europe and just guided us through a 38 game league season unbeaten. They have all played a major part in turning round the fortunes of the club and as a fan base we honestly cannot thank them enough. 

In terms of ranking, I’d say he’s second only to Walter Smith who had two very successful spells as manager in the 90s then most recently 2007-2011. If he continues to be successful though he may well overtake Sir Walter.

Who are the owners of Rangers and what are your thoughts on them?

We are backed by wealthy businessmen – we don’t have one outright owner, it’s several different wealthy businessmen who are also fans who own the majority of our shares. Through our rise back to the top division they put their hand in their own pocket and continued to fund the club when there were gaps in finance. We aren’t quite there yet in terms of being self-sufficient and the guys are continuing to make up the shortfall so as well as the manager and coaching staff, the fans are very very grateful to the current board because if it wasn’t for them then who knows where we would be – certainly not in the position of strength that we find ourselves in this summer anyway!

Although they may not play given that this is a friendly in which there is a difference of qualities coming up against each other, who are your danger men and potential one’s to watch? How do you think the management team will approach this game?

This will be our second game of pre-season so I would imagine we might use a full pool of 22 players with 11 playing a half each. The ones to watch who will hopefully feature are Ryan Kent, who we signed from Liverpool for £7 million two years ago. Ianis Hagi (Son of famous Georghe Hagi) is also technically an excellent player, and Joe Aribo is also very gifted – we signed him from Charlton Athletic two years ago. New signing Fashion Sikala may also feature in the forward areas. Our most used striker is Alfredo Morelos but he probably won’t feature as he has been at the Copa America with Columbia recently.

Rangers and Tranmere have never faced each other before. However, the Scottish champions faced Shelbourne at Prenton Park in the 1990’s. Do you have any memories of that game and what are your opinions of the Whites?

I was only 8 when the game was played. I remember watching it on Eurosport and don’t think I realised at the time how much a shock it would’ve been if Shelbourne had beaten us but the team managed to turn it around.

I don’t have a massive opinion of Tranmere but they first came to my attention when they had a cup run round about the year 2000.

From a personal perspective, one of a Scottish football fan, how big do you believe the difference is between the SPL and the lower ebbs of the EFL, Leagues One and Two and what makes the SPL special to you, if there is anything in particular that does?

I think apart from ourselves and Celtic there won’t be much between league 1, 2 and most of the SPFL Premiership. Possibly Hibs and Aberdeen would maybe be too strong for most teams in league 1 and league 2 but in the main I’d say the two leagues aren’t that far apart in terms of quality.

There is absolutely nothing that makes the SPFL special to me apart from winning it! For a county our size to have 42 professional clubs is far too many, and they are currently discussing increasing that which I find farcical. Each league plays each team a minimum of three times and if you draw a team in the cup or even both cups, you can end up playing the same team 6 or 7 times a season which becomes boring. Unfortunately, the TV deal is dependent on 4 Rangers Celtic games, and the smaller clubs also rely on several home matches against the big teams to stay competitive therefore I don’t see the format changing anytime soon.

In terms of standard I think it’s a decent league that maybe gets downplayed down South. Many players have said don’t knock it till you try it after coming up here and being surprised at the standard.

‘I was only 8 when the game was played, I remember watching it on EuroSport. The team managed to turn what would’ve been a shock result around’.

The rebuild continues as training starts at the Campus!

Training has started at the Campus!

Following a few weeks rest after a frustrating and exhausting 2020-21 campaign, the pitches at Solar Campus have finally been put to good use as new, ‘old’ and emerging Tranmere talents lace their boots for their first training session as they were overlooked by a man who holds the trust and love of many a Tranmere fan.

It wasn’t just Solar Campus that held activity as there came some more news over the club’s respective social media channels, Rovers would capture the services of striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe from Salford City on a one-year-contract and, to the delightment of many, four academy youngsters, who are what I described as emerging talents, put pen to paper as they extended their contracts on Merseyside. Those young but raring stars are: Ben Jones, Kyle Hayde, Jake Burton and Ryan Stratullis who is by no doubt making Mark Palios smile with a surname like that. 

As there always are, there have been some worrying words said about new recruit Mani. Wikipedia is some people’s best form of gathering what a player is like when they sign at lower league level, I used to fall into this trap but have since become accustomed to hearing what those who know the man best have to say instead of looking at shady stats and it’s fair to say that there is an element of excitement after some glowing reports. Unlike what we did when club servant Liam Ridehalgh made the move back to Yorkshire as he donned a Bradford City shirt following eight years of service, the Moor Lane outfit put a YouTube goals compilation of what he had offered in a Red’s shirt as the 26-year-old provided a source of goals for their rise to the Football League where they would eventually go on to win the Papa John’s Trophy. 

Dieseruvwe is tall, he appears to have a strong physique and I believe that, if used correctly, he will be a success. Thus, that’s another name I can add on to the men who I’m happy that the Palios’ have been able to bring to Merseyside this summer. We need talent and Mellon needs players that he understands will give their all as he undergoes a rebuild of what was a failing, not blazing, squad. There is a mighty task on the Scotsman’s hands.

The above has been addressed by recruiting the services of promising and experienced qualities, a list which is yet to be completed. Ahead of the upcoming Football League season, a back line has been sorted out and there is no more space at the inn for a keeper. The back line: Cogley, KnightPercival, Clarke and MacDonald. I can’t wait to see the strengths of a Nathaniel KnightPercival and Peter Clarke combination, the two alongside them will provide pace on either flanks. 

Like I say and like I will keep saying, there is still so much to do before a ball can be kicked and a chant can be heard from the Kop, or any other stand in the next couple of weeks as the 7th of August draws closer. The first friendly of the summer has been announced today and it will be Steven Gerrard’s SPL table toppers on the 10th July at Prenton Park. However, just a few photos of our coaching staff for next season undertaking their roles at the pristine training ground on a refreshing summer’s day topped off with a signing was enough for me to say that I’m excited regardless for what the next year will hold.

Up the whites x

Joel Lampkin – ‘The noise behind the silence’

Joel Lampkin Q+A – ‘The noise behind the silence’

It was announced very recently that Tranmere’s frustrating 2020/21 campaign would be made into a movie, documenting everything that happened behind the scenes. Thus, I wanted to catch up with the man behind it all in Joel Lampkin. Initially I was slightly baffled as to why anyone would want to film or watch what had been going on footballing wise at Rovers since the start of the COVID pandemic. Since the final away game of the 2019/20 season, a thrilling win at Blackpool, there has been an unfair demotion due to PPG and there has been one or two very ‘annoying’ coaches in the dugout. However, it has been an unprecedented emotional roller coaster and that is exactly why this is one to watch.

Joel spoke to me about a range of subjects, his personal background and the ideas for the film itself. Find out where you can watch it and more below …

Could you describe your sporting background as a child and as a teenager, what sports captured your interest the most and how much of your life did you dedicate yourself towards it?

I’ve always played football, it literally consumed my childhood trying to make it as my idols. I played in the FA Youth Cup with Marine which is something I can always cling to but when that dream faded away I knew I wanted to be involved in football whichever way possible.

Have you always had an interest in media and creative media in particular? How did that interest start and where do your talents lie in the different media related areas?

In school, English and Media were the only class-based subjects that ever excited me. The storytelling, the analysing of different content and I had a teacher who spoke to the class like equals. Getting to sixth form, I never even thought of combining sport with media, I had no idea how people got involved in the behind the scenes of sports, and sports journalism presented itself as an option. I emailed a former student who gave me advice and I put a plan into action of how to reach this new dream. It was not until university that I ever picked up a camera and just like with everything, more and more it started to make sense, why I would do a close-up or a wide shot. Putting all my ideas into editing software and seeing the final product is a great feeling. Thinking back to school to where I struggled to the pieces I can create now, I’m a different person.

What jobs and work experiences have you had within the industry? What are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned tied with the greatest related experiences you’ve had and what would your advice be to anyone who has a goal that they want to reach, regardless of the subject area.

I’ve worked within sports media for the past 6 years, through work experience alongside my university course and this has led to incredible roles with Liverpool Football Club and amazing memories with Tranmere Rovers. My connection to Tranmere saw me end up working with the club’s media team during the National League promotion winning season which was headed up by Paul Harper at the time. Having the credentials for full access to Wembley of all places, was incredible. Being on the pitch and seeing the pure elation in the stands was beautiful and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life seeing that. Alongside that, I was present for Liverpool’s Premier League trophy lift, as a fan it was incredible to see a 30-year wait wash away and the players along with the coaching staff celebrating in the kop but that moment really hit home just how big fans are, it was a moment that should have been shared with those that live and breathe the club. I think with goals, it’s important to take it in short steps. You can always aim to climb the mountain but if you don’t start with a hill or two first – you could get stuck along the way.

How did you first get involved with Tranmere? Were they a club that you had always been interested in and how does working for a lower league club compare to working with Liverpool as you currently have a Technical role for their TV channel.

With Tranmere, I had very little interaction with the club up until the 2017/18 season, I grew up two minutes away from Anfield and when you are young, the Wirral seems far away. When I started doing media bits for the club, it was clear straight away that it went beyond football for Tranmere, it is the most community based club I’ve ever seen, where everyone is just two or three fans away from knowing everybody. With Tranmere being a few leagues lower than the other clubs I had experience of, I was blown away by the access to players, fans and facilities they afford media. You get to see the human side of players and tell their stories that you would never normally get the chance to. Micky Mellon was down to earth, he pulled me aside a few times after seeing my stuff and even gave me advice on how to keep the players happy. He looked after everyone and he made the campus a second home of sorts.

What are the greatest experiences that you’ve had with Rovers? Who are the funniest characters around the training ground? Who do you think has the greatest impact on a day-to-day basis within and around the ground and training grounds?

My greatest experience was undoubtedly going to Wembley, a place where dreams are made. Stepping onto the pitch once that final whistle went and recording the celebrations, it was the culmination of such a hard season, one where I got to know a few players well. From the training ground, the players are much more relaxed so going in with a camera, you either get some shying away or others coming more out of their shell. Ben Tollitt was the first I ever interviewed and he was a joy to work with, taking time out of his day to help TranmereTalk (our former YouTube channel) grow. Micky Mellon helped offer advice on who to speak to and how to record content in a tasteful manner to keep us on the good side of the players. Getting down to the campus has been a non-starter these past two years due to the coronavirus but the era of James Norwood, Connor Jennings, Steve McNulty and alike was a special one. They had a great core and you could see that from the banter on the training pitch, they had a laugh, played jokes but they 100% put the work in.

If you have been to the game in the past year, other than the games that fans were able to attend. What has it been like and what impact do you think it has had on players?

I haven’t been to a game in the past year, due to the pandemic and my job role almost always coinciding with Tranmere games, it just hasn’t been possible. Speaking to those that have been there such as Jay Spearing, he said it was hard at the very start, and you can imagine it was. It takes away the celebration of a goal when the roar of the crowd is removed. At some point it becomes the new normal but there will always be something missing, especially playing for Tranmere who averaged some of the higher attendances in previous years both home & away. With fans coming back I expect an acclimatisation period again due to the sheer roar when the Kop end goes berserk.

Your film, to be released soon, displays what last season was like for the club that were coming to terms with an unfair demotion from the starting point of Mike Jackson’s reign to the play-offs in which Ian Dawes and Andy Parkinson were interim gaffers. How would you describe the last season and what has it been like filming for this project? When did the ideas for this first enter your mind, what was your inspiration and aspirations for it?

The idea first came from Alex Garbe. He’s a young lad with an interest in media and he asked if he wanted to partner up. This was great from my point of view as the workload was huge and having Alex to edit certain portions was a big help. Last season was one that was destined to get worse before it got better. Having Mike Jackson take over from Micky Mellon meant that years of stability were almost undone, and despite Jacko being in Micky’s backroom staff, he would have had his own idea of how he wanted Tranmere to play. From October onwards it was like a rollercoaster of relegation threatening to potential title talk. There were so many talking points from the managers, to injuries, to the relegation itself and this is in the middle of a pandemic. It was an interesting season that Alex and I both felt needed documenting and there were plenty of people who graciously volunteered their time to give their opinion and help shed light on why certain things occurred.

How can those interested watch the film? How much will it cost to purchase and if you had to sell it to those who want to find out some more about it, how would you go about pitching your film’s idea and narrative as it was a fairly poor campaign so people may be slightly put off?? 

The film will be on YouTube (hopefully) once it’s approved by the club due to using their content. So it will be free to air without monetization so no money will be made by anyone. I think from what Tranmere have experienced the past four seasons, this season itself will be looked upon worse due to the constant changes and the outrage toward the EFL. This film has been made to make sure that the club’s story, and the story of the fans is not forgotten. Yes, there were low points but there were always incredible moments such as Papa John’s run, with interviews from those that played in those games, watched from the stands and wrote analysis. The SWA knows how this story ends, coming full circle with Micky Mellon so there will be a happy ending!

Going forwards, what are your personal working aspirations and what impact do you think the re-appointment of Micky Mellon will have around the club?

My personal working ambitions are to get into Digital Marketing, it is an area with endless capabilities that will only advance as technology improves. Media will always be an effective tool within this industry so hopeful somewhere down the line I can combine the two in the sports industry. Having Micky Mellon back at Tranmere is wonderful, the anticipation over who would settle the club going forward was making me nervous but it is almost as if all the wrongs have been erased. Don’t get me wrong, he has a massive job to undertake and his team of two and three years ago are no more but unlike anyone else that would come in – he has already bought into the ideologies of the club and loves the people. The style of football, with an emphasis on attack will be an easy one for players to buy into also and I think Tranmere enter League Two as one of the favourites for automatic promotion.

Extra question, to see the greatest players that you’ve had the pleasure of watching! Who would make your all-time 11 that you’ve watched in flesh, from any club and any league?

Alisson, the saves he has made for Liverpool has seen his hefty price tag look like a bargain and he was imperative to winning their sixth Champions League in 2019.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, it sickens me that Trent is still so young and despite transitioning to a role he was never expected to – he has made the RB position his own and showcased himself to be one of the best in the world.

Steve McNulty, Macca dominated the lower leagues, I have never seen a player be two or three steps ahead of a player as much as him. He read the game excellently, had a touch of Ronaldinho and could win any header he wanted.

Virgil Van Dijk, probably the best defender in the world at this time, injuries aside. He’s cool, calm, collected and clearly reads everything McNulty has ever written on The Beautiful Game.

Ashley Cole, he’s a player always brought up in the conversation of greatest fullbacks of all time and I saw him at his peak, it was pointless having a right midfielder at times.

Steven Gerrard, the passion he played with never faded from a young lad to a 34-year-old whose back was breaking carrying a team for a decade. He had it all and still doesn’t get the respect he deserves.

Luka Modric, even at 35-years-old he’s got some of the best ability in midfield in the world, he never relied too much on pace and has players around to cover but he’s always in the right moment at the right time.

Cristiano Ronaldo, I saw him play at Goodison as an 18-year-old and he was frighteningly good; nimble, agile and the best player on the pitch

Mohamed Salah, watching Salah on the TV and in person are completely different, he is such an intelligent player, he may be greedy but his stats are off the chart and can flip a game on its head in a moment.

Neymar, saw him play for Barcelona against Celta Vigo and he played just like I imagine a child playing on the streets of Brazil – desperate for the ball, but when he got it, you knew magic was coming.

Lionel Messi, same game as above. He barely broke a sweat, glided past players with ease and still got a goal and assist. He looked like an alien on the pitch in the way he controlled the game. Time seemed to stand still when he was in possession and like the air was sucked out of the Nou Camp waiting for a goal.

Christian Eriksen – the importance of CPR and a defib.

Cristian Eriksen’s Cardiac Arrest has placed everything into perspective and it is about time that the education system teaches you how to put CPR and a defibrillator into effective use.

On Saturday afternoon like many others I was excitedly watching Denmark v Finland waiting for that moment where someone scores their nation’s tournament opener. However, everything was soon put into perspective when one of the most distressing moments on a pitch lay before the eyes of millions across televisions worldwide as well as those who were at the game and put all rivalries aside to save a man’s life. To start this article off, I want to send my thoughts out to anyone who has ever saved a life through understanding how to perform CPR as well as wishing Christian Eriksen all the best as he recovers from the incidents in Copenhagen.

Just before half time in Finland’s first ever tournament outing, Inter Milan forward and arguable Spurs legend Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest and was greeted with a tremendous medical team who ran on the field to offer their services using a defib as his teammates either stood around him in an emotional manner, it has been argued that this was done to offer the 29-year-old privacy, regardless it’s one of the most recognised pictures in world football this year. Simon Kjaer and Kasper Schmeichel looked after Christian’s wife, Sabrina and the rest of the stadium stood lost for words. 

Honestly, I’ve watched many games of football in my life and it is a sport that I devote myself towards. I’ve seen injuries, broken legs etc yet nothing has taken me back as far as seeing a footballing magician receiving CPR in the middle of the game after taking a tumble in the aftermath of a throw-in. It made me emotional yet it also struck home the importance of life itself and what/who you should spend most of your time with. This is a footballing moment that transcends so many subjects and it is one that’s made me think of what the education system should be teaching and how vital pieces of equipment like a defib machine is. 

Since so many have seen and heard about what happened, tributes flew in as they should. However, another side that was put on show was how often situations like this occur without the usage and accessibility to instant first aiders. I’ve heard stories of men dropping on a football pitch during a game in Sunday League and as the stories entered my mind the evidence grew that this could truly happen to anyone, even the most athletic and youngest human/animal you could think of.

Cardiac arrest, which Christian suffered, is described as ‘a sudden, sometimes temporary, cessation of the heart’s functioning’. The cause? An extreme slowing of the heart’s rhythm (bradycardia) and exercise can be a trigger for sudden instances in individuals with an abnormal heart condition. There are other reasons for why these tragic circumstances may occur and there are other heart issues that are evident in other cases. However, it would only be fair and just in explaining how you can help someone who is suffering whilst you are present as I place research into why some technologies and equipment are vital and more than helpful.

As advised by the American Heart Association you should check for the person’s response once you have ensured that the scene is safe. You should then shout for help if you believe that something has occurred by calling 911 and asking for the urgent use of a defib if one is accessible. A defib can be shortened to an AED, if you’re ever confused as time is critical! Once you have pleaded for help you should then check for breath or gasps, as if they are only gasping then it is vital that you start the process of CPR before using the AED for help until the patient starts to breathe or move or until someone with more qualifications arrives at the scene.

I’m going to provide links which answer any questions that you may have below as you may have never been in this situation and it is vital that you know what to do to help out!

How do I do CPR? 

https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/how-to-do-cpr

How to use a defibrillator effectively?

https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/defibrillators/how-to-use-a-defibrillator

How do I reduce the chances of suffering a cardiac arrest?

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sudden-cardiac-arrest

CPR Facts and Stats:

https://ahainstructornetwork.americanheart.org/AHAECC/CPRAndECC/AboutCPRECC/CPRFactsAndStats/UCM_475748_CPR-Facts-and-Stats.jsp

Christian Eriksen’s current state.

As reported by BBC Football, Christian Eriksen’s doctor stated ‘He was gone. We did cardiac resuscitation, it was a cardiac arrest. We got him back after one defib which is relatively fast. The examinations that we have done so far look fine thus we have no understanding of why it may have happened’. 

The Denmark FA soon commented ‘His condition is stable and he continues to be hospitalised for further examinations. He sent his greetings to his team mates this morning. The team and staff have received crisis assistance and will continue to be there for each other following yesterday’s incident. He’s in great spirits and has told others that he feels ready to go to training!’.

One of the most recognised footballing pictures this year, as the footballing magician’s Denmark teammates stand full of emotion near to the area where he was receiving CPR with the usage of a defibrillator.

Neal @Notts.

Neal Ardley – My time at Notts County

Neal Ardley is a man that has experienced it all, or quite a bit. Recognising his talent from a child and his father bring his greatest source of inspiration, motivation and support to playing with the Crazy Gang at Wimbledon before managing the club in a period where they achieved promotion up to the heights of League One. He was appointed Notts County gaffer in November 2018 and noticed how great the challenge ahead would be after a few weeks on the training ground, now that his former employers have reached the National League Play-off Semis I translated his interview with myself for @DDLMPod into words. 

You were appointed County manager when it seemed like the club were experiencing a negative spiral of events on and off the pitch. However, do you have any regrets about your first season and how did you look at the transfer window in terms of what was needed and how you were going to achieve those goals?

I’ve got loads of regrets about the first few months, obviously the main regret was that it culminated in relegation. As manager, although I only had a few months in charge of the 2018/19 campaign, you have to take responsibility for what’s happened. 

Before I came in I looked at the squad on paper and it seemed like a good group of lads to turn around the forms of and manage but after a few weeks on the training ground their flaws became apparent. 

As I came in just before the January transfer window, I had some games where I could see what we needed and see who or who weren’t up for the challenge ahead. Our greatest problem was that we had a lot of unfit and overpaid players. I’d say that some of them were there for the money and their relationship with the fans had become quite poisonous, rightly so. 

Before each and every game I’d make a point of being highly positive and making sure my coaching staff were too but some of the players looked like they didn’t want to play, you could see it in their faces as they were so used to failure. 

When I was looking at the transfer window, we were told that we would only be able to operate on a cost effective basis and when you look at the work that we did do the club were about a thousand pound better off due to our strategy. However, attracting players was a problem as you could see it wasn’t a happy club which certainly wasn’t helped by the owner doing something on Twitter which caused a bit of a stir so I had to use all of the contacts that I had. 

I think we ended up doing well to bring in the likes of Michael Doyle and Craig Mackail-Smith but elsewhere we had to go quite young which maybe meant we were lacking experience and professionalism in some areas of the pitch. It was sad that a high turnaround of players was needed though, especially in January.

You needed to change around a mentality with a fairly new group of players in a very short space of time.

The mentality around the camp was something that needed changing. 

However, we thought if we ‘littered’ the team with new faces that the fans would be able to get behind them a little bit more and in turn change the atmosphere around the club as they hadn’t been here when the club was sinking. I think we did well to take it to the final day, especially when Macclesfield had put together a good patch of form. However, I do believe that although I take full responsibility for it .. Notts deserved to go down.

Could you tell pretty soon on the size of the challenge in hand?

Yeah. It was harder than I probably thought it was going to be when I originally took on the job.

In the summer that Notts were relegated there was a change in ownership as Chris and Alex Reedtz took over. Did you see positive behaviours in the way they operated on and off pitch matters during their time working with you and how important is a successful manager and owner relationship in football?

They were a massive breath of fresh air as the atmosphere around the club was horrendous. They came in during a whirlwind few months and had never been involved with a football club before. 

We ‘rushed’ them and got on their case to sign a few players as we were lacking in depth and quality. Some of the men that we did recruit were struggling for match fitness and they came in quite late in terms of the campaign’s starting date and the pre-season plans that we had in place. 

We were well behind but they both came in with a fantastic and strong mindframe and had a ‘lets do it’ attitude to things. Invariably we were always going to start slowly but we managed to make it to a Play off final which was a pretty remarkable achievement considering the shape of the club going into the campaign. 

They were incredibly supportive owners and played a big part in any of our successes. 

Although you’re not at the club anymore, do you think they’re the correct men to take County back into the Football League?

Yeah, they’re brilliant. They’re calm, not too emotional about results, have an unbelievable demeanor and undertake their roles with plenty of data and analysis. 

I think they’ll get it right, obviously and understandably I’m disappointed that I’m not there still but yeah I do think they’ll be successful. I hope they are. 

Your first and sole full campaign was disrupted by the COVID outbreak, the period of time where training and matches couldn’t take place without punishment and supporters not being allowed into stadiums when the games were being played again. What was it like to not have fans cheering on their beloved team and do you think that you maybe could’ve coped a slight bit better in the final and the surrounding time to achieve promotion?

As a coach and a manager I don’t think that I could’ve done much more as we got the preparation spot on. 

I think, on the day of the final, too many of the players froze. From my perspective, that was very frustrating. 

You could argue that I got things tactically wrong etc but I don’t think that was the case as had the players performed how they had trained all week then we would’ve given ourselves a much better chance of winning the game. It’s what pressure finals do to you, though and that’s why strange results happen sometimes.

I feel like I posed the question in a way which sounded like I was asking if you could’ve done much more on a personal note. However, I was wondering if the team would have adapted to a time of COVID protocols etc much better as it may have been much easier if fans were in the stadium.

I feel like if the season hadn’t been cut short due to the Pandemic that it would’ve been different as I felt we were on a roll of successful results and positivity. We’d just beat Barrow who had just lost their main striker, I’m not saying that they would’ve fallen but it felt like we would’ve been able to give them much better competition for the top spot.

However, it wasn’t to be.

I feel that if you’d have asked fans to give their thoughts on things at the start of the season then they would’ve just been happy to have a club. Thus, to go one game away from automatic promotion when only one club has managed to bounce back straight away following a relegation from the Football League in 17 years was pretty remarkable.

It was quite a lengthy stop of time wasn’t it between the postponement of the season and the final.

Yeah, it was. March to August. 

This does add another dimension to my team selection for the game at Wembley as I know there would’ve been frustrations and confusions at who I had started. However, players came back from the lockdown as either a shadow of themselves or as a brighter and happier man and I could see that. 

There were also a few who had let themselves down as they came back in a real bad mental and physical state, I won’t name them.

I wanted to touch on one player in particular as I watched some games whilst you were manager and he caught my eye. Enzio Boldeiwjn. What was he like as a player and as a man?

Yeah, he’s a talented boy and a bright head-smart man. 

Some may argue, as they do about many wingers in the lower divisions, that he could be lazy and doesn’t get into games as much as you’d want him to. However, he is your typical winger and provides a great spark when you pass him the ball. 

He can make things happen, he can tear defenders apart. He’s a great character, someone who I’ve really enjoyed working with and he’s done well with the club since his arrival a few years ago.

It was announced in March, after somewhat of a mixed campaign, that you would be leaving the club. Although it’s still a relatively raw subject, what were your thoughts on your dismissal and what are your current thoughts about County as a club?

Obviously, I’m going to have to be slightly wary of what I say here. I’m naturally disappointed as I thought I should’ve been given until the summer at least before any such decision was made as I aimed to reach the targets that we’d set. We’d lost a bit of confidence. We’d lost Callum Roberts and Wes Thomas, the latter due to COVID and we’d lost Chris Dennis in the previous summer. I was trying to navigate ourselves through the course of the campaign with a different team, a team that lacked a great source of goals and a team that lacked some of the great characters that I’d previously worked with at Notts. We were having to dig in to get the results, scrapping and battling to hang in there knowing that once we got into the Play Offs that it’s anyone’s game. I was disappointed that a chance of reaching promotion was taken away from me and I thought we maybe could’ve done more to get a higher level of quality across the team. Moving on to pastures new, they’ve appointed a new manager and they’ll see what he’s capable of doing this season before working with him across the course of the summer window. 

‘There are a lot of the people at the club who I care about deeply, thus I want to wish them the best of success and I do hope that they go up’.

Neal Ardley.

Notts County manager between 2018 and 2021.

You can hear the podcast in full via @DDLMPod on Twitter!

Taking a look at England’s final warm up game before Euro ‘2020’.

Taking a look at England v Romania.

The Three Lions’ last warm up game before Euro ‘2020’ commences is against Romania at Middlesborough’s Riverside Stadium on Sunday afternoon. It will be Southgate’s last chance to try and test out some of the players who he is unsure of starting whilst his mind gets to work on picturing who will play against Croatia in England’s opening game of the tournament, a game which will probably pose more questions than the others due to the opposition’s quality. Thus, I wanted to investigate in further detail the Romania national side including the country itself and the players who could play on the weekend for England as returning players improve on their match fitness. 

The two nations first came head to head in the summer of 1939, a few months before the start of World War Two and England who were then managed by the International Select Committee would run out 2-0 winners on foreign soil. This game would soon be sparked in rivalry as Romania would provide equipment and oil to Nazi Germany. However, it would be only fair to comment on pitch matters as Romania have defeated England on all important pitch meetings such as the 1980 World Cup Qualifier in which Valentin Stanescu’s men won 2-1. The most recent meeting between the two countries came in the Euros of 2000, another game which proved that The Land Of The Dracula had a team that would fight for each other in order to beat good opposition.

You may be quite interested in hearing why Romania is called the Land of The Dracula. The nickname stems from Vlad Dracul’s father and himself, both obtaining the name Dracula after gaining the Order of the Dragon membership. In the beginning, Vlad’s nickname which was ‘The Impaler’ came from the merchants of the city of Brasov which found him very harsh and severe and spread his nickname as far as the German lands. Further emphasising that relationship between Romania and Germany.

You could look at England’s opposition and argue that it will be poor if Southgate’s men don’t manage to bag a couple as they continue their preparation for a vital summer, given that Mirel Radio’s men are currently ranked 43rd in the most recent Fifa rankings. However, they still have a good few players who possess that dracula spirit and they will be vying for blood as they aim to get back to their average position since Fifa’s world ranking creation, in December 1992, of 24th. The players that are capable of causing a threat? Former Spurs defender/defensive midfielder and national skipper Vlad Chiriches, who is in his prime leadership years at the age of 31. Rangers’ attacker Ianis Hagi who poses a threat to many defensive lines, the 22-year-old with a total of 15 goal involvements in the Scottish Premier League for Steven Gerrard’s invincible men. Also, I consider Reading’s promising attacker George Puscas when naming key threats as he has progressed through the ranks of his national team and has scored eight goals in 23 appearances so far for The Tricolorri.

However, I have recently described in my England squad article that Southgate has enough talent at his disposal to beat any opposing nation and he could do with testing the fitness of Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire by giving them a few minutes as they attempt to recover from injuries. Thus, I’d start: Jordan Pickford, Reece James, John Stones, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips, Raheem Sterling, Domic Calvert-Lewin and Marcus Rashford whilst looking to test the legs of an important few by implementing them at sometime throughout the game as a breath of fresh air. It’s vital that a fine line between fatigue and warmed up is respected ahead of a crucial game in less than ten days time ahead of an action packed and shortened professional domestic season.

Mirel Radoi will be hoping that his key stars such as Ianis Hagi will pose a threat to England’s back line. However, I believe that although the game will be tricky Southgate has enough ammunition with the players he has selected to win a game that will send the Three Lions off to the Euro’s in high spirits.

My take on England’s Euros squad, we’re in for an entertaining summer.

Southgate’s had a vital and interesting trim!

Gareth Southgate has trimmed his squad down for this summer’s European Championships, from a provisional 33 to a solid 26, and reaction from all corners has flown across social media platforms. Thus, I decided to put pen to paper to dissect the choices that the experienced head coach has chosen for an entertaining month and a half. Is it coming home? It might, I can’t promise anything but it might.

The provisional squad was selected on 25th May, a few weeks before the competition was set to start, and there were a few players who made me scratch my head. The majority of doubts have been taken out but who were they? 

There were four shot-stoppers named in late May that were ready to represent their nation, I was quite shocked to see that Burnley’s Nick Pope wasn’t in line but I was quite glad that he had picked up a minor injury instead of being infuriatingly dropped. The 29-year-old has been solid across the course of this campaign, being rewarded by being named the starting keeper for the past few international games. However, he recently went under the knife to solve a knee issue in what was a successful procedure. However, considering his age and the managerial rumours circulating at Turf Moor amongst the emergence of Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale then I hope the door for further three lions caps hasn’t been shut. It’d be a shame for England and the man itself if it was. 

The three goalies going to the Euros? Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Sam Johnstone. Honestly, there are no problems with this for me. Johnstone has been class this campaign and deserves his call up entirely. However, my starting number one would be the Toffees’ Pickford who will provide some great strengths in his distribution, experience and leadership.

Twelve defenders were selected in the huge squad pool of inevitably Euros competing men, emphasising the quality and abilities of the players that we have in that position. Right back is an amazingly blessed area currently but that will do Aaron Wan Bissaka no favours at all, neither the promising Tariq Lamptey. However, all of the other choices were spot on for me. They were: John Stones, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Tyrone Mings, Reece James, Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Ben Godfrey, Kieran Trippier and Ben White. Personally, I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen and heard of Godfrey this season thus I thought he deserved to be included in the final 26. Brighton’s Ben White, Wolves’ Conor Coady and Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings were all questionable in my viewpoint. However, Southgate would eventually choose Conor Coady and Tyrone Mings as Ben Godfrey and Ben White were dropped. I thought it was a slight insult from the boss to state that Godfrey knew he was only joining up the camp for a bit of ‘vital’ experience as he embarks on a promising future when he has been quality of late. I was happy, though, to see that four right backs had been chosen .. all players of great technical ability, mental strength and winning ability/experience. This season Kyle Walker has won the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, Reece James has played a pivotal role in a Champions League winning side following a great loan spell at Wigan Athletic, Kieran Trippier has been immense in an Atletico Madrid La Liga winning team and it wasn’t too long ago that Alexander-Arnold was champion of the world!

The defence that I’d choose to start against Croatia on 13th June? Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw. You don’t need much convincing of the quality that these four players possess and it’s important that there is a prevalent chemistry on the big stage. This relationship has been built by playing for Manchester clubs, Walker and Stones of City and Maguire and Shaw for United respectively. Shaw has been immense this season, one of United’s shining stars through a relatively poor but improving campaign.  

Midfield is a place arguably short of number but high in quality and class, as there are numerous players capable of causing any level of opposition issues. James Ward-Prose and Jesse Lingard were the midfielders unable to make the final 26, as the pair saw creative talents such as Mason Mount, Jack Grealish and 17-year-old Jude Bellingham go instead of them. It’ll be interesting to see whether Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson can be fit in time for the competition. However, I agree with his inclusion even if that is for his winning experience and leadership around the camp. Bellingham looks like a really interesting prospect, it will be interesting to see how far the Borussia Dortmund man can go in his career which has only just started as the Bundesliga has been blessed by his name. However, Lingard with his recent form at West Ham United may feel slightly bereft with his exclusion and who could blame him for feeling that way? 

The midfield operators who were named in the final squad: Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips.

The midfield that I’d choose to start against Croatia on 13th June? Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson/Jude Bellingham .. the perfect mix of strength and flair. I’d start Henderson if he’s available but if he isn’t then I’d have no complaints with seeing Bellingham.

I believe that Southgate’s strongest area is the forward line that he’s been able to select as there hasn’t been too many injury concerns at the top end of the pitch. We, as a nation, are also blessed in having the Premier League’s best striker in Spurs’ Harry Kane who was awarded with the golden boot and the top assister’s award after an immense campaign. Unfortunately, Manchester United youngster Mason Greenwood had to pull out of this summer’s games as he needs to focus on underlying injury issues and Ollie Watkins, although he featured against Austria, wasn’t selected in the final 26. There is also an amazing volume of emerging talent at the top end of the pitch as Champions League runner up Phil Foden has been one of the League’s key men this season and it’ll be interesting to see how the future of Bukayo Saka progresses.

The men up front who will be going to the Euros: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The forward line that I’d select? Phil Foden, Harry Kane and Jadon Sancho. Pace and a wonderful firing ability on either side of a man like Kane, arguably the best front line going to the Euros this summer. I’ll be very excited to see them if they play together.

The reaction to the 26 man squad has been relatively mixed. I have seen YouTubers such as Mark Goldbridge saying that Southgate has bottled it due to the volume of defensive minded players selected and his worries for how he may want to line up and set his teams out. However, I have also seen others agreeing with me when I say that there are only two players that I’d consider replacing. Ben Godfrey and Jesse Lingard get in over Tyrone Mings and Raheem Sterling, for me. However, would they be starters or would they just be sitting on the sidelines waiting for their opportunity? I believe that they’d be doing the latter thus it’s not too much of an issue. I don’t really understand how some have a problem with the amount of right backs selected, you could argue that there are too much but they are all stars capable of playing in a range of positions in the aim of meeting a certain ambition and game plan thus I’m relatively pleased to see their names going to the summer’s halted European Championships.

My starting eleven would be: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspurs) and Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund).

For me, the above eleven would be successful as there is a great level of experience and freshness. There are many with a great taste of trophy wins and there are players emerging who are ready to show the world what they are capable of. I also think that the players have good chemistry with each other, you think of the defensive line’s Manchester link ups. I think we as Englishmen look at other countries like France and Portugal and are taken aback by their standards but it’s safe to look at the quality we possess and be proud of. I mean, what a front free Foden Kane and Sancho is!

The international warm ups get underway this week as England are set to face Austria and Romania at Middlesborough’s Riverside Stadium. Those two encounters are the build up to the big kick off against Croatia at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 13th June at 2pm, further group games will follow as Southgate’s men come up against Scotland and the Czech Republic. Will there be any further games? There just may be …

How did England fare in their first Euros warm up?

On Wednesday night, at Middlesborough’s Riverside Stadium, Austria came up against England and there were few shining lights for the three lions. Personally, I thought Jordan Pickford’s distribution and Harry Kane’s overall work in defence and attack was phenomenal and it was great to see Arsenal’s exciting youngster in Bukayo Saka get on the scoresheet. The defence seemed relatively shaky as the visitors were able to get a few ‘pop’ shots off and I’m really not too sure what Tyrone Mings was thinking when he barged into a forward inside the box. Also, there may be a slight issue with full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold who has worked hard to get back in the team as he seemed to severely injure himself whilst kicking the ball upfield. Thus, we could see a late inclusion into the final squad .. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Ben White or Jesse Lingard come in.

Rovers in Ghana for a life enriching once in a lifetime opportunity!

Idrissu Ismael – Tranmere fan trip to Ghana

As you may be aware, due to coming across articles on the subject via scrolling through the Club’s website to try and see if we have made any new signings or appointed the ‘Messiah’ in Micky Mellon, Tranmere Rovers are planning a trip out to Ghana for their supporters so they can help with area developments and in turn branch out the word of the Whites to other places around the Globe. This is something that was probably done due to the story of Idrissu Ismael’s Tranmere story, the man that is the only .. or one of the very few .. supporters over there. Thus, I thought it would be good to hear his perspective on the trip and see why he is so grateful that one of his dreams is going to be coming true.

Do you know how the opportunity for Rovers fans to visit Ghana came about and why was this something that you were always interested in?

The opportunity is from Will Newbolt who works for African Adventures and has done work with Tranmere Rovers before, he’s also been to Ghana previously as well. So he thought that it would be good to extend the opportunity to Tranemre fans, it’s something that I’m interested in as I’m happy to see and meet Rovers fans in my area.

What will the people who are coming over be doing in your area and how do you think this will impact their lives as well as the lives of area residents?

To my understanding they are coming as volunteers and also to help in taking part in building schools here, I think it will help my people around here as it will give an opportunity to share and learn each other’s cultures. More to the point, mostly they will be dealing with students and they can transpire simple knowledge and advice that will help shape the life of Ghanian kids.

Are there many different sights to see in Ghana, specifically Accra,  and what should the volunteers be intrigued in learning about?

Ghana has a lot of tourist sites that they can visit. The volunteers will mostly be staying on the Volta coast where there are beaches and plenty of sights to see and they will enjoy travelling across Ghana’s coast and they are here to learn about our culture through different means such as Dance, Food and our Dresses. They will also be taught more about our area, how they can help children around and thus will learn more about the place that we live in and the developments that we are planning.

What would you, in particular, want visitors to get a taste of for themselves?

Our tourist sites, our historical places during the slave trade era and some of our culture here in Ghana and Africa.

From a personal perspective, what are the things that you’re looking forward to learning about them and how grateful will you be to have them in your company?

Seeing and meeting some Tranmere fans here will help to clear some of my imagination as I’m the only Rovers fan in Ghana! I will be grateful that a dream of mine has been fulfilled in a way that I never expected it to be. I will watch and hear some of them sing ‘Tequila’ live in front of me as well and I will be able to speak about my passion for the club and hear about their experiences also.

How would you describe your area and day to day life?

My area is Ashaiman-MiddleEast. It’s located in Accra, 25mins away to the Airport. My day to day life is about always thinking and finding ways and means as a super Tranmere fan to build a strong fan base here in Ghana and Africa and I’m praying that with hope one-day life will permit me to help the needy and vulnerable as Rovers are doing in their own community.

If your interested in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity then you can find out more about it via https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2021/june/the-rovers-in-ghana—the-opportunity-of-a-lifetime/ It’s certainly an adventure that will give you a different perspective on life in a fun, interesting and eventful manner.

I’d like to thank Idrissu for talking to me and you can read more sport features, opinionated articles and reports etc throughout the summer on my website ‘www.EthanHoijord.com’!

Flag of Ghana, where you could be visiting next year!

Mellon returns!

I said in my last write up regarding the managerial situation that the successful Palios’ needed to appoint someone who wants to be at the club, someone with an understanding and love for the fans, if they wanted to put themselves and the Rovers back in good stead for the future. I named Micky Mellon as someone who I’d want, he’d have to return, in the hot-seat and I gave a few reasons for that. Well, on Bank Holiday Monday, little under a year since he departed for the SPL and Dundee United, the Scotsman, someone who I have great admiration for, has come back for more! This is why I’m so happy about that news, even if he has got a lot of work to do this summer to get ready for another tough and interesting campaign. 

Mellon was first appointed as Tranmere manager in October 2016, he joined a struggling team and a club which he loved but had seen their stature drop since he would fight for his shirt in midfield in previous eras. Gary Brabin was the gaffer that the Scot took over from and to be fair he had put some plans and promising players in place, forward Andy Cook joining from Barrow in the summer of 2016 as a prime example. However, there needed to be someone with winning experience and leadership to get the best out of the crop of players. Thus, when Micky Mellon came available after leaving Shrewsbury Town and moved back to Merseyside the club felt united again. United through having a sense of belief, motivation and admiration for who was at the helm. Feelings and emotions which have stayed to this day and were put firmly on show when the club was having an awful time in League One, possibly losing at the time, and Prenton Park erupted with a chant of ‘There’s only one Micky Mellon’ and ‘Micky Mellon’s Super White Army’. Micky came to Merseyside when the Whites were in the National League, he departed after many finals and very memorable wins but, of course, a deeply unfortunate PPG demotion decision.

I can only speak from my experiences but I’m sure that what I feel is shared by others also. I mean, scrolling through Twitter just then I came across a tweet which epitomised Micky’s class and how he makes fans of all ages and backgrounds feel special. @TranmereCrohnie recalled one of his loving moments from the Scotsman, ‘One fan day at PP Micky was walking back to his car as was I with my youngest, who was ten at the time. My son, Harry, pointed over towards Micky, who clocked this, he then came over to us and asked Harry if he could have a photo with him. Harry said you want one with me?’. Mellon has a way of making you feel special, making you feel entertained and making you feel important as this is your club and it is one in which he is proud to represent. When Micky was last at Rovers, me and my mate would wait for him by the players entrance at the end of every game to talk to him about what the game was like from his perspective. We would get a photo, hopefully Mellon remembered who we were but didn’t remember the hundreds of times waiting for the camera to be clicked! And we would talk about our lives at the present time, as we embarked on our GCSE’s and going the game was one thing that would take our mind away from the pressures of those exams. I had some aspirations of becoming a coach thus I asked if I could be part of his coaching staff, seeing how he did things etc on a relatively day-to-day basis. He said that I could and what an opportunity that would’ve been. Sadly, through other working and education circumstances it wasn’t something I could commit to but for him to allow me the chance of doing that shows the man’s class, his trust in fans and the way that he truly does want the best for Tranmere supporters.

It wasn’t all plain sailing. There were moments were you would have your head in your hands, the recruitment wasn’t the best at times as your mind thinks of forwards such as Jordan Ponticelli etc and some of the games would leave you upset for days on end such as the play-off final defeat against Forest Green. However, even for that performance you could argue that we were unfortunate with injuries etc. You can look at other games though, cup ties against the likes of Manchester United where we were battered at home and even Phil Jones managed to net against Scott Davies. Yet, just like the game away to Oldham Athletic in midweek when Rovers were fighting for promotion to League One, fans stayed optimistic as there was a great sense of unity and admiration for the gaffer, the coaching staff and the players on the pitch who followed the Scotsman’s words and fought for the club and their demands. Thus, when you think of the negatives and there were some please do consider the positives also. As, like I said in previous articles .. Mellon wants to be here and you don’t need much convincing of that. 

So what can fans expect?

Tranmere supporters, going into the new season, can expect a team who will fight for the club and their places and will thus be awarded with a successful and strong minded side which will inevitably lead to another glorious fist in front of the travelling fans in a packed away end or the iconic kop! 

However, there is a grand job to do this summer. In my opinion, just like the mind’s of many others, a relative rebuild is needed and you would be right in saying that losing the services of James Vaughan and Danny Lloyd hasn’t been the best of starts to the off season. At the time of writing, it is June 1st and this is the reported date for when Mellon will be officially taking over following a campaign away at Dundee United. This is normally the date for when the retained lists come out and it will be interesting to see who is placed on that this time round, I’ve got a few in my mind who I’d like to see leave but to keep (some) of my reader’s respects I won’t deliver my thoughts on that too early and ultimately, it’s something that Mellon needs to have the full control of. The Palios’ need to back him as he searches for players who want to be successful at Tranmere, there’s plenty of work that needs to be completed before a ball is kicked in hopefully a Covid-restriction free Prenton Park. I’ve got full trust and faith in all of those at the top, it’ll certainly be interesting though. 

Ian Dawes and Andy Parkinson will remain at Tranmere Rovers as they have been named Micky’s assistant and first team coaches. This adds to the excitement and anticipation as Mellon has great respect for both men and as we have seen throughout the course of the 2020/21 campaign they both have great respect for Rovers fans and the way that football should be played.

Micky Mellon’s best Tranmere team throughout his first spell, in my opinion .. I could’ve missed out a few!

Scott Davies, Adam Buxton, Ritchie Sutton, Steve McNulty, Eddie Clarke, Kieron Morris, David Perkins, Jay Harris, Josh Ginnelly, Andy Cook, James Norwood.

I’ll keep you updated with all the latest football news, thoughts and features this summer via ‘www.EthanHoijord.com’. Get ready for an action packed few months!

Meeting the opposition – Morecambe A.F.C

On Thursday evening, Derek Adams’ Shrimps edged out their first leg of the League Two Play Offs at Prenton Park 2-1. It was a game in which the visitors defended more than they attacked, that was their game plan and the manager’s plans were met by his strong resilient Morecambe team. However, there is still a second leg left to play. Sunday lunchtime, on Sky Sports cameras with everything left to fight for. Thus, I spoke to one of the hosts’ fans in the form of Jack Steel who went into depth about his personal experiences and thoughts of the club’s on and off pitch positions as well as many other relevant subject topics. 

How long have you been a Morecambe supporter and how did you first find out about them? 

I have been a season ticket holder since 2001 when the Club used to give free season tickets to primary school leavers. It worked – as I am still here 20 years later!  

Considering where the club finished last season, how successful has this season been and what are the key reasons behind this quick improvement? 

It has been an incredible turnaround which started in October 2019 with Derek Adam’s appointment. At that point we were bottom of the league, so while we “finished” in a low position last year – we had improved considerably from January 2020 when Derek was able to make some shrewd signings.  

How significant has Derek Adams been? 

Hugely significant. The timing of Jim Bentley leaving was right for all parties and Derek has brought new ideas which has freshened the team and Club up from top to bottom. That has paid dividends, and it has brought new excitement to the entire Club.   

What players will pose the greatest threats to Tranmere on Sunday? Thursday evening made it clear how much the Shrimps squad work for each other and there are some quality players for this level. 

While there are stand out players who could pose a threat, the strength of our squad is its depth. We have two players for every position and for most we would be no weaker whoever played. Carlos Mendes Gomes is a threat as our joint top scorer, but as Thursday showed, goals can come from all over the pitch.  

What is your score prediction for the second leg and do you think your playing style will change much from the initial meeting in midweek? 

Our playing style hasn’t changed all season and it won’t change on Sunday. Whatever people think of it, it is effective and that shows in our home form this season. I would like to see us win the home tie with another 2-1 win.  

What were your thoughts on the game on Thursday? Were there any Tranmere players that made you nervous across the course of the ninety minutes and how would you analyse your team’s performance? 

Tranmere had the brighter player at the start of the game, but things settled down and I thought we were largely in control. We are happy to let other teams have much of the possession, but when we do have it, we are effective. James Vaughan is undoubtedly the main threat for Tranmere so I was pleased when he left the field. Overall, I thought we played an effective away performance.  

Random fact about the Morecambe? (The place or the club itself) 

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury lives in the Morecambe area and has acquired and set up a boxing academy which is in the corner of the Mazuma Stadium.   

Proudest moment as a fan? 

Promotion to the Football League at Wembley in May 2007. It was very much the big ambition in the years preceding and to actually do it with a win at the (then) new Wembley stadium, was an incredible moment.  

What is your opinion on Tranmere and how do you think they played throughout the first leg? 

The most noticeable thing from the first leg was the number of veterans that were in the team; players who me and my friends were recalling from football manager in the 2010’s. Clearly that equates to a lot of experience. It will be interesting to see how you react on Sunday with needing to overcome the 1 goal advantage we have.  

Given the recent departure of Rovers manager Keith Hill, did you become more nervous when considering who you’d be coming up next? 

I think it is always in your mind that a manager change could lead to a boost for the team you are playing, however strange the decision was to the outside world. The advantage would have been that if Tranmere supporters were frustrated by Keith Hill’s playing style, it might have helped us if they got on the team’s back in the first leg. That has been and gone now.  

Regardless of your fate in the playoffs, what would you like to see happen in the summer, in terms of the recruitment process? 

Our main concern will be retaining the players we have. Clearly our final standing will attract the attention of clubs from higher divisions and we cannot compete on player wages. If we do that and make a few key additions, I have no doubt that we will continue to be a good side at this level or the one above.  

Thank you very much for talking to me!

My pleasure!

Shrimps gaffer Derek Adams has been ‘hugely significant’ as he has brought ‘a great new excitement’ to all areas of the club.