2008–09 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season explained

Club:	Tranmere Rovers
League:	League One
Season:	2008–09
League Result:	7th
Manager:	Ronnie Moore
Stadium:	Prenton Park
Cup1:	FA Cup
Cup1 Result:	Second round
Cup2:	Football League Cup
Cup2 Result:	First round
Cup3:	Football League Trophy
Cup3 Result:	Northern area semi-finals
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Nextseason:	2009–10
Prevseason:	2007–08

During the 2008–09 English football season, Tranmere Rovers F.C. competed in Football League One.

Season summary

In the 2007–08 season, Tranmere finished 11th and their ambition for 2008–09 was the play-offs. Their form in the first half of the season was mixed, but they found themselves in 8th place at Christmas. Tranmere finished 7th, missing out on the play-offs by one point. Despite this 7th-placed finish, manager Ronnie Moore was sacked and replaced by John Barnes in mid-June.^{[1] [2]} A run of 5 games unbeaten in March/April led rovers into the play-off positions with 3 games remaining, but 7th placed Scunthorpe were two points behind and had played two games less.^[3] Tranmere lost to fellow play-off contenders Leeds United,^[4] but Scunthorpe lost too, leaving Rovers in 6th place. They failed to win their final 2 games, meaning they finished 7th.^{[5] [6]}

Kit

Tranmere's kits were manufactured by Vandanel and sponsored by the Wirral Metropolitan Council.

Squad

Squad at end of season^[7]

Left club during season

Competitions

League One

Matches

League One match details

Date	Opponents	Venue	Result	Score F–A	Scorers	Attendance
	Swindon Town	A	L	1–3	Savage 85'	7,975	^[8]
	Hartlepool United	H	W	1–0	Curran 23'	5,418	^[9]
	Leicester City	A	L	1–3	Shuker 80'	17,798	^[10]
	Northampton Town	H	W	4–1	Savage 35', Kay 38', Curran 45', Thomas-Moore 90'	5,034	^[11]
	Oldham Athletic	H	L	0–1		6,082	^[12]
	Huddersfield Town	A	W	2–1	Sonko 39', Shotton 49'	12,128	^[13]
	Peterborough United	A	D	2–2		5,735	^[14]
	Colchester United	H	L	3–4	Kay 12', Taylor 76', Shotton 78'	5,713	^[15]
	Carlisle United	A	W	2–1	Thomas-Moore 1', Shotton 80'	6,093	^[16]
	Millwall	H	L	1–3	Savage 90'	5,863	^[17]
	Leyton Orient	A	W	1–0	Shuker 39'	5,568	^[18]
	Cheltenham Town	H	W	2–0	Savage 69', Sonko 89'	4,535	^[19]
	Crewe Alexandra	H	W	2–0	Jennings 51', Shuker 74'	5,790	^[20]
	Stockport County	A	D	0–0		6,121	^[21]
	Milton Keynes Dons	A	L	0–1		8,185	^[22]
	Southend United	H	D	2–2	Thomas-Moore 8', Savage 14'	5,019	^[23]
	Yeovil Town	A	L	0–1		3,445	^[24]
	Scunthorpe United	H	W	2–0	Sonko 41', Shotton 75'	4,564	^[25]
	Leeds United	H	W	2–1	Kay 17', Moore 49'	8,700	^[26]
	Bristol Rovers	A	L	0–2		6,217	^[27]
	Brighton & Hove Albion	H	W	1–0	Kay 90'	4,885	^[28]
	Hereford United	A	D	2–2	2–2	Sonko 37', 61'	3,495	^[29]
	Walsall	H	W	2–1	Goodison 42', Kay 90'	5,913	^[30]
	Millwall	A	L	0–1		8,257	^[31]
	Carlisle United	H	W	4–1	Thomas-Moore 49', 77', Edds 53', Jennings 66'	5,924	^[32]
	Stockport County	H	W	2–1	Edds 57', Thomas-Moore 90' pen.	5,259	^[33]
	Crewe Alexandra	A	L	1–2	Kay 26'	4,936	^[34]
	Leyton Orient	H	D	0–0		4,892	^[35]
	Colchester United	A	W	1–0	Shotton 50'	3,588	^[36]
	Southend United	A	L	1–2	Thomas-Moore 63' pen.	6,507	^[37]
	Peterborough United	H	style=background-color:#FFFFCC	D	1–1	Barnett 16'	4,862	^[38]
	Milton Keynes Dons	H	L	1–1	Gornell 83'	5,625	^[39]
	Swindon Town	H	W	1–0	Kay 48'	5,153	^[40]
	Hartlepool United	A	L	1–2	Chorley 70'	3,033	^[41]
	Northampton Town	A	D	1–1	Savage 32'	4,546	^[42]
	Leicester City	H	W	2–0	Kay 47', Jennings 83' pen.	6,032	^[43]
	Huddersfield Town	H	W	3–1	Kay 6', 53', Savage 50'	5,515	^[44]
	Cheltenham Town	A	L	0–1		3,445
	Oldham Athletic	A	W	2–0	Barnett 57', Thomas-Moore 75' pen.	7,489	^[45]
	Brighton & Hove Albion	A	D	0–0		5,819	^[46]
	Bristol Rovers	H	W	2–0	Cresswell 37', Thomas-Moore 64'	8,119	^[47]
	Walsall	A	W	1–0	Savage 80'	4,206	^[48]
	Hereford United	H	W	2–1	Savage 8', Barnett 27'	5,945	^[49]
	Leeds United	A	L	1–3	Sodje 27' o.g.	24,360	^[50]
	Yeovil Town	H	D	1–1	Kay 78'	8,306	^[51]
	Scunthorpe United	A	D	1–1	Curran 39'	8,029	^[52]

FA Cup

FA Cup match details

Round	Date	Opponents	Venue	Result	Score F–A	Scorers	Attendance
First round		Accrington Stanley	A	D	0–0		2,126	^[53]
First round replay		Accrington Stanley	H	W	1–0	Shuker 69'	2,560	^[54]
Second round		Peterborough United	A	D	0–0		5,980	^[55]
Second round replay		Peterborough United	H	L	1–2	Kay 47'	3,139	^[56]

Football League Trophy

Football League Trophy match details

Round	Date	Opponents	Venue	Result	Score F–A	Scorers	Attendance
First round		Accrington Stanley	H	W	1–0	Sonko 49'	2,410	^[58]
Second round		Crewe Alexandra	H	W	1–0	Shuker 86'	2,626	^[59]
Northern quarter-final		Morecambe	H	W	1–0	Shotton 45'	2,110	^[60]
Northern semi-final		Scunthorpe United	A	L	1–2	Thomas-Moore 53'	2,669	^[61]

Notes and References

1. News: Tranmere Rovers sack Ronnie Moore after three years at club. 5 June 2009. The Guardian. 16 August 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077.
2. News: John Barnes appointed the new manager of Tranmere Rovers. 15 June 2009. The Guardian. 16 August 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077.
3. Web site: Tranmere Rovers league performance history: League One table after close of play on 15 April 2009. www.11v11.com. 16 August 2019.
4. Web site: Beckford helps play-off pursuit. Sky Sports. en. 16 August 2019.
5. Web site: Tranmere Rovers match record: League One 2009. www.11v11.com. 16 August 2019.
6. Web site: Tranmere Rovers league performance history: League One table at close of 2008–09 season. www.11v11.com. 16 August 2019.
7. Web site: FootballSquads – Tranmere Rovers – 2008/09. www.footballsquads.co.uk. 16 August 2019.
8. Web site: Swindon 3–1 Tranmere. 9 August 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
9. Web site: Tranmere 1–0 Hartlepool. 18 August 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
10. Web site: Leicester 3–1 Tranmere. 25 August 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
11. Web site: Tranmere 4–1 Northampton. 30 August 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
12. Web site: Tranmere 0–1 Oldham. 6 September 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
13. Web site: Huddersfield 1–2 Tranmere. 13 September 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
14. Web site: 20 September 2008 . Peterborough 2–2 Tranmere . 21 April 2024 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
15. Web site: Tranmere 3–4 Colchester. 26 September 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
16. Web site: Carlisle 1–2 Tranmere. 4 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
17. Web site: Tranmere 1–3 Millwall. 11 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
18. Web site: Leyton Orient 0–1 Tranmere. 18 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
19. Web site: Tranmere 2–0 Cheltenham. 21 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
20. Web site: Tranmere 2–0 Crewe. 24 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
21. Web site: Stockport 0–0 Tranmere. 28 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
22. Web site: MK Dons 1–0 Tranmere. 1 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
23. Web site: Tranmere 2–2 Southend. 15 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
24. Web site: Yeovil 1–0 Tranmere. 22 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
25. Web site: Tranmere 2–0 Scunthorpe. 25 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
26. Web site: Tranmere 2–1 Leeds. 6 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
27. Web site: Bristol Rovers 2–0 Tranmere. 13 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
28. Web site: Tranmere 1–0 Brighton. 20 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
29. Web site: Hereford 2–2 Tranmere. 26 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
30. Web site: Tranmere 2–1 Walsall. 28 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
31. Web site: Millwall 1–0 Tranmere. 17 January 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
32. Web site: Tranmere 4–1 Carlisle. 24 January 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
33. Web site: Tranmere 2–1 Stockport. 27 January 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
34. Web site: Crewe 2–1 Tranmere. 31 January 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
35. Web site: Tranmere 0–0 Leyton Orient. 7 February 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
36. Web site: Colchester 0–1 Tranmere. 10 February 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
37. Web site: Southend 2–1 Tranmere. 14 February 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
38. Web site: 17 February 2009 . Tranmere 1–1 Peterborough . 21 April 2024 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
39. Web site: Tranmere 1–1 MK Dons. 21 February 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
40. Web site: Tranmere 1–0 Swindon. 28 February 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
41. Web site: Hartlepool 2–1 Tranmere. 3 March 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
42. Web site: Northampton 1–1 Tranmere. 7 March 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
43. Web site: Tranmere 2–0 Leicester. 11 March 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
44. Web site: Tranmere 3–1 Huddersfield. 14 March 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
45. Web site: Oldham 0–2 Tranmere. 21 March 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
46. Web site: Brighton 0–0 Tranmere. 28 March 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
47. Web site: Tranmere 2–0 Bristol Rovers. 5 April 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
48. Web site: Walsall 0–1 Tranmere. 11 April 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
49. Web site: Tranmere 2–1 Hereford. 13 April 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
50. Web site: Leeds 3–1 Tranmere. 18 April 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
51. Web site: Tranmere 1–1 Yeovil. 25 April 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
52. Web site: Scunthorpe 1–1 Tranmere. 2 May 2009. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
53. Web site: Accrington 0–0 Tranmere. 8 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
54. Web site: BBC SPORT | Football | FA Cup | Tranmere 1–0 Accrington.
55. Web site: Peterborough 0–0 Tranmere. 29 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
56. Web site: Tranmere 1–2 Peterborough (aet). 9 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
57. Web site: Grimsby 2–0 Tranmere. 12 August 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
58. Web site: Tranmere 1–0 Accrington. 2 September 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
59. Web site: Tranmere 1–0 Crewe. 6 October 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
60. Web site: Tranmere 1–0 Morecambe. 4 November 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.
61. Web site: Scunthorpe 2–1 Tranmere. 16 December 2008. BBC Sport. 21 April 2024.