List of Tranmere Rovers F.C. players explained

Tranmere Rovers Football Club is an English association football club based in Birkenhead, Wirral. Founded in 1884, they played their first games under the name Belmont F.C.; in 1885, before the start of their second season, they adopted the name Tranmere Rovers. In 1889, Tranmere entered the West Lancashire League, and progressed through the Combination, the Lancashire Combination and the Central League. On 27 August 1921, as founder members of Division Three North, they won their first Football League match 4–1 against Crewe Alexandra at Prenton Park. Tranmere played in the Football League ever since then, with the exception of the war years 1939–1946, and right up until 2015 at which time they were relegated from the Football League down to the National League. Their highest league finish was fourth in the First Division which, at the time, was the second tier of the league pyramid, in the 1992–93 season.

Ray Mathias spent his entire playing career from 1964 to 1984 at Tranmere, making a record 637 appearances in all competitions. Mathias went on to manage the team in 2002. Harold Bell made a record 595 league appearances for Tranmere. Bell also holds the record for the most consecutive league appearances for a British team; he was picked for the first game after the Second World War in the 1946–47 season and did not miss a match until 30 August 1955, a total of 401 consecutive matches in the Third Division North.

Jimmy Moreton made 148 Football League and 22 FA Cup appearances, as well numerous first-team outings in the lower Lancashire Combination and Central Leagues. Upon his retirement in 1926, Moreton became first trainer, then manager of Rovers. As of the end of the 2011–12 season, the most recent player to amass 100 appearances is Ash Taylor.

Ian Muir's tally of 180 goals in 393 appearances makes him Tranmere's leading scorer. John Aldridge scored 174 goals in 294 games, and became player-manager in 1995.

Players

This list contains players who have made 100 or more appearances in nationally organised first-team competition for Tranmere. It includes first-team appearances and goals in the Football League and play-offs, the FA Cup, the Football League Cup, the Third Division North Cup, the Football League Trophy, the Full Members Cup and the Anglo-Italian Cup. Appearances and goals in other competitions or non-competitive matches are not included. Statistics from the three games in the 1939–40 Football League season abandoned because of the Second World War, and the two games against Accrington Stanley in 1961–62, prior to Accrington's resignation from the Football League, have been expunged from the records and are not included. Between 1939 and 1946, Tranmere played 277 games in wartime regional league and cup competitions, but these results are considered friendly matches and are also omitted. Statistics for current players are correct to the end of the 2023-24 season.

Position key
Pre-1960s1960s–
GKGoalkeeper
FBFull backDFDefender
HBHalf backMFMidfielder
FWForward
+ List of players with 100 or more appearancesscope=col Namescope=col Position[1] scope=col Years[2] scope=col Appearancesscope=col Goalsscope=col International[3]
1998–20093120–
1991–1998294174
1998–200423811–
1973–197817046–
1999–200211732–
1984–198714720–
1982–1985, 1987–198813930–
1945–1955197104–
1948–195418268–
[4] 2009–20131226–
2000–200311527–
1925–19352575–
1965–1972, 1979–198127881–
1930–1936127113–
1945–196063112–
1976–19821938–
1991–199812011–
1990–199730325–
1924–19322460–
1969–19721006–
1981–19862601–
1914–192920711–
1961–19641119–
1923–193023433–
1996–20021706–
1925–193013774–
1957–19611014–
1935–19391081–
1962–19651142–
1992–1999, 2007–20082210
1977–198113420–
1969–197622945–
1966–19701560–
2006–201011216–
1951–195813629–
1935–193911031–
1962–1967183106–
1948–195315912–
1934–193914631–
1957–196118140 Ireland (FAI)
 Ireland (IFA)
1976–198120030–
1957–19601201 Ireland (FAI)
 Ireland (IFA)
1970–19741530–
1981–198510013–
1957–196319528–
1953–19581228–
1972–19813507–
1958–19631880–
1987–19961466–
2004–201441013
1931–19362130
2005–200916253–
1978–19831356–
1960–196411537–
1980–19851296
1946–195415718–
2001–20071477–
1987–199223919–
1999–20021165–
1983–1985, 1987–199743412–
1997–200217020–
1964–196814210–
1985–199434412–
1999–200617637
1950–195515322–
1989–199942967–
1923–19301140–
2002–2003, 2004–20061028–
2003–200916710–
1971–19823970–
1953–196116519–
1993–2000, 2002–200532355–
1997–200011235
1978–198317843–
1947–19573596–
1962–197238538–
1960–19682647–
1998–2003; 2013–20152075
1951–19561543–
1925–193428810
1960–19671940–
1923–193217352–
1945–19572020–
1996–2000, 2009–201116415
1987–199530475–
1962–1967, 1971–197214777–
1965–19681130–
1987–199421212–
1967–19856376–
1987–199115716–
1951–196024940–
1957–1961, 1963–196511250–
1991–19992331–
2006–2008, 2009–20111436–
1989–19931398–
1997–1999, 2000–200420510–
1929–193211531–
1950–19613813–
1968–19721241–
1994–1997, 2007–201120751–
1970–197311126–
1971–1979, 1986–198937286–
1910–192617014–
1985–199958663–
1985–1995393180–
1979–199662417–
1991–199723939
1987–1997, 1999–20034380–
1991–19941142
1993–199921414
1973–1980, 1982–198528633–
1997–200320325–
1964–19671163–
1972–19842894–
1946–19614670–
1973–198127247–
1974–1978, 1983–198523712–
1932–19371890–
1962–197020631–
1999–200633714
1964–19691591–
1938–1939, 1945–1947, 1949–1952, 1954–195513044–
1957–196110849
1998–20061937–
2006–201014418–
1963–1969, 1972–197316618–
1931–19392563–
1987–199222647–
1945–19573380–
2011–2017; 2018–201913930-
1966–19701392–
1967–197213510–
1921–192720513–
2009–201420411–
2002–200512219–
1998–200113022–
1925–19301840–
1988–199731414–
1997–20001154–
1972–197822131–
1927–1936333107–
1985–199438720–
1927–1928, 1936–193910567
1929–193412860–
2009–201214911–
1948–195110611
1976–1977, 1982–198920418–
1978–198520113–
1957–196117397–
1951–195921416–
1945–195310523–
1933–193611044–
1966–197114981–
1999–200213714–
1971–19741106
1972–197719329–
2004–200810818–

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. Positions are listed according to the tactical formations that were employed at the time. Thus the change in the names of defenders and midfielders reflects the tactical evolution that occurred from the 1960s onwards.
  2. Years given denote the span between a player's first and last competitive appearance. Where a player spent multiple periods at the club, these periods are denoted as multiple ranges of years.
  3. If a player received an international first-team cap, the country or countries he represented are shown.
  4. Web site: Zoumana Bakayogo . Soccerbase.

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