With the fixtures announced the season begins to feel real and it truly dawns on us that Tranmere are going to the Stadium of Light, Fratton Park and Portman Road, quite the antithesis to the likes of Cressing Road and the Chadwick Stadium which were the norm in the dark National League years.
Rovers will hope to get points on the board early and they’ve been handed a home tie against Rochdale to kick things off. The two sides haven’t faced each other in a competitive fixture since the 2011/12 season. Honours were shared at Prenton Park that season but under Ronnie Moore Tranmere left Spotland with all three points thanks to goals from Jason Kennedy and Jake Cassidy. Historically, Rovers do well over the Dale, boasting 59 wins out of 122 matches, with the Greater Manchester outfit managing just 38 wins.
More good news for the Super White Army is that Rochdale do not like August, with last season’s opening day victory over Burton Albion their only victory in the opening month in the last three seasons.
The Super White Army’s first trip on the road takes them south to Portsmouth, with Kenny Jackett looking to take Pompey into the championship at the second time of asking. The sides last met in November 2014 in League 2 following a shared relegation, with Max Power – now at Sunderland – getting the decisive third in a 3-1 win. A late Ryan Taylor brace was the difference at Fratton Park as both sides ended up having poor seasons (one more so than the other).
August is rounded off with a hat trick of ‘B’s’ – Bolton Wanderers, Bristol Rovers and Bury. Whilst the ongoing situations at Bolton and Bury are sorrowful, it serves as a potential advantage for Tranmere’s hopes.
Despite being relegated from the Championship, Wanderers have reportedly been left with only six senior players and will prop-up the table from the offset with -20 points incurred as an EFL punishment for entering administration. If only the footballing body could ensure such situations didn’t arise in the first place, but that’s another debate. They will however be buoyed by a generous ‘payment’ from Manchester City, who paid £100,000 for wonderkid Daniel Ogwuru, which may very well have been invested in the playing squad come August 17th.
Just six miles east along the A58 lies another club in disarray due to delinquent ownership, with question marks over the very existence of Bury Football Club. Having already lost captain Nicky Adams and manager Ryan Lowe, the Shakers are likely in for a difficult season with other departures expected.
Sandwiched between the visits of these troubled clubs is a trip to the Memorial Stadium. Bristol Rovers have been busy in the transfer window already, with four deals over the line. Right back Mark Little joins following his release from Bolton and the 30-year-old boasts experience at both Championship and League One level, with 136 appearances in the third tier with Northampton, Peterborough and Bristol City. The Pirates have also bolstered their defence through Josh Hare, who earned a place in the National League team of the year thanks to his five goals from centre half in an impressive Eastleigh team that finished seventh.
Tranmere will be in a for a tough test in the south-west. Bristol may have finished 15th last season, however if they had Jonson Clarke-Harris for the duration of the season that may have been different. The 24-year-old signed from Coventry on deadline day and scored 11 in 16 appearances, including eight in March which won him the player of the month award.
Rovers fans can be optimistic about the start we have been dealt. Tranmere lost just 4 home league games last season and the Super White Army can make Prenton Park a fortress once again, beginning with some ‘nice’ home fixtures in the opening month. Seven or more from the opening five would surely be considered an excellent return to League One.
