Striker Greenacre Leaves for New Zealand
By Deady Submarine
April 21 2009
Rovers striker Chris Greenacre has this week signed a two-year deal with New Zealand side Wellington Phoenix meaning that he has more than likely played his last game for Tranmere, bringing to an end his four year career at the Club.
Rovers striker Chris Greenacre has this morning become the first of what it would seem is a few higher profile departures from the Club during the summer months after he agreed a two-year deal with New Zealand side Wellington Phoenix.
Phoenix, who play in the Hyundai A-League secured the services of the former Manchester City, Mansfield and Stoke City striker ona two-year deal after an injury hit season with Rovers this time around which has seen him make just four appearances.
Greenacre has always been a crowd favourite and hs been Rovers best striker in recent years, netting 55 goals in 141 appearances for the Club.
Afte joining Rovers from Stoke City in the summer of 2005, Greenacre was Rovers top scorer for the next two seasons including netting 18 goals in a poor Rovers side that almost got relegated in his first season and folowing it up with a 19 goal haul the following season.
Speaking to the Wellington Phoenix Website, Greenacre admitted he can't wait to get started....
"I can't wait, I'm looking forward to a new challenge and a new chapter in my career."
"It wasn't a tough decision at all, certainly not from a football perspective. The more I learned about the club and about Wellington from Tony the more it appealed."
"I'm not so much a targetman as the sort of player who can hold the ball up, score what some people might call the ‘ugly' goals, I guess - get in and around the box and on the posts and scramble them in."
"I'm not the sort of player who is going to take the ball on halfway, beat five guys then curl the ball past the keeper. It's more about using my knowledge and experience to get into good scoring positions and to be clinical in finishing."
"I guess there will be a bit of pressure but I've been in the game as a professional long enough to know what's expected of me and my record speaks for itself."
"I've had the pressures of expectation put on me everywhere I've played, so it's nothing new. I've never been the sort of player to bluff my way through things - I'm honest with myself and I work hard to gets things right."
With at least one other Rovers player linked to a move abroad this summer this is not likely to be the last we hear of high profile departures and even arrivals at the Club in the coming months.
Total Tranmere would like to wish Chris Greenacre all the best in his future career in New Zealand and thank him for his time at Tranmere.
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Derek did later on before the second half say "Current! Rovers striker Chris Greenacre" but to call someone who was only injured an ex-striker at the time was a tad bit strange.
Anyways, all the best to Chris, sadly another good player who has been plagued by injuries in recent times (along with Zola), and I can only hope that he makes a good name for himself over in New Zealand
HOWEVER
Ronnie has made the right decision. He was probably past it and lacked the penetration of old
Thnaks Chris for all your hard work!
hes been a great servant to the club,
but agreed it was time to let him go,
he hasnt hit the heights of the first 2 seasons in the last 2 but still a great player who will get goals wherever he is.
Every ball is a white ball............TRFC
All the best Chris hope it works out for ya!
number one, is greenacre....
number three, is greenacre
Nice for him to have an ovation all of his own!
he looked proper devastated walking past the kop at the end.. and i felt even more devastated after watching us struggle to muster a decent shot on target for the 2nd game running.