Tranmere Team of the Decade – 2000’s – Left-Midfielders
By Matthew Jones
February 21 2011
We continue our search for the Tranmere Team of the Decade (2000-2010) with this week seeing the launch of the vote to find the best left-midfielder of that era......
Last week, Clint Hill became the fifth person voted in to our Tranmere Rovers Team of the Decade, completing Rovers' defence as he joined Ian Goodison, Ryan Taylor, Gareth Roberts and John Actherberg in the team so far.
This week, as we continue our search, we ask you to vote for Tranmere's best left-midfielder of the past ten years, a position in which Tranmere have had few players, but some extraordinary talent.
You have seven days to vote for your favourite left-midfielder, with the winner taking a spot in the team alongside the other five Rovers legends currently on the side.
The candidates are as follows...
Jason Koumas
Jason Koumas rose through the Tranmere youth ranks and made his debut for the club during the 1998/99 season. He was with the Super Whites during their fantastic cup runs of the early 2000s, playing against the likes of Everton, Southampton, Liverpool, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Bolton. During his time with the club, he made a name for himself as one of the best players outside the Premier League, with a sweet left foot helping him create and score a number of goals.
After months of speculation, Koumas finally left Tranmere in August 2002, joining West Brom for £2,250,000, having made 150 appearances and scored 32 goals. He has since played for Wigan and Cardiff as well as the Baggies.
Steve Davies
Tranmere picked up young forward Steve Davies following his release by Liverpool, and it didn't take long for him to respond as he scored on his first appearance at Prenton Park in a 1-0 friendly win for Rovers against Manchester City. After breaking into the first team at Prenton Park, Davies was converted to a left-sided midfielder and became a hugely influential player for the club, with his pace, skill and sharp shooting capable of tearing defences apart.
He stayed with Tranmere for three seasons, although he spent most of the 2007/08 campaign injured after picking up a horrible knee ligament injury against Northampton in September, this keeping him out until April. Another exciting player who was surrounded by transfer rumours, Davies left Tranmere in 2008, joining Derby County after rejecting a contract at Prenton Park. He had played 71 games for the club, scoring five times, but his injury troubles have continued since leaving the club.
Kevin Ellison
Journey man Kevin Ellison was one of two players Ronnie Moore paid a few for during his time as Tranmere manager as he arrived from Hull City for an undisclosed fee in June 2006, having also played for Chester City, Stockport County, Lincoln City, Leicester City, Altrincham and Conwy United.
He only stayed at Prenton Park for one season before leaving for Chester, again, but he managed to play 38 games in that time and score four crucial goals in the league as Tranmere finished ninth after a play-off challanged fell away in the final few weeks of the season.
David Beresford
Pocket sized winger David Beresford signed for Tranmere in November 2003, joining up with Brian Little once again having played under the former Aston Villa manager whilst he was at Hull City. He stayed with Rovers for 18 months and was an important part of the side that finished 3rd during the 2004/05 season, scoring a crucial goal in the second leg of the play-off semi finals against Hartlepool, a tie Rovers eventually lost on penalties.
A player with a bit of pace and a decent crosser of the ball, Beresofrd left Tranmere in 2005 having made 55 appearances and netted four goals, joining Macclesfield before retiring from football due to family problems. He is now a PE teacher.
Alan Mahon
Another exciting player who played for Tranmere at youth level is former Irish international Alan Mahon, who made his debut for Tranmere during the 1995/96 season. He was part of the Tranmere side that made it to the Worthington Cup Final in 2000, scoring a crucial goal in the semi-final against Bolton, before joining Sporting Lisbon at the end of the 1999/2000 season.
However, Mahon eeturned to Tranmere, via Blackburn, Cardiff, Ipswich, Wigan, Burnley and Blackpool in July 2009, signing a 3-year contract shortly after the appointment of John Barnes as the new Rovers boss. Injury has seriously effected Mahon's career since his return to Rovers, with the player having played just 18 times since his return to the Wirral, but at his prime, the 32-year old was a seriously class player, with his brilliant left foot capable of providing brilliant crosses and scoring wonderful goals.
Who, then, will be Tranmere's left-midfielder in our team of the decade? You can decide by voting between now and Sunday 27th February - the 11th anniversary of Tranmere's Worthington Cup Final appearance against Leicester - when the votes will be counted and the winner announced and a feature story published on www.total-tranmere.co.uk.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:02:27:19:27:33 by Deadly Submarine.
Should have been left out for being a ****.
He was pure magic in a pair of football boots. Also stayed with the club when he probably could have made that big money move sooner. Unlike Davies and Mahon.
Can't give it to Beresford or Ellison, who spent only 18 months and one season respectively at the club.
Team of the decade is shaping up nicely though. Some team that so far. Ah memories.
Plus a player reckoned to be worth as much as £3,000,000, walked for zero. If He'd persuaded Mahon to stay for another 18 months, he might he gotten his money.
At least that's how I remember it.
