No.2: 19th March 2015

In another new feature here on Total Tranmere, John Lee provides his take on everything topical in relation to Tranmere in his 'Topical Musings' Blog - here is his second installment.....

What a difference a win makes.  After the Northampton game, I had started to put a blog together questioning our commitment.  Questioning how much this group want to win.  Questioning our ability.  Questioning whether wearing our shirt means anything to them at all.  Well, one win later and I am ready to draw a line under the five game losing streak and but for a passing comment, not mention the Northampton game at all.  What would be the point? This is a new start for us. No need to dwell on the past. That was the last game of the old Tranmere Rovers. A new Tranmere Rovers has emerged!  

Going into this game, I felt a point would suffice.  But looking at our next couple of home games and the fixtures the teams around us had, it started to feel like anything other than a win would leave us in real trouble. Listening to Tranmere Player was uncomfortable. Other teams were getting points around us, news even filtering through that Cheltenham were winning away at Portsmouth.  But Max Power settled some nerves just before the half time whistle.  It is going to take more than one goal to silence his critics but that will go a long way towards it.  How many times have we conceded just before half time and had the wind taken out of our sails?

Cambridge are struggling at the moment, maybe this blow would hit them hard?  Maybe this could be the win we so desperately needed after all.  It certainly seemed to be going that way at the start of the second half.  It was all Tranmere. Derek Jones beaming over the airwaves as he describes a flurry of attacks.  Then, as ever, disaster strikes.  Cambridge equalise and the thought of all our past failings come flooding back to mind.  We crumble.  Every week we crumble.  Surely we are going to crumble here?   Hartlepool are winning, Carlisle are winning, Cheltenham are winning, we’re finished. How foolish we were just 10 minutes ago, being sucked in to believing we could win.

It’s an over exaggeration to many, but to Tranmere fans, you can be forgiven for thinking this way when things start to go against you.  But I was wrong. Jennison Myrie-Williams gets the better of the Cambridge defence and the man I said last week might just keep us up, scores a huge goal in our fight against relegation.  A real cool finish from Danny Gardner and we are 2-1 up.  But can we learn from our last few games?  Can we stop what happened against Portsmouth repeating itself?  Can we do what Wycombe did to us a few games later?  Yes we can.

Even after the red card to Steven Jennings, we still held on.  Out of the bottom two we go and the only way is up.  What a feeling.  All that pacing up and down the living room was more than worth it.   Are the players committed to the cause?  Answered.  They gave everything and stood strong.  Do we have the ability to get ourselves out of trouble?  Answered.  We created chances and won away from home.  How much do the players want to win?  The reaction of Max Power at the end shows how much it means to them.  Suddenly, Burton goes from being a game we were dreading to a game we can’t wait for.

Max Power's goal on Tuesday night set Rovers on course for Victory! 

But as confident as we now are that we can once again compete at this level, Burton  are a different kettle of fish entirely to Cambridge.  Burton Albion are looking to win the league. They will be coming to our ground full of confidence in their own ability, in the habit of winning games and giving everything to take another step towards League 1.  There is so much to gain for these players.  Many of them haven’t played in League 1, many have and want to get back there.  For the players, the money is better, the exposure is better, the players and grounds you come across are better.  So as much as they want to win the league for the club, the fans and for the group, they also have a huge personal motivation.

A Tranmere team having lost six on the bounce, with players who’s desire was being questioned, would simply not have been able to compete with this.  A Tranmere side who have gone to the back yard of a team in and around us, with 10 men, grabbed three points, stopped the rot and got out of the bottom two? Well, they will have different ideas.  The mentality of the fans changes.  The mentality of the players changes.  The mentality of the manager changes. Now I look at Burton and I’m not worried. Of course, they are a very good side. You don’t get to the top of the league without being a strong unit. But they have failings and we can exploit them.

Adam McGurk got injured on Wednesday night and Robbie Weir looks like he might be suspended.  Could this play a factor?  They are finally a few points clear at the top.  Could they become complacent?  Will the edge they had in recent weeks dwindle now that they have a little cushion?  Whatever happens, we need to match them for effort and desire. That is an absolute requirement.  After Tuesday, I am convinced we will get that.  

The post-match interview after Cambridge made for great viewing. The whole feel was positive. You could feel the relief and see the emotion.  Micky praised the players but more importantly, the fans.  Rightly so but also a good move to try and win a few round who have questioned him recently.  Even more than that, Micky knows that our players often feel pressure at home.  The best way to minimise that pressure is to have the crowd on your side. We will be more behind them after Tuesday night than we have been at any other point this season.

A little praise for the fans is the icing on the cake and just reaffirms that we are all in this together.  Finally, news broke today that we are staying at Prenton Park.  Mark and Nicola Palios are keeping us where we belong.  Fantastic news.  Like many of you, I have spent the vast majority of my life going to this ground. I have moved around the country and lived in different places but Prenton Park has remained a constant.  It’s a second home.  I wouldn’t want us to go anywhere else. There is no better moment than sitting in the Town End Paddock with my old man, looking down at the tunnel as the drums kick in on the Rockford Files. Long may it continue.  

It’s been a good week, a good win and some good news. Spirits are up and the feel good factor is back. We are all well aware that we are still in a dog fight, but finally, our dogs are fighting back.