Connor - a wonder of nature

Rovers have announced that Connor Jennings has signed a contract until the end of next season. Whilst some where sceptical regarding his return, bringing him back to Prenton Park has proven to be one of the few highlights in a season of mostly lows. His contribution has been immense.

I admit to being one of the sceptics. First time round Jennings was a work of wonder, an inspirational player who lived up to his song 'super Connor Jennings, He never gives the ball away'. Whilst that may have been an exaggeration, it would be true to say, at the very least, he always seems to give 100%. Yes, he's older now, not quite as quick, but he still has an energy of the player he was, still has the footballing brain that makes him stand out, still puts a smile on your face, because he always seems to enjoy what he's doing.

It may be too early to give him 'legend' status but he comes close to it, I remember watching him in the play-off game versus Newport, and I had brought a mate along who was not a Rovers supporter. 'What's the point of Jennings?' he asked. Well, by full time we knew. Then when he left, off to Stockport to join his brother, it felt like a bit of the joy at Prenton Park had gone. Yes, Norwood was important, but Connor was the beating heart of the team.

There is a Buddhist saying 'you can't swim in the same river twice', meaning nothing is ever the same, and you can't recreate that which has been. I was nervous about the returning Connor Jennings. Would he be a shadow of his former self?  Other players have come back and not been as good. Koumas, for example, although good, he wasn't the Jason Koumas we remembered. Often players returning fail under the weight of rose tinted memories of how good they were, or simply show that the years have caught up with them. At the moment, neither is true of Connor. If anything he appears to be as good as, if not better, than the player who left us. A rare treat.

Now it might be that Connor is shining because so many have seen faded this season. Like the star on a Christmas tree he is bright in the darkness around him. Players like Josh Hawkes or Keiron Morris don't seem to have the sparkle that kept our attention. I take the view that it's easy for players to play well in reasonable teams, but it takes something special for talents to shine through in a poor team. Connor shows he is a good player, and we should enjoy what he offers while we can.

My biggest concern now is injury. Yet Connor is tough. He has overcome his chondrosarcoma, and seems able to keep himself in good shape. Providing we can keep him injury free, and we escape relegation this term, I have a dream that next season he is our Captain, and in our final game of the season next May, he scores the winner with what might be his final kick of the match before retirement, securing our promotion to League 1. Now that would be a fitting end to his career, and secure his status as a true Tranmere Rovers legend.