38 days without a game at Prenton Park

Due to the postponement of our match with Wimbledon, 38 days will have passed between our game against Walsall and our match against Salford scheduled for 27th September. I can't remember a break as long as that so early in the season.

The hiatus has occurred by accident but it will have an effect. The most obvious one is on club finances. The lack of home games over such a long period means that there are no gate receipts.  This is cushioned by season ticket sales, in the region of 3500, which are higher than some clubs average attendances in League 2. Morecambe, Salford, Accrington and Harrogate all have average gates below this at the moment. At the same time the absence of games also has an impact upon sales of merchandise. Fewer people going to Prenton Park means lower sales of replica shirts, car air-fresheners and Tranmere Rovers Trophy lift jigsaws (a bargain at £24.99). 

Worse still getting your Rovers fix is not straightforward. Our next two away games are at Gillingham (550 mile plus return journey) and Colchester (500 mile plus). Now I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more to be the man who sees Kris Dennis score, but this is testing given both games are in succession. The return rail fare Limes Street to Gillingham is £124 without a railcard and will eat more than 8 hours of your time. Bizarrely the journey to Colchester, marginally nearer, is £135 and will take about the same time. If you wanted to do both it will cost you £250 before you even get your match day ticket.

Of course, there is an alternative, You can always travel by coach from Prenton Park with the club. It's £46 for the coach from Prenton Park to Gillingham, nothing has yet been announced for the Colchester match. That's still quite a bit of cash to shell out for away games.

It's left me wondering if the EFL fixture computer couldn't be programmed to reduce the proximity of long distance journeys. We also have the Bromley game over the same 4 week period, and a trip to the Franchise. The flip side is that supporters get these long journeys out of the way before the snow and ice arrive.  I just wonder if the club couldn't do a deal with the EFL to allow both these games to be streamed for home supporters. Birkenhead is not wealthy. £250 is a big wedge of cash to find for most people. 

The final concern I have is that such a long gap will lose momentum. Last season our away form was particularly poor, and whilst the win at Carlisle offers a glimmer of hope, I can't help thinking 4 points from those two trips would represent an excellent return, but with the postponement will see us drop a bit further behind the pace setters. That in turn will have a knock on effect on attendance at the next home game. Of course, we could win both and then locals will be queuing to Ellesmere Port for tickets. 

38 days is a long time to wait before seeing us play. Some of us will crack, sell a kidney and fork out for the games at either Gillingham or Colchester. For those who go travel safe. It's a long wait until the next home match