Tranmere Rovers
Mogsy, Nevin and Mungy are Hall of Fame Entrants
By Deadly Submarine
May 28 2010
On the final day of announcements, three further Rovers Legends have today taken their place in the Tranmere Rovers Hall of Fame which has been set up to celebrate 125 years of the Club and which will be added too in the coming years as well.....
After the inductions so far this week of three former Rovers players into the Club's new Hall of Fame, two of whom have also managed the Club, today saw the turn of three more former players to complete the initial line-up of seven for this year, a total which will be added too again in coming seasons.
Legendary wingers from the Johnny King managerial era, Pat Nevin and Johnny Morrissey are inducted today along with legendary defender and star of Rovers' recent Masters successes, Steve Mungall.
Johnny Morrissey or Mogsy as he is often more commonly known, is still to this day the favourite all time player of many Rovers Fans, myself included and was part of arguably the greatest era in Rovers history between 1985 and 1999, as well as a few bad times too.
His wing partnership with Pat Nevin, who usually played on the left wing whilst Morrissey played on the right, combined with the striking prowess of John Aldridge during the 1990's made Tranmere a commanding force in English Football's second best league for a number of years.
Morrissey signed for Rovers from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1985 and after Tranmere narrowly avoided relegation out of the Football League in 1987, Morrissey played a huge part in Rover's climb from Fourth Division obscurity to the brink of the Premership in an eight year spell. He was also part of a wonderful period in Tranmere's history where they reached Wembley four times in 12 months in the first two years of the 1990's with two Leyland Daf Cup Finals and Two Play-Off Finals, the second of which they won to gain promotion to England's Second Division.
Johnny Morrissey's excellent ability to run at defenders and cross the ball was a big part of his game and both he and Nevin on the other wing were a nemesis to many a defence over the years. Morrissey was also part of the Rovers sides that reached the First Division Play-Offs in 1993, 94 and 95 but failing at the semi-final stage each time was disappointing for Mogsy and his Rovers team mates. The success they had achieved though in reaching the play-offs was an achievement in itself.
Morrissey left Tranmere in 1999 after 14 years at the club and will be fondly remembered by the Rovers faithful for many years to come.
Morrissey's Tranmere Career:
Played = 586
Scored = 63
Following a loan spell spanning the final two months of the 1991-92 season, Pat Nevin signed for Rovers on a permanent basis from Everton for £300,000 and made his debut as a Tranmere player at the start of the following season. The Scottish International soon became a big hit with the Tranmere faithful with his runs and crosses usually from the left wing and his combination with fellow Hall of Fame winger Johnny Morrissey on the opposite side of the field.
In his five years at the club, he scored 30 goals - an average of six per season which isn't bad for a left winger. It could be said that one of his most important goals came in the 1994 League Cup Quarter Final against Nottingham Forest which helped see Tranmere through the to the semi-finals where lost to eventual winners Aston Villa on penalties after two legs.
He was part of some great times for Rovers in the 1990's including reaching the First Division Play-Offs for three years in succession from 1993-95 but sadly, failing to reach the final on any occasion. Added to this was the aforementioned run to the League Cup semi-finals in 1994.
Speaking of his move to Tranmere, some time after, Nevin said "I was disappointed to drop down a division, but when a top club came in for me, I wasn't allowed to go there so in the end it was a choice between Tranmere and Galatasary".
Most Tranmere fans will agree that from their point of view, he made the right choice! Also, asked what it was like at Tranmere while he was there he replied "They are a very good team and were unlucky three years in a row not to get to the Premiership".
Nevin's last appearance for Tranmere at Prenton Park was as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Barnsley at the end of the 1996-97 season and his last match in a Rovers shirt was again as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat against QPR at Loftus Road on the final day of the season.
Nevin moved on to pastures new in 1997, ending a 14 year spell in England by returning to his Scottish homeland to play for Kilmarnock. After one season there he signed for Kilmarnock for two seasons before retiring from playing football. He remained associated with the game however, becoming Director of Football at Motherwell and has more recently been noted for his work in Radio and TV particularly alongside John Barnes on Channel Five.
Speaking on the appointment of a new Manager for the Scottish National Team, Nevin came up with a classic clanger - "I don't want to sound homophobic, but I want a Scottish manager." ‘Wee' Pat Nevin will always be fondly remembered by Rovers fans for his contribution to what was at the time a great team and he deservedly takes his place in the Hall of Fame.
Nevin's Tranmere Career:
Played = 219 (and 12 as Sub)
Scored = 39
Scottish born defender Steve Mungall joined Rovers from Motherwell in 1979 and made more than 500 appearances for the Club in a 17 year playing career at Prenton Park.
His Rovers career spanned a huge number of changes in the Club's history from nearly going out of the League in 1987, to double promotions in the late 80's and early 90's and then on to three consecutive stabs at the Premier League play-offs before his retirement in 1996.
He then took up a position as Head of the Club's Centre of Excellence from which he retired in 2000 to pursue a business career but was back in football managing Chester City a year later but was sacked 14 months later after a poor run of form for the Deva Club.
More recently he has become a legend once more after helping Tranmere win the 2008 Mersey Masters and the 2009 Mersey and National Masters titles.
Mungall's Tranmere Career:
Played = 587 (and 40 as Sub)
Scored = 17
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28/05/2010 17:03
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I didn't vote for Mungall (but can't remember who I did vote for).
As mentioned in the article - Mogsy is my all time hero!!
