Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers vs. Oldham Athletic match preview
By Matthew Jones
August 5 2010
Total Tranmere brings you all the stats, facts and team news you need to know ahead of Saturday's curtain raiser in the Football League
Copyright Historical Football Kits and reproduced by kind permission.
The Football League is back with a bang this weekend, as Tranmere Rovers take on Oldham Athletic at Prenton Park to kick off their League One campaign.
This will no doubt be a tough game for both teams, who will each have a host of new players on new show, as they will be looking to hit the ground running and kick off their campaign with a win.
A bumper crowd is expected at Prenton Park, boosted by the likely large following from Oldham, there will hopefully be a great atmosphere on the Wirral to welcome the new season.
Oldham Factfile:
Ground: Boundary Park
Formed: 1895
Nickname: The Latics
Manager: Paul Dickov
League Finish 2009/10: 16th
Kit Colours: Blue shirt, white shorts, white socks (home), dark blue shirt with orange sleeves, dark blue shorts, dark blue socks (away)
Previous Meetings:
Tranmere failed to pick up a win against Oldham last season, as they lost at Prenton Park to the Latics following a 0-0 draw at Boundary Park a few weeks earlier.
In the game at Boundary Park, there was little to talk about of note, as both sides played out a dull 0-0 draw, with niether side having many chances or ever looking like winning.
A handful of weeks later, the Latics improved slightly as they beat a poor Tranmere side 1-0 at Prenton Park in a game that was very nearly called off due to fog.
The goal was scored by Pawel Abbott, who left the club this summer, as the former Swansea striker glanced a header past goalkeeper Luke Daniels from a corner to give Oldham the win.
Tranmere had chances to level the game and get a valuable point, but the likes of Shuker, Thomas-Moore and on loan striker Marvin Sordell were all unable to beat 'keeper Dean Brill, as Oldham held on for the win.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere Rovers have won just one of their last seven games against Oldham
Rovers have picked up nineteen home wins in 37 games at Prenton Park against Oldham, losing ten times
Tranmere have only scored in two of their last seven games against the Latics
Tranmere have only lost once in five home games against Oldham in August meetings between the two sides
This is the tenth successive season that the two sides have been in the same division
On This Day:
2004: Brian Little's Tranmere lose 1-0 away to Peterborough United in League One
1999: John Aldridge's Tranmere play their first of quite a few meetings against Bolton for the season, drawing 0-0 at the Reebok Stadium
Tranmere have played just two previous games on this day, picking up one defeat and one draw. They have failed to score a goal yet on August 7th, conceding just the once.
The Form Book:
Oldham Athletic have had a promising pre-season, picking up some good results, though their form has largely been inconsistent.
They started their preperations for the 2010/11 season with a 2-0 win over None League side Barrow, before losing two successive games, firstly against Burnley (2-0) and then against Falkirk (2-1) at Northwich.
A 1-1 draw with Premier League side Wigan followed, before a similar Liverpool side to the one that beat Tranmere 2-0 beat Oldham's first team 3-0.
Oldham then beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 before finishing their pre-season matches with another win against higher league opposition, beating Preston North End 1-0.
Tranmere Rovers meanwhile have also had an inconsistent pre-season, with a handful of wins mixed in with disappointing draws and defeats.
Rovers, who've fielded a large number of trialists throughout pre-season, started with two 2-2 draws against local None League sides Heswall and Cammell Laird on the same night.
Rovers have since picked up draws against Colywn Bay and Mansfield, as well as a defeat against Shrewsbury, though no doubt the highlight of the pre-season results was a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest, when Nick Wood and Ian Thomas-Moore both scored headed goals.
Other results for Tranmere this summer saw them lose 3-2 to Altrincham, 2-0 to Liverpool and 2-1 to Chester, although all of these games involved very few first team players, whilst they also beat Marine 3-2.
Double Hit:
In recent years there have been several players who've represented both Tranmere and Oldham, including Nick Henry, Wayne Gill, Jason Price and Clint Hill, whilst Ronnie Moore has managed both clubs in the last five years.
Another player who played for both Oldham and Tranmere is current Oldham centre-back Reuben Hazell.
Hazell started his career as a youngster at Aston Villa but moved to Tranmere Rovers, aged 20 in 1999 having failed to make an appearance for the Premier League club.
Hazell helped Tranmere to two F.A. Cup Quarter Finals and the League Cup final over the next two seasons, but was also part of the Tranmere side that was relegated from Division One to Division Two in the 2000/01 season.
A year and a half later, having made 54 appearances for the club, Hazell left Tranmere to join Torquay United, initially on loan, before making the move permanent after impressing in five appearances for the club.
Hazell spent the next two and a half years at Plainmoor, making 83 appearances for the club before, after a one year stint at Kidderminster Harriers, he moved back into the Football League as he joined Chesterfield on a free transfer.
Over the next two years, Hazell established himself as a key defender for the Spireites, making 80 appearances for the Saltergate club before joining Oldham Athletic, again on a free transfer, on September 14 2007.
Since joining Oldham, Hazell has become a hugely influential and important player for the club, often commanding the club for central defence.
He's been a virtually everpresent for the club over the last three seasons, missing only a handful of matches as he's made 131 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, one of which came against Tranmere at Prenton Park.
Hazell is doubtful for Saturday's game but should be fit to take his place in the clubs defence.
One To Watch:
If he is fit to start this game, then the one to watch for Oldham is surely former Cardiff striker and Northern Ireland international Warren Feeney.
A powerhouse forward who has been playing at a higher level for some years, Feeney joined Oldham on a free transfer this summer after being released by Cardiff.
He started his career with Leeds but made his name at Bournemouth after joining the club in 2001, initially on loan.
He made the move permanent after scoring four goals in eleven games whilst on loan at the South Coast and soon became a hit at Dean Court, as over the next three years he scored 33 goals from 115 games for the club.
In 2004 Feeney joined Stockport for £45,000 and after netting 17 times in 33 games, he joined Luton for £150,000, a tidy profit for Stockport just a year after signing the striker.
Feeney's form with Luton was less impressive, as he scored just 11 times in 83 games for the club, but he was part of Luton side that won League One and played in the Championship for one season.
In 2007, Feeney signed permanently for Cardiff after an initial loan spell with the club but he failed to ever impress at Cardiff and had since spent time out on loan at Swansea, Sheffield Wednesday and Dundee United before being released by Cardiff this summer and joining Oldham.
Around League One:
The League One season kicks off with a bang this weekend, with some hugely exciting matches all around the country in the third tier of English football.
Southampton vs. Plymouth
Carlisle vs. Brentford
Charlton vs. Bournemouth
Exeter vs. Colchester
Notts County vs. Huddersfield
Peterborough vs. Bristol Rovers
Rochdale vs. Hartlepool
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Dagenham and Redbridge
Swindon vs. Brighton
Tranmere vs. Oldham
Walsall vs. MK Dons
Yeovil vs. Leyton Orient
Team News:
Tranmere Rovers have more injury problems than anybody would have liked ahead of Saturday's fixture, with three players definitely out of the game and four more doubtful.
Midfielder Alan Mahon is out until Christmas whilst Ash Taylor will miss another two months before returning, whilst Marlon Broomes will also miss the game, having missed most of Tranmere's pre-season games.
The four players doutbful for the match are Ian Goodison, Joss Labadie, Paul McLaren and Timothy Cathalina, leaving manager Les Parry scratching his head as to who to pick should they miss out.
Enoch Showunmi and goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen are set to make their Tranmere Rovers debuts though.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Oldham Athletic
It's always tough to predict games so early in the season as both teams look to settle down and begin to play like a team.
It's all about which team has gelled quicker, who's fitter and who can hit the ground running, and I'm hopeful after our pre-season campaign that that team can be Tranmere.
Les Parry has certainly got the players fit, the only problem being too many players have picked up injuries and the squad does lack some depth, but I'm confident that the players we do have in the first team are good enough to pick up some good results for the squad this season.
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
05/08/2010 11:33
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
05/08/2010 11:42
The fact that Mclaren will play, is a hinderance to us, based on last season!
I'd take a draw, in all honesty!
With the current injuries and the lack of experience in the team even a point will be a bonus
