Tranmere Rovers
League Two - beyond Rovers
By Tim Dunbar-Smythe
March 13 2023
We are coming to the business end of the season. It looks like the teams in the mix will not be the ones that make the difference between promotion and relegation. What lies ahead is anybody's guess. Rovers can still influence what happens, but we are wallflowers this year, not really at the party.
At the top of the table Leyton Orient sit 8 points clear of nearest rivals Carlisle. Whilst they have lost games the teams below them have also done the same. Whilst no team is gauranteed success, you would have to bet against Orient going up, and probably as Champions. How they will fare in League One net season is anyone's guess. Last season's runaway Champions look like they will be back down in League 2 come May. It seems that running away with the League doesn't necessarily mean you will cut a swathe through the division above.
Below Orient the automatic places are being thrashed out between Carlisle, Stevenage, Northampton and Bradford. I reckon Carlisle, who we play on Good Friday, will go up automatically. I think Northampton will also clinch the third spot. It might take Northampton until the last day of the season to confirm their success, when they play us. Stevenage seem to hit a run of inconsistency and I reckon neither Bradford or Stockport have quite enough in their tank to clinch the automatic spots. Mansfield have three games in hand over most of their rivals, but I suspect they will also have to settle for the play-offs. Therefore the four teams likely to contest a place for the remaining berth up to League 1 will be Mansfield, Bradford, Stockport and Stevenage. Of that lot I reckon the play off final will be between Bradford and Mansfield (I have listed the play off teams rather than the order they will finish in).
Down at the bottom Rochdale look like they will drop out of the League, they just have too much to do to save their League status. Crawley May well be safe and I suspect they will be replaced in the relegation spots by Harrogate. Much will depend on how well Harrogate do in their remaining games, one of which is a visit to Prenton Park at the end of March.
The bottom four in League 1 are Morecambe, MK Dons, Cambridge Utd and Forest Green. I doubt if any of that lot will actually manage to avoid relegation. All of them will add strenuous competition to our division next season.
Everybody is predicting Wrexham and Notts County will come up from the National League. I see little to indicate otherwise, but keep,your eye on Chesterfield, who might be hitting form just at the right moment.
For Rovers the remaining games are largely academic. More worryingly next season may see three up three down from the National League. This is unknown territory, unfortunately if we continue on our current trajectory fans are likely to have a very nervous experience during 23/24. Unless there is major change at the club we look like offering little challenge and plenty of concern.
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13/03/2023 19:55
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If we still can't attract a big backer then maybe the best route is to take advantage of our proximity to the big boys across the Mersey and get some decent loan players in.
We desperately need a goalscoring coach even on a part-time basis. What's David Kelly doing these days? Or Jason Koumas?
***SPORTY VIKINGS - BBC Radio Merseyside with Sean Styles****
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