Tranmere Rovers Vs Swindon Town

Matchday 29 was a journey back to Merseyside, but this time it was a visit to Birkenhead to watch Tranmere Rovers. Another match where Grandad Steve had joined us, and also Steve was the designated driver, enabling me to watch the Liverpool Vs Arsenal match while we travelled back home after the game – so thank you Steve.

Due to the festive travellers, we decided to set out just after 11:00. However, the journey was perfect with hardly any traffic although we do go via the A41 so did bypass the M6 motorway which no doubt was probably a lot more busier. We arrived at Prenton Park just after 13:00 and headed straight to the ground’s car park where I had prebooked parking.

The stadium, like most old grounds, was surrounded by houses. However, looking from the outside it looks in poor condition and could clearly see that it was an old ground.

Next to the carpark, there was a building which is in the process of being completed. We later found out after speaking with a Tranmere fan that this new building was going to be a new fan zone, which shockingly had been totally funded by the fans – not the club! This was disappointed to hear. The same fan told us that Tranmere where in the process of building a new stadium and this fan zone can be transported to the new ground, which is amazing to hear.

We did wait to try and see the Swindon Town players come off the bus, but the view was limited and ended up heading to the club shop where we purchased our second most expensive scarf, priced at £18 along with a matchday program priced at £3.50.

After having some food that we brought with us outside the ground, we decided to make our way into the ground.

We checked our tickets which stated gates 2-4, so we headed for these gates to be told by the steward this wasn’t the correct gates and insisted that we needed to head back towards the club shop and enter the gates next to that – even after showing him the ticket that stated gates 2-4. So we headed towards gates 33-36 and showed the steward the ticket, and he confirmed we did need to access gates 2-4 and stated that we had been given incorrect information. So off we went again towards gates 2-4 and met by the same steward stating the same that we were at the wrong gates. This time I was a little more forceful, and he got his supervisor who confirmed we were at the right gate! What a nightmare this was. The supervisor escorted us into the ground and physically took us to our seats while apologising for the issues we had experienced at the gate.

Our seats were in the front row, right next to the dugout, which at the beginning we thought were perfect seats. However, we soon realised once the game had started that the dugout restricted our view, and we ended up moving to another part of the stand, allowing a better view.

Before the game had started, we headed for some hot drinks and a hot dog for Liam. The hot drinks were priced at £2.50 and the hot dog was priced at £4.00. Unfortunately, the hotdog wasn’t the best quality, and Liam ended up dropping the sausage, which meant it was a wasted £4.00.

The toilets were absolutely disgusting, and the smell was vile. Fortunately, I only used this on the way out before the journey. It is very clear that the team and supporters need a new stadium ASAP or money spent improving the current facilities.

Charlie Austin from Swindon Town came over to some of the home fans to allow selfies with supporters, including Liam. This was a fantastic gesture from the away team, and I personally think players from home teams at least should take more time to allow photos with fans. Well done Charlie for this.

The game was pretty much end to end with Swindon probably playing the better football in the first half but definitely the 2nd half was the best played by Tranmere Rovers. Due to the limited road access around the ground, we decided to leave just after the 85th minute to allow us to get back home as soon as possible.

This was a fantastic decision and meant we had no issues leaving the ground, and even though our journey home was via the M6, it was very pleasant and enabled us to be back home in 2 hours where I was able to watch the last 20 minutes of the Liverpool Vs Arsenal game on TV, which ended 1-1.

Overall for Matchday 29, the stadium was the worst we have visited so far, and I really couldn’t believe the state of the toilets. The game was good although there was hardly any atmosphere, a total opposite experience given the previous game, which also was a League 2 game.

Matchday 30 will be a trip to Sheffield United on Boxing day to see them play Luton Town.

Five Facts about Tranmere Rovers:

1. Founding Years: Tranmere Rovers Football Club was founded in 1884, making it one of the older football clubs in England. The club has a rich history spanning over a century.
2. Prenton Park: The team’s home ground, Prenton Park, has been Tranmere’s fortress since 1912. It has undergone various renovations and developments over the years, serving as a historic venue for football enthusiasts.
3. Promotion History: Tranmere Rovers has experienced periods of success and has earned promotions throughout its history. The club notably secured back-to-back promotions in the 1980s, climbing from the Fourth Division to the Second Division.
4. The SWA Chant: Tranmere Rovers’ supporters are affectionately known as the SWA, which stands for “Super White Army.” The SWA chant is a popular and recognizable feature of the club’s matchdays, creating a vibrant atmosphere at Prenton Park.
5. Financial Challenges: Like many lower-league clubs, Tranmere Rovers has faced financial challenges over the years. The fan-funded initiatives, such as the new fan zone mentioned during Matchday 29, highlight the dedicated support the club receives from its fanbase.