Tranmere Preview
Thursday, 24th Nov 2005 00:00

Swans Head For Scouseville Ews No

Would you believe that it was Tuesday 9th August when the first Tranmere fan arrived on the message board to ask "How many you bringing to Prenton Park" and pretty much every day since then one of them has arrived to ask the same question. Quite wittily it has usually been followed by a further statement along the lines of "You welsh c " or "you sheeps g tw " or the best one of all "for your cup final" all quite comical and as you can imagine have kept us all in amusement for three months while we get on with the real job of topping League One

We are not sure of where this infatuation with numbers comes from but we assume that maybe counting has just reached schools in the area and they are keen to show off their new skills. Or maybe it is just a realisation that finally they will again get to see a crowd again at Prenton Park? Who knows, but for them the time is almost here, it is Cup Final Saturday at Tranmere.

Do you remember those days when you were a kid in the 1970s BSS (Before Sky Sports) when live football was restricted to the odd international and the Cup Final. Which was shown on both sides with about five hour build up. I used to count the days to the Cup Final such was the day itself and that is the only reason we can think for Tranmere fans to have been counting down since 9th August - a whopping 107 days ago today. Tomorrow will seem like Christmas Eve and maybe you can guarantee that all over Burke 'n' head (whoever they are) people will have difficulty sleeping tomorrow night as they count down the final few hours to the big day.

Now of course I have fallen into the trap with the headline of making reference to Tranmere fans being Scousers. They're not they tell us you see. Despite living slap bang next to the River Mersey and talking with an accent that makes them sound like Steven Gerrard clones they are not scousers. They have never nicked a hub cap in their life and a shell suit is not to be found in their wardrobes anywhere. So please don't call these scousers scousers or they will get quite upset. As Tranmere fan Barry Scouse explains "Eh, calm down now lad. Youz dont get it doz youz? We're from Beer Can Head not. Do yew know where the fox that is? Ay 'ope yew lot get beat ed satdee if yer go'n ter call us scousers"

Thanks for that Barry, it's clear as mud now thanks.

Anyway, either way it's a scouse paradise at Prenton Park for the Swans on Saturday and in answer to the question "I have no cucking flue how many people we are taking, count them when we get there?"

With Trunds, Robbo and Macca in our side we will have plenty of the locals on our side for Saturday as we look to reverse the scoreline last time we went there - a 2-1 defeat in the 5th Round of the FA Cup in early 2004.

Tranmere players find out they will play in their cup final

Since that time, we have had one promotion and look set to challenge for another one whilst Tranmere have got gradually more shit under Brian Little to such an extent that they lie just on point above the relegation zone. They were also beaten 1-0 at White Rock on the opening day of the season - a game that was shocking in so much as not a single Swansea fan asked how many fans they were bringing. Do we not know the rules of pre match warm ups?

So onto the team news. Despite no doubt being sorely tempted to stick with the side that brushed past Rushden in midweek, Kenny Jackett is likely to revert back to a side similar to that which brushed past Yeovil at White Rock. Trunds is the one they will want to watch up front but that will leave loads of space for Bayo. So watch him instead and leave the room for Trunds. You can see the dilemma that the opposition have now - its called no win !!

For Tranmere, Jason "not famous any more" McAteer won't play which is a shame but maybe he'd like to cry on the sidelines as that was quite funny in the play offs last season. They scraped past a Grant Holt-less Rochdale in midweek to reach the 3rd round of the LDV Trophy thingy which is quite good for them I guess (!)
		A Tranmere Fan's Keyboard

And if you're still with me at this point, could you answer the following please

How many side streets will I have to drive down before I find a parking space on Saturday
How many cars will I overtake on the motorway on my way to the game?
How many people will be in the services when I stop for the inevitable pee on the way up
How many people will I talk to inside the ground
How many goals will we win by
How many times will we get called sheeps s

All these questions and more will be answered on Saturday be sure to tune in.

And watch your hubcaps eh? Calm Down

Who Are We?

Predictions So Far - 16:25 NOVEMBER 24