The Bulls travel to Prenton Park on Saturday for their Third Round FA Cup match.
It's one week short of ten years since the Bulls last faced Tranmere in a Third Round FA Cup match. That day, at Edgar Street, Rovers ran out 3-0 winners with a number of faces already seen at Edgar Street this season. Andy Parkinson played for Notts County on New Years Day while Gary Jones, scorer of two of the goals, is at Grimsby. One player is left from that day, reserve stopper Danny Coyle is likely to be a starter on Saturday after returning to Prenton Park in the summer and, of course, Graham Turner remains as boss of the Bulls.
Overall the Bulls have lost only five of 13 trips to Prenton Park with their last trip, in November 1988 in a single goal defeat, their first loss in five during ten uninterrupted years battling it out in the League's basement. Tranmere's ground was completely rebuilt, to a budget, in 1995 so Bulls visitors will not recognise what was once a regular haunt.
Rovers have a few recognisable faces in their current squad. Steven Jennings will be most notable for his loan spell at Edgar Street last season, while Danny Coyne and Robbie Stockdale are both full internationals. This season, they lie just three points short of the play-offs in League One with a much better home record than away. They have lost just three of twelve home matches, conceding only nine goals in those games. Nine goal Chris Greenacre is their top scorer.
The Bulls will be eyeing up a Fourth Round spot for the first time since January 1992, when they lost 2-0 at Nottm Forest. New faces in the Bulls' squad are unlikely before the weekend, and long term absentees Robbie Threlfall and Richard Rose are not expected back, but Clint Easton is hopeful of recovery from his tendonitis problem that kept him sidelined against Notts County.
Tranmere vs Hereford United, Prenton Park, Saturday January 5th, 3.00pm.