Full name | Tranmere Rovers Football Club |
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Nickname(s) | Super White Army, Rovers |
Short name | TRFC |
Founded | 1884 | as Belmont F.C.
Ground | Prenton Park |
Capacity | 16,789 |
Chairman | Mark Palios |
Manager | Micky Mellon |
League | National League |
2015–16 | National League, 6th |
Website | www |
Tranmere Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club founded in 1884, and based in Birkenhead, Wirral, England. Originally known as Belmont Football Club, they adopted their current name in 1885. They were a founder member of Division Three North in 1921, and were a member of The Football League until 2015, when they were relegated to the National League, the fifth tier of English football.
During the 1980s, they were beset by financial problems and, in 1987, went into administration. However, this was a prelude to the most successful period in Tranmere's history; under manager John King, the team reached the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League in three successive seasons. Under King's successor, John Aldridge, Tranmere experienced a number of cup runs, most notably reaching the 2000 Football League Cup Final. Other cup runs include reaching FA Cup quarter-finals in 2000, 2001 and 2004.
Tranmere's regular kit is an all-white strip with blue trim, their main colours since 1962. The club moved to its current home, Prenton Park, in 1912. In 1995, the ground had a major redevelopment in response to the Taylor Report. It now seats 16,567 in four stands: the Main Stand, the Kop, the Johnny King Stand and the Cowshed.
Tranmere Rovers were, initially, formed as Belmont Football Club when the football arms of two cricket clubs – Lyndhurst Wanderers and Belmont – came together in 1884. On 15 November 1884, they won their first game 4–0 against Brunswick Rovers. This was a friendly match, as there were no leagues until 1888. Under the presidency of James McGaul, the team had a successful inaugural season, losing only one of their fifteen matches. An unrelated, disbanded side had played under the name "Tranmere Rovers Cricket Club (Association football section)" in 1881–82. On 16 September 1885, before their second season began, Belmont F.C. adopted this name Tranmere Rovers.