Away fans are housed in the affectionately named Cowshed Stand at one end, where up to 2,500 fans can be accommodated in this single-tier all-seated stand. You will be relieved that the name is the only connection with a real cowshed.
As this is a covered, all-seated stand, it has good facilities and unhindered views of the playing action, being free of any supporting pillars. The concourses are of a good size, and the acoustics of the stand are good, meaning that away fans can make some noise from inside this stand. The stand is also located close to the pitch, which is always positive.
Food inside includes burgers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs. These can be purchased either before kick-off or at half-time. In terms of other facilities, such as toilets, the club do their best to ensure everyone feel clean and safe.
A new stadium is on the cards for Tranmere
The club has announced that it is exploring the possibility of moving to a new stadium. This would, it is believed, be an extension of a major regeneration project to transform the Birkenhead Waterfront.
With a capacity of over 16,500, this would be seen as adequate capacity for the Club. However, the club believes that a new stadium would open up new revenue streams for the club, such as increased corporate facilities and event/conference space that they don’t have currently.
Plus, the new stadium would be more accessible to people living in the Liverpool area, not far from the Woodside Ferry Terminal and Hamilton Square Railway Station.
Arguably the most famous Tranmere Rovers fan is former Premier League referee, Mike Dean. Dean recently famously offered his services as a fourth official while attending a match at Prenton Park as a fan when one of the Referee’s assistants on the day went down injured.

Dean has also been caught on camera getting into the thick of the atmosphere at Tranmere Rovers matches as seen in the video below.
Yes. That is Mike Dean going absolutely NUTS celebrating Tranmere’s play-off win over Forest Green ?? pic.twitter.com/24Hf4dpLPU
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) May 14, 2019
Prenton Park is known for generating a fantastic atmosphere in the vast majority of games. It can be an incredibly intimidating venue at times, and Tranmere Rovers’ supporters often help change the tide of a match in their side’s favour.
Here are some notable Tranmere Rovers chants:
- Tranmere Till I Die.
- Super White Army.
- We are Going Up.
- And It’s Tranmere Rovers FC.
- It’s a Sin.
Check out the video below for a taste of what you can expect upon your visit to the ground.
A stadium seating capacity of 16,587 means Tranmere Rovers have a modest support base in Wirral, England. Because of that, we have always seen massive support from the stands at Prenton Park and even on the road.
Here are some tifos showcasing the incredible moments when Tranmere Rovers fans displayed exceptional support for their club.

Thousands of fans always turn up for home matches at Prenton Park to support Tranmere Rovers.
🎟️ Ticket sales at Bradford tomorrow will be online-only via QR code – here’s the link from the code to get ahead and buy yours early 👇
Supporters need to create an account, but this will be deleted after the game.#TRFC #SWA
— Tranmere Rovers FC (@TranmereRovers) March 14, 2025
The Kop Stand
The Kop Stand dominates Prenton Park at one end of the stadium. This stand, which opened in 1995, has a large, tall single tier, a capacity of 5,696 seats, and dwarfs the rest of the ground.
The Cowshed Stand
Opposite is the Cowshed Stand, which got its name from the old stand before it was built.
This single-tiered stand looks a little strange, as one side has more rows than the other, giving a sloping effect. It has an electric scoreboard mounted on its roof.
Johnny King Stand
On the other side is the Johnny King Stand (formerly the Borough Road Stand and now named after a former manager), a small covered stand that runs the entire length of the pitch. Both these stands were also opened in 1995.
The Main Stand
On the remaining side of the ground is the Main Stand, which was opened in 1968. It is a fair-sized, two-tiered seated stand that is covered. It has a larger upper tier and contains a couple of supporting pillars.
The team dugouts are also located at the front of this stand. It has a capacity of 5,957. The ground in its corners has a set of four unusual-looking floodlight pylons. Outside the ground, there is a statue of the Club’s most successful manager, John King.
Across the road from the main entrance to Prenton Park is an impressive-looking mural painted on the side of a house, which was finished in 2019. It depicts images of Ian Muir, the club’s leading scorer, and Ray Mathias, who made the most appearances for Tranmere. Below the players, the artist has depicted the Camel Laird Shipyard and the Birkenhead Skyline when viewed from Liverpool.
Although it may not be as glamorous as its city counterparts in Anfield and Goodison Park, Prenton Park is a fantastic stadium nonetheless.
Away fans are located in the Summit Scaffolding Cowshed Stand, which has the capacity to accommodate 2,000 fans. Entrance is via turnstiles five, six, seven, eight and nine. These can be accessed next to the traffic lights on the corner of Borough Road and Prenton Road West.
Across the ground there are 36 turnstiles, with seven behind Borough Road to access the Johnny King Stand.

Pubs near Prenton Park include:
- The Sportsman Arms – 9 Prenton Road, CH42 7LQ
- Cock & Pullet – 100 Woodchurch Road, CH42 9LP
- Aces nEights – Irvine Road, CH42 6RB
Fans can buy food before kick-off and during the half-time break. The popular options sold at the shops within the stadium are hot dogs, burgers and cheeseburgers.
Alternatively, you can try out a VIP treat at Prenton Park, and of course, for a higher ticket price.
Matchday hospitality at Prenton Park comes with a two-course meal across most of the packages. If you choose Ian Muir Bar Lounge, there is a half-time tea, cake and coffee for £55 package.
Cheeseburger at Tranmere Rovers (@TranmereRovers)
💷 £5 pic.twitter.com/H2MFVMIVMv
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) August 15, 2022
By Train
The closest railway stations are Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Central, both served by Liverpool Lime Street. Both stations are a fair walk from the ground (15-20 minutes).
By car
From M6/M56, join the M53 and exit at Junction 4, and take the B5151 Mount Road from the fourth exit of the roundabout (the ground is signposted from here). After two-and-a-half miles, when Mount Road becomes Storeton Road, turn right at the traffic lights (there is a church on the far right-hand corner) into Prenton Road West, and the ground is down this road on the right-hand side.
An easier route to the ground is to leave the M53 at Junction 3 and take the A552 Woodchurch Road towards Birkenhead. You will pass a Sainsburys and then as you reach the Half Way House pub turn right at the traffic lights onto the B5151 Mount Road. Take the first left for the ground.
Where to park your car near Prenton Park
There is a car park on the ground, which costs £6; otherwise, there is street parking, but beware that there is a strict resident parking scheme around Prenton Park. Most importantly, book your parking space at trfctickets.co.uk in advance because the parking lot always get filled up.
Further along Borough Road, going past the Kop Stand, is a sports ground with parking spaces costing £3 per car.
You can also park at the Birch Tree pub next to the stadium. It costs £5, which is refunded inside against the purchase price of food and drink.
However, be sure to turn around on the road (facing away from the ground) and travel straight back to the motorway with no problem at all after the match has ended.
The 16,587 capacity of Prenton Park is distributed across the stadium stands as follows:
- The Main Stand – 5,957.
- The Kop Stand – 5,696.
- The Cowshed Stand – 2,500.
- The Johnny King Stand – 2,414.
Whether you are a fan of Tranmere Rovers, a local or just a tourist visiting Merseyside, there is plenty to see inside Prenton Park.
To get started, book your tour in advance via the provided email on the club’s official website.
A trip to Prenton Park means you will experience more than 140 years within a 45-minute guided exploration of the venue.
During the tour, visitors are taken through the club’s football heritage, short presentations and a journey through the lens of an avid club supporter
There will also be photo sessions, even as you gain a rare opportunity to understand what happens behind the scenes at Prenton Park. That notwithstanding, a visit to the club’s store, trophy room, and legend’s corridor should come as a thrilling experience.
Visitors at Tranmere Rovers stadium also get access to the dressing rooms for both home and away teams, then take a maiden walk down the tunnel onto the pitch.
Note that Prenton Park tours are currently priced at £8. This does not include VAT, so ensure to pay the total price indicated at checkout to avoid inconveniences.
In 2025, Tranmere Rovers stadium tours for the general public began on March 5 and will end on July 8.
Tranmere Rovers is located in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. It means there is plenty to see if you visit the locality.
Here are some nearby attractions you can explore next time you visit Prenton Park Stadium.
Wirral Country Park
This was the first designated Country Park in 1973 and has since won a Green Flag Award. There is plenty to see at Wirral Country Park, including migratory birds and stunning coastal views.
As a nature reserve, Wirral Country Park is home to plenty of wildlife. A morning or evening walk along the nature trails is also something to try.
Mersey Park
If you visit Prenton Park, you wouldn’t want to miss going to Mersey Park, a popular tourist location in Merseyside. From a variety of trees to birds, the park provides a relaxing atmosphere.
The Park was opened in 1885 and has been a major leisure park for both Birkenhead dwellers and visitors, offering various social amenities. Children’s playgrounds and multi-use games areas are only a few of the available amenities. It is also a popular spot for dog walkers and community events.
Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park is also worth visiting after attending a match at Prenton Park or during any day of your choosing, provided it is open to the public. The park, which features historical structures, woodlands and lakes, is publicly funded.
Royden Park Miniature Railways
It takes approximately 18 minutes to drive from Prenton Park to Royden Park Miniature Railways. This is the ideal destination for families touring Wirral, Merseyside.
Wirral Model Engineering Society operates the miniature railways. The best time to visit is during bank holidays and on Sundays from 1:00 p.m.
There is plenty more to see in Birkenhead, so always plan your time well ahead of advance. Other notable locations to tour include, but are not limited to, Eastham County Park, Port Sunlight River Park, and Walker Park.
Football stadia
If you visiting Prenton Park and have a couple of hours spare before or after the match, then a visit to other football stadia in the local area is worth considering.
Two of the most historic football stadiums in the United Kingdom are a short distance away from Prenton Park. Anfield, the home of Liverpool, and Goodison Park, the home of Everton, are both just a 15-minute drive away.
You could also take the opportunity to check out Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Prenton Park is always available for commercial use, and with several concerts held in the past, we expect to see more such events in the future.
The Wirral Family Festival held in 2024 featured stage dances, kids’ performances and tribute bands.
May Weekender in 2018 is another popular event that has taken place at Prenton Park and it featured live band performances from popular local and international artists.
With the club considering moving to a new stadium to expand their revenue base, we expect more concerts to be held at Tranmere Rovers’ stadium in the future.
Check back for updates on upcoming concerts at Prenton Park.
Liverpool and Everton might dominate football in Merseyside, but Tranmere have been established since 1884 as well. Back in those early days, they played their home games at Steels Field before they looked to secure a more permanent home. That happened in 1887, with the ground going by various names, but the most popular was Prenton Park. The current Prenton Park, however, is not the same place.
The original Tranmere ground was sold off for development, and the club eventually opened a brand new stadium in 1912; they called it Prenton Park. It was a big upgrade on the previous Prenton Park, too, with stands by both touchline and standing terraces elsewhere.
The ground largely remained like that until the nineties legislation forced the club’s hand to make the Tranmere stadium fully seated. The club splashed out north of £3m in that redevelopment. It remains very similar to this day.
Record Attendance
24,424 vs Stoke City
FA Cup 4th Round, 5 February 1972.
Modern All-Seated Attendance Record
16,177 vs Middlesbrough
Division One, 7 May 1995.
Average Attendance
- 2024-2025: 6,208 (League Two)
- 2023-2024: 6,163 (League Two)
- 2022-2023: 6,101 (League Two)
- 2021-2022: 2,413 (Covid) (League Two)
- 2020-2021: 154 (Covid) (League Two)
- 2019-2020: 6,777 (League One)
Merseyside has some of the fiercest football rivalries, and Tranmere Rovers are not exempt from some gruelling neighbourhood encounters.
Despite being closer to Everton and Liverpool, Tranmere Rovers have rarely met with the two EPL clubs, so there is no documented rivalry worth mentioning.
Interestingly, a survey conducted in 2019 dubbed The League of Love and Hate revealed that club supporters of The Rovers regard Oldham Athletic and Bolton Wanderers as their fiercest rivals.
The most recent encounter with Bolton took place in September 2023, a match that ended 2-2 in regular time, but Tranmere won on 5-4 penalties. Between August 2029 and September 2023, these teams clashed five times, with Tranmere coming out as the most dominant side.
Moreover, the most recent duel with Oldham was in November 2024. It has also been a highly competitive rivalry, noting that in the recent ten duels between 2014 and 2024, Tramere bagged four wins, lost thrice to Oldham, with three of the clashes ending in a stalemate.
Other notable Tranmere Rovers rivals are Chester, Wrexham and Southport. According to the 2019 survey report, Tranmere Rovers also regard Crewe Alexandra as their rivals.
It would be fascinating to see Tranmere rise through the divisions and get into the Premier League with Liverpool and Everton. What the power dynamic would be is anyone’s guess. However, having finished 20th in League Two during the 2024/25 season, that is unlikely to happen any time soon as the club stare at another challenging season in the fourth division of English football.
Tranmere Rovers’ Prenton Park has relatively good accessible facilities to ensure that all supporters can enjoy a comfortable matchday experience.
Some of the key facilities include:
- 33 wheelchair spaces inside the ground
- Multiple accessible toilets
- A total of 40 accessible parking spaces – 35 for home fans and five for away supporters
Prenton Park also features a fully accessible club hospitality lounge and a sensory room, located behind the Kop Stand.
Tranmere Rovers have announced that prices for 2025/26 season cards have been frozen. A similar move occurred last year to bring families together on matchdays.
Each full-paying adult is entitled to two free Under 18 Prenton Park season cards. Visit the club shop at the stadium to buy the cards.
Meanwhile, 2025/26 season ticket prices have not been announced yet, so please check back here for future updates as the information becomes available.
During the 2024/25 season, ticket prices for home matches were as follows:
Adult: £23-£26
Senior: £18-£21
18-22: £16-£19
U18: £9
U12; £5
Official Programme £3
Ground Layout

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Tranmere Rovers v Liverpool
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday 10th July 2018, 7.30pm
David Johnson (Liverpool fan)
Tranmere Rovers v Wycombe Wanderers
League One
Sunday 17th November 2019, 12 noon
Russell (Wycombe Wanderers)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Prenton Park?
Another bonus chance for me to follow my team, due to the game being moved for Sky T.V. I work a lot of Saturdays, so a Sunday game is great for me, less so for others perhaps. Wycombe were in good form and a result would see us climb back above Ipswich to top the table.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
A slightly shorter journey for me than a lot of Wycombe fans, only travelling north from Leicestershire. Up the M6 and then across to the Wirral. Found the ground quite easily from remembering the map images, but didn't see many actual signposts for it. Parked up in a side street just around the corner from the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Accompanied by my cousin, we nipped in the Tesco Express for a couple of bits, then wandered to the stadium to enter. No issues with home fans, though we did arrive just over an hour before kick off.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Prenton Park?
An older ground, with a bit of character. I thought the turnstiles were a bit 'snug' but managed fine. The away end has a good view, though one or two seats could do with repairs. The rest of the ground looked in pretty similar condition, though the large stand opposite looks impressive, I'm sure it is when it's full and in full voice.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I tried a burger before the game. It was okay, but a little chewy. The toilets were clean at the start, less so at half time. My cousin went to get a bottle of pop at half time, but was put off by the queue. The game was a battle. It seemed like both sides had set up for a war of attrition, with Scott Kashket getting the roughing up treatment from Rovers' defenders. Two goals right before half time swung it Wycombe's way, quieting the home crowd for the rest of the game. The second half predictably saw Tranmere throwing more and more at it, and Wycombe doing a Wycombe, digging in and doing the hard ugly yards. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No issues getting away at the end of the game, straight back to the car to hit the road. Slight delay to rejoin the M53 a little further away from the ground.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, a good trip for me. A Wycombe win always improves the look of the day, especially one so hard-earned. Marred only by the disturbing reports after of the alledged homophobic of abuse reported to the referee by Wycombe goalkeeper Ryan Allsop. Plus the young Tranmere supporter who ran on the pitch after the final whistle, running and giving it large to the Wycombe end with all sorts of gestures. Shame for Tranmere, I hope both instances are looked at and dealt with appropriately.
Tranmere Rovers v Liverpool
Pre-season Friendly
Thursday 11th July 2019, 7.30pm
Rob Lawler (Liverpool)
Tranmere Rovers v Forest Green Rovers
League 2
Friday 19th April 2019, 3pm
Andy Brewitt (Doing the 92)
Tranmere Rovers v MK Dons
League 2
Saturday 13th April 2019, 3pm
Peter Williams (MK Dons)
Tranmere Rovers v Notts County
League 2
Saturday 23rd February 2019, 3pm
Edward Trafford (Neutral)
Tranmere Rovers v Tottenham Hotspur
FA Cup 3rd Round
Friday 4th January 2019, 8pm
Sam Jones (Doing the 92)
Tranmere Rovers v Gateshead
National League
Tuesday 10th April 2018, 7:45pm
Jamie Smalling (Gateshead fan)
Tranmere Rovers v Southend United
League Two
Saturday November 22nd, 2014, 3pm
John & Stephen Spooner (Southend United fans)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to this ground and how easy was the journey?
As exiled Southend fans living in North Wales, we had visited Prenton Park several times but not in recent years with Southend in League 2 and Rovers in the League above. But with Tranmere being relegated last season, there was an opportunity for a a short away trip for us for a change. Southend rarely prosper at Tranmere but with the Shrimpers lying 7th place in the league table and with Tranmere bottom, we were hopeful of a good result. Also with Tranmere recently appointing a new manager in Micky Adams and with a couple of new signings, we anticipated a good match. The journey of 20 miles from our home, was simple via A550 and M53 to junction 4, but the ground is a little tricky to find, so use satnav if you can.
2. What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?
We parked at the ground for £5 and the car park attendant wished us well and engaged in friendly chat about prospects of Southend getting a win.
3. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of ground?
This ground is rather dull from the outside, with stands painted in a military looking green/grey colour. At the entrance to the ground is a statue of ex-manager Johnny King who managed three promotions for Tranmere. We were pleased to find that most of the all seated Cowshed Stand was open for us to sit anywhere which makes it more comfortable than being crowded in small sections. The seats were good, the view is superb and the ground is impressive with the massive Kop End for the home supporters behind the goal. The old Borough Road Stand, now named after Johnny King is the smaller stand and opposite the Main Stand. The pitch looked good despite recent rainy weather. The low floodlights at the Kop End are particularly bright and not good if you follow the flight of any high balls, as they dazzle your vision. The music before the game was good, allowing for conversation, unlike some grounds where it can be ear splitting.
4. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.
The game was one sided in the first half with Southend easing to an early two goal lead. Atmosphere in our away end was good, but naturally, not so for the rest of the ground, with a relatively low crowd of 4621 for Tranmere until they pulled a goal back with a penalty early in 2nd half. Tranmere improved after the penalty but Southend always controlled the game threatening on the break and ended the game winning 2-1 and rising to 5th position in the league. The stewards were relaxed and friendly. There are two food/drink outlets within the Cowshed selling the usual fare as listed on the Ground Guide above. The toilets were clean.
5. Comments on getting away from the ground after the game.
We had to wait in the car park for about 20 minutes to allow pedestrian fans to leave safely and and then our short trip home was easy, unlike the long journey for most Southend fans taking over 4 hours on coaches and cars making the back to Essex. A good away win made for a good day out to a traditional football ground.
Photo of the Johnny King statue erected November 2014
Tranmere Rovers v Exeter City
League Two
Saturday September 20th, 2014, 3pm
Steve Ellis (Exeter City fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to this ground and how easy was the journey?
This was my third visit to Prenton Park. It is a ground that I have enjoyed visiting in the past despite poor results. I travelled on the official supporters coach, leaving Exeter at 07:45am. The journey was straightforward with no hold ups and we arrived in Birkenhead at 1:30pm.
2. What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?
With the Mersey Clipper pub now closed, our regular drinking hole on previous visits, we opted to take the walk to the Cock and Pullet. This is primarily a real ale pub where all drinks were at an average price and inside there was a friendly mix of home and away fans. For pre-match food there is a chippy just down the road from the Prenton Park Hotel, but I was told that it was not great. There is a bar under the away stand with alcoholic drinks starting at £3.50, soft drinks at £1.50 and Hot food from £2.50.
3. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of ground?
This ground is very traditional with the four stands which are all kept in reasonable condition. Away fans are housed in the 'Cowshed' at one end, which is all seated. The Main Stand and the King John Stand almost mirror each other on each side of the pitch, whilst there is the Kop Stand at the far the end of the pitch.
4. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.
The game was very competitive with Exeter coming out as 2-1 winners. The atmosphere was electric, especially from just under 300 travelling Exeter fans who sang their hearts out till the final whistle, including our Stanno song which was sung for the last 15mins. The stewards were very helpful and very low key which was good, a few of them wishing us a safe journey home after the game. I was told the burgers and meat and potato pie served inside the were good. The toilets also looked clean.
5. Comments on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away after was easy the coach parked right outside the away stand and very easy to get out of Tranmere with no issues. With a great away win, it was enjoyable trip back on the coach.
Tranmere Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday
League One
Saturday November 19th, 2011, 3pm
Dan Brennan (Sheffield Wednesday fan)
I've quite liked the look of Prenton Park, it seems to be a nice tidy ground and with Wednesday finding their feet under Gary Megson I had a very good feeling coming into the game.
Tranmere's very easy to get to. Coming from the South, just head towards Manchester and Birkenhead is signposted all the way from there, it was literally motorway all the way there which I always think is ideal as it's a lot harder to get lost!
We had a quick look in the Mersey Clipper which is directly opposite to the Main Stand, but it seemed to be a little hostile as there were a fair few Tranmere fans in there so we moved to the Prenton Park which is directly opposite to the away stand where live football was on plus we got a pint of Carlsberg for £2.20!! The pub was mainly Wednesday fans though the few Tranmere fans were friendly.
The ground is a good size and is certainly good for League One. The Kop is visible from a fair way way away outside the stadium, but none of the stands are small. The away stand, although not beautiful looking from the outside (although I didn't see any of the exteriors looking nice at all) is functional and a good size. Once inside, The Kop really is a good sized stand as is the Main Stand. Although this stand is showing it's age it's got nothing really wrong with it and I do like the odd stand with character. The stand to our left was simple but nice, reminding me of one of the stands at Wycombe.
The game itself turned out nicely from Wednesday who, courtesy of goals from Chris Lines and a late one from Ryan Lowe, came from a goal down to win the game 2-1. Tranmere's fans were disappointing in numbers and in volume. In a crowd of just over 6,500, Wednesday packed out the away stand with 2,000 and you heard scarce little of the Tranmere fans at all which I thought was a bit feable. The stewards were fine, the concourse is a bit dismal but spacious and easily big enough for even a big following like ours.
Getting out was very simple. Quickly out, little traffic, was soon on our way back down to Sheffield.
I really liked Prenton Park. Although the support and atmosphere from the home fans was disappointing. I found the ground itself to me very nice for League One standard and would recommend it as a day out for any fan. The locals were actually very friendly and get a bad report which I found to be unfounded but I wouldn't recommend going to The Mersey Clipper – stick to the Prenton Park. Good day out, good ground, and another good result for Wednesday!
Tranmere Rovers v Chesterfield
League One
Saturday 6th August 2011, 3pm
Chris Connolly (Chesterfield fan)
First day of a new season and for Chesterfield FC, a new division. Tranmere’s Prenton Park is easy to find from the motorway and seems to be on the border between Prenton and Tranmere so maybe its only by chance that the club isn’t named Prenton Rovers and the ground Tranmere Park!
There is a good pub right across the road from the turnstiles (named after the football ground) where rival fans mingled in a perfectly non-threatening atmosphere. The stadium itself is does not look that great from the outside, being clad in blue corrugated metal, but from the inside it is impressive in an endearingly higgledy-piggledy fashion.
Piecemeal development means all four stands look very different from one another and are different sizes as well. The “home” end is, frankly, a bit too big for the club’s current status and was less than half full. It dominates the rest of the ground and personally I find it a bit off-putting when an end stand is bigger than the ones at the sides so I’d say that this very large stand is actually the least attractive of the four.
The old Main Stand has a 1950s look and is none the worse for that, although the addition of different coloured seats in some sections is incongruous when the rest of the ground is uniformly blue. Across the pitch is the single-level Johnny King Stand which looks comfy enough and the Cowshed must be one of the best away ends in the division, very roomy with good access and a decent-sized if rather spartan concourse beneath.
Tranmere’s fans were surprisingly quiet although it may just have been that the noise from the away end was drowning them out. There was no tension though, between the two sets of fans, which is always a good thing. The game itself wasn’t bad although Chesterfield’s defeat to a goal deep into the second half was a bit of a slap in the face. To be fair, Tranmere deserved to win. Their team tackled and closed down well and were dangerous on the break especially when their two central midfielders were involved. The goal resulted from opportunism; a quick throw catching the Spireites defence on the hop and Robbie Weir finishing well.
After the match everyone got out with the minimum of fuss, the stewards were low-key and the home fans happy just to enjoy the fact that they had won with no desire to mix it with anyone. Apart from the result it was, all in all, a nice day out and a good football-watching experience.