Former Tranmere Rovers midfielder Paul Cook has praised the work that Micky Mellon is doing at his old Club as they prepare for the Sky Bet League Two Play-Offs.
Mellon’s men will face Forest Green Rovers over two-legs in the Play-Off semi-final with the first-leg under the Prenton Park floodlights on Friday 10th May, kick-off 7:45pm, before visiting Gloucestershire for the second-leg at the New Lawn on Monday 13th May, kick-off 7:45pm.
Liverpudlian Cook, 52, who is now manager of Sky Bet Championship side Wigan Athletic, made 60 league appearances for Tranmere in the First Division between February 1996 to October 1997 after being signed by John Aldridge from Coventry City.
Cook has kept a close eye on the fortunes of TRFC this term and has been impressed with Mellon’s achievements after the Scot secured a top seven finish for the Wirral outfit, which will see Tranmere compete in the Play-Offs for a third season in a row.
Cook told TRFC’s official website: “They are very strong at home and I think that Micky has done a fantastic job there and I wish them every success going in to the Play-Offs.
“I just want to wish all of the lads at Tranmere well. Micky Mellon, who has had numerous promotions is going in to the Play-Offs with good form, strong form.
“I’ll probably nip over and watch them play. I watched them play in their last Play-Offs and hopefully I can be a bit of a good luck mascot for them.”
Cook’s Rovers career was spent in the second-tier, and he is hoping that a promotion up to Sky Bet League One can continue the upward trajectory which Tranmere have enjoyed since Mellon returned to the Club.
He continued: “I always feel that a Club has a place in a football pyramid and no matter who your Club is, there is a certain place you should be. I was lucky enough to play for Tranmere in the Championship, that’s going back quite a few years now, but we were quite successful.
“We were never in relegation trouble. We were always mid-table and I’m sure the Tranmere fans certainly see their place as higher than League Two so hopefully they can get to League One and I see that as what they want to achieve.”
The SWA have proved to play a key part in Rovers’ home success throughout the course of 2018/19 and Cook recalled his fond memories of turning out in front of the Club’s supporters as the famous Friday night football returns to Prenton Park for the fixture against Mark Cooper’s Green Devils.
Cook added: “I enjoyed my time at Tranmere. Historically they have had good teams. We usually played our football on a Friday night and got good crowds in at Prenton Park and I have good memories of my time there.”
Friday night football returns to Prenton Park on the 10th May for the all important first leg Play-Off clash against Forest Green Rovers. Please CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for the game.