Former Tranmere Rovers defender Ritchie Sutton is backing Micky Mellon’s men to gain promotion in the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final against Newport County at Wembley next Saturday afternoon.
TRFC are back under the Wembley arch for a third year in a row where Michael Flynn’s Exiles await, with a place in Sky Bet League One next term the reward for the winners.
Sutton, 33, spent three full seasons at Prenton Park, making 91 league appearances before departing the Wirral outfit to sign for fellow fourth-tier side Morecambe in January.
The Burslem-native believes that Rovers can celebrate a back-to-back promotion and praised the work that Mellon has done so far this term.
He said: “It would be great to see them have more success and get back to a league which is more suited to the Club and the players and the staff around the place.
“They have got a great group of players here (at Tranmere) and I think that the gaffer here has added one or two players that have got a lot of experience and have helped improve the squad.
“When I left, they were mid-table and they have pushed them up there which has been great and to get to Wembley for the third time on the trot is brilliant for the Club and all of the boys.”
Sutton was a regular part of the Tranmere team who returned to the EFL after a three-year absence following the 2-1 win over Boreham Wood at Wembley last May in the Vanarama National League Play-Off Final.
Recalling that day at the home of English football, where Tranmere were reduced to 10-men early on after Liam Ridehalgh’s dismissal before storming back to triumph through goals from Andy Cook and James Norwood, Sutton feels that the SWA can play their part again next weekend.
Sutton added: “To do it at Wembley under the conditions and circumstances with the man sent off was an exceptional effort.
“They (the SWA) were massive when I was playing, they pushed through times when it was hard and they couldn’t have been more important than at Wembley when we were under the cosh and a man down, they pull you through, so they are a really important part of what this Club is.”