Tranmere Rovers return to Wembley Stadium for a third year in a row on Saturday to contest the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final against Newport County.
Micky Mellon’s men are aiming for a second successive promotion under the arch after last May’s Vanarama National League Play-Off Final success.
Tranmere have enjoyed numerous successful results at Wembley Stadium over the past three decades, which includes two Play-Off triumphs and a Leyland DAF Cup Final.
Take a trip down Wembley Way and relive Rovers’ winning appearances at the home of English football.
1987/88 Mercantile Credit Football Festival – 16th/17th April 1988
Hosted over an April weekend to mark the Centenary of the Football League, Tranmere competed in the friendly tournament along with Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Crystal Palace, Everton, Leeds United, Liverpool, Luton Town, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, Wimbledon and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Fourth Division Rovers proved to be the surprise side of the tournament and in the opening round, Dave Martindale’s goal sealed a 1-0 win over First Division Wimbledon.
Tranmere would make it through to the following round as they saw off Newcastle United 2-0 courtesy of goals from John Morrissey and Ian Muir to reach the semi-final.
Muir was at the double as Rovers took Brian Clough’s First Division Nottingham Forest to penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw, which saw Tranmere lose in the shoot-out.
1989/90 Leyland DAF Cup Final – Tranmere Rovers 2-1 Bristol Rovers – 20th May 1990
Tranmere’s first title under the Twin Towers came in May 1990 in the Leyland DAF Cup Final as they beat Bristol Rovers 2-1.
Competing in what is now known as the EFL Trophy, Johnny King’s side reached the Final after securing triumphs in previous rounds over Chester City, Rochdale, Bolton Wanderers and Doncaster Rovers.
TRFC went on to secure victory courtesy of strikes from Muir in the ninth minute of the game before Jim Steel’s effort with 71 minutes on the clock, either side of Devon White’s equaliser on 55 minutes for the Gas.
Muir’s right-footed hooked volley which found the bottom left-corner gave Tranmere the perfect start early on before he turned provider for the winner with 19 minutes left, crossing from the right for Steel to head in from on the line.
1990/91 Third Division Play-Off Final – Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Tranmere Rovers – 1st June 1991
After beating Brentford 1-0 in the semi-final second leg at Prenton Park to seal a 3-2 aggregate win, Tranmere set up a Barclays League Third Division Play-Off Final against local North West rivals Bolton Wanderers in front of 30,217 spectators.
Having lost out to Phil Neal’s Burnden Park outfit twice earlier that season in the league and Leyland DAF Cup, Rovers inflicted revenge on their Greater Manchester opponents in perfect style by ensuring Second Division football would be played on the Wirral.
Rovers goalkeeper Eric Nixon was forced to tip Julian Darby’s powerful effort away for a corner while forward Chris Malkin went close for Tranmere up the other end as both sides traded chances at goal in a tight contest in the capital.
With the scores still level after 90 minutes played, the game entered extra-time and Tranmere won it through Malkin in the 98th minute, who drove his shot inside the penalty area right-footed into the bottom left-corner beyond David Felgate to seal promotion.
2017/18 Vanarama National League Play-Off Final – Boreham Wood 1-2 Tranmere Rovers – 12th May 2018
Tranmere’s most recent visit to compete under the Wembley arch ended in the Club sealing their return to the EFL with 10-men after a three-year absence.
Mellon’s battling team had left-back Liam Ridehalgh dismissed within the opening minute and faced an uphill battle.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Rovers were in front in the sixth minute of play after James Norwood manoeuvred space down the left from Jeff Hughes’ throw into float a cross into the box for strike-partner Andy Cook to power his header beyond goalkeeper Grant Smith.
Boreham Wood were level in the eighth minute of first-half added time when Danny Woodards’ drilled cross from the left was met by Bruno Andrade from 14-yards out to drive right-footed past Scott Davies to find the bottom left-corner.
Tranmere’s winner came with 80 minutes gone through forward Norwood, who met Connor Jennings’ looping cross from the right to guide a header past Smith and into the bottom left-corner as they secured a hard-fought promotion.