Tranmere Rovers are back in home action on Saturday 23rd September (3pm kick-off), as Accrington Stanley visit Prenton Park.
Nigel Adkins’ takes charge of his first home game as interim manager of the squad, who were defeated 3-2 by Crawley Town last weekend despite an improved performance.
Stanley eased past basement side Sutton United in their previous game. The 4-1 win promoted them to eighth in the Sky Bet League Two table.
Rovers are unbeaten in their last five against the visitors, including last season’s penalty triumph over the Reds at Wham Stadium in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
Team news:
Speaking in his pre-match interview, Adkins praised the return of Harvey Saunders against Crawley, while also providing the following update:
"We've got excellent medical and sports science staff here. The players are doing all they can, they want to be back involved.
"Sport equals injury. It's how best we can get them back as quickly and safely as possible. There's nothing worse than getting out there early, breaking down and being out for a longer period of time.
"Attitude-wise, they want to be helping. They can help their teammates by supporting those who are playing, showing how hard they're working and by making sure players aren't moody or sulking around, because that rubs off on people."
Last time out:
Last five meetings:
9th August 2022 - Accrington Stanley 2-2 Tranmere Rovers (11-12 on penalties) - Carabao Cup first round
SCORERS - Hawkes, Astley (OG)
7th November 2020 - Tranmere Rovers 2-1 Accrington Stanley - FA Cup first round
SCORERS - Blackett-Taylor, Clarke
7th March 2020 - Accrington Stanley 1-2 Tranmere Rovers - League One
SCORERS - Vaughan, Ellis
7th December 2019 - Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Accrington Stanley - League One
SCORERS - Morris
17th January 2015 - Tranmere Rovers 3-0 Accrington Stanley - League Two
SCORERS - Donnelly x2, Fenelon
One to watch: Tommy Leigh
Since signing in the summer of 2021, Tommy Leigh has become a key member of the Accrington squad.
The goalscoring midfielder has netted 22 times in 87 appearances for Stanley, including twice in their win over Sutton last weekend.
23-year-old Leigh’s impressive performance saw him awarded a place in the EFL Team of the Week, as he aims to continue his impressive form.
Manager: John Coleman
Undoubtedly a legend in Accrington, John Coleman has led the Reds for 22 years across two spells.
He initially joined in 1999 after Stanley were relegated to the seventh tier of English football. He won the league title in his first season, before securing the Northern Premier League Premier Division and Conference National crowns in 2003 and 2006 respectively.
With the side solidified as a League Two regular, Coleman left in 2012 and went on to manage Rochdale, Southport and Sligo Rovers.
In 2014, he returned to Accrington for his second spell, where he remains today. Four years later, they won the League Two title. The club spent five seasons in the third tier before relegation last term, their first for 24 years.
He is currently the second longest serving manager in the EFL, behind Harrogate Town’s Simon Weaver.
Officials:
Referee - Sam Purkiss
Assistant Referees - Darren Williams & Garry Maskell
Fourth Official - Christopher Husband
Purkiss last refereed Rovers in our 1-0 home league win over Barrow in October 2022.
Tickets:
We recommend buying tickets for the match online in advance. By doing so, fans can enjoy discounted prices and can download their ticket to their digital wallet or as a PDF.
Tickets will also be available to buy on the day from The Club Store with a £2 price increase after 12pm.
Fans can buy tickets online by clicking here.
Match coverage:
International supporters can buy a season pass to watch every game live for just £3 per game by clicking here!
UK based supporters can listen to full match commentary for as little as £1 per game by getting a monthly audio pass here.
You can follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture, followed by a match report.
X: @tranmererovers
Facebook: @trfcofficial
Instagram: @tranmererovers
Match reaction from Nigel Adkins and a player will follow the game on our YouTube channel.