We’re not scared of Vinny

…says Merseyside’s ‘other’ team… Tranmere Rovers

Tranmere Rovers will end a 105-year wait when they play at Wembley for the first time in their history on Saturday. But don’t blink, or you might just miss them.

For the stadium will probably be less than quarter full when Rovers kick-off the Football League’s Centenary Festival. And if they fail to make the most of their 40 minutes against Wimbledon, it will be all over by 10.45 a.m.

Tranmere, currently lying 85th in the League, are under no illusions about the size of the task they face against the 15 most in-form teams in the country.

They don’t expect to win Sunday’s Final. In fact they’ve already booked a celebratory dinner-dance for their players back in Merseyside… on the Saturday night.

But after a century of scratching for survival in the Third and Fourth Divisions, Rovers are determined to make the most of their brief encounter with the big time.

Lavish

So they will borrow a coach from Everton, book into the same luxury hotel as Liverpool and, for a weekend at least, enjoy the lavish lifestyle of their millionaire neighbours.

“We’re treating Wembley as it should be treated,” insists manager John King. “We don’t do anything on the cheap and I think a lot of people would be surprised at how high our standards are.”

But it’s not just off the field where Tranmere are planning a few shocks and King warns that Wimbledon will underestimate his side at their peril.

Even the prospect of a clash with the infamous Vinny Jones doesn’t fill Tranmere with fear and King warns: “We aim to keep him so busy that he won’t have the time to grab anyone’s knackers.

“We’re quite good, you know. We plan to stick around on Saturday, and if we do go out it won’t be for the lack of effort or ability.

“My boys are proud to be representing the Fourth Division and we’ll be doing our damnedest to leave a good impression.”

The limit of King’s immediate ambition is to see his team beat The Dons and earn a possible Quarter-Final against Liverpool.

But his long-term goal is to make Tranmere a third force in Merseyside football and he believes he is on the right lines.

“If we can achieve some degree of success, there are enough people on the Wirral to support us,” he says.

King is currently in his second spell as manager at Prenton Park. The former Everton wing-half spent five years in charge of Rovers before taking Northwich Victoria to successive FA Trophy Finals in 1983 and 1984.

He had just engineered a giant-killing FA Cup run for little Caernarfon Town when the call came for him to return to Birkenhead 12 months ago.

“I didn’t exactly jump at the opportunity, because the club had no money and they seemed to be drifting in the wrong direction.

“But I made a few enquiries and it became apparent that the new chairman and his directors were prepared to put their hands in their pockets and I realised that this was the best chance the club would probably ever have.”

Results, however, did not bear out King’s optimism. By his own admission, some of his early signings were not right for the club and at the end of October they were bottom of the Fourth Division and in real danger of losing their place in the League.

“Our results were pathetic, but every week we’d get an extra 200 fans coming to see us, so I knew we had to be doing something right,” King adds.

“In the end, we had to blast our way out of trouble. I spent £100,000 on Jim Steel, Ken McKenna and Jimmy Harvey and they worked like a stick of dynamite.”

Twenty-nine points from their next 15 League games lifted Rovers clear of the danger zone and coincided with the period designated by the League to determine qualification for their Centenary Festival.

And while some of the bigger clubs may not be so enthusiastic about the prospect of another competition, King and his men can’t wait to get to Wembley.

“We’re bloody thrilled to be going. The League’s centenary is a landmark in football. Everyone should be proud to be involved.

“We’d love to be the giant-killers of the tournament. I’m so pleased for so many of my lads who have never even seen the Twin Towers before. Even if we only last 40 minutes it’s a wonderful achievement.”

Having signed goalkeeper Eric Nixon on loan from Manchester City on transfer deadline day, King is now confident that his team are equipped to handle the Wimbledon challenge.

“We’ve got loads of attacking ability. Muir, Steel, Martindale and Morrissey will all need watching.

“It’s brilliant when you hear our fans chanting ‘Wembley’. They haven’t had a lot to cheer recently but I’d love to take the club higher. This could be the first step.”

King doesn’t even worry that a winning performance could spark interest in his 20-goal striker Ian Muir.

“I want him in the shop window, because then I can say ‘no’ when the big clubs ask about him. We’re not desperate for money any more and I don’t think he’s in a hurry to leave.

“I don’t keep anyone against their wishes. There are plenty of good players around the lower divisions and no individual is bigger than the club.”

Regret

King’s only regret is that his team have made a record to celebrate their Wembley day.

“Luckily, I was watching a reserve game at Old Trafford when they were in the studio, so I missed out on the record.

“I haven’t even heard it, but the players admit that it’s pretty awful. I think the technicians are still trying to find some way to make it sound better.”

So be warned. Victory over Wimbledon and a possible Quarter-Final clash with Liverpool will have the Rovers singing all the way down Wembley Way.