The Rumour Rundown

So, its that time again, when our butts regain consciousness after months of painful plastic chairs doing their best to make a match as uncomfortable as possible, without actually watching the game , and a beer just doesn`t taste as good. Yes, its pre-season.

It seems there`s a modern day rule for pre-season, that rumours come from the weird and wonderful. Albeit some have a little bit of respectability. So, here at Vital Tranmere, were here to give you both the wacky and weird but also the maybes and slight hope that we can and will gain promotion at the umpteenth time of asking. So this year, will it be the Galactico who sits on the bench of a mid-table League Two team or will we get are amazing purchase that will be the best thing since sliced bread.

It seems now that every year, the good old Robbie Fowler rumour comes out for a quick sharp rear of his head, then suddenly people realise it probably won`t happen, and it descends again. But this time, Fowler has been released by his all-time favourite club, Liverpool, you know what team I mean, the one over the Mersey that we don`t want to hear about anymore, 6 times, 6 times?yawn. Fowler has also been “reportedly” interested in buying our club. I don`t know why or how these rumours come about, but some people really would love the Fowler connection at Rovers. Who knows what will happen in the future, if “the Liverpool God” will come to Rovers as a player, coach, owner, chairman or seller of nose plasters. Who knows.

Now, one of my favourite and “boy I hope they come true” rumours is the return of outright Rovers legend, Gareth Roberts. Robbo left as he acclaimed that he was going for Championship football, a month or so later, he ended up at giants Doncaster Rovers, who funnily enough finished below Rovers. But after an indifferent spell at Donny, being in and out of the team, Roberts seems to have admitted “he`s made a mistake”, I could have told him that one. Also, ex Rover and now Roberts` agent, Simon Howarth was spotted at a reserves game, adding to the excitement of the possible signature of Gareth. If this is true, it would definitely excite many fans, including myself. But, I just get the feeling, along with many of the ex-Rovers returning rumours, that it just won`t come true, but hopefully I`ll be proven wrong.

From legend Gareth Roberts, I now go to hated, Sean “I think I`m a world beater, therefore I am” Thornton. Also at giants Doncaster Rovers, after leaving Rovers for Sunderland where he barely got a good run-in after “rapping” to the nation live on Sky. The irony of deceiving Tranmere, by training at Sunderland while under contract with the Rovers, Thornton has been released by Doncaster. And now he`s out of a job. Diddums. But yet again, it`s the whole, ex-Rovers return thing again, and I hope that this one does not happen. Some may agree, as he does have talent, but it`s a question of loyalty, why would we want to bother ourselves with a half decent player, who will only use us for a stepping stone, yet again.

It seems that Radio City are a lot more reliable than the official site for information, and there feeding us with it. One rumour is that Ronnie Moore faces a “Deal or No Deal” style scenario. This time its McCready or Thompson. To key defenders, apart from Ian Goodison, the two better defenders over the season, yet we have to choose. Some say its due to lack of finances, and we need to sacrifice defenders to strengthen other positions. Yet, I think we need to keep both, we need to assemble a fighting squad, and in my eyes, these two are battlers. Both have been rocks in defence, and both are quite versatile. McCready is mainly a centre back, but near the end of the season played right back, and was equally able. Thompson again is mainly a centre back, but has the depth to play both right back and centre midfield. Along with many fans, I`d love to see both at the club. Probably a problem last season was the thin number of defenders, hence the problem of playing central midfielder Danny Harrison at right back, and striker Gareth Taylor at centre half, for periods of the season.

It also rumoured, mainly from Radio City, that Tranmere have released mishap ‘keeper Gavin Ward, Danny Harrison and youngster Olly James. Yet?no word from the official site. So who knows what`s really happening.

But, I feel that, either way, we need at least two new goalkeepers, a defender or two, a more creative midfielder and a pacey striker. All down on the Humish wish list for the summer.

What ever happens over the summer, lets get behind the lads and which them the best of luck for the 2007/08 season!