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The Ballad of Tranmere Rovers

by Tranmere Rovers

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about

The Ballad Of Tranmere Rovers
Lock-down has brought together musicians from both sides of the Atlantic to cooperate in producing a unique recording to raise money in support of disabled access facilities at Prenton Park.
The journey started when Tranmere supporter Graham McNeilly wrote lyrics for a song called “The Ballad of Tranmere Rovers”, spanning the entire history of the football club. He posted the lyrics on a Tranmere online forum, hoping to find a musician who could put some music to the words. The post was read by a fellow Tranmere supporter who is the father of a country and folk singer/songwriter from Blackburn, Lancashire called Geoff Wilde. Geoff, who has been writing, recording and producing music since 2012, took up the challenge, taking inspiration from 60s and 70s folk ballads like Willie O’Winsbury and more modern songs like Bob Dylan’s Tempest, emphasizing the story within. 

lyrics

The Ballad of Tranmere Rovers
(The team called Tranmere Rovers)


At the start of it all James Hannay McGaul
A Birkenhead man of renown
He had a dream to start a football team
To represent Birkenhead town.
"It shall have fame wherever the game
Is played the whole world over
So wherever we go, the people will know
The team called Tranmere Rovers."

Now they started off small and won nothing at all
But he knew that it all would take time
But in 1921, McGaul’s job was done
To the Football League they did climb.
Soon along came a teen, his name Dixie Dean
A player known the whole world over
Though he may have moved on to Everton
He started at Tranmere Rovers.

On Boxing Day ’35, Prenton Park came alive
As Oldham were put to the sword
A record score of 13-4
And nine of them Bunny Bell scored!
That team won the Welsh Cup, then as champs they went up
But after one year it was over
Because Division Two was like their Waterloo
For the team called Tranmere Rovers.

In 1973, they reached League Cup round three
Won at Highbury, which no-one could call
Player-boss Ron Yeats told his teammates
“We’ve just got to stop Alan Ball.
I’ve got a plan, Mark Palios is my man.
He must follow him till the game is over.”
It wasn’t a dream; they beat Arsenal’s Double team,
The team called Tranmere Rovers.

Now the fans still sing about Johnny King
Who played for and managed the team
They won the Leyland DAF Cup then he took them up
To the brink of the Premier League.
He built a great team, he called a Deadly Submarine
Then John Aldridge as boss took over
Ten years they stayed, some great games they played
The team called Tranmere Rovers.

The millennium came and brought the Whites’ biggest game
‘Neath the twin towers of old Wem-ber-ly
With the League Cup at stake, they could afford no mistakes
But sadly it wasn’t to be.
One down at half-time, their response was sublime
But Leicester were no pushovers
Another goal went in for a 2-1 win
And defeat for Tranmere Rovers.

Their best ever win still makes the fans grin
It took place just over the water
When they took on Everton
Most thought they’d be lambs to the slaughter.
But two goals from Steve Yates sealed the Toffees’ fate
And had all the fans in clover
Koumas scored one more, which made the score
Three-nil for Tranmere Rovers.

Against a Premier League team, they would play like a dream
Especially at home in the cup.
They beat Southampton FC by four goals to three
Though at half-time Saints had been three up.
Though their cup form was hot, their league form was not
So their stay in Tier Two was soon over
Sadly it couldn’t last and those days are now past
For the team called Tranmere Rovers.

Twenty-fourteen was bad, little joy to be had
It all seemed just like a bad dream.
For a buyer they yearned, then Mark Palios returned
Now a businessman of great esteem.
With a new owner found, they tried to turn things round.
But the dark days were far from over
It was just like a curse as things got much worse
For the team called Tranmere Rovers.

An awful day came and heads hung in shame
As they lost their place in the league
But a saviour he came, Micky Mellon his name
He got everyone to believe.
Our first year was bad, little joy to be had
The next we played Forest Green Rovers
In the play-off game, but no glory came,
Just defeat for Tranmere Rovers.





The next year started slow, then they started to go
And they got back to Wemb – er - ly
Where against them stood Boreham Wood
But the game started disastrously.
Soon down to ten against eleven men
Most thought that all hope was over


credits

released September 19, 2020
Graham McNeilly, Lyrics
Geoff Wilde, Vocals and Mandolin
John Nagle, Drummer
Philip Smyth, Violinist

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Tranmere Rovers Wirral, UK

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