User:U003F/Ashton: FA Cup

It's 100 years since we moved to Prenton Park, as Stuart Ashton casts over an alphabetical history of our home ground - this time with the letter F...

A-Z of Prenton Park
The FA Cup was first held in the 1871-72 season with the London based team Wanderers FC being the first team to win the trophy.

Before Tranmere Rovers even came into existence Wanderers had won the title five times. Other early winners included Old Etonians FC, the Royal Engineers, Oxford University, Clapham Rovers and Old Carthusians. The first season at Prenton Park saw Barnsley with the FA Cup in 1912. Tranmere were not involved in the 1911/12 season FA Cup which meant the first FA Cup game at Prenton Park came the following season. In 1913, Tranmere took on Lostock Gralam at Prenton Park winning 6-1

One of the classic Tranmere FA Cup ties was the already discussed against Chelsea in the early 1930s. The game had goals, controversy and record crowds. The 2-2 draw does no in some respects do the game justice and Tranmere were unfortunate not to win the tie. Sadly when Tranmere went to Stamford Bridge they were soundly beaten by Chelsea 5-3. The first leg however still stands a monumental moment in Prenton Park's history.

The 1930s also saw some interesting FA Cup ties at the ground, some good some bad. In the following season after the Chelsea draw, Tranmere welcomed Leeds to Prenton Park in the 4th Round. One again another team from the upper leagues came to Prenton Park only to be held by Rovers to a 0-0 draw. However on the second leg Tranmere were soundly beaten 4-0. In the 1933-34 season Tranmere hosted Newark Town. The game ended 7-0 to Tranmere who efficiently ended Newark's FA Cup dreams, with Bunny Bell scoring four of the Tranmere goals. In the next round Tranmere were to face Liverpool. The local rivals were due to face Tranmere at Prenton Park which would have been a legendary game. But due to the high number of expected fans the game moved to Anfield where 61,036 fans went and saw Tranmere defeated 3-1.

The 1951-52 season saw Tranmere play Blyth Spartans four times before Tranmere could progress to the next stage. The first leg was Prenton Park where an unconvincing Tranmere could only manage a 1-1 draw. The second leg was played at Blyth's ground Croft's Road where again 1-1 was the score after normal time. The game went into extra time but was called off due to bad light. The third leg was held and Brunton Park the home of Carlisle United but again the game ended in a draw 2-2. Finally on the forth attempt at this FA Cup tie a victory was finally achieved with Tranmere beating Blyth 5-1 at Goodison.

In the 1960s one game had the billing of being a classic FA Cup grudge match as Chelsea returned to Prenton Park.

Almost thirty years to the day in the 1962-63 season Chelsea again arrived at Prenton Park on the 5th January for the 3rd Round of the FA Cup. In front of 17,162 supporters and on a snow covered pitch Tranmere again held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw with King and Jones scoring for the home team. Once again though Tranmere failed to defeat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge losing 3-1.

The 1970s included the FA Cup game against Stoke in the 1971-72 season which was watched by Prenton Park's largest attendance 24,424. The final season of the decade 1979-80 saw Tranmere's highest score in an FA Cup game at Prenton Park with Rovers hanmmering AP Leamington 9-0 in front of 2,114 supporters.

One game though in FA Cup history stands out in my mind that was the 5th Round tie against Southampton in the 2000-01 season. To Prenton Park came a confident Southampton with the former England manager Glenn Hoddle at the helm. Tranmere however were not having the most successful season with Rovers floating around at the foot of the table. The game though enticed some as Sky Sports cover the game live along with Radio 5 Live. However by half time the game was looking decidedly one sided as Southampton had a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Andy Gray said the game was over, Radio 5 Live switched to another match thinking Southampton had won. These so called football experts did not see on the horizon what has been described as the greatest FA Cup comeback... ever. Six minutes into the second half a shot from Andy Parkinson struck the to of Paul Rideout who scored. The crowd were lifted. Eleven minutes later Rideout scored again from a corner. The score now 3-2 Tranmere could hope for a replay. Ten minutes later Rideout scores again with a flying header! The crowd go wild as they realised that not only could Tranmere draw this they could win it. With seven minutes of normal time left to play Tranmere's hard work paid off as Stuart Barlow scored the winner in the greatest of FA Cup comebacks!

Tranmere lost in the Quarter Finals to Liverpool but the game against Southampton still has the legendary status it deserves. We can only hope that Prenton Park can be the stage of more FA Cup glory.