Tranmere Preview

All Systems Go At White Rock

There is nothing quite like the first game of the season. The summer is over, the waiting is done and ever hope and aspiration of football fans up and down the country is intact. Well for 90 minutes at least.

It's been a close season that has just flown and that magical day at Bury when 5000 savages celebrated promotion is so fresh in the memory. And we thought that was a good support. But tomorrow it will be a crowd in excess of 16,000, that's right SIXTEEN THOUSAND Jacks that line the stands of White Rock to welcome the Swans on the start of their nine month journey.

More than twenty years have passed since that number has watched league football in Swansea and long may it continue. Season ticket sales have hit record levels and despite the problems that that in itself has bought there is an air of excitement in the city not matched since Toshack led us out on the first division adventure.

Of course we couldn't ask for a sterner test than Tranmere Rovers. A side beaten in the play offs last season and a side packed with quality players. The likes of McAteer and Hume though will not necessarily fancy this and there is a belief in amongst their fan base that their status as one of the favourites is a little misplaced. Last season Northampton arrived in Swansea on the opening day with the same status but look at who is in League One now and remember that at this stage of the season it means nowt.

Kenny Jackett has had a busy summer but only three additions to the squad that ended last term although we can expect to see two, if not three, of them in the side at some stage tomorrow. Goodfellow for me should be a guaranteed starter with Bayo and OTJ on the bench but general belief is that it will be Bayo who starts with Freezer on the bench we shall see.

Definitely missing is the suspended Andy Robinson and the injured Lee Thorpe whilst the non-scouse (!) visitors find themselves with minor doubts over Jason McAteer and Ian Goodison. However, Chris Greenacre and Sam Aiston make their Rovers debuts but Theodore Whitnire is definitely out for the game.

Now as you sit back after reading this preview, think to yourself of the noise that 8000 Jacks made at the Vetch, then double that number of people and think of the noise that they can and will make tomorrow.

This is big and this is three points? Hopefully.

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Predictions So Far - 21:45 MAY 06

Away
0	1	2	3	4	5
Home	0	1
1	7	18	5
2	16	42	5
3	6	3
4	1	1
5
Other Scores: 0

Home Win:	76
Draw:	23
Away Win:	6

First Scorer	Votes
Lee Trundle	32
Marc Goodfellow	27
Adebayo Akinfenwa	21
Adrian Forbes	19
Andy Robinson	2
Kristian O'Leary	1
Kevin McLeod	1
No Scorer	2

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