Swindon travel to Tranmere Rovers for the first time since 2014 hoping to go three games without a loss in League Two.
The Robins head to Prenton Park off the back of two late twists in games – an 85th minute equaliser and a last-gasp winner at Moss Rose against Macclesfield.
Jak McCourt has been in fine form for Saturday’s visitors to Prenton Park scoring the deciding goal against the Silkmen and picking up the Man of the Match award in the draw with Lincoln at the County Ground last time out.
Town will be hoping that Ben House will return following a dead leg ruling him out of the game against the Imps. The newest addition to the Town squad – Ali Koiki – will be in contention for a start against the Super White Army.
The Oppo
Tranmere sit ninth in League Two, two points off the play-off places. They’ve been in steady form over the Winter months and bounced back from their 7-0 demolition at the hands of Spurs in the FA Cup with a win away at Cheltenham last week.
The Rovers’ home form has been good all season – only losing twice in front of their own supporters in the league this season, against Newport County and Crewe.
Tranmere have managed to keep hold of League Two’s top goal-getter, James Norwood who has bagged 17 goals so far this season and with Jayden Stockley, his closest rival for the golden boot, moving to Preston North End, the betting is short on him staying at the top of the goal charts.
He scored against Town earlier on in the season in the reverse fixture at the County Ground.
Head-to-Head
Swindon have not lost to Tranmere since 2009 – Antony Kay scored the goal that day.
Last time out, Town came back from being 2-0 down after 13 minutes to win 3-2 at the Energy Check County Ground. Goals from Elijah Adebayo, Marc Richards and Joe Romanski ensured a second 3-2 win home win on the trot at the start of the season.
This fixture is has an interesting past – in December 1992, Town were trailing 2-1 at the County Ground when the floodlights went out forcing Tranmere to make the journey a second time. In the replayed game, Glenn Hoddle shone and Swindon ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.
28 Feb 2009 Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town L 1-0 League One
31 Oct 2009 Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town W 1-4 League One
05 Apr 2010 Swindon Town v Tranmere Rovers W 3-0 League One
25 Jan 2011 Swindon Town v Tranmere Rovers D 0-0 League One
07 May 2011 Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town W 0-2 League One
21 Dec 2012 Swindon Town v Tranmere Rovers W 5-0 League One
19 Feb 2013 Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town W 1-3 League One
05 Oct 2013 Swindon Town v Tranmere Rovers W 1-0 League One
25 Mar 2014 Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town W 1-2 League One
18 Aug 2018 Swindon Town v Tranmere Rovers W 3-2 League Two
The Gaffer
Micky’s Tranmere career started back in 1997 when he joined as a player from Blackpool and made 57 appearances for the club. Two years after leaving, Micky returned to make another 115 appearances over a three year spell.
His managerial debut was handed to him at Fleetwood as joined an ever expanding set up at Highbury. It was there that Micky gained his first managerial title as they won the Conference Premier with an impressive 103 points.
After his success at Fleetwood, Micky took the opportunity to be Assistant Manager at Barnsley in the Championship.
Stepping back into the hot seat, Micky took the Manager’s job at newly relegated Shrewsbury Town in 2014 and had a highly successful season, returning them to the third tier at the first time of asking.
After keeping Shrewsbury from relegation in League One, he felt it was time for a new challenge and took the job at Prenton Park, a place that ‘has a big place in his heart’, in 2016.
Micky quickly got results turning around and led Rovers to their first appearance at the new Wembley for the National League play off final however they would fall short at the last hurdle that season despite reaching above 90 points.
It was second time lucky the following season after returning to Wembley to right the wrongs of the previous season, recording Tranmere’s first promotion in 27 years.
