• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

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Perhaps because this season has been so up and down it doesn't seem like a record-breaking year, but before long some long-standing iconic statistics could have been rewritten.

1. Since the introduction of three points for a win, we have earned 80 points three times. As we are currently on 76 points, this total looks certain to be beaten.
2. In season 1964-65, which I remember well, the team won 27 times. With eight games to go, this season's total is 23.
3. In 1988-89, Eric Nixon kept 25 clean sheets. Scott Davies already has 22.

When the season ends, what really matters is whether we win promotion. But if all those records are broken, it seems highly likely we will finish as champions or at least enter the play-offs with a lot of confidence.
 
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After tonight's game against Sutton, we have broken our record points total for a season with six games to go (82 and counting).

We now have 25 wins this term and Scotty has 23 clean sheets.
 

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Like I said in the Sutton thread, we could end up with 100 points and still lose out to Lincoln! It's been a great effort from the lads and the manager. I wonder where we'd be if MM had been with us at the start of the season?
 

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Great stats. It is a shame there is a play off process as we there now appears to be a bit of daylight between us and the teams below. This gap will increase further if we beat FGR at home. Still - let us hope we can do the business if we have to play off. You would think that MM might give one or two a rest on Saturday particularly as he will have several more players available. Still a winning team will want to keep going. Maybe, as has been suggested by others, he just needs to get fresh legs on the pitch sooner.
 
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A winning team but only just. Definite signs of physical and mental fatigue showing, which yesterday's result can only have made worse. Maybe bringing in fresh legs on Saturday would give the team a boost.
 
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I would not say there is any mental fatigue. The character the players have shown in recent weeks has been amazing.
 
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Just to be pedantic and give the team something aim at, the 1964/65 team got 60 points and 27 wins when it was just two points for a win. Under today's rules, this would be worth 87 points. Incidentally, that side only finished fifth in the old Division Four, so were incredibly unlucky not to be promoted.
 
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Following today's win at Guiseley, we have equalled the all-time season's record for wins (27) achieved in 1964/5 In that same year, the team recorded 60 points (2 for a win) equivalent to 87 points (3 for a win), so this year's current points total of 89 is the best ever on all counts.

We are on target for our highest league position since 1988/9, when we finished runners-up in the old Fourth Division. That year, Eric Nixon kept a record 25 clean sheets. Scott Davies is currently on 24 with two games to go.
 

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We've done incredibly well this season and could end up with over 90 points! Bloody typical that another team has to have a blinder of a season too. I think I've said this before but you wonder where we'd be if MM had been in charge from the start of the season.
 
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We've done incredibly well this season and could end up with over 90 points! Bloody typical that another team has to have a blinder of a season too. I think I've said this before but you wonder where we'd be if MM had been in charge from the start of the season.
It's arguable. Possibly in the same place. Since Micky took over, Lincoln have done even better than us. The Imps had a slow start under their new manager, so it depends how quickly Micky would have made a difference. Those six points we lost to Lincoln have been costly.

I think we have to recognise what an incredible young manager Danny Cowley is. What is really unfortunate is that only two teams go up. Everywhere else in the pyramid it's at least three, sometimes four.
 
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Boz

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Should we have tried to get the Cowleys in the summer rather than persisting with Brabin? Some suggestion it was considered. Actually Brabin got us off to a reasonable start, not a given new manager would have done better. Wonder whether MM with the wonders of hindsight thinks we should have shut up shop at Lincoln when drawing, rather than going for a win and ending up with nothing. All ifs, buts and maybes, we'll never know.
 

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Ah 64/5 BBTC. Nostalgia time! We have accumulated a wonderful number of points this season but how many goals have we scored? Cannot remember the total for 64/5 but I do recall - Dyson 29 goals, Charlie Mac 23, Manning 21! Charlie was a real character, in his second spell with the club. As someone has said, it is such a shame that Lincoln have also had a great season. I think the leading team has been out of sight in the last couple of seasons?
 
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Although we started strongly under Brabin, September was a very poor month and an extra three or four points in that period - including the game against Lincoln - could have made all the difference.

More generally, if Mellon had been in charge from last May (when it is rumoured Brabin was close to being sacked) everything changes, as he would have had a full pre-season with the players, more say in squad building etc, and we might well have ended up as champions. Unfortunately he was unavailable at that time.

In answer to Boz's question, while I am very happy to have Mellon, if Cowley was the only available alternative to Brabin last summer we should have gone for him. However, I don't think he would necessarily have chosen us over Lincoln as he seems to prefer operating as an 'underdog' where expectation is not too high. I am also not convinced he would have been as successful at Rovers, where the budget is larger and expectation and pressure is greater.
 
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Ah 64/5 BBTC. Nostalgia time! We have accumulated a wonderful number of points this season but how many goals have we scored? Cannot remember the total for 64/5 but I do recall - Dyson 29 goals, Charlie Mac 23, Manning 21! Charlie was a real character, in his second spell with the club. As someone has said, it is such a shame that Lincoln have also had a great season. I think the leading team has been out of sight in the last couple of seasons?
An exciting but heartbreaking season. We got to 99 league goals, then Barry Dyson missed a penalty at Barrow. As I came home from that match in the coach I thought we'd score the extra goal and go up but we lost our final game 1-0 at Doncaster and finished fifth. The pain still hurts!
 
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Although we started strongly under Brabin, September was a very poor month and an extra three or four points in that period - including the game against Lincoln - could have made all the difference.

More generally, if Mellon had been in charge from last May (when it is rumoured Brabin was close to being sacked) everything changes, as he would have had a full pre-season with the players, more say in squad building etc, and we might well have ended up as champions. Unfortunately he was unavailable at that time.

In answer to Boz's question, while I am very happy to have Mellon, if Cowley was the only available alternative to Brabin last summer we should have gone for him. However, I don't think he would necessarily have chosen us over Lincoln as he seems to prefer operating as an 'underdog' where expectation is not too high. I am also not convinced he would have been as successful at Rovers, where the budget is larger and expectation and pressure is greater.
Lots of ifs and buts indeed. We should not forget that this is still largely Brabin's team. Would Micky have signed Cook or Tollitt? Micky has only brought in Mangan, Dawson, Dunn and Buxton, although he has restored Stockton and Sutton to the fold, changed the system and the mentality.

Re the Cowleys, I think Tranmere's size and history would have attracted such an ambitious pair, but Lincoln is much closer to home for them. On the other hand, after the Edwards fiasco, would the Palioses have risked another young manager? We'll never know, but that's what makes football and White Review so interesting!
 

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Yes a lot of these players were Brabins, but the big difference is Micky knows how to get the best out of them and has found a formula that works. He's a lot more tactically aware than Brabin and also seems to have a great rapport with the fans.
 
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We should not forget that this is still largely Brabin's team. Would Micky have signed Cook or Tollitt?

Yes. It was actually Mellon who signed Tollitt permanently, after he was brought here on loan by Paul Carden. Brabin had the option of signing him last summer and rejected him.

Likewise, as I understand it the big signings in the summer (Cook, Jennings) were in large part down to Lee Jones and the recruitment team, not just Brabin.

As Ian says, Brabin was ok at bringing in these big names, but was then clueless with what to do with them. Play them out of position in a 451 as a general rule.
 
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Just a quick stat check to finish the regular season.

Our 29 wins is the best in the history of the club, while our 9 defeats is the best since 1988/89. Second position has only been achieved twice since joining the EFL and only bettered once (in 1937/38).

Andy Cook's goalscoring this season has been the best by a Rovers player since John Aldridge, despite missing so many games.

Our 79 goals scored is the best since 1989/90, but our 39 goals conceded is the best since 1913/14. Then we were in the Lancashire Combination and played just 34 games.

So, statistically at least it's been a memorable season. Let's hope it's memorable for a more important reason on 14th May.
 

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It's been a great season! Lets just hope its not all in vain.
 
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