FGR face one of their toughest tests of the League Two season this weekend as they take on Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.
It will be the best home record against the best away at Prenton Park and here’s the lowdown on the Wirral outfit.
MEET THE MANAGER: MICKY MELLON
Micky Mellon had an impressive playing career in English football making a host of appearances for the likes of Burnley, Blackpool and West Bromwich Albion.
He played over 200 games for Tranmere Rovers over two spells in and around the turn of the century before retiring from football in 2006.
The 49-year-old took his first managerial job with then sixth tier side Fleetwood Town, helping them to the Football League during his four years at Highbury.
He went on to win promotion with Shrewsbury Town before helping Tranmere to back to back promotions, helping return the club to League One.
After a year with Dundee United the Scottish born manager returned to Prenton Park last June and has led Rovers to a very impressive season so far.
KEY PLAYER: JOSH HAWKES
Josh Hawkes signed for Tranmere Rovers on a permanent deal just a couple of days ago, after a loan spell in Birkenhead earlier this campaign.
Hawkes started his career with fellow League Two side Hartlepool United, where he managed to make over 60 appearances, scoring 13 times during his time at Victoria Park.
In September 2020, Hawkes got a big move to League One side Sunderland but failed to make an impact playing largely for the U23s, making just three first-team appearances.
The 23-year-old joined Tranmere back in September and performed well before heading back to Sunderland as cover for their COVID-19 outbreak earlier this month.
But Hawkes returned to Tranmere, signing a permanent deal until 2024.
He’s netted once this season whilst grabbing three assists, one of which setting up a late Tom Davies winner in his debut against his former club Hartlepool.
FORM - WWDWW
26/12/21 – Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Barrow
08/01/22 – Tranmere Rovers 4-0 Scunthorpe United
11/01/22 – Salford City 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
15/01/22 – Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Rochdale
22/01/22 – Crawley Town 0-1 Tranmere Rovers
PLAYED FOR BOTH SIDES
James Norwood
James Norwood made over 150 appearances over a four year spell with FGR, after joining from Exeter City in 2011.
Including his loan spell in GL6 in 2010, Norwood scored 50 goals becoming the clubs all-time National League goal scorer in the process.
A prolific four year spell with Tranmere was to follow before he moved to League One to Ipswich Town where he still plies his trade.
Mark Ellis
The veteran centre-back had two loan spells with Forest Green, the second at the start of 2017, helping Rovers into the Football League.
Ellis then moved to Tranmere from Carlisle the following year where he made close to 50 appearances.
The 33-year-old recently joined National League Solihull Moors on loan from Barrow having made 16 league appearances for the Bluebirds earlier this season.
LAST TIME WE MET
FGR and Tranmere played out a 0-0 stalemate at The Fully Charged New Lawn earlier this season in September.
Josh Hawkes came close for the away side early on, as his long range bouncing shot came back off the post.
Matty Stevens came almightily close just before the break for Rovers, but he headed wide after Jamille Matt’s flicked header found the striker just yards from goal.
After the break, FGR had a host of chances, first a Kane Wilson goal bound shot was blocked before Stevens’ fired a curling effort that rattled the bar.
There was a late sending off for Tranmere’s Calum MacDonald after a foul on Ebou Adams, but the game remained goalless beyond the final whistle.
LAST TIME OUT
Tranmere made it ten League Two games without defeat after edging Crawley Town 1-0 at The People’s Pension Stadium.
In a first half of very few chances Crawley’s Jack Powell fired in a low free kick, but Rovers keeper Ross Doohan was comfortably equal to it.
Micky Mellon’s side pushed for winner after the break and weren’t far away when Josh McPake’s effort drifted narrowly wide of the far post.
Just after the hour mark Jay Spearing had the visitors ahead, a low bullet free-kick that found the net courtesy of a telling deflection.
Tranmere did have chances to double their lead, but a 1-0 score line was enough to send Rovers back to Merseyside with all three points.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The two sides have now met a total of 12 times and have crossed paths a fair bit over the last decade.
There have been four draws between the two sides and FGR have won five of the meetings compared to the away sides three.
The most memorable of those games came back in 2017, where Rovers defeated the Merseyside club 3-1 at Wembley to reach the Football League for the first time ever.
