TRANMERE made a pre-tax operating loss of just under £1 million on last season, shareholders will be told today.
The Wirral club’s annual meeting will hear how losses doubled at Prenton Park on the previous season, due largely to a fall in transfer revenue.
Rovers have often fallen back on player sales to boost income in the past. But in the year ended June 2009, they collected less than £80,000 in transfer revenue.
In 2007/08, Tranmere collected £725,488 from the sale of Calvin Zola to Crewe Alexandra, Steve Davies to Derby County plus the sell-on clause in Jason Koumas’s move to Wigan Athletic.
Chairman Peter Johnson said: “For the third year in succession turnover exceeded £3 million. Operating expenses were reduced by £112,000 but the year’s transfer income, down by £646,960 to £78,488, meant the loss before taxation more than doubled to £994,720.
The figures in 2009 do not include the sale of full-back Andy Taylor to Sheffield United in July for an undisclosed fee.
The annual accounts showed Tranmere finished the 2008/09 season with debts of close to £6 million. Most of the debt is in loans and loan guarantees originated by Johnson, who holds a controlling 60% stake in Rovers.
Johnson succeeded Lorraine Rogers as chairman last summer. He described the season as one of “mixed emotions” as Tranmere just missed out on a League One play-off spot after a dramatic 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe on the final day of the campaign.
Explaining a turnover of three managers in the first five months of his return to the chair, Johnson said: “Having reflected on the continued decline in attendances, it was decided to terminate the contract of first-team manager Ronnie Moore in the summer.
“Former England international John Barnes was appointed as the club’s new manager with Jason McAteer as his assistant. However the appointment proved unsuccessful and they left the club in October 2009.
“Thankfully results have improved under Les Parry and we are hopeful of retaining our place in League One for next season.”
The club’s overall wage bill for 2009 fell slightly from £2.6 million in 2008 to £2.45 in 2009.
Tranmere’s AGM takes place at the Prentonian Suite, Prenton Park today at 12.30pm.
Meanwhile Tranmere reserves are in totesport.com League action today when they play host to Carlisle United in a Division One West game at Cammell Laird’s Kirklands ground in Rock Ferry. Kick-off is 2pm.
HARTLEPOOL manager Chris Turner has promised to shake up his side for Friday’s visit to Tranmere after a suffering a ninth away defeat in succession at Yeovil.
Hartlepool slipped to within five points of the bottom four -- and one of Tranmere – after losing 4-0 to a Yeovil team reduced to 10 men.
Turner said: “We’ve got to introduce fresh faces against Tranmere. I’m thinking that some players can play well at home but can’t perform how we expect away from home.
“One or two of them have to be looking over their shoulder and thinking am I playing next week? No-one could complain if they weren’t.
“They’re a good set of lads who generally work hard. On Saturday they didn’t. They’ve got to realise we’re in a battle.
“For our club to stay in this division, it’s hard. It has been for the last three seasons. It’s going to be hard but we can achieve that.”
