MANAGER Les Parry is confident Tranmere’s players can rise to the challenge of the most important game of the season at Prenton Park this weekend.
Rovers cannot afford to settle for anything other than a victory over Millwall – because anything less could consign them to a drop into League Two by 5pm tomorrow if the results of fellow strugglers prove unfavourable.
Three points from the penultimate fixture of the campaign will, however, guarantee that Parry and his team can take the fight against relegation to the final match at Stockport County next week.
“I do have every confidence that the lads can produce a performance against Millwall,” Parry said.
“We know we have to go out and win the game – then we will look at the other results afterwards and see what it leaves us to do next week.
“There are still four or five teams in the mix and hopefully we will be one of those who stay in the division.”
The outcome of Gillingham’s home game with Southampton, Exeter’s visit to Hartlepool, Leyton Orient’s encounter with Wycombe Wanderers and even Yeovil’s match with Oldham, could all impact on Rovers’ fortunes. Supporters are guaranteed an afternoon of anxiety.
Parry acknowledges Tranmere could hardly have picked more difficult opponents for their final home game of the season. Millwall require the three points just as badly as they chase the second automatic promotion spot behind champions Norwich City.
Parry said: “Millwall are a good side, organised, big and strong. They will probably see this as a favourable fixture for them.”
The Lions chewed up Tranmere in the reverse fixture at the New Den in October, scoring four first half goals in a 5-0 victory over John Barnes’ team.
It was a rock bottom moment for the former Liverpool and England winger, who was sacked within a week after overseeing eight defeats in the opening 11 league games of the campaign.
Rovers have picked up 38 points from 33 games since long serving physio Parry stepped out of the treatment room to head a management regime with coaches Shaun Garnett and Wayne Allison.
The points-to-games ratio of the Parry regime is probably good enough, if extended over a full campaign, to have kept the side out of the drop zone, if not by much.
Parry however is reluctant to factor Tranmere’s record under Barnes into discussions about his own efforts in the hot seat.
“I try not to look at all the comments on the position we were in when we took over,” Parry said.
“That had happened, we were where we were. I don’t believe in looking back. All I can do is look at the six-and-a-half months we’ve been here and I believe the staff and myself have done everything in our power to get us out of the troubles we were in.
“If that is not good enough at the end of the day then we are going to go down. But it won’t be through lack of trying.”
Parry added: “I’m not just talking about the efforts of the coaching staff but also the youth staff, the office staff and the groundstaff. Everyone here has been so supportive of what we have been trying to achieve. They all know the constraints we are working under.”
Tranmere should start with a strong selection hand tomorrow. Defensive midfielder Ash Taylor, who suffered an ankle knock in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Colchester, is the only new injury doubt in the squad and Parry expects the teenager to report fit tomorrow.
Peter Gulacsi, the Hungarian goalkeeper on loan from Liverpool, will continue between the posts because Tranmere’s regular No 1 Luke Daniels remains under treatment for a back injury and understudy Joe Collister is struggling to kick a ball because of a thigh injury.
Tranmere will have to tame the threat of Steve Morison, the 20-goal striker who is spearheading Millwall’s promotion challenge.
Morison, 26, joined the Lions for a £130,000 fee last summer, from non-league Stevenage.
Parry said: “All of the teams at the top of the division have players who have scored 20 goals or more this season. That makes such a difference. Millwall got Morison from non league football but they still had to pay £130,000 for him.”
