Tranmere strengthened with Chorley addition

Jul 3 2007 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE added some steel to their defence yesterday by snapping up former Arsenal youngster Ben Chorley from Milton Keynes Dons.

Centre-back Chorley, 24, skippered the Gunners to FA Youth Cup success in 2001 but like many young English players at the club he saw his progress hampered at Highbury by manager Arsene Wenger’s policy of recruiting heavily from overseas.

After a brief loan spell at Brentford, Sidcup-born Chorley crossed the capital to join Wimbledon in March 2003, the season before the club controversially relocated to Buckinghamshire to become the MK Dons.

Chorley played a total of 139 games for the Dons, including 45 in what now is the Championship and is no stranger to Tranmere fans having scored the winning goal against Rovers at Prenton Park in December while on loan at Gillingham.

Manager Ronnie Moore is delighted with the capture of Chorley on a two-year contract and hopes the player will add some vital strength to his backline.

He said: “I’ve been looking to bring in a dominant centre-half who will head the ball, is brave and will score goals and Ben fits the description perfectly.

“He is a young lad who has made around 170 appearances. He is very vocal, will demand the best from others players and wears his heart on his sleeve.

“I hope he forms a very good partnership with Ian Goodison and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Having played his entire career in the south, Chorley has no qualms about relocating to Merseyside and admits that both the club’s heritage and supporters attracted him to make the move.

He said: “Tranmere is obviously a big club with a big history. Whenever I’ve come to Prenton Park to play against Tranmere the crowd has always been very vocal and supportive of the team.

“I’m looking forward to being involved with the squad and meeting them all and can’t wait to get started.”

Chorley becomes Tranmere’s third signing of the summer following the captures of Antony Kay from Barnsley and Adnan Ahmed from Huddersfield.

Meanwhile, Rovers chairman Lorraine Rogers is the first woman to be appointed to the board of The Football League – again.

Rogers was the first woman to join the board in its history when she was voted on for a term during the 2000-2001 season.

Rogers was elected back on to the board by League One clubs on Friday, winning 85% of the vote.

It is chaired by Lord Mawhinney and has six elected representatives from League clubs.

Rogers hopes that her appointment will help give a voice to some of the smaller clubs and said: “English football is polarising into the haves and the have-nots and it’s important for clubs in the lower leagues, like Tranmere, to be represented on the governing body.

“The Football League is one of the biggest leagues in the world and collectively, more supporters attend Football League matches than Premiership games.”

She added: “In recent years, it has led the way in setting standards in football and it implemented ground-breaking regulations in relation to governance of football clubs and the involvement of agents.

“It’s a well-respected governing body in the game and I’m delighted to join the board again.”