Stockdale plays for pride and new deal

Apr 30 2008 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

ROBBIE STOCKDALE says the habits of a 10-year career in football will keep him at full throttle through Tranmere’s final League One fixture of the season at Northampton on Saturday.

Rovers have nothing more than eighth place in the table to play for after losing touch with the teams in the play-off positions during the early part of April.

But Stockdale said: “The professional mentality kicks in. You want to win every game and play well in every game. The manager wants to finish as high in the table as possible and so do the players.

“You want to finish the season on the high so the momentum takes you into the following season.”

Stockdale is one of at least nine professionals who can’t be sure of being back at Prenton Park next season because they fall out of contract this summer.

Tranmere have yet to announce the conclusion of deals with any player, or with manager Ronnie Moore and assistant Peter Shirtliff.

The contract waiting game continues as Tranmere are linked with potential new investors or owners. There was no official comment from the club last night on reports in Tuesday’s Daily Post that Rovers have been in negotiations with Best Holdings, the Portuguese group that was involved in an aborted takeover attempt at Swindon Town last year.

The 28-year-old Stockdale meanwhile, hopes he will be offered the chance to extend an 87-game tenure with Tranmere that began with a move from Hull City in the summer of 2006.

He said: “I really enjoy it here. I’m settled and my family is settled on the Wirral. I have played in the majority of first-team games since I came and I would like to think there won’t be any question of my attitude or commitment to the team.

“It is not a nice situation to be in, going home to put on the TV text on and see players from other clubs who are getting contracts or being released. I went through the same thing a couple of years ago before I came to Tranmere.”

Steve Jennings picked up an award this week to mark his much-improved form this season – while manager Moore predicted the midfielder has the potential to make himself an even better player. Jennings was voted by supporters as Rovers young player of the season for 2007-08. The accolade rewarded Jennings’s contribution as a ball winner and driving force in midfield in more than 40 senior appearances this season.

The 23-year-old from Kirkby’s return to the centre stage at Prenton Park contrasted sharply with last season, when he made only a handful of first-team games and spent several months on loan at Hereford.

Moore welcomed the big turnaround in Jennings’ form this season and the award.

Moore said: “Steve’s had an a very good season. He’s played a lot of games and become our ball winner.

“The season beforehand Steve hardly played at all and I think the value of him going out on loan to Hereford has been shown with the way he came back, determined to make an impression.”

Moore added: “Now he needs to score more goals. He has the ability to get up and down the park and just needs to time his runs better. That’s when he will get the opportunity to score goals.”

Jennings has contributed four goals to Tranmere’s League One campaign and Moore believes the key to unlocking higher gold output from the player is timing.

He said: “We are working to improve Steve’s timing, when to make a run and went to get into the opposition box. The goal Antony Kay scored against Southend last Saturday was an example of what we are looking for from young midfielders.

“There was a great piece of hold-up play by Chris Greenacre, into Shane Sherriff, who put in a good cross and Antony Kay arrived just in front of the defender in the box to head it in. That’s the timing we are talking about.”

Ian Goodison was voted player of the season by Tranmere’s supporters. The Jamaican international defender took the award for the second year in succession.

Full-back Andy Taylor was named the fans’ young player of the season.

Paul McLaren picked up the players’ player of the season award.