MOST APPEARANCES

HAROLD BELL
Born: 22 November 1924 Place: Liverpool, England Position: half back
Years: 1946-1960 Appearances: 633 Goals: 11 International Caps: 0
International Goals: 0
Harold Bell (1924 – 1994) was an English footballer who holds the record for the most consecutive appearances for a British football team. Bell was picked for Tranmere Rovers in the first game after World War II in the 1946–47 season and did not miss a match until he was dropped on 30 August 1955, a total of 401 consecutive league matches for the team in Football League Third Division North. He also played in 26 FA Cup matches, 22 Liverpool Senior Cup and 10 Cheshire Bowl games, making a grand total of 459 appearances. In total he made 633 appearances, finally leaving the club for Holyhead Town in 1959.

Ray Mathias
Born: 13 December 1946 Place: Liverpool, England Position: defender
Years: 1967-1985 Appearances: 567 Goals: 6 International Caps: 0
International Goals: 0 Manager: 2001-2003
After retiring from playing, Mathias joined the coaching staff at Wigan Athletic and spent three years in charge of the Latics from 1986–89. The highlight of this spell was leading Wigan to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 1987. He later returned to Tranmere as a coach but then returned to Wigan as manager for the 1998–99 season; despite leading the club to victory in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley and the Second Division play-offs he lost his job shortly afterwards. After once again becoming part of the managerial set-up at Tranmere and spells as caretaker manager, he was finally handed the reins on a permanent basis in 2002 but sacked a year later. Mathias then had an unsuccessful caretaker spell at Chester City in 2004 and briefly worked as assistant manager at Bury in 2005. In October 2006 he was appointed as assistant manager to Paul Ince at League Two struggles Macclesfield Town. The pair were able to guide the Silkmen to an unlikely survival before moving to Milton Keynes Dons where they achieved more success, winning the League Two championship and the Football League Trophy. They subsequently moved on to top-flight team Blackburn Rovers in June 2008. On 18 December 2008 Matthias was relieved of his duties along with Archie Knox following the sacking of Paul Ince and the subsequent arrival of Sam Allardyce as the new Rovers manager. On 4 February 2011 Ray joined Stockport County as Technical Advisor to Peter Ward and Alan Lord. On 9 March 2011 Ray was appointed manager of Stockport County until the end of the season, with Peter Ward and Alan Lord stepping back to coaching roles. Mathias then became the first manager in Stockport County history to relegate the club from the Football League. On 25 May 2011 Ray was given the Manager’s job at Stockport County on a full-time basis “After a lengthy process during which we interviewed a number of high caliber applicants for the role” according to Chief Exec Graham Shaw. However, he was dismissed from the position in favor of Dietmar Hamann on 5 July 2011, and subsequently left the club.

Steve Mungall
Born: 22 May 1958  Place: Bellshill, Scotland Position: Defender
Years: 1979-1996 Appearances: 513 Goals: 14International Caps: 0 
International Goals: 14
After joining Tranmere from Motherwell in 1979, Mungall went on to make more than 500 Football League appearances for Rovers in a 17-year period. This spell saw Rovers rise up the league and make several appearances at Wembley. He remained with the club on the coaching staff before leaving in October 2000 to pursue business interests.But he was quickly back in football and was given his big management opportunity in October 2001 at Chester. The Blues were struggling in the Football Conference when Mungall took over, initially as caretaker-manager. His first match ended in a 2-0 home win over Hereford United and he was soon handed the job on a permanent basis. But a dreadful run of form saw Chester dragged into serious relegation trouble and Mungall was sacked after a defeat to Northwich Victoria on 26 December 2001. Mungall was later on the coaching staff at Droylsden, a role he left in December 2007. On 13 February 2008, Mungall returned to Chester City as assistant manager to Bobby Williamson  but he left along with Williamson early the following month.

JOHN MORRESSEY
Born: 8 March 1965 Place: Liverpool, England Position: Winger
Years: 1985-1999 Appearances: 470 Goals: 50 International Caps: 0
International Goals: 0
John Morrissey could have earned his place in the Tranmere Hall of Fame for his 64 goals for the Club from the wing. It could have been his 585 appearances which put him fourth highest in the Club’s all time list behind only Ray Mathias, Harold Bell and Steve Mungall. But it’s most likely he was voted in for his skill, trickery and constant supply of goal scoring chances for his team mates. Morrissey began his career at Everton and moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers his career took him to Prenton Park in October 1985.He was rarely out of the side, or the number 7 shirt, over the next 14 seasons, supplying chances for the likes of Ian Muir, Chris Malkin, Jim Steel, John Aldridge and David Kelly from the wing.He is one of a small group of players who appeared for the Club all the way from Division Four to Division Two and at Wembley Stadium and was massively popular on and off the pitch.

George Payne
Born: 22 August 1921 Place: Liverpool, England
Position: Goalkeeper Years: 1946–1961 Appearances:467 International Caps: 0 
George Payne (22 August 1921 – 6 April 1987) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Tranmere Rovers and Northwich Victoria. He made 467 appearances for Tranmere.

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