County v Tranmere: Match Thread (04/02/2023)

I shared a train completely packed with their fans on my journey up to that game from Liverpool Lime Street, Ceef, and that's no exaggeration - every carriage was rammed with them.

There were slabs of beer and cans being cracked open everywhere you looked, but the train staff and massive Police presence did absolutely nothing to stop them getting on the train with them.

I've never been one for getting nervous among away supporters myself, and got talking to a few who were stood in the crammed aisle near my seat that spotted my County shirt, they seemed like decent lads and just wanted to talk about how I thought the game would go and what our current form was like.

That said, it was a sketchy journey nonetheless, but that was more due to the absolutely horrendous overcrowding than any thoughts of potential trouble. That train should never have been allowed to leave the station, but it was obvious to me that the station staff and Merseyside Police couldn't get them out of Liverpool and onto someone else's 'to do' list quick enough!

The massive relief of safety along with copious amounts of beer will no doubt have fuelled crossbargate, but some of our fans haven't exactly covered themselves in glory since then, have they.

It's going to be a tough game, one that I'll happily take a point from right now given our present form, although I have a feeling that we won't even get that.

I thought Wootton had his best game in a County shirt yesterday. Tranmere will have found him unplayable, and he was unlucky not to bag a hat-trick. Utterly brilliant.

I was really pleased when we signed him after seeing him play for Notts County, and nobody is more chuffed for him than me that he's making his mark with us.

He seems like a really nice lad too.

I think Wootton is now proving why he was so highly regarded at Notts County. I think his performance in the earlier matches he was still trying to find his feet. But now DC has got him doing exactly what he's been asking. The Tranmere players just kept man handling him but the referee did him no favours. I don't remember him getting any free kicks off all the arm wrestling & shirt pulling. In fact some went against him. Was watching Match of the Day & saw similar actions. It does now seem to be an accepted part of the game.