This piece was originally prepared for a Lede Program project in June 2022.
Tranmere Rovers were imperious at home in 2021/22. With 16 wins from 23 league games at Prenton Park, their home record of 2.21 points per game was comfortably the best in League Two.
A record that strong would normally all but guarantee at least a play-off berth – if not automatic promotion.
Yet Rovers’ away form was so calamitous they somehow contrived to finish ninth, two places below the last play-off spot.
That level of failure is very unusual.
This was just the third time in the 35-year history of the play-offs that a team in Tranmere’s division has failed to reach the post-season or achieve automatic promotion after finishing with the best home record.
Salford City did it in 2020/21, while Portsmouth managed only a ninth-place finish in Division One (now the Championship) in 1991/92, despite winning 51 of 69 points at home – the same total Tranmere achieved last campaign.
Matt Jones, presenter of fans’ podcast A Trip to the Moon, recently speculated this could be the biggest difference between Tranmere’s home and away records in the club’s history.
In fact, there have been 20 seasons where the gulf was even larger.
Last season’s was, however, the biggest since 1994/95, when John King’s side’s pitiful away form cost the club its best chance of reaching the Premier League.
If Micky Mellon’s side are to mount a serious challenge this season he’ll need to find a cure for last season’s travel sickness.
The good news for Rovers fans is that Mellon has one of the better away records among Tranmere managers.
The bad news is that his average of 1.06 PPG from 63 EFL away games is only marginally better than the record that saw his side fall short last term.