Tranmere fans have more reasons than most to hate Valentine’s Day.
This year’s 2-0 reverse at Bradford City extended a hapless run that has seen Rovers go almost half a century without a league win on February 14.
The trip to Valley Parade was Rovers’ sixteenth Valentine’s Day fixture. The first was a home game with Barrow in 1925.
At first glance, the club’s record looks pretty good.
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 15 |
However, six of those wins game came in Rovers’ first eight Valentine’s Day fixtures.
The most recent win came in 2004 - when goals from Ryan Taylor and Iain Hume earned a 2-1 win over Swansea City in the FA Cup fifth round. (Click play on the video below to skip straight to Hume’s screamer.)
Rovers haven’t won a league game on Valentine’s Day for 47 years. The last was a 1-0 victory at Brentford in 1976.
In the six games since, the run of form looks something like: 💔 💔 🤍 💔 🤍 🤍
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Points | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 0.5 |
There’s plenty of competition for the title of Tranmere’ bleakest Valentine’s Day. The meak 2-0 defeat at York City in 2015 was the point at which many realized Mickey Adams’ men were doomed. A case can also be made for the 0-0 draw away at Carlisle United on a Tuesday night in the dying embers of Les Parry’s reign.