By Matthew Jones
October 14 2010

Rovers centre-back set to make his 300th appearance for the club

Tranmere Rovers' star centre-back Ian Goodison will make his 300th appearance for the club if, as expected, he is brought back into the starting line up to face Brentford this weekend.

The Jamaican jewel missed last Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Southampton after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season a week earlier against Brighton and Hove Albion, with this resulting in a one match ban.

Goodison joined Tranmere initially on trial, from Seba United, in 2004 when Rovers were managed by ex-Aston Villa boss Brian Little.

After impressing during his trial, Goodison was handed a two-year contract, sealing his second spell in English football after a three year stint at Hull City between 1999 and 2002.

Goodison made his debut for Tranmere against Oldham Athletic on February 21st 2004 and has made a further 298 appearances for the club ever since, scoring seven goals (vs. Blackpool, Yeovil, Walsall (x2), Southend (x2) and Stockport), with Rovers never losing a game the centre-back has scored in.

When he initially joined the club, Goodison was tested at left-back by Brian Little, and this was a position many Tranmere fans disapproved of the Jamaican playing in, especially as he showed flashes of brilliance on the few times he played at centre-back.

After Little left the club in 2006, Goodison initially departed too following the expiry of his contract, but new boss Ronnie Moore soon snapped up the centre-back in time for the new season.

Made club captain by Moore, Goodison was shifted to centre-back and has been a crucial player for Tranmere ever since, earning three new contracts at Prenton Park to go with his numerous Player of the Season awards and his hatrick of North West League One Player of the Year awards.

His form has not gone unnoticed from other clubs, with Plymouth Argyle and Leicester City both rumoured to be interested in buying the player at times, but Goodison has always remained loyal to Rovers and signed a one-year contract extension at Prenton Park in September, keeping him on the Wirral until 2012, when he will be 39.

The evergreen centre-back is comfortably Tranmere's most experienced player, with Ian Thomas-Moore, Paul McLaren and Alan Mahon the only other players at the club to have made over 100 appearances for Tranmere Rovers.

The most recent player to join the 300 club at Tranmere Rovers was goalkeeper John Achterberg, who made 312 appearances for the club before leaving to become a goalkeeping coach at Liverpool in 2009.

Goodison Set To Join 300 Club

Discussion started by Total Tranmere (IP Logged), 14/10/2010 10:19

Total Tranmere
14/10/2010 10:19

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TT Admin
14/10/2010 13:27

Loving that top picture there - nice find!

Thanks for that Matt!

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bigmart
14/10/2010 15:55

a very good achievement for goodison well done

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