Friday, December 22 – 1939
Everton have a great opportunity of becoming joint leaders of the Western Region. They are only a point behind Stoke City – with a match in hand – and if they win at Tranmere they must, at least share position number one, no matter what the Manchester clubs, also on the 10 point, marks, do. The champions will be back to practically full power – only three of the championship side marked “absent” – and I think they can succeed.
Tranmere have yet to gain their first Regional point. The Rovers will have the aid of two Everton players, “Bunny” Bell –returning to the scene of his nine goals-a-match triumph and the soccer “preparatory school” – and Jack Jones, the English international back.
The experience of the Everton side should prove too good for the young men of Tranmere. Lawton and Mercer return to the Blues, while Bell and Martin is the one Tranmere change.
Everton: Ted Sagar, George Jackson, Norman Greenhalgh, Joe Mercer, Tommy Jones, Gordon Watson, Fred Sweeney, Stan Bentham, Tommy Lawton, Alex Stevenson, Wally Boyes.
Tranmere Rovers; J.K. Hassall, Jack Jones, Arthur Owen, Tommy Davis, Walter Price, Tom Byrom, Williams, Bunny Bell, Paddy Sloan, Harold Bridges, Gib Bellis.
(Evening Express, 22-12-1939)
Pongo Waring, Tranmere Rovers F.C.
XX
"Play Up, Liverpool" 