Ray Mathias spent his entire playing career from 1964 to 1984 at Tranmere, making a record 637 appearances in all competitions.[7][8] Mathias went on to manage the team in 2002.[9][10]Harold Bell made a record 595 league appearances for Tranmere.[7][11] Bell also holds the record for the most consecutive league appearances for a British team; he was picked for the first game after the Second World War in the 1946–47 season and did not miss a match until 30 August 1955, a total of 401 consecutive matches in the Third Division North.[12]
Jimmy Moreton made 148 Football League and 22 FA Cup appearances, as well numerous first-team outings in the lower Lancashire Combination and Central Leagues.[13] Upon his retirement in 1926, Moreton became first trainer, then manager of Rovers.[13] As of the end of the 2011–12 season, the most recent player to amass 100 appearances is Ash Taylor.[14]
This list contains players who have made 100 or more appearances in nationally organised first-team competition for Tranmere. It includes first-team appearances and goals in the Football League and play-offs, the FA Cup, the Football League Cup, the Third Division North Cup, the Football League Trophy, the Full Members Cup and the Anglo-Italian Cup. Appearances and goals in other competitions or non-competitive matches are not included. Statistics from the three games in the 1939–40 Football League season abandoned because of the Second World War, and the two games against Accrington Stanley in 1961–62, prior to Accrington's resignation from the Football League, have been expunged from the records and are not included.[19] Between 1939 and 1946, Tranmere played 277 games in wartime regional league and cup competitions, but these results are considered friendly matches and are also omitted.[19] Statistics for current players are correct to the end of the 2023-24 season.
^Positions are listed according to the tactical formations that were employed at the time. Thus the change in the names of defenders and midfielders reflects the tactical evolution that occurred from the 1960s onwards.
^Years given denote the span between a player's first and last competitive appearance. Where a player spent multiple periods at the club, these periods are denoted as multiple ranges of years.
^FA Cup appearances prior to 1921 are sourced from Upton (1991). {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[27] Statistics from 1921 to 2009 are taken from Upton; Wilson; Bishop (2009). {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[28] For more recent players, Soccerbase is used.
^If a player received an international first-team cap, the country or countries he represented are shown.
^Campbell's statistics include 3 FA Cup appearances prior to 1921.[27]
^ abBetween 1926 and 1950, two competing teams represented the island of Ireland – the FAI and the IFA.[33][34] Eglington and Farrell were dual internationals who played for both teams.[35]
^Moreton's statistics include 11 FA Cup appearances (and 2 goals) prior to 1921.[27]
^
Bishop (1990). "Moreton, Jimmy". p. 30. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^
Exenberger, Andreas (27 February 2000). "England League Cup 1999/2000". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
^
Bishop (1998). p. 20. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ ab"John Welsh". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
^
Bishop (1990). "Yeats, Ron". p. 71. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ abc
Upton (1991). "Tranmere Rovers 1891–92 to 1920–21 – F A Cup Appearances & Goalscorers". pp. 111–113. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^
Upton; Wilson; Bishop (2009). "Player Records". pp. 520–538. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ ab
Upton, Gilbert; Wilson, Steve (November 1997). "Tranmere Rovers 1921–1997 International Players". Tranmere Rovers 1921–1997: A Complete Record. p. 112. ISBN978-0-9518648-2-1.
Clubs are grouped by their division in the 2024–25 season. Includes the Welsh clubs where lists have been created. 'POTY' = 'Player of the Year / Season'.