Moore’s delight at Kay’s success

Jan 12 2009 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

NO-ONE will more be more delighted if Tranmere’s Antony Kay is named League One player of the month today than his manager Ronnie Moore.

The Rovers skipper is one of four players nominated for the Poweraid-sponsored award for December, which is announced this afternoon.

Supporters and fellow players at Prenton Park rate Kay among the most influential and consistent performers in the team this season.

The fact that the 26-year-old Yorkshireman has operated in a role that is not his favourite position speaks volumes about his versatility and value to the side.

Kay spent most of his first season at Tranmere as a centre-back but Moore asked him to take on the deep lying midfield role in the early weeks of the current campaign.

He has since become a pivotal figure in the side, providing strength in protecting the back four, using his passing ability to build attacks and posing a threat in raids into the opposition box that have yielded six goals.

Moore said: “I hope Antony wins the award because he does deserve it.

“We made him captain because he is a leader on the park not only in what he says but also in his performances.

“He has many of the qualities of a natural goalscorer and I think he is more than capable of getting into double figures this season.”

Moore also hinted that Tranmere may soon be addressing the issue of a new contract for Kay, whose current two-year deal expires at the end of the season.

Moore said: “He is very much in the mould of Ian Goodison. They are both exceptional players and they are players we would want to keep at the club.”

Winger Chris Shuker played alongside Kay both at Barnsley and Tranmere and reckons his long-time team-mate is rising to the challenge of the midfield role.

Shuker said: “Antony is a leader by example.

“He’s always been a versatile player. I worked alongside him at Barnsley and he was at centre-half for most of that time.

“He played centre midfield couple of times but I did not rate him in that role as much as I rated him at the back.

“He played centre-half here last year and did brilliantly.

“Then they moved into centre midfield this season and now he’s doing that brilliantly as well.

“He’s getting better in the position all the time.”

Kay’s three goals in December, including last-gasp winners against Brighton and Walsall, helped to bring his form to the attention of the player of the month judges.

He faces competition from fellow nominees Matt Fryatt of Leicester City, Peterborough’s Aaron MacLean and Huddersfield’s Gary Roberts.

Kay’s 93rd-minute strike against the Saddlers at Prenton Park on December 28 marked the last significant action of Tranmere’s stalled League One campaign.

The fixtures at Colchester United on January 3 and against Peterborough United, who were due at Prenton Park on Saturday, both fell victim in to the prolonged spell of Arctic weather.

The conditions were so difficult last week that the frost protection cover at Prenton Park could not save the Peterborough game.

The postponement left Tranmere facing a busier than expected schedule in February.

The visit to Colchester has been rearranged for Tuesday February 10.

The long overnight trip to Essex will be followed by another later in the same week because Rovers are due to visit Southend United on Saturday February 14. A new date for the Peterborough again is yet to be set.

Meanwhile tickets for John Achterberg’s testimonial dinner have gone on sale.

Speakers at the £25 per-head event at Aldos, Prenton Park on Monday, February 9 will include David Kelly, Tranmere’s Wembley goalscorer in the Worthington Cup Final against Leicester City in 2000, BBC presenter and Tranmere supporter Ray Stubbs, physio Les Parry and comedian Sean Styles.

Ticket are available in the Tranmere Rovers club shop. Alternatively contact webmaster@ja2009.co.uk or call 07968 753 748 for more information.

A home tie against Championship club Birmingham City is the prize at stake for Tranmere’s under-18s when they take on Cardiff City in the FA Youth Cup fourth round at Ninian Park tomorrow.

Rovers have so far overcome Darlington, Solihull Motors and Northampton Town in the competition.