Never in our wildest dreams did those of us who stood on the terracing at Prenton Park in the early eighties ever dream that such a hero as John Aldridge would ever be playing in front of us. So when in June 1991 the stories started in the Daily Post, it really did all sound more like a pipe dream than anything else.

Tranmere, newly promoted to the first division were already on a high and the news that Aldo was to be the front man was like the cherry on top of the cake.

Aldo started his illustrious career with non league South Liverpool. He was desperate to play for Liverpool the team he supported from childhood, but although they watched him during his time there they did not not make a move for him. As a consequence, when the offer came, he packed his bags, and made his league debut with Newport County. He scored eighty three goals with the Welsh side, before being invited to make the move to Oxford United.

As Oxford went through the most successful period of their history, Aldo put away ninety goals in 141 appearances, and gained his first call up to the Republic of Ireland in 1985. He also played in the 1986 League Cup victory over Queens Park Rangers.

In January 1987, with Ian Rush set to move to Italy, Aldo was offered the dream move to Anfield. He played two seasons with the reds, being their leading scorer with 29 and 27 goals in all competitions. Of course that period of his career also brought the moment he would love to forget, the missed penalty in the 88 Cup final that saw Liverpool lose agai nst Wimbledon at Wembley and the team miss out on the 'double' for that season. The huge irony was that it was the only penalty he ever missed for Liverpool.

In the Summer of 88 Ian Rush returned to Anfield. Aldo was initially first choice, with Rush on the bench, but it wasn't long before Dalglish decided he couldn't play both players, and it was Aldo who was forced to move on. Spanish Club Real Sociedad provided Aldo with a new playing arena, and he scored forty goals before the desire to return to England overcame him.

With the indifference of Premier sides, Tranmere provided the answer to Aldo, who still had his family home in Liverpool. He signed in June 1991, playing football for the Birkenhead side for longer than with any other team.

As if to prove the doubters wrong, Aldo scored an incredible forty goals in his first season with the club. He also continued to make regular appearances for the Republic of Ireland and finished his career just one goal short of Frank Stapleton's Irish scoring record. Aldo was a member of the Irish squad for the USA 94 World Cup.

In 1996 Aldo was given a new challenge when he was appointed player-manager at Tranmere in succession to John King. In 1997 he made a new record by beating Jimmy Greaves goalscoring record of 467 goals.

In his first full season as manager, he had a total nightmare of a run of injuries to his players that no manager should suffer. He had no money to buy players with and lost a number of the young players before the season had even begun. Yet somehow, with the odds stacked against him, he managed to get the team to the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in their history, and when all looked lost and the drop to the second division seemed inevitable, somehow he turned the tide and Rovers washed up in fourteenth position.

Wolverhampton Wanderers provided the opposition for the last game of the 1997/98 season, and also the last league appearance of John Aldridge. It proved to be a fitting end to a fantastic career, with Aldo scoring the on ly two goals of the match. The first, almost inevitably, a penalty, that saw the famous shimmy before the ball went into the net. The second a true goal poachers finish. He almost made it a hat-trick, but the Wolves keeper wasn't that generous!! Nevertheless, he finished his career on 474 goals, a record that will be tough to beat.

Season 98/99 proved even more of a trial. Steve Simonsen, the bright goalkeeping prospect was sold against Aldo's wishes to raise funds for the club, and then it was revealed th at financial irregularities had been discovered after the Chairman resigned. There was a period of great unease at the club that saw many employees lose their jobs, and Aldo still with no money to build a team. When others might have walked away and looke d for a club with a rich owner and open pockets, Aldo stuck with the club, and with yet another relegation tussle, managed to keep the team afloat, finishing in fifteenth position.

There followed another boardroom take-over and the prospect of Peter Johnson returning to the club, but still very little money on the table for Aldo to build his side. He was again forced to lose a player, this time top goalscorer of the previous season and key midfielder, Kenny Irons.This prompted the free signings of Nick Henry and Michael Black and Rueben Hazel, and a certain amount of optimism.

On the dawn of the new season, John McGreal was sold to Ipswich which released some much needed cash into the manager's hands.Steve Yates arrived on a months contract along with Gareth Roberts and trialists Benito Kemble and Pedro Matias and Aldo is still hinting at another new face to join the mob.

After everything that has gone on at the club, one can only wonder at the man who is at the helm. With Rovers coursing through his veins he seems determined to see the job through to its end.

Man or God? Ask a Rovers supporter!

BJ August 1999