1988–89 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season

Tranmere Rovers F.C.

1988–89 season
Manager	John King
Stadium	Prenton Park
Football League Fourth Division	2nd (of 24)
Team colours
← 1987–88 1989–90 →

Striker Ian Muir scored 21 goals as Tranmere Rovers F.C. won promotion in the 1988–89 season. John King's side failed to win any of their opening four league games, but lost just two of their next eleven matches, whilst also reaching the fourth round of the Littlewoods Cup. The 1–0 victory at Scunthorpe United on New Year's Even started a run of only two defeats in 21 games that took Tranmere to the top of the Fourth Division with four matches remaining. Ian Muir and Steve Vickers were ever-present as the team finished runners-up.

Final league table

Pos	Team	Pld		W	D	L	F	A		W	D	L	F	A		F	A	GD		Pts	Notes
1	Rotherham United	46		13	6	4	44	18		9	10	4	32	17		76	35	+41		82
2	Tranmere Rovers	46		15	6	2	34	13		6	11	6	28	30		62	43	+19		80
3	Crewe Alexandra	46		13	7	3	42	24		8	8	7	25	24		67	48	+19		78
4	Scunthorpe United	46		11	9	3	40	22		10	5	8	37	35		77	57	+20		77
5	Scarborough	46		12	7	4	33	23		9	7	7	34	29		67	52	+15		77
6	Leyton Orient	46		16	2	5	61	19		5	10	8	25	31		86	50	+36		75
7	Wrexham	46		12	7	4	44	28		7	7	9	33	35		77	63	+14		71
8	Cambridge United	46		13	7	3	45	25		5	7	11	26	37		71	62	+9		68
9	Grimsby Town	46		11	9	3	33	18		6	6	11	32	41		65	59	+6		66
10	Lincoln City	46		12	6	5	39	26		6	4	13	25	34		64	60	+4		64
11	York City	46		10	8	5	43	27		7	5	11	19	36		62	63	–1		64
12	Carlisle United	46		9	6	8	26	25		6	9	8	27	27		53	52	+1		60
13	Exeter City	46		14	4	5	46	23		4	2	17	19	45		65	68	–3		60
14	Torquay United	46		15	2	6	32	23		2	6	15	13	37		45	60	–15		59
15	Hereford United	46		11	8	4	40	27		3	8	12	26	45		66	72	–6		58
16	Burnley	46		12	6	5	35	20		2	7	14	17	41		52	61	–9		55
17	Peterborough United	46		10	3	10	29	32		4	9	10	23	42		52	74	–22		54
18	Rochdale	46		10	10	3	32	26		3	4	16	24	56		56	82	–26		53
19	Hartlepool United	46		10	6	7	33	33		4	4	15	17	45		50	78	–28		52
20	Stockport County	46		8	10	5	31	20		2	11	10	23	32		54	52	+2		51
21	Halifax Town	46		10	7	6	42	27		3	4	16	27	48		69	75	–6		50
22	Colchester United	46		8	7	8	35	30		4	7	12	25	48		60	78	–18		50
23	Doncaster Rovers	46		9	6	8	32	32		4	4	15	17	46		49	78	–29		49
24	Darlington	46		3	12	8	28	38		5	6	12	25	38		53	76	–23		42

• Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
	Division Champions, promoted
	Promoted
	Participated in play-offs
	Promoted through play-offs
	New club in the league
	Relegated to Conference