Wembley 2000 - Where are they now?
Tuesday 23rd February, 2010
By Richard Ault

The team that proudly strolled out of the Wembley tunnel that February afternoon came from every walk of footballing life. Youngsters looking to make their name in the game, ageing players looking to rediscover past glories and old pro’s coming towards the end of their careers.

In essence, it was a true Tranmere team; a team of heroes.

So what became of the eleven that started that day? Here’s what they are up to now.

Joe Murphy

A controversial selection in goal due to the contract situation regarding John Achterberg at the time, Joe is now playing in the Championship for Scunthorpe United, as most Rovers fans are probably aware after last season!

Joe left Tranmere in the summer of 2002 and joined WBA, taking advantage of the Bosman ruling to move out once his contract expired. Rovers received a small fee, and Murphy was limited to mostly substitute appearances at Albion.

The highlight no doubt came when he made his Premiership debut, coming off the bench at Anfield after keeper Dean Kiely had been sent off. Murphy saved Michael Owen’s penalty with his first touch. He had subsequent spells with Sunderland and Walsall.

Reuben Hazell

Reuben had arrived at Rovers the previous summer from Aston Villa after being released by the Premier League outfit. He impressed on trial and was handed a contract by John Aldridge.

He wasn’t a main stay of the side at the time but was selected above Steve Yates to play right back that day. Reuben left Rovers in February 2002 after seeing much of his progress hampered by injury. It was a loan move to Torquay United that would later become permanent.

A succession of injuries marred his time at Plainmoor, and when the similar happened during a spell at Kidderminster, it looked as though Reuben’s days as a league footballer may have been finished.

However, out of the blue he joined Chesterfield in 2005 and spent two successful years at Saltergate before stepping back up to League One with Oldham Athletic in 2007. He has become a bit of a favourite at Boundary Park. A mainstay of the Latics team for the last two years, Reuben scored for Athletic at Prenton Park during the 2008/09 season.

Dave Challinor

Dave left Tranmere in 2002 after nearly ten years with the club. He joined Stockport for £120,000, and spent two-and-a-half years at Edgeley Park. In 2004 he joined Bury where he remained for four years, most of the time as captain.

He is currently training to be a physiotherapist at Salford University whilst playing part-time at Colwyn Bay. Bay have strong Rovers connections, with Josh Macauley currently on loan there and ex-youth team player Luke Denson also on their books. Moreover, another Wembley 2000 hero can also be found there. Read on to find out who.

Clint Hill

Clint was a huge crowd favourite at Prenton Park but left the club in the summer of 2002 when his contract ran out. Tranmere fans found his decision to join Oldham Athletic a bitter pill to swallow, and when he scored past Rovers for his new club at Boundary Park and ran the length of the pitch to celebrate whilst kissing the Latics badge, many lost any remaining respect they had for the former skipper.

However, they say time is a great healer, and that looks to have been the case here. Many fans seem to have now forgiven Clint and he received a warm reception from fans at John Achterberg’s testimonial in March 2009.

He is currently playing in the Championship with Crystal Palace, although these days he is deployed at left-back.

Gareth Roberts

Another huge hero during his time at Rovers, Robbo repeatedly turned down offers to join bigger clubs during his time at the club, each time preferring to try and help Tranmere back into the Championship himself rather than jumping up to that level.

However, after years of trying, the fiery Welsh full-back finally took a hard-earned, lucrative move to Doncaster Rovers in 2006 after narrowly surviving relegation with Tranmere under Brian Little. Doncaster were promoted during his first season and Robbo is still a regular in the Donny side in the Championship.

Gary Jones

Gary Jones left Tranmere for Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2000 after seven years at Rovers, but found his first team opportunities limited at the City Ground. He rejoined Rovers on loan during the 2002/03 season and made the move permanent soon after. He spent another three seasons at Prenton Park.

He was to leave the club again in 2005 though, signing for Grimsby Town on a free transfer. After several years at Grimsby, Jonah left the Mariners and moved back to the Wirral.

He is now player assistant manager at Colwyn Bay where he played a vital part in the team reaching the play-offs in 2009. He is contracted to remain as assistant manager at Colwyn Bay until the end of the 2011/12 season.

Andy Parkinson

Andy was one of the stars of those infamous cup runs and was regularly linked with moves away from the club, Norwich and Leeds both reported to have bid £1million for him at one stage.

As it were, Parkinson joined Sheffield United on a free transfer in June 2003, along with team mate Wayne Allison. As with his time at Tranmere, he struggled with injury and a lack of first team opportunities at Bramall Lane and was to have two spells on loan at Notts County.

He joined Grimsby Town on a permanent deal in 2004 but was back at Meadow Lane two years later where he remained until he joined Cambridge in 2008. Despite picking up a serious injury, Parky still managed to play an important role in the Cambridge team that reached the Conference play-offs last season.

After manager Gary Brabin left in the summer and was replaced by Martin Ling, Andy found his first team opportunities limited and mutually left the club in January. He has joined Gateshead until the end of the season but has moved back to Liverpool with his family.

Read an exclusive interview with Parky this week here on thecowsheds.co.uk.

Scott Taylor

Scott left Tranmere in 2001 after relegation to the Second Division. It was reported at the time that Scott refused to drop down divisions, but he set the record straight last week in an exclusive interview with thecowsheds.co.uk, during which he made clear his admiration for the club and his desire to stay at the time. (interview will be published this week, exclusively on this website)

Scott moved to Stockport but had limited success and then joined Blackpool. He was a massive success at Bloomfield Road, becoming a prolific goalscorer for several years. Constantly linked with moves away from the club, he finally moved to Plymouth in 2004 for £100,000 but had an unsuccessful time on the south coast.

A move to MK Dons failed to revitalise his career and he dropped down the divisions. Scott is now back at his first club, Staines Town, where he plays part-time whilst doing an electrician apprenticeship and is taking his coaching badges.

Nick Henry

A veteran by the time he joined Tranmere, Henry was another one of those Rovers heroes thanks to some gutsy, battling displays and some stunning goals. He left the club in 2002 and moved to Scarborough where he later became manager prior to the club going bust and having to reform.

He then moved into the pub trade, working as a chef in a pub in Scarborough that he and his wife ran. Nick is uncle of former Tranmere youngster Paul Henry who left Prenton Park last season.

Alan Mahon

Alan Mahon left Tranmere to join Sporting Lisbon in 2001 as his contract ran to a close. He spent only a few months in Portugal and returned to join Premiership Blackburn Rovers on loan, making the move permanent a short-time later.

He later played for Wigan Athletic before joining Burnley where he stayed up until last summer. After harbouring hopes of returning to Prenton Park one day, Alan rejoined Rovers last summer, John Barnes handing him a three year deal. Unfortunately his return has been overshadowed by injury.

David Kelly

“Ned” scored the infamous goal in the final at Wembley that will be remembered forever despite the result. He was another huge favourite at Prenton Park but left the club to join Sheffield United in 2001 having failed to agree a new contract with the club.

He would also play for Motherwell in Scotland before eventually hanging up his boots and moving into coaching. He returned to Prenton Park during the 2002/03 season as assistant to Ray Mathias and helped change the fortunes of the team as they put together a fantastic unbeaten run and narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

He left the club under a cloud, again to Sheffield United as assistant to Neil Warnock. Again, success followed but he was soon to join Preston as assistant to Billy Davies. He followed Davies to Derby and achieved promotion to the Premiership, and then to Nottingham Forest where, surprise, surprise, he looks to have been instrumental in forming another strong side.