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The first round of this seasons trophy sees Rovers and Stanley play each other at Prenton Park in the North-West section of the draw, with the trophy broadening to the Northern section after the first round, where the winners could face trips to the likes of Hartlepool, Oldham or Leeds.
Accrington Stanley team profile:
Formed: 1968
Ground: The Fraser Eagle Stadium
Manager: John Coleman
Nickname: Stanley
Season Finish 2006/07: 17th (Coca-Cola League Two)Previous Meetings:
Due to Accrington going bust in the 1960s, these two teams haven't met since the 1959/60 season, when Rovers did the double of Stanley in Division Three North.
At Prenton Park in August, Tranmere hammered Accrington 5-1! Just under four months later, Rovers travelled to Lancashire in December and completed the double over struggling Accrington, who were of course one of the founder members of the football league, winning the match 3-1.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere have won 20 of their 32 home games against Accrington
Rovers have one of their biggest all time wins against Stanley, when they beat the Lancashire side 9-0 at Prenton Park in April 1958
In 32 home games against Accrington, Tranmere have scored an incredible 92 goals
Between 1921 - 1938 and 1946 - 1959, Tranmere and Accrington were in the same division for every season (Division Three North), but due to Accrington's financial problems, they haven't played a game since
Tranmere have only kept a clean sheet twice in their last twelve games against Accrington
On This Day:
2006: Goalkeeper Gavin Ward incredibly scores a free-kick from inside his own half for Tranmere during a 3-0 win over Leyton Orient
2005: A Friday night encounter at Dean Court sees Tranmere draw 0-0 with Bournemouth
1997: Rovers are humbled by Birmingham, losing 3-0 at St. Andrews in Division One
Tranmere have played nineteen previous matches on September 2nd, picking up six wins, seven draws and six defeats. They have scored 23 goals and conceded 26 on this day.
The Form Book:
Tranmere Rovers first five games: WLWLL
Accrington Stanley first five games: LWWLL
Accrington Stanley have had a start to the season not too unlike Tranmere Rovers, having picked up two wins and two defeats from their opening four league games.
Stanley started the season at home to League newboys Aldershot, and were in poor form as they lost 1-0, but John Coleman's side were in better form a few days later as they were unlucky to be knocked out of the Carling Cup.
Accrington were given a tough draw, playing away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but put in a performance that for long periods matched their Championship opposition. Indeed, the game had to go to extra-time as after 90 minutes, the game was tied at 1-1, but Wolves' quality eventually showed, as they scored two goals in extra-time to win the match 3-2.
However, the Lancashire team picked up their first win of the campaign in their next match, beating Port Vale 2-0 at Vale Park, thanks to goals from Craney and Mullin, before Mullin was again on the scoresheet in another 2-0 win, this time at home to Macclesfield Town at the Fraser Eagle Stadium a week later.
After those two consecutive wins though, Stanley's form dipped somewhat in their next match, as they lost at Priestfield against recently relegated Gillingham, with Dennis Oli scoring a 75th minute winner for the Gills.
It's been an indifferent start to the season for Tranmere Rovers, with the Prenton Park side having picked up two wins and two defeats in the league, as well as one defeat in the League Cup.
Rovers started the season playing a 4-3-3 formation which had served them well in pre-season, but once the competative football got going, it soon becamse apparent that this formation wasn't going to work away from home.
Ronnie Moore's side opened their campaign with a hugely dissapointing 3-1 defeat at Swindon Town, with Bas Savage only grabbing a late concelation goal for Rovers, before Tranmere travelled to Grimsby Town a couple of days later for their League Cup first round match. Despite putting in a good display in this match, Rovers strikers were miss-firing, and as a result Tranmere somehow lost the match 2-0, despite having over double the amount of shots that their hosts had.
Tranmere picked up their first win of the campaign at Prenton Park four days later, when Ronnie Moore's side beat Hartlepool United 1-0 thanks to a splendid strike from Craig Curran, but the Super Whites were still struggling on the road, as a week later they travelled to Leicester City and lost 3-1, this again despite putting in a decent display.
Ronnie Moore reverted to 4-4-2 for his sides next game, a home match against Northampton Town, and the change worked greatly, as despite falling behind courtesy of a sloppy backpass by Ian Goodison, Tranmere romped their way to a 4-1 victory, with Savage, Kay, Curran and Ian Moore on the score sheet for Rovers.
Double Hit:
Tranmere fans know all about John Mullin, who was on the books at Prenton Park for two-years before being released by Ronnie Moore at the end of last season and joining Accrington Stanley.
Midfielder Mullin started his career with Burnley, where between 1992 and 1995 he played twenty games, scoring twice, before signing for Sunderland for £40,000.
In four years with the Black Cats, Mullin made 45 appearances and scored four goals, but failed to ever hold down a regular place in the first team and was sent out on loan to Preston and then Burnley during the 1997/98 season.
July 1999 saw Mullin return to Burnley on a free-transfer, where he would spend the next two seasons, playing 85 times, although nearly half of these appearances came from the substitutes bench, and scoring nine goals.
It was in October 2001 that John Mullin teamed up with Ronnie Moore for the first time, joining Rotherham United for £150,000.
He became a huge hit at Rotherham over the next five years, as he played close to 200 games for the Yorkshire club, scoring fourteen valuable goals from midfield in the process.
However, cash problems hit the Millers, and after relegation from the Championship in 2005, which saw Moore fired just before the end of the season.
At the end of the 2005/06 season, Mullin was released by Rotherham, and in July 2006 he followed Ronnie Moore to Tranmere Rovers, signing a two-year contract.
Mullin started his Rovers career brilliantly, scoring crucial goals from his attacking midfield goal, including a brilliant half-volley winner from 10-yards against Bristol City.
However, after Christmas that season, his form tailed off, and he was never the same player in the white shirt. Injuries prevented him finding his best form during the 2007/08 season, and indeed he made just twelve appearances all season.
In total, Mullin played 56 times for Tranmere, scoring five times, before being release this summer, when he joined Accrington Stanley after a successful trial at the club. He has now played three games for Stanley and wears the number 16 shirt for the club.
One To Watch: Paul Mullin
Brother of John, Paul Mullin has been at Accrington for seven years, meaning he is in his eighth season with the club.
Unlike John, Paul is a striker and has scored plenty of goals for Accrington over the years, and indeed he was one of the key men behind the club getting promoted back to the Football League during the 2005/06 season.
Mullin actually started his career at Accrington before being released and going on to play non-League football with the likes of Darwen, Trafford, Clitheroe and Radcliffe Borough before being signed once more by Stanley in 2001.
Since re-joining the club, he has become somewhat of a fan favourite, playing nearly 300 games for the club and scoring 127 goals, of which fourteen came during the clubs promotion season.
Paul looks very like his brother John and wears the number ten shirt for Accington. At 34, his best years are most probably behind him, but Paul is still a valuable player for Accrington and he has netted three times so far this season.
The Johnstone's Paint Trophy:
The format for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy sees eight teams get byes into the second round, including the likes of Carlisle and Rochdale.
These byes are drawn randomly and unfortunatly Rovers have missed out on a bye this year, meaning they play Accrington at Prenton Park in the first round.
In the northern section of the draw, the biggest tie of the round, without doubt, it at Elland Road, where Leeds United take on local rivals Bradford City of League Two.
Leicester City play in the competition for the first time and they have to travel to Hartlepool United whilst Oldham Athletic host Morecambe.
In the Southern section of the draw, holders MK Dons have a first round bye, but some of the fixtures include Millwall taking on Colchester United in an all League one clash and Swindon Town travel to league new boys Aldershot.
Team News:
Chris Shuker put in a good shift against Northampton, starting a match for the first time this season, and although he looked a little off the pace in the game, match fitness can only help and he should be available to start this one too. Godwin Antwi will miss out again due to an ankle injury, whilst Gareth Edds has a groin strain and Ian Goodison is away on international duty with Jamaica, so Ronnie Moore has a number of selection issues in defence ahead of this fixture. It's likely that either Ryan Shotton or Luke Waterfall will fill in at centre-back, with Kay playing right-back and one of Charlie Barnett or George O'Callaghan coming in to central midfield.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere Rovers 3-0 Accrington Stanley
This is a very bold prediction, especially as Tranmere have struggled against League Two opposition since Ronnie Moore took over at the club, but after the 4-1 hammering of Northampton at the weekend, Rovers will be in high spirits and hoping for another win in this fixture.
Tranmere could go into the game playing 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, although Ronnie Moore is unlikely to change the side that handed out that drubbing to Northampton on Saturday, meaning Rovers would start with a 4-4-2 formation.
If Bas Savage puts in a performance anything like the one he did against Northampton, then he will be far too hot to handle for the Northampton defence, and with Curran in apparent goalscoring form and other players beginning to weigh in with goals, Tranmere should once again be finding the back of the net on Tuesday night.
What will be interesting though is whether Ronnie Moore gives any fringe players, or those who haven't started many, if any, games this season a run out. Chris Greenacre, Adnan Ahmed, Charlie Barnett and Danny Holmes are all chomping at the bit to get a game and some would say deserve their chance in the first team.