Past Legends Part 8

Last updated : 02 July 2008 By Matthew Jones
Tranmere legend Steve Mungall in action
After a two-week absense, Past Legends returns with a look at an eighth player who is quite rightly a terrace hero at Prenton Park.

Past weeks have seen the likes of John Aldridge, Pat Nevin and John Achterberg profiled in this ten part series of articles looking at Tranmere legends, and this week is no different in terms of the quality of player profiled, as we take a look at the man who lies third in the appearance list for Tranmere Rovers.

Scottish defender Steve Mungall started his career in his home country with Chapelhall, from where he moved on to Motherwell in 1976, aged 18.

Over a three-year stay with Motherwell, Mungall made 48 appearances for the club before joining Tranmere Rovers in 1979 on a free-transfer, the club with whom Mungall would increadibly stay for the rest of his playing career.

Over the next eighteen years, "Mungy" would be part of the most successful Tranmere team of all time, as they rose from the depths of English league football to the heights of Division Two, now known as the Coca Cola Championship.

Inevitably, the club made numerous Wembley appearances in this successful period, winning the Leyland DAF trophy and finishing runners up in 1990 and 1991, as well as winning play-off finals at the national stadium.

This year, Mungall was part of the successful Tranmere Rovers Masters squad
As with legends such as Eric Nixon, Dave Higgins, Jim Steel, Jimmy Harvey, Ian Muir and then later the likes of John Aldridge and Pat Nevin, Mungall was an essential part of the Tranmere Rovers team.

In his playing days at Prenton Park, Mungall had two ever present seasons, not missing a game between the start of the 1985-86 season and the end of the 1986-87 season.

He played most of his Rovers career at full-back and over his 18-year playing career at Tranmere Rovers, Steve Mungall played under just four permanent managers; John King, who brought him to the club in 1979 and had two spells as manager of Tranmere, with Mungall present for both, Bryan Hamilton and Frank Worthington, who came in between King's two spells between 1980 and 1987, and John Aldridge, who replaced King in 1996.

Always commited, Mungall would play where ever necessary for his club, appearing upfront and in midfield, as well as at his regular left-back role.

He had pace for most of his career and was always reliable and steady, where ever he played, and often put his body on the line for the club.

Mungall retired from playing in 1997 having made 624 first team appearances for Tranmere Rovers, just thirteen games short of Ray Mathias' record for the club.

His departure was the start of the end really, you might say, for Tranmere Rovers' era of success, as, over the next few years, other greats such as Morrisey, Nevin and Thomas would leave the club, whilst Aldridge retired from playing in 1998.

That wasn't the end of his affilliation with the club though. He took up various positions within the backroom staff, starting as the kit man, before taking up a coaching role within the club.

Mungy whilst at Chester CIty
After leaving the club in October 2000 to pursue a career in business, Mungall was soon back in football as Chester City manager in 2001 although his stay with the Deva Stadium club only lasted three months.

After leaving Chester, Mungall picked the boots up once more and began playing non-League football on the Wirral, he played for New Brighton before retiring again.

The Tranmere legend that he is, Mungy was part of the successful Tranmere Rovers Masters side that this year won the Mersey Masters trophy in their debut season, with Mungall playing a key part in the Tranmere side as he wore the number seven shirt. He is expected to turn out once more in the National finals in September.

In every sense of the word, Mungall is a true Tranmere Rovers legend. Committed and reliable, he never let the club down. Indeed, his example is one all players should look to follow as he displayed loyalty, passion and the will to succeed through-out his career.

Mungall's commitment to the club was recognised when he recieved the Dixie Dean Memorial award, an award handed out to footballers on Merseyside, and, after being introduced in 1980, only three other Tranmere players have won the award - Ray Mathias, John King and Eric Nixon.