NORWOOD SO HAPPY MANGAN IS BACK

JAMES NORWOOD says he is delighted to see his old pal Andy Mangan back at Tranmere.

The pair spent six months playing together at Prenton Park last year, notching 16 goals between them.

Their fearsome partnership was split up when Mangan joined League One side Shrewsbury last January, but he is now back on the Wirral after returning to play under boss Micky Mellon.

And the pair have already shown what they are capable of, with Norwood scoring from a Mangan assist in the 2-2 draw with his former club Forest Green on Tuesday.

“He’s an intelligent footballer, he knows the runs,” he said. “We’re similar sorts of strikers but we can both do each others jobs. One can drop deep, the other can go in behind.

“So we know the balls that we both want and we are both capable of playing them.

“Hopefully with Andy Cook, Jake Kirby and Connor Jennings coming back too, we’ve got a formidable strike force.”

Norwood’s goal at The New Lawn took his season tally to eight goals – a decent return for someone who was hit with a three match ban and spent a month out injured.

It means he’s four behind top-scorer Cook.

Norwood though insists he is not driven by trying to finish as Rovers’ leading marksman.

“I just want that medal around my neck,” said the former England C captain.

“It has been a frustrating time. I was injured when Micky Mellon came in. And I can’t say much about the red for obvious reasons, but it was very disappointing that I missed the three games.

“But I’ve got my chance now, I’m back fit, I’ve scored again and I’m looking to build on that now.”