HAPPY FAMILIES FOR TRANMERE NEW BOY DRISSA

‘FAMILY comes first’ is the mantra you’d expect everyone in football to follow – not if you’re Drissa Traore that is!

The 25-year-old turned down a rare opportunity to see family in France this week in order to sign for National League promotion chasers Tranmere Rovers.

Midfielder Traore helped Forest Green Rovers into the Football League last May after they edged out Rovers in the National League promotion final at Wembley.

But after having his contract terminated by Forest Green last week, Traore admits he was just about to hop on the plane when he received a call from Rovers chief Micky Mellon.

“I was leaving Forest Green to go back to France to see my family, and then the Tranmere manager called me and asked me to come and play,” the Ivory Coast-born player told The

NLP. “I said yes, I definitely will. Because Tranmere is a great club with some quality players and great fans.

“It feels great because I have not been getting much football at Forest Green, and I can now come into the team and help get promotion for the club.”

Traore joins a Rovers side still within the reach of the National League title with Mellon’s men in the play-off mix, seven points adrift of leaders Macclesfield Town.

The former Notts County and Swindon Town man believes his new team-mates have what it takes to bounce back into the elite 92, and is ready to do all he can to help.

“Definitely we can still win the league,” he added. “We just need to concentrate on ourselves and keep winning games after games. If we have to go in the play-offs then we go but we need to believe.”

“I can definitely bring something to the side, I already have the experience and know what you need to be like to get promotion, we need to put in 100 per cent if we are going to do it right!”

Traore, however, is also aware of the high expectations from the Prenton Park faithful but says he is used to playing under pressure.

“I have been playing in League One and Two, I also have experience in this league,” he said. “I know the pressure that comes with playing for a team like Tranmere Rovers.

“When I played against Tranmere last season it was a brilliant atmosphere every time, the fans never stop singing and I am so happy to play for them now.”