Tranmere boss Micky Mellon hopes that winning promotion to League One can help keep James Norwood at the club.
Rovers sealed back-to-back rises when they beat Newport 1-0 after extra time of the League Two play-off final at Wembley.
Although it was Connor Jennings that scored the 118th-minute winner, Norwood’s goals have been instrumental in Tranmere’s success this season.
Done pic.twitter.com/CzJR7yqioi— James Norwood (@jnorwood_10) May 25, 2019
He is the top scorer in England, having scored 32 times, and with his contract about to expire he is expected to demand a lot of interest.
Mellon is unsure whether his club can keep him, but says they will try.
“I don’t know, I really I am not trying to duck the question,” Mellon said. “Let’s try, he’s a fantastic lad and hes done great. We will work and see if we can do it.”
The victory at Wembley comes 12 months after they won there to seal promotion from the National League, meaning next season they will be back in the third tier for the first time since 2014.
Mellon said: “I’ve been here for a long time and I have seen the qualities that we have for a long time – footballing ability, togetherness and fight – and to see ourselves through was terrific.
“Many of that team played in the National League last year and I’m absolutely delighted for them and there has been a lot of hard, hard work involved to get there.
“We have some catching up to do, we went through the leagues so there is still stuff to do. We’re a club that is recovering, but these group of players will fight for it on another level.”
Newport, who had to play extra time with 10 men following skipper Mark O’Brien’s red card, matched Tranmere throughout but missed out on a first promotion to League One.
Boss Michael Flynn was proud of his players.
“If I live until I am 250 I will never get another set of players like this. They gave me everything,” he said.
“It is frustrating, there wasn’t much in the game at all. It was a good game, they just had more in the final third.
“My players showed so much fight and determination, they kept going. The boys out there were fantastic.”
