View source for Tranmere Rovers F.C.

===Inter-war years===

[[File:Tranmere Rovers 27 August 1921.jpg|left|thumb|alt=First Football League match in 1921|First Football League match in 1921<ref name="bishop 98" />]]

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Following the expulsion of [[Leeds City F.C.|Leeds City]] Reserves in 1919, Tranmere were able to enter [[Central League (England)|the Central League]].<ref name="History - Interwar Years"/><ref name="combination" /> Their timing was excellent as the following season, four Central League clubs&nbsp;– including Tranmere&nbsp;– were invited to join the new [[Football League Third Division North|Division Three North]].<ref name="History - Interwar Years"/><ref name="combination" /> On 27 August 1921,<ref name="1921-22" /> they won their first [[The Football League|Football League]] match 4–1 against [[Crewe Alexandra]] at Prenton Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tranmere Rovers {{!}} Club {{!}} History {{!}} History {{!}} Club History |url=http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/page/History/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005055542/http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/page/History/ |archive-date=5 October 2011 |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=www.tranmererovers.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="official site history" /> At this time the team were managed by [[Bert Cooke]], who did so for 23 years in total, the club record for longest serving manager.{{primary source inline|date=February 2024|reason=ideally with confirmation that this is 'the club record for longest serving manager'. the club does not even say that. and source only goes as far as 2012.}}<ref name="managers" />

In 1924, local boy [[Dixie Dean]] made his debut aged 16 years 355 days. He played 30 games for Rovers, scoring 27 goals, before being transferred to [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] for £3,000.<ref name="official site history" /> In the 1927–28 season, Dean scored a [[English football records|record]] 60 League goals for Everton.<ref name="goal records" /> After Dean's departure, several talented young players also left for [[Football League First Division|Division One]] clubs, leading to Cooke's reputation as a shrewd businessman.<ref name="bishop 98" /> Among those sold was [[Tom Waring|Pongo Waring]] who&nbsp;– having scored six goals in the 11–1 victory over [[Durham City F.C.|Durham City]]&nbsp;– went to [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] for £4,700. As of 2010, Waring retains the record of scoring most goals for Villa in a single season.<ref name="TheCowsheds History" />

In 1934, an FA Cup tie between Rovers and [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] was watched at [[Anfield]] by 61,036 fans, a then-record crowd for Tranmere.<ref name="official site history" /> A year later, [[Robert Bell (footballer)|Bunny Bell]] netted 40 goals during the 1935–36 season, including nine goals in the 13–4 Boxing Day 1935 victory over Oldham Athletic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 January 2017 |title=Bunny Bell and the triple hat-trick of 1935 |url=https://ryanferguson.co.uk/blogs/blog/bunny-bell-and-the-triple-hat-trick-of-1935 |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=Ryan Ferguson |language=en}}</ref><ref name="indy festive feats" /> As of 2011, the aggregate of 17 goals in one game remained a league record.<ref name="goal records" />

During this same period, Tranmere made several appearances in the Welsh Cup, reaching the final on two occasions. In 1934, they lost 3–0 to Bristol City in a replay, after a 1–1 draw.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welsh Football Data Archive: Preserving our football heritage |url=http://wfda.co.uk/welsh_cup.php?id=53 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225190203/http://wfda.co.uk/welsh_cup.php?id=53 |archive-date=25 December 2014 |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=wfda.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> The following season, they went one better by beating local rivals Chester 1–0.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welsh Football Data Archive: Preserving our football heritage |url=http://wfda.co.uk/welsh_cup.php?id=54 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225172534/http://wfda.co.uk/welsh_cup.php?id=54 |archive-date=25 December 2014 |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=wfda.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

Rovers won their first championship in the Football League in 1938, with victory in Division Three North, earning promotion to [[Football League Second Division|Division Two]] for the first time.<ref name="official site history" /><ref name="1937-38" /> As of 2025, this remains Rovers's only championship in the Football League. However, they were [[Promotion and relegation|relegated]] the next season, winning only six matches&nbsp;– the record for the worst performance of any team in Division Two.<ref name="1938-39" />