John Aldridge, the player/manager of Tranmere Rovers, has announced that he will play his last game for the club against Wolverhampton Wanderers on May 3rd.

The news comes just days after Paul McGrath, his team-mate in many of his 69 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, confirmed that he, too, is retiring.

"My old back is playing up a bit, so I think its time to get out," Aldridge said. "I'll play against Wolves as a thank you to the fans who have supported me so well at Tranmere.

"I'll by 40 in September, so I can't complain that the game hasn't been good to me. Yet, it will be a wrench to put away my boots for the last time."

Aldridge, the most prolific scorer in English club football in the last 50 years, scored 19 times for Ireland before announcing his retirement from international soccer last season.

After spells with Newport County, Oxford United, Liverpool and Real Sociedad, he signed for Tranmere for a fee of just £250,000 on his return from Spain six years ago and repaid the faith of John King, his predecessor as manager, by scoring 172 goals for the club.