The 2016-17 campaign was a season of soaring ambition and heartbreaking near-miss for Tranmere Rovers, with the Super Whites surging to a spectacular 2nd-place finish in the National League. Leading the charge was the prolific forward Andy Cook, whose 23 goals proved vital in a campaign built on domestic dominance, finishing with an incredible 95 points. Despite this formidable league performance, the season culminated in a crushing 3-1 defeat to Forest Green Rovers in the dramatic play-off final at Wembley, which agonisingly denied their return to the English Football League. It was a year of immense effort, anchored by the attacking threat of Cook and James Norwood, that ultimately became a painful but defining chapter in the club's battle to reclaim their Football League status.