Ronnie Moore looks forward to playing football's generation game when he takes Tranmere to Peterborough United tomorrow. Moore is an experienced campaigner in the management game compared to London Road counterpart Darren Ferguson, a 36-year-old who is embarking upon his second full season in charge of the Posh.

But the Rovers manager was still learning the ropes himself during the managerial heyday of Barry Fry, who is director of football at Peterborough these days. And Moore admits he would love to have access to Darren Ferguson's unique line of communication to the father of all modern managers, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Moore said: 'I'm looking forward to locking horns with Darren and meeting up again with Barry Fry - you can do nothing but like him.' Ferguson junior was a hard-working midfield player at Wrexham prior to becoming manager at Peterborough in January 2007 season. Last season Ferguson guided the Posh to automatic promotion with a second-placed finish, scoring 84 goals along the way.

He is backed by the financial clout of Darragh MacAnthony, the young Irish business tycoon who is now chairman and owner at London Road, and the long football experience of Fry, Peterborough's manager between 1996 and 2005.

Moore said: 'I came across Darren while he was at Wrexham and he has the ideal tutor in his father. He is young and still on the learning curve but he has done brilliantly so far. He has taken a step up to League One this season and his team are playing against better players now.

'I am sure he will be speaking to his dad and will get the right advice from him. Sometimes I feel like ringing him myself - although the manager of Manchester United probably does not have the same problems we have game at this level.'

Fry understands the lower divisions intimately. His managerial CV included spells with non-League Dunstable, Bedford and Maidstone before he moved into the Football League with Barnet - where he was sacked and reinstated eight times by chairman Stan Flashman - Southend, Birmingham City and Peterborough.

Moore said: 'Barry and Darren are chalk and cheese. I could not see Darren running halfway up the touchline when his team scores a goal, as Barry used to do. Barry is a character and I'm looking forward to seeing him again.'

Fry was Peterborough's chairman-manager until MacAnthony arrived in September 2006. When Peterborough were paired with Tranmere in an FA Cup second round tie a few months later, MacAnthony paid for the coach travel of 1,400 Posh fans to Prenton Park and went home celebrating a 2-1 victory.

Ferguson's team have not been short of goals in three League One games at London Road, scoring nine times and conceding six. Five were scored and for conceded in one breathless encounter against Bristol Rovers a fortnight ago.

Moore said: 'Both Peterborough and ourselves are attack-minded teams and there is every chance this isn't going to be a goalless draw. To be fair Peterborough had their centre-half, Craig Morgan, away on international duty when they played Bristol Rovers. I know people say one man should not make a difference but we know what is like ourselves with Ian Goodison. Morgan came back last Saturday and Peterborough were unfortunate not to turn the 1-1 draw at Northampton into a win according to our reports.'

Moore added: 'We know Peterborough are going to be a force going forward. But we also know where their Achilles heel is and we must try to exploit it.'

Rovers report a clean bill of health among the squad. Defender Godwin Antwi played his first comeback game, following ankle trouble, for the reserves in midweek but may not be ready to join the 18 players who make the trip to London Road.

Moore is unlikely to move far from starting line-up that posted Tranmere's first away win of the season at Huddersfield last Saturday. Meanwhile the manager hopes to reach agreement with Stoke City counterpart Tony Pulis about extending the loan of defender Ryan Shotton for a further two months. The 19-year-old scored Tranmere's winner at the Galpharm Stadium.

Moore said: 'We are looking to keep Ryan here until the end of November - which is the maximum loan period we are allowed. Then hopefully we can do something when the transfer window opens up in January and maybe keep Ryan until the end of the season.'

Source: Liverpool Daily Post, by Nick Hilton