games, including a 30-yard strike against Peterborough and a "beautiful volley" against Stockport County. For his performances, the club named him 'Player of the Season' and eventually offered him a new one-year contract, which he signed "after weeks of uncertainty". Barnsley won promotion under Andy Ritchie in 2005–06, and Shuker played a total of 57 competitive games in league and cup competitions, and was an ever-present in the league. He scored a total of ten goals, including braces against Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town; Barnsley won every game in which Shuker found the net. He played in both legs of the play-off semi-final win over Huddersfield Town, and also played in the Millennium Stadium final, scoring a penalty in the shoot-out victory over Swansea City. He was offered a new contract, however the club withdrew the offer after four weeks; Shuker said that "the manager wanted me back, the lads as well, it seems the chairman is running the club, picking the players. Money wasn't the issue, I turned down an extra £500 from another club because I wanted to stay." A year later, former teammate Daniel Nardiello also criticized Chairman Sheperd, saying "He's made promises to me in the past and not kept them, but I never made a fuss and just got on with things. I didn't like the way he treated my mate Chris Shuker a couple of seasons ago either." Tranmere Rovers Shuker switched clubs to Tranmere Rovers in July 2006, then managed by Ronnie Moore, signing a two-year deal. He played 50 games in 2006–07, scoring seven goals, as Rovers missed out on the play-offs by eight points. For his performances he was named on the PFA Team of the Year, and was handed a new three-year contract. He was limited to 27 appearances in 2007–08, having picked up a knee injury in December. Despite missing pre-season training due a muscle injury, he started the 2008–09 season in fine form, causing manager Ronnie Moore to remark that "Shuker looked like Shuker today and it has been coming. He's a menace, he's a threat, he can go round people, they didn't know what to do with him." He played a total of 35 games as Rovers missed out on the play-offs by two points. However, he was ruled out for the rest of the season having broke his arm in March 2009 "after messing about with