12th : Can Morecambe have a repeat performance?

By Nathan Jackson
August 1 2008

Morecambe enter the new season hoping to repeat their general success of last season. The Shrimpers impressed many in the division lasts eason and certainly made a good go of the League, almost making the Playoffs before eventually falling away. They will be hoping to do it again in the 2008/9 season.

WHO ARE MORECAMBE FC

WHO IS SAMMY McILROY?

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?

LAST SEASON'S VIDEO

Morecambe are one of the sides who personally impressed me during the 2007/8 season. The way they went about League life without any fear contributed to a very respectable finish in the division. They have got their tactics right to not only survive in League Two, but to also push on and potentially push for the Playoffs.

At Sincil Bank they adopted an ultra-defensive tactic, only launching one attack and their goal came from that (and that was an own goal), but at Christie Park they should have beaten us by a country mile. The tactics in their away games might not be pretty or even entertaining, but they certainly work and I respect them for not really giving a toss about what the other team's fans think.

However, Morecambe have a generally average squad. The only player who would even remotely interest me in him coming to City would be Matt Blinkhorn. Arguably the most under-rated player in the division, Blinkhorn is the only difference maker at Christie Park and he is the key to Morecambe's fortunes. However, whilst they have a generally average squad, they have a great team and it's better to have a great team of average individuals that an average team of great individuals.

The atmosphere at Christie Park, despite the lack of four stands, was quite decent and one of the best in the division. The fans at Christie Park, although most of them are seemingly useless when you ask them a simple question (I'll get into this later on in the article) they are capable of creating a great atmosphere and I think this is why they have a generally good home record.

Right, now onto the stupid people of Morecambe. Last season all I wanted to know was where the turnstiles for the seated away end were. I went up to an old guy in a small box selling programmes and the conversation went like this....

"Hello, I'm a Lincoln fan wanting to sit in the away seats, which turnstile do I need to go in to get to them?" A fairly simply question I thought.

"The away fans have the terrace behind the goal and half of the seated stand."

"Excellent, so which turnstile do I go in to get to the seats?"

"Away fans get half of the seated stand."

"Ok, which turnstiles do I use to get to them?"

"Away fans get the terrace behind the goal as well."

"Ok then, I want to go in the seated section, which number turnstile do I go in to get to the seats?"

"Away fans get half of the seated stand and the terrace behind the goal."

At this point I just gave up and walked off, asking a steward who was able to give me the answer at the first time of asking. However, their fans are generally very friendly and they certainly don't have that "We're better than everyone else" attitude that Dagenham and Redbridge have.

I think Morecambe are one of those sides that could go on to be one of the mainstays in the upper reaches of League Two in years to come, but I think that another season of a midtable finish will be between them and the aforementioned push.