LET’S LOOK AT:
MORECAMBE
Morecambe Football Club was formed in 1920, rather later than many League Two clubs, including the Bees. The club initially shared their ground with the cricket club but at the end of their first season, they moved to the Roseberry Park ground which was purchased a few years later by the club president, JB Christie and re-named Christie Park in his honour.
Morecambe finished 13th in their first season and struggled in their first few seasons, but in 1924/25 they won the Lancashire Combination for the first time, finishing above Rochdale Reserves who were runners-up. This was a good period for the Shrimpers and they finished 2nd and 3rd in the next two seasons.
However, their fortunes slumped and the club rarely came close to another championship title for some time. Indeed, in 1932 they finished 2nd from bottom. The club’s fortunes slowly improved and by the 1934/35 they had risen to 8th place. In the last season before the outbreak of WW2, the team finished 15th.
When football returned after the end of the war, Morecambe’s fortunes improved and, in 1947 and 1948 they finished 4th and, in 1949, they finished 3rd, their highest placing since 1927.
Between 1950 and 1956, Morecambe struggled and were mainly a bottom half of the league side, except for season 1951/52 when they finished 5th. However, in 1957 they finished 3rd and the club were never to finish lower than 10th until 1968 when they joined the newly formed, Northern Premier League. Morecambe were Lancashire Combination Champions on four occasions during this period, in 1962, 1963, 1967 and 1968.
In their first season in the Northern Premier League, Morecambe finished 3rd but then struggled thereafter failing to finish in the top half until 1985/86 when they finished 3rd. Two more consecutive top six finishes followed. Morecambe tasted cup success during this period when they won the FA Trophy in 1974, defeating Dartford 2-1 at Wembley Malcolm Richmond and Jimmy Sutton scored the Morecambe goals.
After two disappointing seasons, in 88/89 and 89/90, the club finished in the top half for the next four seasons and then in 1994/95, they finished in their highest position to date, as runners-up to Mossley. With Mossley’s ground not meeting Conference ground requirements, Morecambe were promoted to the Conference in their place.
In their first season in the Conference, Morecambe finished 8th. The club finished in the top five in three of the next four seasons, finishing 3rd in 2000, but the following season the club slumped to 19th, only escaping relegation by two points. The club improved then to finish 6th the following season.
From season 2002/03, play-offs were introduced with the four teams below the Champions playing for an additional promotion place. Morecambe rose to the occasion and finished as runners up to Yeovil Town, the highest paced finish in their history, up to this point. Unfortunately, in the play off semi final they lost on penalties to Dagenham & Redbridge on penalties after each side had won their home tie 2-1.
The following season, Morecambe just missed out on the play-offs finishing 7th and finished 7th again the following season. In November 2005, manager, Jim Harvey suffered a heart attack and he was replaced by former Manchester United star, Sammy McIlroy. At the end of the season, the club made the play-offs for the second time, finishing 5th but lost in the play-off semi final, 4-3 on aggregate to Hereford United who were promoted.
In 2007, Morecambe reached the play-offs again and finished 3rd and this time they won the play-offs and were promoted after defeating York city in the play-off semi finals and then beating Exeter City 2-1, through goals by Garry Thompson and Danny Carlton at Wembley.
In 2007/08, their first ever season in league football, Morecambe achieved a top half of the table finish, in 11th place and the following season, they repeated this achievement. Last season, they went one better and reached the play-offs before losing to Dagenham & Redbridge in the semi-final.