13 minute read
Today’s Opposition: Morecambe
MORECAMBE
The club was founded in 1920 and entered into the Lancashire Combination, where they would remain for the next 48 years winning the league title on five occasions before they joined the newly formed Northern Premier League in 1968. Morecambe first entered the Conference in 1995-96 and a play-off win over Exeter in 2007 saw them promoted to the Football League for the first time. Since then, the Shrimps have stayed in the fourth tier, with a best finish of fourth in 2010, losing in the play-off semi-finals. They, along with AFC Wimbledon, are the only teams in the top four levels of English football never to have been relegated in their entire history. Having finished 22nd last season, Derek Adams side were expected to struggle again this term, but they’ve have had a fantastic campaign, and going into the business end of the season, sit in the play-off positions just five points off the automatic promotion places. Following a mixed start to the season with three wins, three defeats and two draws, an excellent December saw them win five out of six games and become real promotion candidates. That form has continued and the Shrimps remain very much in the mix for promotion to League One for the first time. It shouldn’t come as a surprise though, as Derek Adams has a good record when it comes to League Two, having taken Plymouth Argyle up to League One in 2016-17. While the challenge and constraints at Morecambe are different to Argyle, the 45-year-old knows what it takes to get out of this league. When the sides met in mid-December, at the Mazuma Stadium Aaron Wildig’s second half header was enough for Morecambe as they held out for a 1-0 win and inflicted a third straight league defeat on the bounce for Town.
DID YOU KNOW?
This isn’t actually the first competitive meeting between the two sides at Wetherby Road! We met in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in 1985. The game finished 2-0 to the Shrimps.
FOUNDED 1920
NICKNAME The Shrimps
MAZUMA STADIUM Capacity 6,476
RECORD SCORER Kevin Ellison 88 (2011-2020)
RECORD APPEARANCES Kevin Ellison 388 (2011-2020)
THE SHRIMPS PLAYING SQUAD
BETWEEN THE STICKS
1. Kyle Letheren
Signing for the Shrimps in January, the 33-year-old started out at Swansea City. In 2010 he moved to Kilmarnock where he spent three seasons before switching to Dundee in July 2013 where he made 50 appearances before signing for Blackpool in July 2015. After just five appearances, he moved to York City in August 2016 and played 28 games in the National League before signing for Plymouth Argyle in September 2017. After two seasons at Home Park, he signed for newly promoted Salford City in July 2019 before being released and joining Chesterfield last Summer.
12. Mark Halstead
Joining the Shrimps in July 2018, the 30-year-old started at Blackpool in 2006. Whilst there he had loan spells at Burscough, Hyde United, Barrow, Kettering Town and Stockport County. He joined Shrewsbury Town in 2014 and made 20 league appearances before moving to Southport for a season, playing 16 games before joining Morecambe. Now in his third season at Morecambe, he has played 65 times in all competitions for the Shrimps.
AT THE BACK
2. Kelvin Mellor
Signing in August 2020, the 29-year-old began his career at Crewe Alexandra and broke into their first team towards the end of the 2011–12 season, playing 91 times for the Railwaymen over six years. In July 2014 he signed for Plymouth Argyle where he made 78 league appearances before moving to Blackpool two years later and racking up another 73 league appearances. In July 2018, he signed for Bradford City and turned out 33 times for the Bantams before joining Morecambe.
Kyle Letheren
3. Stephen Hendrie
A Summer 2020 signing, the 25-year-old came through the youth ranks at Hamilton Academical, making his firstteam debut in July 2011. Over the next four years, he played more than 100 games for the Accies, before moving to West Ham United in July 2015. After featuring on the Hammers’ bench a handful of times, he had loan spells at Southend United and Blackburn Rovers before signing for Southend permanently in June 2017. He played 43 times for the Shrimpers and spent the second half of the 2017–18 season at Motherwell before spending last season at Kilmarnock.
4. Nathaniel
Knight-Percival
Signing for the Shrimps last summer following his release from Carlisle United, the 33-year-old has nearly 600 career appearances. He started at Histon, progressing through the youth ranks and playing over 200 games for the Stutes over six years. He signed for Wrexham in April 2010 and made 86 appearances before moving into the EFL with Peterborough United in May 2012. After two seasons and 56 games for the Posh he joined Shrewsbury Town in May 2014 where he added another 77 games. From there he joined Bradford City in July 2016 and in three seasons at Valley Parade, made 118 League One appearances before moving to Carlisle prior to last season.
5. Sam Lavelle
c
Now in his fourth season with the Shrimps, the 24-year-old started his career in Blackburn Rovers’ Academy progressing through the ranks before leaving for Bolton Wanderers at the end of the 2015–16 season where he only stayed one season due to the club’s transfer embargo and signed for Morecambe at the start of the 2017-18 campaign. He has been a regular for the Shrimps ever since and made over 110 appearances for the club and was recently awarded with the captain’s armband.
Sam Lavelle
6. Harry Davis
Another Summer arrival after being released by Grimsby, the 28-year-old started his career with Crewe Alexandra and after coming through the club’s academy made his first team debut in 2010. In eight seasons at Gresty Road, he made 184 appearances before spending the latter half of 2016-17 on loan at St Mirren who he joined permanently in August 2017. After helping the Buddies win the Scottish Championship, he signed for Grimsby Town in June 2018 and made 56 appearances before joining Morecambe.
21. Ryan Cooney
Re-joining the Shrimps in August 2020 for a second spell on loan from Burnley, the 20-year-old played 11 times for the Shrimps last season on loan after joining the club in January. He moved to Burnley from Bury in July 2019 where he made 29 first-team appearances as the Shakers won promotion to League One before their financial problems.
22. Liam Gibson
Signing in September 2020 after being released by Newcastle United, the 23-year old had loan spells with Gateshead, Accrington Stanley and most recently, Grimsby Town in his five years with the Magpies before joining Morecambe.
THE ENGINE ROOM
8. Toumani Diagouraga
Signing for the Shrimps in January 2020 from Swindon Town, the 32-year-old moved to Watford’s academy in 2004. Following just one senior appearance and loan spells at Swindon Town, Rotherham United and Hereford United, he signed permanently for the latter in July 2008 making 98 appearances for the Bulls before moving to Peterborough United in June 2009. After a
Derek Adams
Appointed: November 2019 Age: 45
Adams was appointed the Shrimps boss in November 2019 accepting his second job in English football. The Scot previously earned himself a reputation whilst in charge of Plymouth Argyle, reaching the League Two play-off final in his first season and then going on to win automatic promotion in 2016-17. The Pilgrims came within three points of the League One playoffs in 2017-18, but relegation in 2018-19 saw Adams dismissed. A former midfielder, his playing career saw him appear for Motherwell, Aberdeen and Livingston before ending at Ross County where he started his managerial career winning the Second Division in 2007-08. After a spell as assistant to Colin Calderwood at Hibs, Adams returned to Ross County for four years and led them into the Scottish Premier League in 2011-12.
IN THE DUGOUT
half season loan at Brentford, he signed permanently in July 2010 and made nearly 250 appearances for the Bees over the next six years. In January 2016 he joined Leeds United and made 20 appearances in just over 18 months before moving to Plymouth Argyle in October 2017, then Fleetwood Town in January 2018 and finally Swindon Town in July 2018.
10. Aaron Wildig
Joining the Shrimps in July 2015, the 28-year-old began his career at Cardiff City making his way through the club’s youth system before signing pro in April 2009. After 13 league appearances, he moved on loan to Hamilton Academical in January 2011 and then Shrewsbury Town in November 2011, making that move permanent in the summer of 2012. In the next four seasons he made 71 appearances for the Shrews before being loaned out to Kidderminster Harriers and then Morecambe in March 2015 who he joined permanently that summer. He is now closing in on 200 total games for the Shrimps.
Aaron Wildig
14. Alex Kenyon
Now in his eighth season at Morecambe, the 28-year old began his career with Everton before being released in the summer of 2008 and joining Chorley. The following Summer he moved to Lancaster City before signing for Stockport County in May 2012. He joined Morecambe in June 2013 and has racked up over 250 games for the Shrimps since.
15. Brad Lyons
Joining the Shrimps in January on loan from Blackburn Rovers, the 23-year-old began his career at Coleraine where he made over 100 appearances after coming through their youth ranks. He joined Blackburn on loan in August 2018 with the deal made permanent in January 2019 and later that month joined St Mirren on loan until the end of 2018-19 playing 15 times in the Scottish Premiership. On his return to Blackburn, he featured regularly in Rovers’ Under-23s side.
16. John O’Sullivan
Signing for the Shrimps in July 2019, the 27-year-old came through Blackburn Rovers’ academy and made his first team debut in May 2013. Whilst there he had numerous loans over the next four years at Southport, Accrington Stanley (twice), Barnsley and Rochdale racking up 89 total appearances between them before joining Carlisle United in January 2017. After 35 appearances for the Cumbrians, he joined Blackpool in June 2018 and made 13 appearances before being loaned to Scottish Premiership club Dundee in January 2019. Since joining Morecambe after his release from Blackpool, he has been a regular starter and played 78 times for the Shrimps.
John O’Sullivan
18. Ben Pringle
Joining the Shrimps in August 2020 after his release from Gillingham, the 32-year-old started his career at Wallsend Boys Club, before joining the youth system at West Bromwich Albion in 2006. He joined Derby County in July 2009 playing 20 times in two seasons for the Rams. After a brief loan at Torquay United, he joined Rotherham United in June 2011, making 102 appearances before securing a move to Fulham in June 2015. A loan at Ipswich Town followed in February 2016 before he joined Preston North End in July 2016 and had loan spells with Oldham Athletic, Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers before signing for the Gills in September 2019.
20. Alex Denny
Arriving at Morecambe on loan from Salford City in January, the 20-year-old came through Everton’s youth system where he made his debut aged 17 and became a regular in their Under23s before joining the Ammies in August 2020.
23. Freddie Price
A product of Morecambe’s youth set-up, the 18-year-old signed pro in August and has made a handful of first-team appearances this campaign.
24. Yan Songo’o
Signing in September 2020, the 29-year-old spent his youth career at Deportivo La Coruña, Metz and Real Zaragoza before playing in the Spanish lower leagues for a couple of seasons. In December 2012, he signed for MLS club Sporting Kansas City and was loaned to third division Orlando City for the 2013 season before joining Blackburn Rovers in July 2013. Without a league appearance for Rovers, he was loaned to Ross County in January 2014 for the rest of the season. He joined Plymouth Argyle in June 2016, and spent three seasons with the Pilgrims making 121 appearances before joining Scunthorpe United for a season in the summer of 2019.
UP TOP
7. Jordan Slew
Signing for the Shrimps in January 2020, the 28-year-old started at Sheffield United making his first-team debut in October 2010. He signed for Premier League Blackburn Rovers in August 2011 but unable to break into the first team had loans at Stevenage, Oldham Athletic, Rotherham United, Ross County and Port Vale before signing for Cambridge United in February 2015. Two years later he signed for Chesterfield before moving to Plymouth Argyle in July 2016. In September 2017 he joined Rochdale before moving into non-league in January 2018 with Radcliffe, Boston United and Ashton United before his move to Morecambe.
9. Cole Stockton
Joining Morecambe for a third spell in July 2019, the 26-yearold came through Tranmere Rovers’ youth system and made 97 league appearances for them over the next five years. He also had loan spells at Vauxhall Motors, Southport and back-toback loans at Morecambe before signing for Scottish Premiership club Hearts in June 2017. After 12
Cole Stockton
league appearances, he left for Carlisle United in January 2018 before re-joining Tranmere in August 2018 and was loaned out to Wrexham in January 2019 for the latter half of the season.
11. Carlos Mendes Gomes
Signing for the Shrimps in May 2018, the 22-year old moved to Spain at a very early age. After moving to Madrid, he played for Getafe’s under 14s for a season before joining Atlético Madrid’s youth set-up. At the age of 17 he moved to Manchester, and after a year out of football, joined West Didsbury & Chorlton in the North West Counties League in 2016 before being signed by Morecambe. With 65 league appearances now under his belt for the Shrimps, he has been ever present this campaign and top scored with 12 goals so far.
17. A-jay Leitch Smith
Joining Morecambe in August 2018 after his release from Shrewsbury Town, the 31-yearold came through Crewe Alexandra’s academy. Early on he had loan spells at Halifax Town, Newcastle Town, ÍBV (Iceland) and Curzon Ashton before breaking into Crewe’s first team in 2011-12 and going on to make over 100 league appearances before joining Yeovil Town in June 2014. He moved on to Port Vale in July 2015 and finished Vale’s topscorer with 13 in 43 games, before signing for Shrewsbury Town in June 2016. He joined Scottish Premiership club Dundee on loan for the 2017-18 season, scoring seven in 32 games for the Dee before being released by Shrewsbury.
19. Liam McAlinden
Signing for the Shrimps in August, the 27-year-old started his career at Wolves and rose through the youth ranks at Molyneux before making his debut in 2013. He scored twice in 19 appearances for Wolves over six years and had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town (twice), Fleetwood Town (twice) and Crawley Town before joining Exeter City in may 2016. After seven goals in 60 games for the Grecians, he moved on to Cheltenham Town in July 2018 before successful spells with Halifax Town and Stockport County last season scoring 12 in 36 total appearances.
RECENT LINE-UP
v Newport County (H) L1-3
Saturday, 13 March 2021
Carlos Mendes Gomes
