MATCH PREVIEW: Shrimps on the menu
EFL 2 club, Morecambe, will provide the opposition at Borough Park on Saturday (3pm) as Reds prepare for pre-season game number six!
In contrast, The Shrimps have only played twice so far with their newly assembled squad recording narrow victories at Longridge Town and Burscough.
After a troubled summer, Morecambe appointed Derek Adams as manager – for the third time – and the former Scottish PFA ‘Manager of the year’ (2012) can draw on over 700 games experience managing the likes of Ross County (three times), Plymouth Argyle, Bradford City as well as his various spells at the Mazuma Stadium.
The club were under a transfer embargo until recently and, when that was lifted, they announced fifteen new signings at once.
One familiar face at Morecambe, however, is that of former Reds’ boss, Danny Grainger who will be making a swift return to Borough Park three months after his departure at the end of last season. He accepted an offer to become Adams’ assistant and the pair are tasked with a major rebuild of a team which finished 15th in the division last term.
We wish Derek and Danny every success for the season ahead but, having lost our last three pre-season encounters against the Shrimps, we will be doing our utmost to get the better of them on this occasion.
We were, of course, regular opponents of Morecambe during our first eleven seasons in the NPL (1977-1988) and, for many years, Reds’ record victory at that level was a 7-1 success we recorded against the North Lancashire outfit here forty-two years ago.
And it is now twenty-four years since we last tasted victory against them in a friendly and one of our scorers in a 3-0 success at Christie Park, back in 2000, was a young Grant Holt.
Reds will be hoping for another disciplined performance similar to the one which knocked Carlisle United out of their stride last week. Anything less and Morecambe, albeit with a fledgling team, will be looking for a third win in just over a week as they gear towards stronger opposition. Their league opener at Walsall will follow tougher friendlies against Blackburn Rovers, Southport and Burton Albion.
Admission:
Adult – £10
Concession – £6
16-18 year-olds – £2
U16 – free admission
