Like Rovers, Morecambe are relative newcomers to the football league, gaining promotion to League 2 for the first time in their history in 2007 under the management of Sammy McIlroy.

Although the club were formed in 1920, they spent their first 48 years in the Lancashire Combination before starting the slow rise into the football league.

They reached the League 2 play-offs in 2010 but, apart from this, had never finished in the top 10 in League 2.  All changed in the 2020/21 season.  Under their manager, Derek Adams, the club finished 4th in League 2, missing promotion by a single point.  They went into the play-offs together with Newport, Tranmere and FGR.  After despatching Tranmere 3-2 on aggregate, Morecambe went on to beat Newport 1-0 at Wembley to reach League 1.  Derek Adams immediately left to manage Bradford City.

 Their first season in League 1 was a struggle, until Adams returned to manage halfway through the season.  He succeeded in lifting Morecambe out of the drop-zone to finish 19th but, along with FGR, they were relegated back to League 2 last season..

The journey to Morecambe is about 206 miles from Nailsworth.  This is a road journey of about 3 hours 45 minutes.

By Supporters Club Coach.  For full details of Away Travel including pick up times: – look at FGR Away Travel – Forest Green Rovers Supporters Club (fgrsc.com)  For further information, including pickup point locations see Away travel arrangements 22/23 – Forest Green Rovers Supporters Club (fgrsc.com)

Book your coach ticket with your match ticket from FGR (£5 adult discount for FGR Supporters Club members) but note that you need to call FGR Reception to get the coach discount (phone 0333 123 1889 Monday to Friday, between 9am and 3pm).  Please try to book early.

By Car – Westgate Primary School operates a matchday car park for £5 (cash only) and it is only a 5 minute walk to the stadium. The proceeds go to the school, so it’s for a good cause.  Other than this there is local street parking with about a 10 minute walk (watching out for matchday restrictions closer to the ground).  Post Code for Sat Navs for the stadium: LA4 4TB

By Train – Not really realistic for a day return.  It is just about possible to take the train from Stroud to Morecambe and to return the same day (provided you leave Stroud on the 08.58 train and catch the 17.30 train back from Morecambe).  The standard adult return is about £120 and involves several changes.  Journey times are about 5 hours and the station is a mile from the ground.

Morecambe’s Mazuma Stadium.

Away fans are usually in the terrace behind the goal with some seating available in the Beyond Radio Stand (North Stand).  It looks as though it will just be the seated section available for Rovers’ visit.  The ground is pretty new (Morecambe moved in in 2010) but is unusual for a new stadium in having 3 terraced sides.  

Admission prices; Seating in the Beyond Radio Stand (North Stand) Block A: by the side of the pitch

Adults £25
Over-65 £20
18-22 £15
Under-18 £7
Under-14 £5

In the away end, there are five pairs of wheelchair bay and carer tickets available.

Morecambe are sitting in 15th place in mid-table.  They are safe from relegation and can’t threaten the play-off places.  Recent results haven’t been that good.  6 defeats in their last 8 games.  They have lost their last 3 games against promotion contending sides withoout scoring a goal (if that sounds familiar, FGR have done exactly the same!).  

Leading scorer, Michael Mellon, was recalled by parent club Burnley in January.  Mellon had scored 13 goals in the season to December.

Defensively, Morecambe haven’t been that great – they’ve almost conceded as many goals as Rovers this season (76 of them).   However, they also score goals pretty freely.  Morecambe games aren’t dull affairs!  Their matches average more than 2.5 goals per game.  Their only goalless draw was a 0-0 at home to Notts County back in September. 

Morecambe has had some off-field issues rumbling.  The club’s owners, Bond Group, (who also owned Worcester Warriors rugby) put the club up for sale in 2022 and there is still no news about new owners.  The Warriors eventually folded after HMRC issued a winding-up petition.   It is claimed that Morecambe FC is financially sound, the background is unsettling.

The club’s board put out a strong statement last December – “The largely voluntary Board of Directors, most of whom are staunch fans of the Club, is making this statement because a significant change of approach is required by Bond Group.  Without it, nothing at Morecambe Football Club can move forwards and the Directors risk finding themselves in an untenable position, which puts the Club and the wonderful community that it sits at the heart of at serious risk.”

Supporters group The Shrimps Trust said it was supportive of the board. “We implore Bond Group to do the right thing and engage with those they trusted, and to collectively act in the best interests of the Football Club and secure a timely exit of Bond Group from their stewardship of the company which is desired by all parties.”

Defender Farrend Rawson was with FGR from 2018 to 2020.  Nottingham-born Faz left to join Mansfield in 2020 before moving to Morecambe in 2022 when his contract at Mansfield expired.  Now 27 years old, Farrend has a couple of goals this season for Morecambe.

Farrend Rawson, when he was at FGR

JJ McKiernan is having his best season.  The central midfielder has 7 goals so far.

Striker Jordan Slew has been in form and is Morecambe’s current top scorer with 8 goals.

After guiding Morecambe into League 1 in 2021, Derek Adams is now in his 2nd spell at the club

Until the end of last season, Morecambe had the distinction of never having been relegated in the history of the club.  For a single season, of all the clubs in the top 4 divisions, Morecambe were the only one never to have been relegated.  Even through the lower leagues Morecambe had never felt the heartache of dropping down a division.  OK, on some occasions, as part-timers, it wasn’t possible for them to be relegated in certain divisions, but it was still an impressive achievement!  Last season’s drop from League 1 to League 2 lost them this crown. In case you were wondering, FGR have suffered 2 relegations – they dropped to Division 2 of the Gloucestershire Northern Seniors League in 1955 (though they came straight back up the following season!).  And, of course, last year!

Morecambe could have been accused of ‘cat-napping’ when they moved from their old stadium, Christie Park, to their new one, the Mazuma Stadium (formerly the Globe Arena), in 2010.  They forgot their mascot, Christie the Cat, who was named after the old stadium. He was left locked up in a first aid room. A month later a man walked into the club shop offering to sell them the mascot costume!  In the end, Christie was returned in good faith (and for free) after some gentle police persuasion and has continued to perform his duties ever since.

Christie, the abandoned cat!

Morecambe sits on the Lancashire coast, between Blackpool and the Lake District. Morecambe Bay is famous for its local delicacy – Morecambe Bay potted shrimps.  Not surprising how the club got its nickname – The Shrimps!  The Bay is huge and sandy, covering 310 square kilometres, making it the second largest bay in Britain after The Wash.  Not only is it huge in size, Morecambe Bay is one of the most important wildlife sites in Europe, boasting abundant bird life and diverse marine habitats.

Two of Morecambe’s most famous names include actress Dame Thora Hird and the comedian Eric Morecambe.

Morecambe was the home town of John Eric Bartholomew, who became known by his stage name of Eric Morecambe and who, with partner Ernie Wise, became the country’s most famous comedy double act until Morecambe’s death in 1984.

The statue of Eric Morecambe has become something of a tourist attraction in Morecambe

Actress & comedian, Dame Thora Hird, had a career spanning 70-years and became something of a national treasure

The town of Morecambe is an adopted home to one of boxing’s biggest names – Tyson Fury.  Apparently it’s not uncommon to see Fury in Morecambe with his family, interacting with local residents.