List of Morecambe F.C. seasons

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Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League, and again in 2021.

Contents

In 2023, they were relegated, for the first time in their history, back to League Two. At the time, they were the last of the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs to suffer a relegation.

History

Football in the town dates back to the turn of the 20th century; however, it was not until 7 May 1920 that Morecambe FC was formed after a meeting at the local West View Hotel. The club then took its place in the Lancashire Combination League for the 1920–21 season. At the end of the first season the club moved grounds to Roseberry Park. A few years later after the purchase of the ground by the then-President, Mr. J.B. Christie, the ground's name was changed to Christie Park, in his honour. Those early seasons proved difficult and it was not until 1924–25 that the club began to enjoy some success, claiming the league title for the first time; this was later followed by success in the Lancashire Junior Cup, beating old rivals Chorley after two replays, and in front of over 30,000 spectators.

Mr. Christie bequeathed the ground to the club in 1927 and also helped incorporate the club into a Limited Company with a then share capital of £1,000. The rest of the 1920s and the whole of the 1930s saw a constant struggle to keep football alive on the North West coast, with poor results on the field and little or no revenue off the field, a near certain recipe for disaster.

The post-war era saw an upturn in the Shrimps' fortunes with steady progress throughout the late 1940s and nearly all the 1950s. These years included an FA Cup third round appearance in 1961–62, a 1–0 defeat to Weymouth; a Lancashire Senior Cup Final victory in 1968, a 2–1 win over Burnley and an FA Trophy success at Wembley in 1974, a 2–1 win over Dartford in the final.

The next decade were as barren as any previous period in the club's history, with the Grim Reaper never far from the Christie Park door. Attendances fell from a creditable 2,000 plus to a miserable 200 minus, with a visible decline in the club fortunes during that period. However, in 1985–86, signs of improvement appeared: the club's league position improved and cup success over the next few years filled the club with optimism.

It took ten years of continual improvement both on and off the field to reach the club's ambition of promotion to the Football Conference after many further improvements, not only to the ground but also regarding the club's structure, giving the club the opportunity to confidently look forward as one of the more progressive Conference clubs.

Since elevation to the Conference in season 1995–96, the Shrimps achieved status as one of the leading teams in the league. In fact, only Woking had a longer unbroken membership of the league at this time. Runners-up spot was claimed on one occasion and the play-offs places were narrowly missed twice. Also during this time, the club also equalled its best appearance in the FA Cup in both 2000–01 and 2002–03. On both occasions the club faced Ipswich Town, losing 3–0 and 4–0 respectively. Morecambe also defeated a few league clubs in the FA Cup, including Cambridge United in 2000–01 and Chesterfield in 2002–03.

Morecambe were promoted to the Football League for the first time in their history after winning the Conference Playoff Final, beating Exeter City 2–1 at Wembley on 20 May 2007, in front of over 40,000 fans which followed their semi-final victory over York City. [1]

On 17 July 2007, Morecambe announced plans to move to a new stadium in time for the start of the 2009–10 season. Work did not commence on the proposed site until spring 2009 with an anticipated completion date of summer 2010. [2]

Morecambe played their first game in the Football League against Barnet at Christie Park in August 2007, in which they played out a 0–0 draw to secure their first ever Football League point. [3]

2009–10 was Morecambe's last season at Christie Park. They finished the season in fourth place, qualifying for the playoffs, where they lost 7–2 on aggregate to Dagenham & Redbridge. On 10 August 2010, Morecambe played their first match at the Globe Arena against Championship side Coventry City in the League Cup first round. Morecambe secured a 2–0 win, with Andy Fleming scoring the first two goals at the stadium. This earned Morecambe a Lancashire Derby in the second round against another Championship side, Burnley, where they lost 3–1.

Key

Seasons

YearLeagueCup competitionsManager
DivisionLvlPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPositionLeading league scorer [4] Average [5] [a]
attendance
FA Cup EFL Cup
FA Trophy
EFL Trophy
NameGoalsResRecResRecResRec
1920–21 Lancashire
Combination
34105195883-252513th of 18 PR 0-1-1
1921–22 34106183656-202614th of 18 PR 0-1-1
1922–23 3498174160-192615th of 18 QR3 3-1-1
1923–24 38155186063-33515th of 20 QR3 3-1-1
1924–25 3624758831+57551st of 19 QR1 1-0-1
1925–26 382110710358+45522nd of 20 QR1 2-1-1
1926–27 382341110558+47503rd of 20 QR1 1-0-1
1927–28 38176159272+20408th of 20 QR1 1-0-1
1928–29 38202168973+164210th of 20 QR3 3-0-1
1929–30 381271974111-373114th of 20 PR 0-0-1
1930–31 38128187697-213216th of 20
1931–32 3666244193-521818th of 19 PR 0-0-1
1932–33 381110176884-263214th of 20 QR3 2-1-1
1933–34 38992065101-362718th of 20 QR1 0-0-1
1934–35 38175166360+3398th of 20 QR2 2-0-1
1935–36 40199127865+13476th of 21 QR1 0-0-1
1936–37 401710139575+204410th of 21 R1 5-2-1
1937–38 422110119070+20526th of 22 QR1 0-1-1
1938–39 421410186776-93815th of 22 QR1 1-0-1
No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 due to World War II.
1945–46 Lancashire
Combination
2266105468-14189th of 12
1946–47 422351413385+48514th of 22 QR1 1-0-1
1947–48 42246129859+39544th of 22 QR2 2-0-1 Jimmy Milne
1948–49 42226148060+20503rd of 22 PR 0-0-1
1949–50 421711146255+7459th of 22 PR 0-0-1
1950–51 421212185673-173615th of 22 PR 0-0-1
1951–52 42217147472+2495th of 22 QR1 0-1-1
1952–53 42169176061-14111th of 22 QR3 2-0-1
1953–54 40146205883-253419th of 21 QR3 2-0-1
1954–55 42188166865+3449th of 22 QR1 0-1-1
1955–56 38125216294-322917th of 20 QR1 0-0-1
1956–57 38207118153+28473rd of 20 R1 3-1-1
1957–58 421812126650+16487th of 22 QR4 3-0-1
1958–59 42229117744+33535th of 22 R1 4-0-1
1959–60 422821210354+49584th of 22 QR1 0-0-1
1960–61 42235149676+20516th of 22 QR3 2-1-1
1961–62 42326414351+92701st of 22 R3 6-0-1 Joe Dunn
1962–63 42316515340+113681st of 22 R1 1-0-1
1963–64 42198159371+224610th of 22 QR4 0-0-1
1964–65 423021013250+82623rd of 22 QR3 2-0-1 Geoff Twentyman
1965–66 4219121110565+50507th of 22 QR2 1-0-1 Ken Waterhouse
1966–67 4130929024+66691st of 22 R1 4-3-1
1967–68 42289511241+71651st of 22 QR4 0-0-1
Northern Premier League created. Club transferred to the newly created league.
1968–69 Northern
Premier
League
538161486437+2746 3rd of 20 R2 5-0-1 Ken Waterhouse
1969–70 381013154151-1033 15th of 20 QR4 0-0-1 R1 0-0-1 Ronnie Clayton
1970–71 421111176779-1239 12th of 22 QR1 0-0-1 QR3 0-0-1 Ken Waterhouse
1971–72 461510215164-1340 17th of 24 QR2 1-1-1 R3 5-0-1
1972–73 461711186270-845 15th of 24 QR1 0-0-1 QF 4-3-1
1973–74 461313206284-2239 17th of 24 QR1 0-1-1 W 7-1-0
1974–75 461415177187-1643 13th of 24 R1 0-0-1 R2 1-0-1
1975–76 461111244767-2033 20th of 24 R1 1-1-1 R3 2-1-1
1976–77 441311205975-1637 15th of 23 R1 1-0-1 QF 3-2-1
1977–78 461111246792-2533 21st of 24 QR4 0-1-1 R1 0-0-1
1978–79 441113205565-1035 18th of 23 R1 1-0-1 R1 0-0-1
Level of the league decreased after the Alliance Premier League creation.
1979–80 6421012204059-1932 17th of 22 R1 1-1-1 R2 2-0-1
1980–81 42118234274-3230 21st of 22 QR4 0-0-1 R1 1-1-1
1981–82 42911224386-4329 20th of 22 QR1 0-0-1 QR3 0-0-1
1982–83 421611157566+959 13th of 22 QR3 3-1-1 QR3 0-0-1
1983–84 421112195975-1645 19th of 22 QR2 1-1-1 QR2 1-2-1
1984–85 421114175167-1647 18th of 22 QR1 0-0-1 R1 3-0-1
1985–86 42171785939+2068 3rd of 22 R1 4-2-1 R1 4-1-1
1986–87 422012106649+1772 6th of 22 QR3 2-0-1 R1 1-0-1
1987–88 42191586141+2072 4th of 22 QR1 0-0-1 QR3 0-0-1
1988–89 42139205560-547 16th of 22 QR3 2-2-1 QR3 0-1-1 Billy Wright
1989–90 42159185870-1254 15th of 22 QR1 0-0-1 QR1 0-0-1 Billy Wright
Bryan Griffiths
1990–91 40191657244+2873 3rd of 21 QR1 0-1-1 QR3 2-0-1 Bryan Griffiths
1991–92 42211387044+2676 3rd of 22 R1 4-0-1 R3 3-2-1
1992–93 42251169351+4286 3rd of 22 QR1 0-0-1 R2 2-2-1
1993–94 42207159056+3467 7th of 22 QR4 3-0-1 QF 3-0-1 Bryan Griffiths
Leighton James
1994–95 42281049934+6594 2nd of 22
Promoted
QR4 3-0-1 R3 2-0-1 Jim Harvey
1995–96 Football
Conference
542178177872+659 9th of 22 1,130 QR4 3-0-1 R1 0-1-1
1996–97 42199146956+1366 4th of 22 1,010 R1 4-2-1 R3 2-1-1
1997–98 422110117764+1373 5th of 22 1,532 R1 1-2-0 R2 1-0-1
1998–99 42158196076-1653 14th of 22 1,163 QR4 1-0-1 R2 0-0-1
1999–2000 42181687048+2270 3rd of 22 Justin Jackson 291,493 R1 1-0-1 R3 1-0-1
2000–01 421112196466-245 19th of 22 Phil Eastwood
John Norman
101,243 R3 3-0-1 R5 2-4-0 R1 0-0-1
2001–02 421711146367-462 6th of 22 Robbie Talbot151,289 R1 1-0-1 SF 4-1-2
2002–03 42239108642+4478 2nd of 22 Wayne Curtis 181,462 R3 3-0-1 R4 1-0-1 R1 0-0-1
Lost in the play-off semi-finals.
2003–04 42207156666067 7th of 22 Danny Carlton 171,781 QR4 0-0-1 R3 0-0-1 R1 0-0-1
Football Conference expanded up to two levels and changed name of a higher division.
2004–05 Conference
National
542191496950+1971 7th of 22 Michael Twiss 221,751 R1 1-0-1 R5 2-0-1 R1 0-0-1 Jim Harvey
2005–06 42228126841+2774 5th of 22 Danny Carlton 171,780 R1 1-0-1 R2 1-0-1 R2 0-1-1 Jim Harvey
Sammy McIlroy
Lost in the play-off semi-finals.
2006–07 462312116446+1881 3rd of 24 Garry Thompson 111,598 R2 2-0-1 R3 2-1-1 Sammy McIlroy
Promoted after winning the play-offs .
2007–08 EFL
League Two
4461612185963-460 11th of 24 Carl Baker
Matthew Blinkhorn
102,812 R1 0-0-1 R3 2-0-1 AF 2-3-1
2008–09 461518135356-363 11th of 24 Stewart Drummond
Rene Howe
102,153 R2 1-0-1 R1 0-0-1 AQF 0-2-1
2009–10 462013137364+973 4th of 24 Phil Jevons 182,262 R1 0-1-1 R1 0-0-1 R1 0-1-0
Lost in the play-off semi-finals.
2010–11 461312215473-1951 20th of 24 Phil Jevons
Jimmy Spencer
82,648 R1 0-0-1 R2 1-0-1 R1 0-0-1
2011–12 461414186357+656 15th of 24 Kevin Ellison 152,144 R1 0-0-1 R2 1-0-1 R2 0-1-0 Jim Bentley
2012–13 461513185561-658 16th of 24 Jack Redshaw 151,954 R2 1-1-1 R2 1-0-1 R2 1-0-1
2013–14 461315185264-1254 18th of 24 Pádraig Amond 111,939 R1 0-0-1 R2 1-0-1 R2 0-1-0
2014–15 461712175352+163 11th of 24 Kevin Ellison
Jack Redshaw
111,998 R1 0-0-1 R1 0-0-1 R2 1-0-1
2015–16 461210246991-2246 21st of 24 Shaun Miller 151,572 R1 0-1-1 R1 0-0-1 ASF 3-0-1
2016–17 461410225373-2052 18th of 24 Kevin Ellison
Paul Mullin
81,704 R1 0-1-1 R2 1-0-1 R2 1-2-1
2017–18 46919184156-1546 22nd of 24 Callum Lang 101,492 R2 1-0-1 R1 0-0-1 GS 0-1-2
2018–19 461412205470-1654 18th of 24 Aaron Collins 82,033 R1 0-1-1 R1 0-0-1 GS 0-0-3
2019–20 37711193560-2532 22nd of 24 Cole Stockton
Lewis Alessandra
52,264 R1 0-0-1 R2 1-0-1 GS 1-1-1 Jim Bentley
Derek Adams
2020–21 46239146958+1178 4th of 24 Carlos Mendes Gomes 150 [b] [6] R3 2-0-1 R3 1-1-1 GS 1-0-2 Derek Adams
Promoted after winning the play-offs .
2021–22 EFL
League One
3461012245788-3142 19th of 24 Cole Stockton 234,310 R3 2-0-1 R2 1-0-1 GS 0-1-2 Stephen Robinson
Derek Adams
2022–23 461014224778-3144 22nd of 24 Cole Stockton 114,572 R1 0-0-1 R3 1-1-1 R2 0-3-1 Derek Adams
2023–24 EFL
League Two
4461710196781-1458 [c] 15th of 24 Michael Mellon 134,002 R3 2-0-1 R1 0-1-0 GS 1-0-2 Derek Adams
Ged Brannan
  1. Average home attendance = for league games only
  2. Entire regular season played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however approximately 1,500 did attend the home leg of the Play-off semi-final.
  3. Morecambe were deducted three points for a financial breach due to the owner (Jason Whittingham) failing to keep the emergency deposit account at the required level (125% of the forecast monthly wage bill), as had previously been agreed with the EFL.

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References

  1. "Exeter 1–2 Morecambe". BBC Sport. 20 May 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  2. "New Stadium Planned". Morecambe FC. 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
  3. "Morecambe 0–0 Barnet". BBC Sport. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
  4. "Morecambe FC club details". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  5. "English non-league attendances archive". EFS. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  6. "Morecambe 1–1 Tranmere Rovers". BBC Sport. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.