Opposition Preview - Morecambe FC

[RoamingIpswichFan]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if you guys would be able to help me out with something. I come from the Ipswich Town equivalent of ShrimpsVoices, TWTD, and I have been tasked with re-introducing the opposition previews that were very popular amongst team forums from our time in the Championship.

However, since our unfortunate relegation two years ago, our original creator stopped making them. It is my job to restore them to their former glory, and I need your help to do so.

We do something different over at TWTD, where we create opposition previews from the perspective of the opposition, avoiding biased opinions on players we don’t have as much knowledge of as you guys would do.

So, where do you come in?

Well, what I would need from you guys is an extortionate amount of quotes, opinions and arguments surrounding everything ‘Morecambe-related.’

What do you think about each player? Strengths and Weaknesses of players? Which areas do you see as real threats? Which areas look a little light? What do you think about Stephen Robinson? How do you yourselves see Morecambe doing this season? Also, what do you think about Ipswich Town? Our business, our players. Prediction for the game.

Something of particular interest, is if you think there are any slight worries you have over some players in the squad. As much as we'd all love a perfect squad, that usually isn't possible

I will be diving into the depths of the forum as well looking for previous discussions, if there is a specific thread that you think might be of interest to me, please let me know.

I will thank you all in advance, and I hope you enjoy the piece when it gets published, and I look forward to an exciting game this weekend.

[marky No.1]

We've literally got a new squad having been promoted, bar a handful, so you know as much as we do.
Many of us have been struggling to recognise players without names or numbers on their backs.

Exciting times ahead, first time we met you were in the Premiership 5 Leagues above us, how times have changed.
We will give you a game be sure of that, in front of what will be the largest crowd we've played in front of in the League.

Will be a bit easier for us without Terry Butcher, Mick Mills, John Wark Kevin Beattie, Arnold Muhren, Paul Mariner R.I.P. and Franz Thijsen and the like in your team

[P/T Indie]

Stephen Robinson looks an amazing appointment and seems a manager that wants to be involved in every aspect of the club and help build it up to be a sustainable league 1 club.

He seems to really back himself in been able to develop young talent and from what he did at Motherwell there is no reason to suggest he can't. Some of the signings seem to have been a bit inconsistent at their previous club but SR obviously thinks he can make a difference and develop them further very much like John Coleman at Accrington.

The season will go one of two ways all the signings end up struggling and we finish rock bottom or SR turns out to be a genius develops all the players into a really good team and we finish in the top half.

The more people rights us off though the more we rise to it, even after 14 years in league 2 we were still favourites for relegation so we are used to it and the more we can fly under the radar and people underestimate us the better.

We will cause some upsets though and if any of the big boys come to the Mazuma expecting an easy game they will be in for a shock.

If Burton and Accy can stay in League 1 with average crowds of 2900 then why can't we?

The feeling is very optimistic at the moment we have had some difficulties over the past few years but now things are progressing both on and off the pitch and the club has never been in a more stronger position.

I find some of the off field issues at the so called bigger clubs mind blowing, take Charlton for example spending more money on hire cars than players or yourselves who were £100million in debt until recently, Sheff Wed always seem to have ongoing struggles and other clubs where directors pay themselves nice big salaries.
Like we have seen in league 2 this can be the downfall of some clubs when you look at Notts County, Chesterfield and the likes while the so called smaller/well run clubs manage to progress.

I think we can take inspiration from the likes of Luton, Lincoln, Burton, Accrington, AFC Wimbledon (all who have been in the conference) and show that with a sensible business plan and a spirit of togetherness throughout the club we could just surprise a few people.

[Keith]

Next Saturday will be incredible, especially for us oldies. In the 1980's, when we were at our worst, we'd have crowds of about 250. You'd phone the club and ask "what time is kick-off?" and they'd reply "what time can you get here?" We were playing Goole, Horwich & Bangor. Now we're playing Sunderland, Charlton Athletic & obviously, Ipswich.

When we first played Ipswich in the FA Cup, you were fourth in the Premier League and we were the minnows in the Conference. You can watch a young looking Lineker introducing the highlights of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYcrKJQfEGA

The pitch invasion at the end of the game resulted in an exchange of scarfs not punches and a relationship that led to some Ipswich fans 'adopting' Morecambe as a second club, blue Ipswich shirts were not uncommon at southern Conference games when the Tractor Boys didn't have a game of their own to go to, including Wembley, when we finally became a League Club. And when we played you in the FA Cup for the second time, still as minnows, the highlight of the weekend away was a rock band in the Ipswich pub that night, who'd been primed to sing a 'rock' version of 'Bring Me Sunshine'

Now, we meet again, literally equal, behind you only alphabetically! How did that happen?

It's really difficult to assess the squad as we've so many new signings and a new manager. It can't have happened often, where a club wins promotion and the manager chooses to remain in the league below? But somehow, I think Derek Adams leaving is going to be best for both us & him. We've now got a manager with a track record of developing young talent and of 'punching above the club's weight'. The signings have all been really positive. We've been favourite for the drop every season since becoming a Football League club and we're favourite for the drop again. Having never been relegated in 101 years, I genuinely don't expect it to start next season. I think we've got a good enough squad, with enough depth, to compete and, I'd say we're more likely to be in the play-offs than a relegation scrap. I'm not expecting either and think we'll finish mid-table. But we'll surprise a few on the way. Hopefully those surprises will begin on Saturday.

1-2!