Accrington Web - 2024/25 Prediction League Game 10 v Morecambe FC (home)

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Morecambe FC

2024/25 Prediction League Game 10 v Morecambe (home)

“I were out in’t country t’other day, and I said to this ‘ere Farmer, “If I cut across yon field to t’station will I catch 4.15?”

‘e said, “If Bull’s out thy’ll catch 3.45”

Probably the most oft-quoted gag from the Variety and Radio comedian Albert Modley (alongside his catchphrase, “Eeeeeeeehh! In’t it grand when you’re daft?”) ….Modley – born in Liverpool but brought up in Ilkley, moved to Morecambe where he lived much of his adult life - was always known as “Lancashire’s Favourite Yorkshireman ……………….

Just a quick word for My Mate Joe, who said at the beginning of the season that we needed the usual 50 points to avoid The Drop (“just 17 more wins”)……… THEN we had 0 points an 46 games left; NOW we need 16 more wins with 38 left to play, which is almost akin to winning every other game for the rest of the season …….. To put it in context, between us and Morecambe we’ve played 17 League games, won none, drawn six, lost ten, scored 16, conceded 30 and have six points ……… Just saying …..

Starter for Ten, then; What was known as “The Curse of Curzon Ashton”, and who – principally – suffered from it?

The name Morecambe is derived from the Roman name Moriancabris Æsturis shown on maps prepared for them by Claudius Ptolemœus (Ptolemy) from his original Greek maps. At this distance in time it is impossible to say if the name was originally derived from an earlier language (e.g. Celtic language) or from Greek. The Latin version describes the fourth inlet north from Wales on the west coast of England as Moriancabris Æsturis. Translated, this gives a more accurate description than the present name of Morecambe Bay as the Latin refers to multiple estuaries on a curved sea, not a bay, as then the word sinus or gulf would have been used. It says here!

Morecambe was also selected by the RNLI as the location for its first active life-saving hovercraft. H-002 "The Hurley Flyer" became operational on 23 December 2002, and was housed in a temporary garage next to the Yacht Club until a permanent building could be designed and built. Work on the latter began in 2008, and it officially opened on 12 June 2010. Additionally, it was selected for a Crinkly Bottom and will – costing a fortune – house “The Eden Project Morecambe” in years to come (so that’s your heating allowance for the next few decades gone) …………. And to be political, there’s a lot of big snouts been shoved in troughs recently!

Football in the town dates to the turn of the 20th century; however, it wasn’t 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.

Sharing grounds with Morecambe Cricket Club at Woodhill Lane during the first season, football proved popular, with crowds in excess of 3,000 for derby fixtures with Lancaster City and Fleetwood Town. Although success on the field was hard to come by, with the club languishing near the bottom of the table, 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, 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.

Second Starter for Ten, then; many and varied are the records which have been set, broken and re-set in European Club Football competitions over the years; but what was the highest-ever (so far) aggregate win over two legs, and - for a bonus - who were the teams involved?

Into the EFL in 2007 via the Playoffs, they eventually made it to League One, but slipped back in 2023 ………… Last season they finished 15th on 58 points (which would have been 61 if they’d managed to pay their bills on time), and as of 11th July, as a result of releasing almost their entire playing staff (16 in all) they weren’t looking good; on 12th July they signed up everyone in Morecambe over 21 who didn’t have a white stick and a dog (11, plus a further couple) …… they also re-appointed Derek Adams as Manager in June 24 ……… Signings included RB Luke Hendrie from Bratfud, striker Hallam Hope from Oldham, MF Ben Tollitt, also from the Latics and Lee Angol from Sutton ….. they appear to have five leading scorers with one goal each, but their stats may not be up to date ……….. they lost their first five League games (all 0-1) and followed that with four draws, and went out of the EFL Gup to The Terriers in Round One

Head to Head is 15 wins to us, 9 draws and four losses, although they’ve won two and drawn one of the last three ……… gone are the days of a guaranteed 6 points a season

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is – I think – 3.00pm on Saturday 5th October ………………. And if we’re not both going to tumble into the Bananarama together, we need to win this … and 15 more! ……………. And the “victims” of the Curse of Curzon Ashton were three consecutive managers of York City, each of whom was sacked following a poor result against The Nash; Martin Gray in August 2018 (1-1 draw); Sam Collins (January 2019, after losing the return fixture; and Steve Watson in November 2021 after a goalless Desmond ………………. And it’s not actually unique, because St Mirren beat Hearts 2-1 a couple of weeks back which saw Steven Naismith out of a job, and his two predecessors (Robbie Neilson and Daniel Stendal) had suffered the same fate after playing St Helen Mirren …………

And the record aggregate thumping of 71/72 (and all other years) was in the Cup-Winners Cup in Round One in 1971/72, when Chelsea beat Jeunesse Hautcharage, a set of Luxembourg part-timers, 8-0 away and 13-0 at home (Peter Osgood – who’d got a hat-trick in game one - bet Peter Bonetti that he’d score six in the home game but fell one short)……….. to be fair to JH, their team apparently included a one-armed striker, a defender wearing glasses, a 15 year old schoolboy substitute and four brothers called Lucien, Eddy, Raymond and Jean-Pierre Wechsler ……….. Chelsea played Chopper Harris, Osgood, Bonetti, David Webb, Charlie Cooke, Tommy Baldwin, Hudson and Houseman ……… All Hail The Voodoo Gods of Football!

Good luck to everybody! ……….. Keep the Faith! ………. And thanks for playing!

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